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Just hearing that the average US wedding costs close to $ 20,000 would send many couples running to the local justice of the peace. But if you plan well and look for less expensive alternatives, you can plan a fabulous personal wedding for well under that sticker price.
Studies show that couples in the United States spend between $ 14,686 and $ 24,476 for their nuptials – not counting the engagement ring or the honeymoon. The average cost of your big day is $ 19,581. In today's tight economy, there are plenty of reasons many couples would want to look for ways to lower the costs.
Look at the Numbers
One of the best ways to get an idea of what the different parts of your wedding will cost is to check out a wedding budget calculator or estimator on the web. These sites can not give you the exact cost – or the price that you could get from the florist up the street – but it will give you the average price paid by today's brides and grooms. Note: It does not reflect the price a wedding vendor would pay. As you would expect, the prices will vary broadly, but at least you'll know if invitations are $ 300 or $ 3,000 of your budget.
A good rule of thumb is to expect you will spend anywhere from 50 percent to 100 percent more if you engage veteran wedding professionals, choose a designer gown, book the most popular venue or ask for custom touches throughout the day. So when you start planning your wedding and considering your options, keep your mind open to all possibilities. Maybe a fresh, young photographer can do the job instead of that experienced photographer who costs three times as much.
Here are items you need to factor into the cost of your wedding, and ways you can cut costs:
Clothing and Accessories
The bride needs a gown – but that can be a custom-cut and fitted designer gown or a dress off the rack that is altered for a perfect fit. And do not forget that there are places to rent a wedding dress, or you might be able to borrow one from a friend. One expense you may not have thought about is having your wedding gown preserved – especially if you dream of a daughter wearing it one day.
The groom needs a suit or a tuxedo. It is definitely more practical to buy a suit that the groom can wear for years to come. But if that is not important, rent the suit or the tuxedo. If you are someone who will be wearing a tuxedo again in the coming year – for another wedding or a formal affair – then purchase the tux. It will pay for itself after just two rentals.
Cost of Beauty
Most brides start their wedding day with a visit to the hair salon, but do not forget that you need to visit your hairdresser before the wedding day to work out your hair plan. Do you also want to get your nails done? How about a massage to relax you? Some brides budget in six months at the gym, teeth whitening and electrolysis. You decide what you can afford and what you can do yourself.
Entertainment
There are a lot of cost variables in the area of entertainment. Are you hiring a soloist for the wedding or do you have a friend with a gorgeous voice who would love to be part of your special day? Will there be a string quartet playing during the appetizers and a live band after dinner? Or will you find a DJ who can do it all?
Flowers and the Décor
Weddings and flowers seem to go together. Start with the bride's bouquet, which is traditionally purchased by the groom, but then there are bouquets for the bridesmaids, boutonnieres for the groom and his groomsmen, corsages for the mothers and grandsmothers and flower petals for the flower girl to drop. And do not forget the arrangements on each table. Some brides have friends or family members who are willing and able to do the flowers. You may want to splurge on your bouquets, but cut down on the flowers at the reception. Or maybe you will find that balloons or candles can add the same spark of color.
Favors and Gifts
The bride and groom are not the only ones who receive gifts at the wedding. The couple will usually want to thank their attendants with a small gift, which can range from expensive jewelry to a more thoughtful memento, like a favorite book or a spa basket you put together with each bridesmaid in mind.Wedding favors are often placed by each guest's plate. This can be elaborate silver picture frame or something as simple as a gift box of candied almonds. People come to see you get married – not for the favor.
Invitations
In this day of do-it-yourself printers and online print houses, the price of invitations, reply cards, thank-you notes and save-the-date cards can easily be cut. You no longer need an engraved invitation when a laser printer will do a nice, more personal job.
Take some of these cost-cutting tips into account when trying to trim some fat from your wedding's budget.
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Source by Kristen Dysart
