A wedding is meant to be the happiest day of your life, but it can, however, be hard to keep within expectations to host a luxurious wedding and still be within the bounds of your budget. There are several things you can do to control costs, and stay in line with your wedding budget. This article is packed with useful tips and tricks for planning a magical wedding on a practical budget.
You may be able to save money on your wedding by planning it during an “off season”. Traditionally, weddings take place between May and September. During these months, venues become more expensive. If it is imperative that your wedding be at this time, be sure to make your reservations far ahead of the date.
You may be able to save money on your wedding by planning it during an “off season”. Traditionally, weddings take place between May and September. Wedding venues are more expensive during this time. Should you have to book during the season, do so well in advance to garner your best deal.
When you’re getting plans together for your wedding, consider the types of alcoholic beverages you’re going to be serving. Also be aware of the cost. Keeping an open bar doesn’t come cheap, but keeping it open for an extended time can be even more costly. With only a quick question, your venue should be able to provide you with their alcohol serving options.
Online wedding gown purchases can be easy on your wallet, but give yourself enough time for alterations as needed. While buying a dress online may be less expensive, alterations can quickly add to the cost. Be sure to work the additional cost for alterations into your overall budget.
If you’re doing your own catering, Costco is a place that can save you a lot on wedding food. When shopping wholesale, you can get large amounts of food for cheaper than you could if you did not wholesale shop. It is acceptable to ask others to assist with these costs in lieu of gifts if finances are tight and you do not want to run out of food at the reception.
Look for a unique touch with your food such a ethnic theme, a style of cooking or something else to add flair. Use lots of different foods rather than the more traditional chicken and steak. Weddings are known for being unique and your reception should offer a variety of foods to satisfy everyone.
Your wedding dress could be one of the most expensive items included in your wedding, but there are ways to save money on this purchase. You might want to consider a dress which is not categorized specifically for the bride. For example, a bridesmaid dress is typically much less expensive and may be just what you’re looking for. Even with alterations, the cost may still be less.
DO not select a dress that requires you to go on a starvation diet. You may not feel good on the big day if you haven’t eaten enough. Passing out at the altar in the middle of exchanging vows? Not a pleasant thought. Rather, get a dress with an integrated corset so that it can be easily adjusted.
Your wedding pictures are very important since they capture images that you will want to view again throughout your life. It pays to spend the extra cash to hire a wedding photographer in order to reduce the chance of some amateur screwing up your wedding photos.
The most important part of marriage is the person you plan on marrying. This life-altering decision is one that should not be rushed into. Take the time to make sure you are ready to make a lifetime commitment to your fiance and consider the things that you love about them, as well as the things that drive you crazy.
Have your wedding at a location owned by friends or family. If you’re in touch with people with a farm or a big backyard, this can be a cheap place for you to host a wedding ceremony. The only real cost would be to hire someone to clean beforehand and afterwards.
Don’t forget about the transportation on your wedding day. Some guests might need a ride to their hotel, so make sure there are taxis available (at minimum). This is especially good thinking because many guests at your wedding are likely to be drinking.
Do not avoid eating just so your wedding dress will fit. Starving yourself or resorting to unhealthy weight loss tactics causes you to feel dizzy, weak, and light-headed. The last thing you will want to do is faint. Purchase a dress that will hug your curves and fit you well the way you are.
Tall flower arrangements can be the perfect idea for round tables at the wedding reception so guests are able to see and speak to each other. Oftentimes, those flowers are simply in the way for your wedding attendees. Not only that, but you may have some guests who are allergic to flowers. In order to provide a romantic look, you can place unscented candles centered on the table.
When choosing a makeup artist, ask to see a sample book of makeup the artist has done. Are you impressed with their style? Make sure that the style matches your vision. It can be helpful to do a practice run before the big day so that you will be happy with the results.
Dance Floor
Only place a few flowers in the centerpieces at your reception tables. Oftentimes, those flowers are simply in the way for your wedding attendees. Also, some of your guests may have allergies to the flowers. Unscented candles can get placed around the tables for an atmosphere of romance.
Your reception location should have a dance floor or room for dancing. Nothing is worse than a tiny, crowded dance floor where there is no room to move around. To make the dance floor larger, clear out some chairs and tables.
For a destination wedding, one wonderful present for your guests is a basket brimming with vacation goodies delivered to each room. Have items in them like disposable cameras, hats, sunglasses and tourist maps of the exciting places that they can visit. Another nice gesture is to include a restaurant guide, since people do need to eat after all.
Don’t leave your guests waiting while you, your new spouse and the wedding party have an hour long photo shoot. Take your bridal party photos in advance of the wedding when you are all fresh and crisp. Also, pictures of the couple with their parents can be taken in advance; this reduces the waiting time for guests coming to the reception.
Having someone close to you get ordained online allows them to preside over your wedding. This will not only save you money by not having to pay for an officiant, but will also make your wedding very special. Make sure this is a legal practice in your state before you get somebody ordained.
A nice present to give to your wedding guests at a wedding in a different town is a gift basket full of vacation items that you can have sent to their room. This gift basket can include helpful items such as sunscreen, sunglasses, disposable cameras and tourist maps that add a nice touch of flavor to the vacation. You may also want to include a guide for the restaurants in the area so they can choose where they prefer to eat.
If you’re serving several courses, offer sweet treats. Try sugar roses that are able to match the wedding’s colors, edible sugar petals, or even crackers that are flavorful to help them not be too hungry.
If possible, see if your reception venue offers lighting choices. This may seem minor, but lighting is important to setting the mood and dimmed lights are preferable for your first dance. Before committing to the venue, ask them about this.
Plan everything for the wedding, from reception activities to the food. You want to engage and excite all those who have chosen to be part of your special day.
Be sure you place an an even numer of guests at each table at your reception. To keep table conversations flowing, group the people you have sitting at the tables by their age.
If your environment is humid and tropical or it is cool and dry like in the Mediterranean, it can be difficult to find seasonal flowers from your state. Speak to a florist in the same location as the wedding and reception venues to ascertain what flowers are available to you.
Give your guests an online list of events, including out-of-time attendees, so that they would be aware of the events they could attend. If you share your schedule with your guests, it helps them understand where they are expected to be and when they need to be there, so they can manage their travel time appropriately.
Do not plan a destination wedding without taking the legal requirements of your location into account. Things such as residency requirements, blood tests and fees should be addressed before you book your venue.
Silk Flowers
Make certain that everything in your plans coordinates with each other, even the flowers. To make the whole room peaceful, go with a retro theme that includes colorful flowers. Bright flowers are ideal for many situations.
Silk flowers can be a good alternative to fresh flowers in some cases. Silk flowers can be chosen and bought months in advance which will save you time and energy.
A gift registry is a traditional part of weddings and it can ensure that guests do not have to come bearing cards and gifts that could get mislaid. It is also harder for the bride and groom to have to bring all of the gifts home from the reception. Give them multiple options for gifts and a very wide price range. People need to be comfortable giving what they are able to afford bringing.
Table centerpieces at a wedding may set you back financially and can actually be a hindrance, instead of an asset, if not artistically simplistic and pleasing. As an alternative, try selecting a simple but elegant centerpiece that isn’t too large or overwhelming. It won’t block the conversation of your guests, will save you some money and yet will still look amazing in your photographs.
Hire a great photographer with wonderful credentials. When you are interviewing your photographer, ask questions about how they see the day going. Inquire about the way in which they participate in each aspect of the day. You need to be sure that their work style is compatible with your needs.
Dress any children attending your ceremony in comfortable attire. By utilizing softer fabrics, the children in your ceremony will look great while feeling quite comfortable. It’s important that any shoes they wear are comfortable, which means new shoes, will need to be broken in. Instead of messing around with their clothes, this will help kids focus on their jobs at the wedding.
It’s important for a bride to practice her smile on a mirror. This will help you to be sure that your smile looks great in the wedding photos. When you practice enough you can smile exactly the way you want.
Each and every component of the wedding should be examined and planned perfectly; you want no surprises during showtime. By ensuring that your guests are comfortable and enjoying themselves, you are expressing your gratitude for their presence.
Be sure that those assisting you have made all of their preparations well in advance of helping you with yours. In the minutes leading up to your wedding march, all attention should be dedicated to getting you ready. If they are not ready early, then they will have to worry more about themselves, and cannot focus on making sure you’re completely ready.
Renting different styles of seating for your wedding is a great idea, instead of traditional tables if you are planning to not serve food at your reception. Things like cushy sectional couches, chaises and lounges can provide a great way for your guests to interact. Plush seating offers a way for their to be separate lounging areas, as well as a place for guests to get comfortable and relax.
As the bride, you’re not going to want tan lines. While wanting to be tan on your wedding day, noticeable tan lines are distracting.
You can still have an amazing and memorable wedding without going to extremes. By following the advice in this article, you will have an unforgettable wedding, without going hugely into debt.
Open a special bank account just for your wedding costs. By knowing exactly how much money you have to work with, it will help you stick to your budget. You can start a wedding account even when are not engaged yet, because you can always use it when that happy day finally arrives.