Weddings are a blessed occasion. They mark the beginning of a couple's new life together. At one time, it wasn't out of the ordinary for a couple or the bride's parents to spend almost their entire savings on the big day. Times have changed. The economy and the inability to land or keep a job have altered people's perspective on this sort of unbridled spending. An increasing number of couples are starting to take a more frugal approach to wedding planning. For those looking to lower their costs and save money, we have listed a number of quick ways to do so.
Resist the urge to hire a wedding planner: Some people wouldn't dream of getting married without hiring a wedding planner. While this is in some respects understandable, it really isn't necessary and it can get expensive. First of all, wedding planners don't work for free. Couples would have to pay him or her for their services. Secondly, putting someone else in charge can result in unplanned expenses as the planner may make recommendations that the couple had not have originally thought of or budgeted for.
Choose Guests Carefully: While it would be great to invite every single acquaintance of both the bride and groom (and their families) doing so can be quite expensive. Paying for dinner, drinks and favors for hundreds of people can quickly add up. To avoid this, the bride and groom need to go over their guest list with a fine toothed comb and only invite those individuals that mean the most to them and who really deserve to be there.
Buy Out of Season: It might be cheaper to purchase wedding favors and other wedding-related items in the fall and winter, after the summer wedding season has passed.
Shop The Holidays: Individuals looking to purchase decorations or favors should consider shopping the holidays. For instance, after Valentine's Day, a person who plans to have a candy bar at their reception could stock pile on candy. It goes pretty cheap right after Valentine's Day and the love-themed candies would be perfect for a wedding. This might also be a good time to find love-themed items that might make good favors for the guests.
Double Up on The Venue: Instead of having the ceremony at one place and the reception at another, a couple may want to hold them at the same venue. Vendors, who often charge by the hour, wonÃt have to travel from one location to the next, which will cut down on their fees. It might also be possible to get a special deal at the venue if both the ceremony and reception is held there.
Use Bigger Tables: Bigger tables mean fewer table cloths, centerpieces and subsequent expenses.
Buy In-Season Flowers: Buying flowers that are in-season is one way to keep costs low. Purchasing them out-of-season will significantly increase costs.
Do A Signature Cocktail Rather Than A Full Bar: Instead of giving guest access to a full bar, a cheaper option would be to have the bartender create a signature drink and only serve those. This will require less liquor and the liquor used for the signature drink will be of the couple's choosing.
You see, there are many ways to cut costs and have a beautiful, affordable wedding. All it takes is a little (or a lot) of creativity and planning ahead. Literally anyone can do it, not just wedding planners!