Tips by Theme:
Saving Money ... Without Compromising (Too Much) On Your Dreams!
"When auditioning caterers, be sure
to ask if there's a tasting charge - we were unpleasantly
surprised by a $45/person charge right before heading out
to an expensive dinner. Ouch!" -
Connie, married 2001
• • •
When there is little
disposable or discretionary income, creative measures are
called for. Obviously one should not solicit such offers,
but certain friends or relatives may eagerly volunteer
to contribute to some feature of the wedding or other
. . . [e.g.] maybe the bridal attendant would prefer to pay
for her own bouquet instead of buying an unneeded gift. (From Great
Wedding Tips from the Experts, by Robbi Ernst)
• • •
Feel free to eliminate "traditional"
items that have no meaning for you (for example, we didn't
feel a need for special transportation from church to reception),
so that you can put more of your budget into the things that
do. - Ellen, married 2002
• • •
If you are on a restricted budget,
think about ordering a smaller, fully decorated cake to display
at the reception and a large sheet cake that can be plated
and served from the kitchen. (From
Great
Wedding Tips from the Experts, by Robbi Ernst)
• • •
Winter weddings can be wonderful AND
economical. Saturdays in May through September tend to book
up about a year or more in advance. Fridays and Sundays usually
book up 6 to 8 months in advance. Winter wedding dates, however,
seldom fill up and, as a result, very nice discounts are available
with many quality wedding vendors for weddings in December
through March. Winter weddings can have a special and
romantic mood with lots of candles and cozy rooms. This tip was provided by Chris Kight of Christopher
Kight Photography
• • •
We saved a lot of money
-- and enjoyed our reception dinner more -- because we
bought our own wine. We shopped with our favorite local
merchant, who helped us find cases of a wine that was unique
and special to us (and a fantastic value). Even with corkage,
we saved . . . plus, we saved a case to enjoy with
friends over the year after our wedding (and on our first
anniversary!). It was a great way to remember our celebration.
- Beth, married 2001
• • •
After overspending on so many things,
we didn't have much budget for flowers. Thankfully,
our florist was ingenious: she created lovely bouquet style
arrangements for our ceremony aisle that she later placed
on the tables at our reception as centerpieces. Our guests
were none the wiser, and we saved tons of money (and
avoided wasting flowers, too!). - Carla, married 2003
Wedding
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