While getting married today can seem more complicated than ever, the wedding itself should not be. There are a few important steps to follow to make sure that your wedding is the event of your dreams yet perfectly within your reach. By remembering these key ideas, the bride and groom can create a magical experience without breaking the bank.
Start planning as early as you can.
Booking a date earlier rather than last minute can significantly save you a lot of money. So can the date itself. An “offseason” wedding, as opposed to peak season is also a consideration for how to save.
Lose the wedding planner.
Since you are already going for something simpler, the details can all be handled by the bride, mother-in-law, or whoever chooses to be the point person.
You don’t need a professional photographer
Obviously you are going to want to have a permanent photographic record of this incredibly important day. Unless your cousin or good friend is a professional photographer, in which case perhaps you can get a reasonable deal, then why not rely on the people who love you most to capture the moments; your guests. Placing several disposable cameras at each table is a surefire way to getting thousands of pictures, of which more than enough will be wonderful.
Flowers are unnecessary
Flowers are one of those expenses that when really examined closely can easily be categorized as an unnecessary expense. That is not to say that the flowers are unnecessary, just that they don’t have to cost a lot. Certainly, fresh flowers are going to run you, but you don’t have to get the highest end cuts for them to be gorgeous. You can also consider potted plants for centerpieces which can then be taken home by guests as a sort of memento or parting gift. If you are really looking to save, however, silk flowers, many of which are astoundingly realistic looking, can be bought, or even rented, for significantly less than real flowers.
Send digital wedding invitations
We live in a digital age. There is almost no one without email – so why rely on expensive, hardcopy wedding invitations sent via snail mail when a beautifully designed online invitation can perfectly do the trick.
Invite less people
Keep it intimate. Of course you could invite 300 of your best friends, but the bigger the list is, the more inclusive it also has to be. Narrowing it down to only your nearest and dearest not only saves per head, but also creates a very special ambience that doesn’t exist at larger affairs.
Rent your outfits
Tuxedos and wedding dresses can be rented, enough said.
Replace the Band
A DJ is a great option to replace an expensive band. If you’re set on live music, look among family or friends, or even high school kids looking to make some money. Just be sure to test them out before you hire them.
Get a loan
At the end of the day, even the most shoe-stringed wedding is going to cost. There are a lot of ways to intelligently finance the wedding without breaking the bank or damaging your credit rating. Payday loans online can fully and simply cover the costs of any wedding at excellent rates and terms and conditions.
Remember, it’s about you. It’s not about the food, or the band or tuxedo, it’s about celebrating your loving and caring union which you want to share with all your family and friends. Don’t get us wrong; the food and music are certainly important, but not the priority. The most important element is that the love and devotion the couple has for each other permeates the entire affair. Keeping this in mind will color all your decisions and generally allow you to justify emphasizing the important aspects over the less important.
I’d have to disagree with you on #1, although you’re pretty much spot-on with the others. My husband and I were engaged for 13 months, set a date exactly a year out, and it was too darn long. It doesn’t take a year to plan a wedding; it doesn’t even take six months (although in some locations, venues do book up very quickly). I found that once everything was planned, my anxiety shot sky-high, as there was no longer anything to do; a shorter engagement would have worked better for me, or waiting longer before setting that date and starting the actual planning (and just enjoy being engaged).