There is no doubt that a wedding today can be more expensive
than a down payment on a new house.
Between the cost of the venue and the cost of the food, an entire
wedding budget can be chewed up leaving little left for all the other important
details that will make your day a grand event.
If you don’t want to settle on location or the sit down dinner you have
wanted as part of your reception since you were 12, there are a few other steps
you can take to help you reign in your budget and still have the wedding of
your dreams.
Consider a Videographer instead of Photographer. Most videographers today are about half of
the cost of a photographer. So, if you
find a photography package for around $3000, you are likely to find a videographer
for about $1500. But don’t think you
will miss out on the captured image of photography. The key is to find a videographer that has
the capability and technology to capture images within the video and turn them
into pictures. This is not a complicated
or really unique process, it is just important to determine if the videographer
has the computer setup to accomplish it.
Or, if you do research and find that once you have the video, you can do
it yourself, even better.
Consider a Second Hand Dress. Second hand dress doesn’t mean that you would
lose any elegance, style or compromise on the condition of the dress. There are thousands of brides who have
elected to sell their gowns after the wedding.
And remember, these are dresses that for the most part have only been
worn for less than 24 hours. E-Bay is a
great resource for gently used wedding dresses as well as Craig’s List. Wedding Dresses can be compared to cars – a new
car the minute you drive it off the lot losing a huge amount of its value, but
is still in pristine condition. So it is
with a wedding dress.
Order Flowers Based on the Season. When planning your wedding consider the time
of year and what flowers are going to be in season. Florists will always have the seasonal
flowers readily available and at a lower price than those that are out of
season. Be sure to do your research
ahead of time and plan accordingly. This
will greatly reduce the cost of flowers.
Consider a Smaller Bridal Party. Most couples want to share their big day with
as many close friends and family as possible standing in their wedding party. A large bridal party makes for a great photo
and of course, great bachelorette and bachelor parties, however, the bigger the
party, the bigger the expense. Each
bridesmaid will need a bouquet and each groomsman will need a boutonniere. This can increase the flower cost dramatically. There is also the traditional bridal party
gift that is given to each attendant and the rehearsal dinner cost. Electing to have only one or two attendants
will decrease your overall costs and allow you take those dollars and put them
towards the more expensive elements of the wedding like the venue and food.
Order Wedding Invitations Online. Wedding Invitations can also be a big expense
within the wedding budget.
Custom
wedding invitations can run in the thousands of dollars. In addition, brick and
mortar stationery stores mark up their products in consideration of their store
overhead costs.
Ordering your wedding
invitations on line is a great way to save money and get the exact same quality
and often the exact same product anywhere from 50% to 70% cheaper.
Online stores do not have the overhead
expenses and consequently can pass along the savings to customers.
Most fine
stationery stores carry the beautiful
stationery company
Carlson Craft.
These
invitations can also be found online at a greatly reduced price and they are
exactly the same.