With the costs of arranging a wedding ever spiraling upwards, it is very easy to spend more than you can afford. The reception, the dress, flowers, limousines and all the other paraphernalia that goes into making the day memorable come at a significant price. A wedding is a very special occasion and one that, you hope, is never repeated, so you really want to push the boat out with the best of everything. Although understandable, if there is not a limitless supply of money, do you really need to start your married life with a huge debt? This is why many couples are opting for a budget wedding, so below there are some ways where you can economise and still have a great wedding day.
The wedding dress is an area where huge amounts of money are often spent as brides, quite naturally, want a unique custom made outfit. As this is something that will only ever be worn once, a previously owned dress is worth considering. It is easy to buy a wedding dress that has only been worn once for less than half the price at a specialist bride shop. You can then sell it on at not much less than you paid for it. Another alternative is to hire your wedding dress but remember to arrange to get it back to the shop on time to avoid penalty payments.
Possibly the biggest savings can be made with the reception, planning is crucial but with some clever re-thinking, this is where your budget wedding will save the most. First is the number of guests, don't just invite everyone you know and don't be pressured to invite every relative you have. By keeping the numbers to an absolute minimum, you can get a smaller reception venue. You could then hold the reception at a restaurant, club or village hall where you could save even more money by doing the catering yourself or with friends. Then you can buy the drink wholesale and save even more money.
Professional photographers can be expensive to hire for the whole day, so one idea is to book them for just the wedding ceremony so that you get great traditional shots of the service and the relatives. Then rely on friends and family to supply the photos of the wedding reception. If you have a really gifted friend, they may be willing to take all the photographs for you.
Your wedding stationery is a prime area for making savings, providing you have access to a computer and a good quality printer, however it is probably a false economy to choose cheap paper as people like to keep them. Presentation is everything so always get the best you can afford. Your word processor should be able to handle the normal type of invites etc., but you could also be more creative by incorporating photos or graphics.
Flowers will take up a considerable piece of the budget as they are used in many different ways. Doing the arrangements yourself or with friends is a classic budget wedding option, although it will have to be a last minute item as you do not want your flowers to wilt on the big day. If you can find out where there is a flower arranging class being held, you could ask for volunteers who will probably be willing to try out their new found skills.
You may be surprised at just how expensive a lavish wedding cake can be, so for the budget conscious a good alternative could be a large sponge or chocolate cake. Are any of your friends good in the kitchen? They may be honoured if you asked them to prepare your wedding cake. Failing that, you could buy some ordinary fruit cakes and then ice them yourself, adding the pillars and toppers the night before.
It is probably every girls dream to arrive at the church in a Rolls Royce or other limousine but this is another expense that could be easily shaved off the budget. Ask around your friends if they have a decent car or if they know somebody who has and would be willing to give up a couple of hours to drive you. You may be having a budget wedding, but as long as everybody has a good time, they will not care that lavish amounts of money have not been spent, only that you will be happy for the rest of your life.
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» left by Robert Melaccio, Sr.(6,523) Robert Melaccio, Sr. (174 days 13 hours ago.)
I have found that who is in control usually dictates the cost. Now you may want that really nice wedding because it is a special day but you don't need that huge bill hanging over your head before day one. No matter what people who love you will be happy and the ones, well who just came to get their money's worth, will never be happy. Please yourself. Yet the author makes some good advice you should listen to. Respond to this comment
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 View other articles written by Ian Richards(0)
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