When it comes to weddings many brides and grooms are moving away from lavish expenditures and are instead taking a more calculated approach to their big day. Here are some tips that will help you create an elegant wedding without breaking the bank:
1. Prioritize Your Needs:
Decide on the top three elements that are most important in defining your vision of a fabulous wedding and make them the investment priority (e.g. venue, photography and catering for example). Build them into your budget from the beginning, so you don't lose your focus.
2. Time is Money:
Having an off-season wedding (November-April) on a day other than Saturday will most likely get you the best rates from your ceremony/reception venue and vendors. Remember it comes down to supply and demand. If there are fewer brides/grooms looking for services, vendors are much more accommodating when it comes to their fees.
3. One Spot:
Book a location that can accommodate your ceremony and reception to avoid multiple site fees and the cost of transportation between locations
4. It's a Numbers Game:
Keeping your guest list down is a sure-fire way to keep your budget in order. One suggestion would be to trim young children from the guest list. While this may sound cruel, it will cut down expenses and can be a welcome treat for parents as well. Another suggestion for number-control is to address invitations to specific people. This will help avoid having additional guests arrive at the reception unexpectedly.
5. Food - Keep it Simple Without Looking Cheap:
Think of alternatives besides a plated dinner that will keep your wedding elegant yet save you money. A plated lunch reception will likely be better priced than dinner and will be more convenient for your guests to go from a morning ceremony directly to the reception. Another appealing option might be a cocktail style reception which, if done right, can be very elegant, offer great mingling opportunities for guests, and be budget friendly. However, make sure you avoid having a cash bar as this cheapens your event and can be insulting to your guests! Instead, to trim your alcohol costs you may choose to simplify the selection offered.
6. Fake the Cake:
You can have the multi-tiered cake without the expense by having a real top tier for cutting, with the remaining tier(s) for display only. Guests can be served sheet cake which is much more economical and easier to serve.
7. Flower Smarts:
Buy in season flowers wholesale and get a florist to do the arrangements as this will save you the markup fees on the flowers. You can also use the same flowers in the ceremony and reception sites or split the cost with a couple marrying directly before or after you at the same ceremony location.
8. Save On Your Wedding Dress:
Look at online classifieds, e-Bay etc. and find the perfect designer dress at a discount price. Buy it a size bigger and you can always have a tailor make the final adjustments for you. You will still look like a million bucks! No one will know and you can pocket the rest!
9. Network with Professionals and other couples:
Use forums to network with other brides/grooms and professionals. Keep an eye out for professionals that are serving weddings in your venue on the same day to see if you can get added savings. Find brides that are getting married on the same day and see if there's an interest in cost sharing (decoration rentals)
10. Get Wedding Vendors Bidding Competitively:
Nothing gets you a better deal than a little friendly competition between vendors. Post your wedding service needs using sites such as bestbiddy.com (photographers, DJs, caterers, musicians etc.) and receive competitive bids quickly, anonymously and for free. It's a great tool for those wanting a great deal without having to feel like they are haggling with vendors and jeopardizing a service relationship.
1. Prioritize Your Needs:
Decide on the top three elements that are most important in defining your vision of a fabulous wedding and make them the investment priority (e.g. venue, photography and catering for example). Build them into your budget from the beginning, so you don't lose your focus.
2. Time is Money:
Having an off-season wedding (November-April) on a day other than Saturday will most likely get you the best rates from your ceremony/reception venue and vendors. Remember it comes down to supply and demand. If there are fewer brides/grooms looking for services, vendors are much more accommodating when it comes to their fees.
3. One Spot:
Book a location that can accommodate your ceremony and reception to avoid multiple site fees and the cost of transportation between locations
4. It's a Numbers Game:
Keeping your guest list down is a sure-fire way to keep your budget in order. One suggestion would be to trim young children from the guest list. While this may sound cruel, it will cut down expenses and can be a welcome treat for parents as well. Another suggestion for number-control is to address invitations to specific people. This will help avoid having additional guests arrive at the reception unexpectedly.
5. Food - Keep it Simple Without Looking Cheap:
Think of alternatives besides a plated dinner that will keep your wedding elegant yet save you money. A plated lunch reception will likely be better priced than dinner and will be more convenient for your guests to go from a morning ceremony directly to the reception. Another appealing option might be a cocktail style reception which, if done right, can be very elegant, offer great mingling opportunities for guests, and be budget friendly. However, make sure you avoid having a cash bar as this cheapens your event and can be insulting to your guests! Instead, to trim your alcohol costs you may choose to simplify the selection offered.
6. Fake the Cake:
You can have the multi-tiered cake without the expense by having a real top tier for cutting, with the remaining tier(s) for display only. Guests can be served sheet cake which is much more economical and easier to serve.
7. Flower Smarts:
Buy in season flowers wholesale and get a florist to do the arrangements as this will save you the markup fees on the flowers. You can also use the same flowers in the ceremony and reception sites or split the cost with a couple marrying directly before or after you at the same ceremony location.
8. Save On Your Wedding Dress:
Look at online classifieds, e-Bay etc. and find the perfect designer dress at a discount price. Buy it a size bigger and you can always have a tailor make the final adjustments for you. You will still look like a million bucks! No one will know and you can pocket the rest!
9. Network with Professionals and other couples:
Use forums to network with other brides/grooms and professionals. Keep an eye out for professionals that are serving weddings in your venue on the same day to see if you can get added savings. Find brides that are getting married on the same day and see if there's an interest in cost sharing (decoration rentals)
10. Get Wedding Vendors Bidding Competitively:
Nothing gets you a better deal than a little friendly competition between vendors. Post your wedding service needs using sites such as bestbiddy.com (photographers, DJs, caterers, musicians etc.) and receive competitive bids quickly, anonymously and for free. It's a great tool for those wanting a great deal without having to feel like they are haggling with vendors and jeopardizing a service relationship.
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