Weddings are a most wonderful time in a person’s life, but if a large wedding is what is expected, the costs can rapidly mount. You can have a great wedding AND keep your budget under control. Use the information and tips in this article to plan a wedding that fulfills your dreams and doesn’t start your married life in debt.
In your wedding plans, make sure you consider what types of alcohol you wish to serve, and which ones are most cost effective. Open bars are expensive, especially if they’re open for a long time. The venue representative will be able to advise you of the various alcohol service options available.
If you’re doing your own catering, Costco is a place that can save you a lot on wedding food. Shopping wholesale renders significant savings for food. Ask friends to help on food, too.
Use a friend’s property to host your wedding. Having your wedding in someone’s yard or even farm can reduce wedding costs. Your only expense should be paying someone to clean before and after the wedding.
Do not go on a crash diet to fit in the dress. Starving yourself will just dehydrate you and make you feel sick. You may even faint while saying your vows. Rather, get a dress with an integrated corset so that it can be easily adjusted.
It can be a friend or a family member, they just need to help you carry your gear wherever you go. They may be able to help you as you gather the family for a group shot.
Try having your reception midday. People don’t tend to overdo it on the alcohol during this time of day, which saves you money on beer. Having your wedding during the midday can also cut food costs and even get you a discount for booking during the day.
You may want to consider a wedding aboard a cruise ship. This will allow you to get your honeymoon started when you’re done with the ceremony. Some cruise ships offer special wedding and honeymoon packages.
Silk Flowers
You may want to consider getting silk flowers for your wedding. If you use silk flowers instead of fresh flowers, you can purchase them well in advance and eliminate the worry of having the right flowers delivered the morning of your wedding.
Table centerpieces at a wedding may set you back financially and can actually be a hindrance, instead of an asset, if not artistically simplistic and pleasing. Instead of going all out and putting an elaborate centerpiece at each table, keep them small. If the centerpiece is too big, it becomes a distraction, making it difficult for people to interact as well as enjoy their food.
If the cultural backgrounds are different, have the wedding with one tradition and the reception with the other. This will create an intriguing and memorable contrast that will satisfy both sides of the family.
If you plan to give a speech at a wedding, write out and practice what you will say beforehand. If you don’t practice your speech beforehand, you run the risk of forgetting your speech, saying something you didn’t intend to say, or losing the audience.
Seasonal flowers from your region may not be that easy to obtain in dry and cool Mediterranean settings or humid tropical settings. Communicate with florist and wedding professionals where you’re getting married to discover the flowers that will be blooming and available at that time.
Renting different styles of seating for your wedding is a great idea, instead of traditional tables if you are planning to not serve food at your reception. Lounge chairs, sectional sofas and loveseats can be arranged into groupings that encourage your guests to intermingle. You can group the chairs into separate seating areas at the venue, plus the relaxed setting will flow onto your guest’s mood also.
Be sure you consider how to take care of the guests and their method of travel when a destination wedding is being planned. Some of your guests may need to schedule their vacation around this day, and they require enough preparation time. So, you should start asking months in advance if they would be able to or be interested in attending, but don;t take it personal if they cannot make it.
Think about the legalities of the location you choose when you are planning out your wedding. Before you start booking hotels, make sure they will meet your needs.
Are you planning on inviting children to your wedding, and how many are there going to be? If you don’t allow children, you may be able to save money and avoid stress. Some people want their children with them though.
Consider writing your wedding vows. It is pretty easy to copy directly from a source, but you are the one who knows your betrothed the best. Write in things that have special meaning. You can look to other people’s personal vows for inspiration and use them to help create your own original ones.
When you need to put together a wedding on the cheap, you can! A wedding should not cause you to go into debt. Create your own invitations, pick your own venue and combine it for your reception and wedding, ask loved ones to help, make your own favors, and create your own flower arrangements to save some money.
Always do your homework on a band or DJ you are thinking of hiring for your wedding. Ask for contacts and references before you hire them. After you have made a decision, get a signed contract with the band or DJ. The music is an important element to your wedding so ensuring you make the right choice is vital.
Consider your wedding location when choosing decorations like floral arrangements. For instance, you might choose a delicate floral arrangement when indoors, but you definitely don’t want something like that in an outdoor environment where there will be any wind. Make sure to take all of the elements into consideration when planning your outdoor wedding.
Your budget does not determine the quality of your wedding. Use the information you just learned to make your wedding unforgettable while saving some money for your honeymoon.