Wedding on a Shoestring
By Helen
Rankin,
http://www.instantforever.com
Wedding Cost
Saving Advice: Top 5 Tips For Weddings On A Shoestring Budget
With the average
wedding now costing more than a brand new luxury car, many
couples are looking for ways to have a ‘celebrity’ stylish
wedding, without the celebrity price tag.
The first tip is
simple: ask for a discount. The worst that can happen is that
they say no. You might be a bit embarrassed, but what have you
lost? We’ve pulled together 5 other top tips to help you create
your dream wedding on a shoestring budget.
1. Choosing The
Wedding Venue
Your venue is
probably going to be the single biggest wedding expense that
you’ll have to pay. But you don’t need to spend the "normal"
amount of money to have a fabulous venue.
Wedding Venue Cost
Saving Tip.
Many halls and
clubs have suitable rooms available for a fraction of the price
you'd pay at more traditional locations. The trick is to see
past the existing décor and imagine it sprinkled with hundreds
of fairy lights or candles.
If you’ve found
the wedding venue of your dreams, but it looks as if it will be
out of your budget, don’t despair. Many venues offer significant
discounts for mid-week or "out of season" weddings.
2. Food At The
Wedding
Deciding what kind
of menu you want to offer for your wedding can be difficult
enough without having to see the price tag that goes along with
it!
Food Budget Cost
Saving Tip.
Selecting a venue
where you can bring in your own caterers may be a much better
value than using the catering provided by the venue.
If you don’t have
a choice about which caterer you use, there are still ways that
you can trim your spending costs. Try replacing the starter
course with canapés, instead of having both. Or, replace dessert
with your wedding cake. Often, wedding cake gets forgotten about
because guests have already had so much to eat.
A new idea that
brides are buzzing about is the wedding ‘cheese’ cake.
Literally, it is three slabs of cheese turned into a wedding
cake for that special ‘cutting of the cake’ photograph and
ceremony. Why not combine the two instead of having a separate
cheese and cake course?
3. Drinks At The
Wedding
To have a free
bar, or cash bar? Such a difficult question to answer. Of
course, it would be fantastic to offer a free bar to all your
guests all day. But with limited funds, it’s not a realistic
option for most people.
Booze Budget Cost
Saving Tip.
The ideal in this
instance is to use a venue where you can bring your own booze. I
was lucky enough to be able to do this at our wedding and
managed to pop across to France and buy 180 bottles of wine and
240 beers, plus Pimms and cassis for under £500. We had stacks
left and our guests were restricted to beer, wine or soft
drinks, but no one seemed to mind.
Another option is
to come to an arrangement with the hotel regarding corkage. A
friend got married in a hotel, which charged £10 per bottle of
wine. She arranged a flat fee of £500 for all of her beer and
wine opening. Although it seems like a lot, it meant that she
could afford to supply beer and wine for her guests.
4. Bridalwear
This is a huge
expense.
Bridalwear Cost
Saving Tip.
You can still look
fabulous for a fraction of the price and feel that you’re
minimizing the eco-footprint of your wedding by buying a
"pre-loved" wedding dress.
Many charity shops
have specialist "bridalwear" departments where you can purchase
new and designer dresses that have been worn once. You can try
the dresses on before buying.
You
can venture online and find some fantastic bargains in the
"pre-loved" lines. Take a look at some of the "For Sale" forums
of the popular wedding Websites and you’ll see bridal dresses,
veils, tiaras, and those Jimmy Choo shoes that you know you
want. All for a fraction of the normal cost.
5. The Wedding
Photography
Many couples feel
that photography is a major part of the day and are prepared to
pay a dearly for a beautifully presented wedding album.
Wedding
Photography Cost Savings Tip.
Many photographers
are prepared to attend your wedding day and then provide you
with a DVD of your photos for significantly less money than
you'd pay for prints. With the DVD, you can then use some of the
fantastic online services to prepare your own photo book.
Another option
involves capturing
your wedding in an instant with a
Wedding Photo Guest Book.
About the Author:
Helen Rankin,
founder of Instant Forever,
http://www.instantforever.com, and distributor of Adesso
Albums in the UK and Europe, helps you capture your wedding
memories forever. The Adesso Album is the only guest book
alternative that captures your wedding event in an Instant
in both pictures and words, and preserves it Forever.
Capture your wedding in an instant with a
Wedding Photo Guest Book |
