With average wedding costs hovering around $20,000, many newlyweds start their lives together in debt. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way. It is possible to save money and have a great wedding at the same time. Check out these tips for keeping your wedding day focused on celebrating love, not financial ruin.
- Samples Sales: Many wedding boutiques hosts sample sales of current or last seasons wedding gowns right before they get new shipments. Get on the mailing list for your favorite local boutique to get the details.
- Buy a Suit: Unless you are invited to many black-tie events, a tux is probably not necessary and your groom to be can get more use with a suit than renting a tux.
Use standard envelopes instead of square: Square envelopes cost more to mail. Even though it’s just a few cents, it can add up when you consider how many invitations you’ll send out. - Post card replies: Instead of including a reply card with its own envelope, use a post card. You’ll save money on envelopes, plus postage going both ways.
Skip the mailed reply card: Don’t bother including a reply card. Ask for a phone call or email instead. Or event set up an online evite to rsvp. - Wholesale florists: If you have someone you know that is crafty or good with flowers, set up your own décor and search online for wholesale florists. Pay what retailers do, and save hundreds on arrangements. (This wholesale florist is located in Kent, WA http://www.dwfwholesale.com/seatac/index.htm)
- Choose in-season, locally grown flowers: Flowers that don’t have to be flown in will be significantly cheaper.
- If you use a florist give them a color scheme: Allow your florist flexibility so that they can pick out the most affordable flowers for your color scheme. Remember to provide a list of flowers that you want to avoid.
- No favors: Save money on favors by nixing them altogether. Who really wants a piece of chocolate with your name on it, anyway?
- Combine favors and place cards: Don’t spend money on two separate things that can be combined. Find place cards that can double as favors.
- Get married in a garden: With a garden as your venue, you may be able to save on rental costs. You’ll also be able to spend less on decorations, as the garden should provide a naturally beautiful backdrop.
- Have everything at one site: Have your ceremony and reception at the same place to save on rental fees, transportation, décor and other costs.
- Reserve a spot at a state or national park: Take advantage of the great outdoors for a cheap, picturesque venue. (http://soireeeventsco.blogspot.com/2008/10/deck-parks-halls.html)
- Rent a private room at a restaurant: Private restaurant rooms tend to be cheaper than hotel ballrooms as well as more intimate.
- Forget dessert, just serve wedding cake: Some caterers will add a dessert course to your reception menu, but when you’re serving wedding cake, it’s just not necessary. By dessert time generally people are too full and its wasted by people picking and tasting.
- Buffet: Save on labor costs by letting guests serve themselves. Serve a single-plate meal: If you’re serving something substantial, your guests can do without multiple course
s. Keep it simple with a single-plate meal of protein, starch and vegetable, plus cake. Serve seasonal, local food: Like flowers, food tends to be cheaper if it doesn’t have to be flown in or extensively preserved. - Select a venue that lets you bring in your own catering and alcohol: A separate caterer may be able to give you a better deal than what’s offered at the venue.
- Hire an individual instead of a bakery: Individual bakers have lower overhead and often make cakes as a fun side job.
- 17. Decorate a plain cake with flower petals: Part of the expense of wedding cakes are their ornate decorations. To cut this cost, decorate a plain white cake with flower petals. Just be sure to avoid flowers that may make your guests sick.
- 18. Forget about hard liquor: Hard liquor and mixed drinks cost more than other alcohol. Cut them out and offer choices of beer, wine and soft drinks instead.
- Offer a specialty drink instead of a full bar: A full bar with a variety of liquors can be very expensive. Narrow your drink choices down to one crowd pleaser to keep costs reasonable.
- Limit bar time: You don’t have to keep the alcohol flowing all night. Have a cocktail hour, then serve only wine and beer with dinner. Offer champagne or white wine with dessert.
- Consider everything optional: Do you really need a videographer? DJ lights? Think about details that can be cut to save money.
- Limit live music: If you’re hiring musicians, you can save money by limiting the amount of time they are required to perform. Use them for your cocktail hour and first dance, then supply your own music with an iPod or a CD.
- Go for a package deal: Many photographers will throw in free albums, engagement sessions, or proof books if you buy a complete package.
- Ask for a smaller package: Some vendors have a cheaper package that they don’t normally publish. You may find that it’s all you need.
- Negotiate with vendors: Your vendor may be willing to offer you a better deal to beat out competitors.
- DJ instead of live band: You can save money by choosing a DJ over a live band.
Ask for services as a wedding present: Who says you cant add this to your registry? - Plan ahead: If you get started early, you’ll have the time and flexibility to shop sales, cut coupons, do-it-yourself and comparison shop.
- Get married during the wintertime: You’ll have your choice of venues and the low demand for weddings in this season will help keep your costs down.
- Get married on a Sunday: Again, a lower demand for Sunday weddings will help you cut costs across the board.
- Get married when the church is decorated for holidays: If you get married when your church is already decorated for holidays like Christmas and Easter, you’ll avoid having to pay for them yourself.
- Avoid Actual Holidays: Christmas, New Years, 4th of July, and Valentine’s Day - holidays drive up the cost of flowers, diamonds and other wedding expenditures.
- Check out after-prom dress sales: You can save hundreds of dollars by buying your dress off the clearance rack.
- Shop for white shoes around Easter: Buy white shoes around Easter to enjoy more availability and avoid bridal markup.
- Online: Online you can find discount bulk items for your wedding – save and then resell!
- Craigslist.org: Many brides post their wedding supplies here – so you can do the same when you are finish! Recycle! (www.seattle.craigslist.org)
- Thrift stores: Hit up local thrift stores for plates, vases, and other supplies in your color scheme. You can come up with cheap, eclectic decor this way.
- The big “W”: When getting quotes, don’t mention the word “wedding” until you have to. Some venues and vendors charge a premium for them. Say it’s an event or family gathering instead and hold them to it unless they can justify extra charges.
- Take on do-it-yourself projects: Invitations, Favors, Center Pieces, etc...Just remember that DIY is not always cheaper. Research and consider the costs before you get started.
- Have a smaller wedding party: Every additional bridesmaid and groomsman means spending more on flowers, gifts, and food. Consider cutting back on attendants to save money.
- Have a smaller wedding: Don’t feel compelled to invite your third cousin from Omaha that you’ve never met. Make your wedding a small affair and you’ll spend considerably less. This will also cut costs on invites and stamps!
- Get out of the city: Weddings held out of town are usually cheaper.
- Sha
re decorating costs: See if another bride has booked your venue for the same weekend, then split costs if you can agree on any shared rentals, tents, linens flowers and other expenses. - 43. Consider hiring a wedding planner: Wedding planners may seem like an unnecessary cost, but depending on the size of your wedding, they may be able to save you money by using their connections and knowledge of the industry.
- Consider an intimate destination wedding: You’ll be able to slash the guest list and
combine it with your honeymoon. - Clip coupons: JoAnn’s, Michael's, Bed Bath & Beyond and other stores send out regular coupons. Spread your shopping out and ask friends and relatives to let you use whatever coupons they get in the mail.
Sign up for their mailing lists to get exclusive coupons!http://www.joann.com/joann/email/update.jsp https://www.michaels.com/art/online/registrationForm
