A wedding can be a very expensive event. Those that are trying to avoid the heavy expenses that come with the wedding should look for plans that can help them have a blast without spending a fortune. There are definitely a lot of things that can provide this opportunity, but people must be diligent about their search.
Start With the Dress
The dress can be one of the most expensive things to pay for when it comes to a wedding. That is why you need to start with the dress. There are a ton of bridal outlets and websites that sell discounted dresses. There are consignment shops and a bevy of stores that provide clearance wedding dresses. That is why people that are getting married should consider reducing the cost of the wedding dress for the bride.
Do Your Own Invitations
It is easy to cut down the expenses when you start looking at things like invitations and programs. Cut out the professional printing and do this yourself. That is going to save anyone hundreds of dollars. It is much easier to do these programs at home and cut this expense out altogether.
Photography
Another big wedding budget-buster is the photographer. Some people even go on and hire someone to record the wedding. In this day and age of high definition cameras for cell phones it is possible to get a close friend to take photos with a phone. There are also friends that are photo enthusiasts. They may have digital cameras and they will be elated to take pictures of the wedding without charging you anything. It is good to ask around before you hire a photographer. Friends will be glad to assist in helping you save money so it makes sense to consider these options before you book a photographer.
Getting Married at a Church
So many couples have considered destination weddings because they want to get married in some exotic spot. This can be costly. If you are already a member of a church you can get married there at no cost. Skip the destination wedding and do it the traditional way at the church. This reduces the stress of other participants in the wedding that may not have the money to fly to a destination wedding.
Cut Out The Limo
Some couples want to go all out and leave in the limo. This may be a nice photo opportunity, but this is something that can hurt your wallets. It is better to cut out the limo ride and drive off in your own car together. Most people are not even going to notice the limos anyway. The limo isn’t even a necessary part of the ceremony. You can still have a blast without incorporating this into the equation.
Consider A Single Cake
A lot of money goes into preparing the two cakes for both the bride and the groom. These are two different cakes that require more money to be spent. It is possible to just order a joint bride and groom cake. No one will even pay much attention to the tradition of the separate cakes. It makes a lot more sense to consider this single cake option because many people may not even eat cake during your reception. It can become a total waste of money to spend excessively on a cake that few people will miss.
Cater It Yourself
Don’t spend money on a catering job when you can cater the wedding yourself. If you have friends that are great in preparing meals, then this is going to be a great time to connect with them and ask for help with catering your wedding. This is going to be a much cheaper route than any type of professional caterer or restaurant. It is good to have friends that can come together and provide you with this type of assistance. Do not overlook the value of getting friends in place that can help you cut down on the costs of your meals. When you have the ability to cut out the catering you may actually be able to feed your guests more food than you could with a catering service.
Alcohol Free Receptions
It should come as no surprise that the alcohol and an open bar environment can ruin a wedding budget. That is why it is best of have an alcohol free wedding. You can still have a good time without wine and spirits. The guests don’t have to be tipsy so enjoy your company. They are celebrating your union, and an alcohol free night isn’t the end of their world.
Skip Or Minimize The Party Favors
It is a common tradition for couples to have party favors for their guests. If there is a tight budget, however, the party favors can be skipped altogether. As a bride and groom, it is more important to worry about yourself. The guests should be bringing you gifts on your special day. It isn’t your problem to worry about gifts for them on your wedding day.
There are some couples, however, that are going to feel obligated to provide their guests with party favors. Those that do should consider making their own party favors in order to save money. It could be a personalized CD of their favorite songs for example. It may be a picture of the two of them on a match book. There are a ton of small inexpensive items that can serve as potential wedding party favors for those that plan to provide favors for friends.
Small Wedding
The wedding doesn’t have to be a big production. A small wedding party can have just as much fun as they would if they had a big wedding. It is a common misconception that the wedding has to be huge in order to be successful. Some people invite friends that they have not spoken to in years just to fill seats. It is much better to look at the benefits of keeping the wedding small with close friends and family members that are actively a part of your life.
