Weddings on a Budget

Every bride and groom have a budget for their wedding.  Whether it is big or small, it is important to stay within it.  I recommend making a list of the most important things to the two of you.  If the photos of you and your groom are what you will treasure the most about your day, then by all means get a professional photographer and spend good money for them.  Here are a few tips on different ways to save on your big day.

Do Not Pick A Saturday

There are very few wedding reception locations that do not charge more on a Saturday than a Friday or a Sunday.  Depending on the location, you may spend two to three times more just for a Saturday!  I know some couples are worried that guests won't come on a Friday because they have to work.  Trust me, if they love you, they will come.  (And if they don't come, they just saved you even more money.)  This also means you get to do a rehearsal dinner on a Thursday instead of Friday which can also save you money.   This alone can save you thousands of dollars. 

The Dress

It is the most important dress you will wear in your lifetime!  There will be tons of photos taken of you in it and you want it to be the perfect dress.  So you go from boutique to boutique trying on all those dresses and finally find your prefect dress.  Hooray!  Except it is thousands of dollars more than your budget.  Then go online and check out the many websites that sell designer dresses for a fraction of the cost.  I personally found my wedding dream dress in a cute little boutique but couldn't afford it.  I found the exact dress online for a tenth of the price!  This beautiful dress below is online for under $300!

Flowers

Saving money on flowers can be done a few different ways.  The suggestion that I have is to incorporate flowers into your day that can be cross utilized.  For instance, use your bridesmaids bouquets as centerpieces on the head table.  Or you can use the flowers from the ceremony as centerpieces at your reception.  Just make sure your wedding planner, the location manager, or your friends/family know that they are supposed to be moved.  The beautiful flowers below serve as a great addition to an outdoor wedding and can then be put on the tables as centerpieces.

DIY Guest Favors

We all know that you can save money if you do things yourself.  But how much time does a girl have?  If you are going to do any of the items yourself I would recommend the guest favors.  You definitely want to thank your guests for sharing in your special day.  This can be a fun activity for you and your fiance or for you and your girlfriends.  Either way, it will save you money and you can personalize it so everyone remembers your wedding.  See our blog from March 6th for some great DIY favor ideas.

Happy Planning!

Adriann