It finally happened. You and the man of your dreams just went to dinner/a NASCAR race/a spelunking expedition (you fill in the blank) and your sweetie popped the big question. Now that you’ve said “Yes!” an even bigger question awaits: How do you get the day you’ve always dreamed of while staying inside of a fixed, if not limited, budget?
The question is as old as weddings themselves. And the answer might not be as complicated as you’d think.
Finding Alternatives to an Expensive Wedding
When planning a wedding on a small budget, the most important key to success is to get creative. It’s easy to get drawn in to the big-name advertisers for “all things wedding” that you see in bridal magazines, via the internet, or on shows like WE tv’s Platinum Weddings. But remember: while these outlets may give you “priceless” ideas for your big day, they are not the only places to shop.
Here are some alternatives for cutting costs.
Save the Date Cards and Invitations
Considering some of today’s biggest names in wedding planning, you can easily spend well over $500 just on the invitations you send out to 100 guests. Instead, try making invitations and/or Save the Date cards yourself.
You can find everything you need to make your own cards by shopping at stationery stores, Dollar stores, or other box stores. Target, for example, offers various options for beautifully-styled cards and matching envelopes. Stuck on what to write on your cards? Websites such as www.ehow.com can offer scores of different tips and templates to help you find the right wording in just minutes.
Alternatives for Choosing Wedding Cakes
With such a wide variety of wedding cakes out there, you can easily shape, tier and flavor your way into a cake bill that’s hundred of dollars over your budget. Want to “have your cake and eat it, too?” Then try this:
Buy two cakes instead of just one. The first cake is the tiered version, the one that you and your new hubby will slice amidst glittering flashbulbs and grandma’s tears. But this cake can be much smaller than you’d imagine. If you’ve got a guest list of 100, buy a decorated cake that serves only 40…and then have the second cake, a same-flavored, flat sheet, pre-sliced cake, on hand. This way, you have the picture-perfect cake everyone wants to see, with as many slices (from the sheet version) as your guests want to eat.
An Inexpensive Way to Have Beautiful Wedding Flower Arrangements
Flowers can make or break a wedding budget. One of the best ways to come ahead on the “make” side is to use, almost exclusively, garden-fresh flowers and bouquets.
For many brides, the look of the wedding party—from the outfits to the flowers—was decided even before the groom showed up for the first date. While you may want to order the wedding party’s bouquets and boutonnieres from a professional florist, consider getting the rest of the flowers from in-season selections, either from a friend’s garden or from a local grocery store’s fresh flower department.
Today, many grocery store chains get in new deliveries of fresh flowers at least twice a week. Meet with the head of your grocer’s flower department to discuss the date of your wedding and the availability of seasonal flowers on this date. Spread the flowers out at both your ceremony and reception sites, mixing them with similarly-colored candles, votives and ribbons. The result will be every bit as decorative as if you had used an exclusive florist, yet will easily cost you hundreds of dollars less!
Margaret Koch - Owner, Get It Write Consulting Offering copy editing, proofreading & resume writing services to businesses and individuals
Join the Conversation