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It's a fact, weddings are expensive but they do not have to burn a hole in your pocket! Here's a story of how I saved money during a difficult time and your go to guide for saving money and coming out ahead.
What are you going to do? This was the question I got asked the most during the time my husband and I were engaged. What happened, you ask? My husband lost his job which was (to us) the least convenient thing that could have happened, we were in the middle of planning a beautiful wedding and if you do not know me I will tell you, I'm a glam girl. I wanted all of the stops filled out and I really wanted our guests to be wow'd! My Husband is Portuguese so that means he's inviting everyone he's ever met in his own life (Just kidding) and the 2 words 'Open Bar' are not up for negotiation! Rest assured, this is not a "Woe is me pity party" – I learned a lot of tips and tricks on how to save money where you can while planning the wedding of your dreams and I want to share some with you. Okay enough about me; let's get to the good stuff. Champagne taste on a beer budget, no problem!
Hire A Wedding Planner
Hiring a wedding planner will be one of the best decisions you make, it will put your mind at ease from the time he puts a ring on it until the party shuts down. When we were engaged I was not a wedding planner yet, I had planned my entire wedding, everything was done however I decided I wanted to hire a wedding planner to take care of the details I would not have time to look after on the big day. Let me tell you everything went perfect, I was stress free and I felt taken care of and that's exactly how you want to feel on your wedding day. You can not put a price on being stress free, organized and having someone else take care of all of the details for you. This is my biggest suggestion- even if you're on a budget you can not afford not to hire someone to take care of you on your wedding day and that's exactly what we do at Pink Ivy Events!
The GQ Look
You do not have to spend a million bux to look like a million bux. My husband is a "Mans man" but he knows how to look good. That tie he's sporting? Donald Trump for $ 10! (This was purchased at Ross in the States). His dress shirt is from Banana Republic and we purchased it at a consignment store, never been worn. $ 25!
Say Yes to the Dress
I got a lot of compliments on my dress on the day of my wedding and everyone thought I spent a fortune on it. Yes, it's designer and looks expensive although I purchased my dress from David's Bridal in the States for $ 1000! It was HALF OFF!
Food and Booze
I'll be honest (Warning, personal opinion alert!) I believe these two items should not be skimped on. You're getting married and it's all about you but remember at the end of the day you're throwing a party and you want your guests to go home full and tipsy, I mean happy.
Booze-Obviously if you can afford it open bar is great but if you can not there are creative ways to ensure everyone's having a good time and you do not look cheap. If you're renting a hall / space that allows you to bring your own booze why not do a 'wine and cheese' theme? The vino is very inexpensive across the line; you can get a good bottle of wine for about $ 8.
Food-Buffet is a great way to go and the food can be just as delicious as a fancy sit down dinner. Also consider doing a lunch menu as those cost savings are huge!
The Venue
Weddings are unique and you can get super creative nowdays! Ever consider having your reception at a trendy restaurant? What about checking out a local hall that you can dress up? These avenues are just a few ideas of how you can save a lot of money and your guests will still be wow'd.
The Date
The Season- Plan your wedding during the "Off Season" from November-March, by doing so you can save a lot. How so, you ask? Well, there's far less competition this time of year and you have more wiggle room for negotiating.
The Day- Saturday! We love you Saturday but you're so popular. Pick a Friday or a Sunday and you'll be saving mucho moola.
Cake
2 words- fake cake. I know, but just hear me out; you will save hundreds of dollars by getting a real & faux cake. What this means is the top tier of your cake is real (For cutting the cake pictures) and the bottom tiers are faux, no one will know but what you will know is that you can get that glamorous cake for far less.
Photography
Do your research; interview tons of photographers to see what their price points / quality is like. Try a less expensive package, photographer's usually base prices on the hours they work. Got a friend who's a good photographer? Use him or her for your "Getting ready" pictures. Have your guests help out, place a disposable camera on each table and have your guests take pictures of your wedding night if you can not afford the photographer to stay late.
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Source by Jennifer Hallak
