Money Saving Tips for a Dream Wedding

Let’s face it, weddings can be expensive! Every bride has her dream of that perfect wedding celebration, the dress, the flowers, dancing until dawn and then perfect pictures, hundreds of them, to remember that wonderful night forever!  All of this takes money, but perhaps not as much as you would think, if you follow these money saving tips!  In some areas there is just no avoiding it, but in others there are ways to save money if you’ll put your mind to it.  Here are some ideas to start the wheels turning.

$    Be Flexible with your date.

Some venues have off-season months that can save you a lot of money.  Most Brides are in the mind set of a Saturday evening wedding only.  If you’re willing to be flexible, choose a Friday night a Saturday during the day or Sunday night, these times are less expensive than a Saturday evening. And if you’re really daring try a week night!  Thursday Nights are fast becoming the night of choice for brides who want a Royal Family type wedding but who are on a shoe cobbler’s salary.

$    Go over your guest list with a fine-tooth comb.

Reduce that guest count to family and close friends only.  These are the people who really know you and want to be there to celebrate this special time in your life.  Don’t feel obligated in invite acquaintances like the “people at the office” or associates.  A good rule of thumb is to think ahead to five to seven years down the road.  If you are not absolutely positive that you will have a relationship with these people in the future then you might want to remove them from your list. Family is a whole other ball of wax and I wouldn’t presume to make that call for you.  Another cost savings idea is to keep the number of your bridesmaids and groomsmen to 2 or 3 instead of 5 or 6.  This will cut down on the cost of flowers, bouquets and boutonnieres you will have to pay for.

$    Choose a venue that has All Inclusive Packages.

Some venues will include catering, cakes, DJs, flowers, photographers and liquor, etc.  In most cases vendors and items that are included in these all inclusive packages have lower prices due to the volume of events they do at that venue. Furthermore, the vendors are more familiar with the venues they are associated with so there is less learning on the go.  This is especially helpful when choosing a photographer because they already know the best locations for great photos.  Choosing these vendors and the other options not only saves you money but an immense amount stress and sleepless nights.

$    Have a buffet instead of a sit-down meal.

Sit-down meals are great, there is no doubt about it, however they are not nearly as important as the food itself.  Most of your guests are not going to remember how your food was served, but they will remember how the food was.  This is why the quality, freshness and taste of the food are much more important than the manner in which it was served.  Also, most reputable venues have food tastings so you can try out the cuisine prior to the wedding.  There’s no need for you to get indigestion knowing how much you spent on the food.

$    Select flowers that are in season.

Avoid exotic and overly expensive flowers (orchids may look great but their smell leaves much to be desired).  Also, keep in mind that flowers tend to be more expensive around Christmas, Mother’s and Valentine’s Day. Consider having a garden wedding, this will cut down on the number of arrangements you have to purchase.  Furthermore, when it comes to your centerpieces, choose floating candles or bouquets of balloons instead of flowers.

$    Make your own invitations.

Using the pretty (and inexpensive if you can get it on sale) paper and stationary found at your local business supply store.  They have many selections that look just as nice as the more expensive pre-ordered catalog invitations.  You can even do your own embellishments, add ribbon or bows.

$    Include your “save the date” cards with your Christmas Cards if possible.

If not, perhaps you could create a “save the date” e-card and email them to your quests. You should also consider sending post cards which require less postage than a letter.

$    Create a wedding website

Update it with all your important information, wedding date, location and times, etc. The Knot website has a template that can help you create one. You can list your gift registration as well.  Instead of mailing RSVP cards with postage your guests can RSVP on your site.

Don’t let the cost of your wedding become a nightmare. Think small, intimate and meaningful. Splurge in the areas that are absolutely essential to your wedding happiness, compromise in all the others.  What else would you add to the list?