Budgeting Tips and Tricks
Tips & Tricks
Budget-conscious brides-to-be will be pleased with the new trends for 2011 including brunch weddings, smaller guest lists, and intimate settings. Many brides have a few things in their wedding plans that they simply cannot live without. If yours is your dress, budget for that first. If it’s your favors, budget for that first. Of course, the MOST important expense is your reception hall. This is one of the first and most important decisions that every bride and groom-to-be will have to make. Once the reception hall decision is made, everything else can be built around it. Determine what matters most to you and then set the budget numbers for those items. Here are some additional tips to save money when planning your wedding.
Save on the Date
Instead of an expensive Friday or Saturday night wedding, opt for a money-saving day or time instead. Do you have your heart set on a nighttime affair? Select a Thursday night or a Sunday night. You’ll save up to $20 per person on dining and often thousands off of your total catering and reception bill. Most of the people who really matter will find a way to take a day off, but if you’re concerned with scheduling, pick a day around a holiday when many people will be off anyway, such as the Sunday before Presidents’ Day or Columbus Day.
Save on the Guest List
By selecting a night that most reception halls do not consider a premium night, you may have much more flexibility on your guarantee for your guests. Every guest that you invite costs you a little more, so if you want to save money, you can choose your most important family members and splurge on a great videographer, so that everyone else can still share in your special day. You can also get very creative and assign a member of the wedding party the task of social updates throughout the day including photos and videos, offering your out-of-town guests the opportunity to be a part of the day.
Shop Floral Alternatives
When it comes to flowers, buying seasonal flowers or selecting less popular flowers can save hundreds on floral arrangements. If your wedding theme is red, opt for ranunculus instead of roses. If you have your heart set on roses, try a bouquet like the one to left that consists of red dahlias, red roses, black magic roses, and burgundy callas. (Photography by Collins Metu).
Electronic versus Paper
Instead of spending thousands on paper invitations, RSVP cards, postage, and printing; smart brides are opting for a more creative and eco-friendly solution – electronic communication. Use a Wedding Web site to display registry information and offer guests options for RSVP, customized directions and more. (Photo: Template from websitetemplates.bz)
Dress Decisions
While many brides desperately want the “dream wedding,” complete with designer gown; saving money on the dress is one of the first places for budget-conscious brides to look. Let’s face it – the guests WILL notice bad food, but they will not be inspecting the label on your gown. For small savings, opt for sample sales, discount stores and stores such as David’s Bridal. For deeper savings, try specialty stores or reputable Websites like OnceWed.com for used gowns. You can use the savings to customize the gown to your needs. This beautiful Maggie Sottero gown is a steal at OnceWed.com for only $275.00.
