The idea of getting married is something that appeals to many people until they realize how expensive a wedding can be! Many people start to wonder just how they are going to have the wedding as things can get out of hand with cost quite quickly. It’s true that you can spend an unlimited amount of money on a wedding, but you don’t have to. You can easily work within your budget. You may need to get a bit more creative or hands on, but this will actually make your big day more enjoyable.
Have you been shocked by the price of invitations? It is possible to spend upwards of several hundred dollars on wedding invitations, but you don’t have to. You can buy cheap wedding invitations that are just as beautiful. You can do a couple of things to buy invitations more affordably such as buying styles that are on clearance, printing your own invitations, or even creating your own invitations. Card stock with a picture of the two of you on it and the wedding details printed on your home computer would be just as lovely as an expensive invitation that you cannot or do not want to afford.
When you begin looking at items for the reception you may worry about the cost of things such as wedding centerpieces, which can get expensive really quickly. You don’t need to do any extravagant for the wedding centerpieces, instead you can take a trip to the dollar store and buy small glass globes, fill them with colored stones, and even put a votive in there. Each centerpiece will cost you less than $3 if you do it this way and it will be just as beautiful and appreciated as a more luxurious centerpiece that is out of your budget.
Another area of concern as you progress through the planning may be the groomsmen and bridesmaid gifts. This is a very old tradition that doesn’t actually have to be observed if you don’t want it to be. Let your friends know that you don’t want them to give you gifts and you won’t either. Another option is to take your friends out for a game of golf or bowling and have that be your gift to them. Pick something that is affordable but you all like, this will be more memorable than some trinket you give them for being in your wedding, anyway.
As you can see, there are simple ways to make things affordable. This doesn’t mean that you won’t have a wedding that you can look back on fondly, it just means that you can work within your current budget and come away from the wedding without any more debt than you went in with. Weddings are special, but that doesn’t mean you have to go broke before you’re even married.
Why pay someone else for your wedding planning, especially in these hard economic times? Take the time and plan your own wedding yourself. You know what you want more than anyone else could and it will cost you a lot less with these handy tips.
First, you will need a place to hold your wedding. Call around to places of interest to you and get estimates on each venue. Sit down with your fiancée and discuss which the better option for your budget is. If your wedding is in the warmer weather, you could even plan it outdoors at your own home or a relatives beautiful gardens. You will need to set up a chic tent for the reception and as a backup in case of rain to be on the safe side.
Next, you will need invitations, these can cost quite a bit. Your best budget friendly tip in wedding planning is to make them yourself by buying the card stock and getting a desktop publishing program to add to your computer. This also lets you be the creator and make them however you want them to look, from elegant, sassy or traditional the ideas are limitless.
Now comes the wedding planning for the flowers and reception decorations. You can go to any crafts or hobby store and find everything you need to make your own bouquets for you and the bridesmaids. They have extraordinary fake flowers now that look as elegant and lovely as the real ones at a lot less money. Get your bridesmaids in on the crafting too; they are there to help you out. For the wedding decorations make those as well, use draping of crepe or sheer materials around the chairs and altar. Place beautiful arrangements you have made that match your color scheme all around the area for eye appeal. Sprinkle fragrant real flower petals down the aisle before you walk down it.
For the reception decorations, buy lovely linen tablecloths at your local discount store or make them from fabric from the craft store as well. These do not have to be high priced as the centerpieces and candles are going to add to them anyway. Set each table with a small bouquet of flowers in matching colors of your wedding and set candles within every table as well. The more candles there are the more romantic and elegant it will look. To save on wedding photography only have a few professional pictures taken during the ceremony, let everyone else be photographers of the day by adding 1-2 disposable cameras on every table. These actually turn out to get the best shots that aren’t all posed but true to life.
You also need a cake, find a local bakery and go introduce yourself to the baker, look over their designs and choose one that suits you and your fiancée. This is where the extra money you saved by doing the wedding planning yourself comes into play. The cake is one of the most important parts of the reception and the extra money should be used to choose your dream cake. This is the most special day in your lives after all.
As for the reception dinner your best bet is to have it catered by a local company that has great quality and tasting foods and have it buffet style, where everyone can choose what they would like instead of having to eat what they are given. Following these wedding planning tips will save you money and give you the dream wedding you have always wanted. So, congratulations and best wishes for your new future together as man and wife.
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