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Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a bottomless pit of money when it comes to getting married, but planning your dream wedding need not land you in debt for the rest of your days. If you are getting married on a budget, there are many ways to keep the cost down to a minimum – simply by spending a little time and effort in the preparation phase. Here are just a few areas you should think about when starting to make your plans.
1: Who to Invite?
Write down the names of the people you would like to attend. Then go through the list again, striking off the names of those who, although you would like to attend, are not close family or friends. Why not invite these people to attend the evening celebrations instead of the main event. Having decided who to invite, it’s time for the invitations. Professional invitations are usually excellent quality but could cost a fortune. With a little bit of creativity you can make your own – by popping into the local stationer’s and buying plain cards and envelopes and using gold or silver pens to word the invitation. Your invitations will then be original and will save you quite a bit of money.
2: Wedding Outfits
It is just as fashionable these days for the bride to wear a smart suit or dress, which can be worn again and again, instead of a traditional flowing white wedding dress. However, if your heart is set on a fairytale gown then it is best to hire the dress for the day. Dresses for bridesmaids, especially young and teenage girls, are available in most departmental stores for under £20 – and if necessary, you could ask them or their parents to buy their own outfit, or at least pay a little towards the one you choose. For the groom, hiring a suit is recommended. Many companies run special offers, and you may get a better deal if you get the best man and ushers suits from the same company. Volume hiring or purchasing always gives you bargaining power.
3: Hair and Make-Up
We all know a hairdresser so no excuse is needed to ask them to demonstrate their skills for our special day. They should be honored! You could even ask them for a discount if they use your photos in their salon or if you offer them a good testimonial. With regards to make up, departmental stores often carry out makeovers free of charge. Take advantage of such offers – even if it is only to learn how to apply your make-up yourself on the day.
4: Wedding Rings
Before splashing out on expensive rings, consider if you have any family heirlooms that you can use instead. These can have much greater sentimental value than any ring purchased from a jeweler. If you need to visit the jewelers make sure to get both rings at once – you may get a discounted price when buying two.
5: Wedding Photography
It is important to have some photographs of your wedding day – after all it is supposed to be the most special day of your life. However, a professional photographer is not necessary when you have reliable friends or family who can ‘point and shoot’. Another idea is to buy three or four disposable cameras and ask people to take photos and pass the cameras around. You will then get a good mix of posed for and natural shots for your album.
6: Getting to the church or wedding venue
If you have relatives or friends with a classy car, ask them to escort you to the wedding. Adorn the adopted car with the usual wedding decorations, ribbons, horse-shoes etc. This is one area you can save yourselves a fortune.
7: The Wedding Reception
A town, church or community hall can usually be hired quite cheaply. Ensure dancing and alcohol licenses are in place wherever you choose to have your reception. Some local pubs and even hotels will offer a room for free and you can hire a disc jockey, or even a karaoke by way of entertainment. If you decide to use an established wedding venue or hotel, make sure to take advantage of the, (usually free), offer of the “bridal suite” for the wedding night. Instead of letting a catering company provide the food, prepare a self service finger buffet yourself. A local catering college may be able to help you with an inexpensive “waiting on” service. Buy wine and spirits wholesale to get the best prices and make sure you sign a ‘sale or return’ agreement. That way no alcohol purchased is wasted. Quite a few of the larger off-license chains will supply your glasses free of charge on a rental basis. Simply ask around in order to discover the best deals.
8: The Honeymoon
If a tight budget has to be adhered to why not put a “Honey Break” on your wedding list? Someone will happily snap up this, ‘2/3 day break gift’ as their wedding gift to you. You can then plan to have a longer holiday when your finances allow.
Final Words of Advice:
Arranging the perfect wedding needn’t cost you the earth. We’ve given you a taste of what can be achieved in cost saving, with just a little bit of thought and creativity. A budget wedding doesn’t have to mean a no frills wedding. Regardless of what you plan, just remember that there are always unforeseen expenses which arise near to the wedding day, so it is wise to keep a little bit of money to one side, just in case!
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Source by Tony Coogan
