6 Ways To Make Your Wedding More Affordable (And What Not To Skimp On)
Posted on 15. May, 2009 by shezzi kensington in Photography
Weddings can be a huge expense, and while some couples are prepared to spend any amount to make their special day picture perfect, most of us are looking for ways to cut back on costs, even if it's just a little bit.
If you've had the perfect wedding planned in your head for the past decade or two, you might not be crazy about these ideas at first, but give them a chance - cutting back on one or two things is not going to be the end of the world. I did most of these things at my own wedding, and it was one of the best parties I've been to (and not only because I was the bride - many of my guests said the same thing).
DIY Save The Date, Invitations & Thank You Cards With "everyone" using computers both at work and at home, it's not surprising that making your own invites etc. is becoming more and more common. Not only do we have access to the equipment needed, everyone is getting more and more savvy at using it too. Plus there is an endless supply of advice, help and free downloads available online. If you don't want to bother with the printing, you can always just design your own stationery and then upload it to an online printing site.
RSVP Online This one is definitely controversial. Many people will tell you it's dreadfully dclass to do anything related to the invites online. I disagree. What difference does it make whether people send you an RSVP email or you get a piece of paper in the mail? You'll save time, money and materials this way.
DIY Centerpieces Centerpieces can cost a pretty penny and only last for a few days. If you don't have time to put something together yourself, ask your bridesmaids and/or family members if they would mind helping out. People usually love the opportunity to add their creative touch to an event, and you will have unique centerpieces with a very personal touch.
Bridesmaids Gifts Although the gifts for the bridesmaids can be pretty much anything these days, jewelry is always a nice, traditional touch. Putting together cute and stylish necklaces or bracelets is both easy and fun. If you don't know how, check with a local adult ed center or a bead store - they usually offer a variety of classes.
Music At our wedding, we decided that the easiest way to get to hear everything we liked and wanted to dance to was to mix a bunch of tapes ourselves (this was before the days of burning CDs and mp3 players). The place we rented had a great sound system, and we just put all our tapes by the cassette player, started one, and let anyone who wanted change the tape when needed. It was a bit hit, everyone was dancing all night and the party ended up lasting for 12 hours. These days it's even easier to do something like that, since mp3 players can hold tens of thousands of songs, and you can set up different playlists - mellower music for the dining part of the evening and more dance-friendly stuff as the night goes on.
Reception At Home If you, or one of your friends or family members is lucky enough to have a beautiful back yard - why not have the reception there? Set up a few rented tents, tables and chairs, a floor to dance on, a bar and a buffet, and you're all set! Local cooking schools are great sources for finding people to help with the food and/or bartend. If there is no school in your area, check with the online community at Chowhound to see if anyone has any recommendations for private caterers where you live. At our wedding, we didn't have a bar - we rented a large fridge with a glass door and stocked it with beer, wine and champagne and told our guests to help themselves.
What Not To Skimp On Saving money is important, but you don't have to skimp on everything. Here are three cases where, in my opinion, spending a bit more is justified:
Photography I was going to shoot my own wedding (well, the parts I was able to do) and have a friend do the rest, but my Mom insisted on hiring a professional wedding photographer. I've been thankful for that ever since. The photos are gorgeous (one even ended up on the cover of our local newspaper), and I certainly couldn't have taken such great pictures of the two of us and the wedding party. Even with a self-timer, you need someone else behind the camera, and that someone should be a professional. You'll be looking at these pictures for the rest of your life.
Wedding Gown Trying to find the perfect gown can be an exhausting and emotional task, but once you put on THE gown, you'll know it immediately. Unless the price tag forces you to take out a second mortgage, the dress of your dreams is worth every penny. If wearing that gown makes you feel amazing, beautiful and confident - get it. Not only do you want to feel and look your best on your wedding day - you'll have lots of photos of yourself in that gown, displayed on your own and other family members' walls for years to come. If it's outrageously expensive and you feel incredibly guilty buying it, remember, you can always sell it later.
Wedding Bands You'll most likely be wearing this ring every day for the rest of your life: make sure it's something you absolutely love, and that it feels good on your hand.
