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…the sun is fingering through the windows, luminously washing over the faces of the attendants, guests and your adoring fiancé. Months of planning have lead up to these once in a lifetime moments…
Dream big, make flamboyant inspiration boards, go large, leave nothing out! What does your dream wedding look like? Leaving the reception in cowboy boots and riding a horse or riding off in a horse-drawn carriage?
Do you envision wearing ivory taffeta with a beaded bodice or a simple but exquisite dress found on the clearance rack? Will the reception be at the church campgrounds or at that exclusive country club on the west side? It doesn’t matter what kind of wedding you are having~ drive your creativity and be inspired!
The average wedding costs for today’s weddings are astounding leaving most of us having to get pretty industrious with the wedding budget.
One of the first things to do after your engagement announcement is to get together with those involved and decipher who pays for what and then set up your wedding budget. Prioritize your desires and then get busy and do your homework on relative costs, comparing prices and negotiating when needed. You will soon discover that the wedding of your dreams can be attained on any budget; you just need to get in touch with your creative side!
Here are just a few ways to get creative with your wedding budget:
- Invitations: cut down on the number of invitations sent out. Use reply postcards.
- Wedding Dress: Most wedding dresses sit in closets after the event, why not rent? If that sounds less than appealing, shop clearance or sample sales. Like vintage? Restore your grandmother’s dress and her jewelry.
- Veil: DIY.
- Attendants: Limit your attendants: the higher the number, the higher the expenses.
- Decorations: DIY. Clip coupons from local craft stores. Choose pre-decorated venues at holiday times. Rent or borrow rather than buy. Nature provides a lot of her own decorations.
- Flowers: Arrange by color rather than flower type and choose in-season. Use single flowers rather than bouquets. Silk over fresh. Grow your own flowers from seeds.
The morning of my wedding, I picked fresh lilacs and put them on all the reception tables; the smell was amazing and they were FREE. Lindsay, our graphic designer had an Americana theme wedding and believes theme weddings are the easiest and most affordable weddings to plan. Click here to read about her Americana wedding on BridesClub.com
- Venues: Generally less expensive are university chapels or your home church, backyards, flower gardens, zoo, city or state parks, your home etc.
- Reception: Lots of money can be saved here. Buffet or hors d'oeuvre meal style rather than a sit-down. Host the reception on a Friday night or serve earlier rather than later. Cupcakes instead of cake. No alcohol or limited alcohol. Consider a venue that allows you to bring in your own food and drink.
- Professionals: Although I am a proponent of using professionals, hiring or not hiring depends on your needs but alas, you set the limits on their time and services. Check with the local college or university for interns in photography, floral, music, etc.
Check out wedding sites like DIY Bride for creative ways to not only save but for extraordinary ideas from A-Z to make your wedding unique. Plan on spending a lot of time on this site!
What has been your favorite way to save on your wedding costs so far?
