How do you get the most weddings for your money and without going overboard on your budget?
Communication between you and your boyfriend is essential. I wanted a smaller wedding for 80-100 guests; my fiancé wanted to include everyone in his extended family, and that resulted in a much longer guest list. Once we determine the number of guests, we move on to our respective visions of the perfect day. Immediately, we agreed on a number of things:the season (autumn), the location (outdoors), and the colors we wanted to use (burgundy, green, and ivory). This gave us a starting point that would allow us to plan and maintain our vision as we did our initial research and then met with vendors.
A well-researched couple is one that most easily adheres to your original vision and budget and, in the end, gets the most for your money. The Internet can be an invaluable tool for getting an idea of what things cost, and you can also email many companies for estimates, without the need for phone calls or a lot of work.
So, the comparison store. Some of the research you've already done will help you make some decisions. Once you know what kind of budget you're working with, you can use some of that information to weed out vendors that might be inflexible or out of your reach. Now you can get serious about choosing who you want to work with.
Do not make final decisions about providers until you have selected a date and location. Warning:Venues can often book up to a year in advance, but don't let a feeling of despair result in extra fees or paying more than you budgeted. For us, the perfect spot, after researching many outdoor sites, turned out to be three acres of lakefront property with mountain views owned by my boyfriend's parents. Not only did we end up with our picturesque outdoor setting, his parents were so honored that we asked and saved money. Find a place that fits your budget and is significant, and expand your idea of what the perfect place might be. It doesn't have to be a church and an expensive reception hall, a meaningful ceremony and memorable celebration can just as easily take place at a historic site, a museum, even a friend's backyard!
Have a clear idea of what you want to help you say no to selling items that would put you over budget.
Recruit help or use your own DIY talents. My boyfriend, a graphic designer, used his printing talents and connections to design invitations that would have otherwise blown our invitation budget. While he was busy designing invitations, I looked for things I could do myself. I designed and created my bridal jewelry; I recruited my mother to help me sew my two-layer veil. One co-worker packed my bag, while another headed for our envelopes. Finally, my boyfriend and I recycled the five dozen roses he sent me on the day of our engagement as "petal throwers." Not only will you save money by multitasking, but you'll also be able to honor your friends and family by including those who want to help. Nothing sparks the generosity of people with time and energy like an upcoming wedding!
Learn to Say No Learning to be polite but firm is one of the best cost-cutters and stress relievers. Bridal sellers will try to "steer" you in certain directions; after all, your job is to increase sales. Having a clear and firm vision of what you want will keep you on track. By the same token, a reputable professional will look for ways to help you achieve his vision without breaking the bank.
Talk about your wedding. By sharing some of your ideas with friends, family, co-workers, even those who work in the wedding business, you may discover a great money-saving tip or the name of a wedding vendor who could do an amazing job with a discount..
Avoid overhead. Look for wedding caterers who run a "side" business or work from home. I used a photojournalist who also shot weddings (after all, why pay for a wedding photographer who shoots "photojournalist style" when you can have the real thing?). My supplier had been an event planner and catering manager for a very large historic hotel, and had a European background. Since he was starting his own company, we were able to secure his services and enjoy his talent for much less than anyone else was offering. His menu was also a little more creative, because he wasn't trying to streamline the process and offer menus for every wedding. My florist, whom I affectionately labeled "mini Martha," was creative and young and seemed to "get" our vision, for far less than the seven other florists I interviewed. Because she works from her home, we didn't have to pay her overhead, and we invested more in the real flowers and her talent to design her..
Avoid stores with "bridal" in the name whenever possible. This was a very valuable lesson I learned. Although I bought my dress at a salon, by the time the wedding came around, I had learned to shop elsewhere. I bought my tiara from an Ebay vendor and my shoes and accessories from a discount department store (and found exactly what I wanted); I had my mother's pearls put in a choker; and I purchased my bridesmaids dresses on their behalf from Discount Bridal Service (although they go by the name "brides," they offer salon-quality gowns at a significant discount). For me, the word "bridal" became synonymous with "markup".
Be original. Sometimes saving money can be as simple as celebrating your individuality or taking into account unique attributes of your place. Instead of a guest book full of names that might not make sense in 50 years, we decided to take a group photo of our entire wedding and guests. Seeing how everyone looked on that wonderful day means so much to us, and we save on the cost of a guestbook, pen, and other extras that add to the bottom line.
A few words about the honeymoon. Avoid booking the honeymoon package at the major resorts. You'll often save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. While many couples opt for all-inclusive deals, take a look at what you're really getting. Are you really going to drink and eat enough to make it worth it? What if you want to travel outside the resort? You will only be adding costs. Is the bottle of champagne on the sunset cruise really worth the extra $150 you might spend? Compare the costs and see if being in the "honeymoon" class will actually save you money or cost you more. For us, being a "honeymooner" would mean spending an extra $1,000, so we decided to go as regular vacationers and buy the comfy add-ons however we wanted them. We still had a romantic honeymoon, and we didn't spend a minute worrying about money. And what's better than choosing what's best for the two of you and starting your married life carefree?
