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Cheap weddings are becoming more and more popular due to the current state of the economy. Not everyone can afford the average wedding price tag of $ 28,000! If you are one of the many brides-to-be planning a wedding on the cheap and working with a tiny budget, you'll have to use some unconventional strategies to get your dream wedding for a price you can afford. My top 5 are:
1 – Leverage The Skills of Family and Friends When Planning A Cheap Wedding
Do you have a cousin who's a talented photographer? What about a friend who works in a flower shop? Maybe you've got a friend who dreams of being a DJ. Family and friends are always happy to help you with your wedding and you can save a lot of money by utilizing the pool of talent who will be at your wedding anyway.
For my wedding, my sister's boyfriend did the photography, my aunt played the piano, a friend helped me with the floral bouquets and my mom was my seamstress. She even made all the bridesmaid dresses! A friend of the Best Man, who is a DJ, wave us an amazing deal for his services. We saved a lot of money by looking within our own circle of family and friends.
Using family and friends in your wedding, however, comes with a caveat. Be sure that people to help with or participate in your wedding will deliver the results you want. The last thing you want to do is to strain relationships.
2 – Barter Your Services
If you have a skill that is in demand, you can try bartering your services. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you could find a wedding photographer who is looking for an new logo or business card design. An added benefit is that you could potentially gather additional, ongoing clients for your freelance business this way all the while getting professional services for your cheap wedding!
Find wedding professionals willing to barter services at BigDayBarter.com or post your needs on craigslist.org. A successful barter is built on fairness and trust, so be sure to meet the person you are bartering services with, sign a contract and maintain thorough communication.
3 – Get Creative
The best way to plan a cheap wedding that does not look cheap is to get creative. Make your own centerpieces, favors and decorations. Dress up simple (and less expensive) guestbooks, candles and even your own wedding dress. Make your own invitations and thank you cards. Use creativity to solve expensive dilemmas for your wedding too. Do you want to leave the church in a special car that's too expensive to rent? Maybe you know someone who knows someone who owns such a car. My husband was able to use a Ferrari for a short film he made for free because of friend connections. What could you get for your own wedding?
4 – Ask for Parts of Your Wedding in Lieu of Wedding Gifts
If you already have enough household goods, forego the typical wedding registry and ask for parts of your wedding as wedding gifts. I got my wedding cake, the videographer, food and other parts of my wedding this way. Alternately, you can use one of the popular honeymoon registry services to allow your guests the opportunity to give portions of your honeymoon as a wedding present.
5 – Keep an Open Mind
When your budget is small, you'll need to compromise and find ways to get what you want for less money. If you can not afford something you really want for your wedding, look for other ways to make it happen. For example, an out-of-reach, $ 12,000 wedding dress might be rented for a few hundred dollars. Maybe you can not afford to rent a limo, but you might have a friend with a classic, luxury car that you can use for free? Ask around, keep your eyes open and do your research.
Weddings can be expensive, but they do not have to be. When resources are tight, your friends, family and even your own creativity can come to the rescue to help you plan a cheap wedding that will be a magical, memorable event!
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Source by Tracy Russell
