Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! I know that weddings can get really pricey rather quickly. Back when my husband I got married, we found some great ways to save money by eliminating items that weren’t necessary (and we didn’t end up missing) and by finding deals on others. Here are a few things we did to save some money.
Centerpieces. It is easy to get carried away on them. We opted for small plants from a local flower shop instead of elaborate flowers. We then gave plants to those who helped to make our day special — which saved us from having to pick up more gifts for them. They all really loved the plant rather than a flask or earrings or something they said they’d not use again.
Gown. It may sound “cheap” but I shopped at David’s Bridal. I honestly paid $250 for my wedding gown — and no one could tell. For me, the day wasn’t about my gown – it was about me being able to marry the man of my dreams. The moment he saw me for the first time he told me that I looked stunning and that was all that mattered to me. This store has some great promotions from time to time, so just watch for the deals that they offer. However, if you have a dream gown in mind, just keep in mind you might want to shave some money off of other areas of you your budget to afford it.
Invitations. We didn’t go bargain basement on invitations, but we did find a good deal. There is no reason to spend a lot of money on your invites — as they will all go into the trash after your wedding day is over. One site I’d check out is Vistaprint. Believe it or not, they have all of the things you will need to create your Save the Dates, Invitations and inserts for your special day. Plus, when you spend $50 or more, you can get free shipping.
“All Inclusive Shopping.” If you can find a retailer who sells all you need, you can sometimes score discounts or free shipping. Rather than go to several sites/locations, you can just get it all done at once and even save! One such site is Exclusively-Weddings.com. You can find all you need from invitations to decor – and right now they are offering a 10% discount on your purchase of $99 or more with the code WBD99 — and make sure you check out their sale section too!!
Photographer / Videographer. The one area I will tell you where you should never try to just get a deal is on your photos and video. The day is too precious and you need to ensure that the people you hire will do an excellent job of capturing your day for you. There are no do-overs, so if they miss a shot, you can’t get that moment back.
Reception. This all depends upon what you have in mind. Sometimes, when you do one stop shopping you can pay more per meal than you would if you contract it out. We found a venue which allowed for our own caterer. As a result, we actually paid less per meal to feel our guests than we would have if we had done it all through that location.
Cake. Don’t forget about grocery stores. It may sound crazy, but they make gorgeous cakes that taste as wonderfully as those that cost a lot more!
Music. You can really save a lot of money for your dance if you opt for a DJ rather than a live band. While a band can provide some great entertainment, they can be more pricey than DJs.
Flowers. One place that many people forget to visit is your local grocery store floral department. We used one here and saved more than 50% off of our floral needs. our flowers were simply beautiful and just what we wanted. Remember that florists who work at grocery stores do the same work at those at big name stores. Just ask to see samples of their work before you commit.
It is so easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of your day and wanting to make it perfect. No matter how well you plan, something will go amiss. It has been nearly 9 years since we said I Do and I am so grateful that we were able to have our entire wedding and honeymoon paid for before the ink even dried on our wedding certificate. Such a perfect way to being our new life together.