Many brides are trimming their budgets for their big day, due to the poor economy. I have had several recent consultations with brides that asked for ways to save money, but not scrimp on the overall quality of their celebration.I have done some research on this and have discovered a few "tricks of the trade" so to speak that can assist a budget conscience bride!
The first step is to plan your theme according to the season. Planning a wedding at Christmas, stick to red and green Christmas decor and many churches and/or reception halls will already be decorated for the season, saving your decorating budget. If you are planning a wedding near Easter, plan on a pastel theme and many places will be pre- decorated! By utilizing what is already in place, you can save time and money.
By planning according to the season your wedding is in, you can take advantage of the flowers that are in season, which is a great way to save money. Don't plan on fresh lilies at a bargain price in October. But if you use Daffodils in April, that will save you a bundle! Evergreen is readily available in December, but non existent in February!
Another way to save is to buy your decorations after the season has past. A couple got engaged at Christmas and decided to be married the next December. After the holiday, they bought all their decorations, lighting, tablecloths, flowers, centerpieces and napkins for 75% off! This is a great way to design, decorate and plan a fabulous theme wedding on a skimpy budget. Planning a fall harvest theme? Shop after Thanksgiving! Pick up a multitude of decorations, linens and style ideas for next to nothing. The only thing you need is a place to store them.
A wonderful Catering friend of mine, has a new cost effective plan for your food bill. They allow the couple to bring in some parts of the meal. A friend of ours had the dinner catered, but they supplied all the hor douvere's and soft drinks. This saved them about two dollars and fifty cents per guest! That totalled up to a savings of 500.00! A tremendous savings for a budget savvy couple!
Buying in bulk is the most cost effective way to buy supplies for the wedding. Cases of wine are always cheaper than by the bottle. Buying your wedding favors in a large supply is generally better priced than off the shelf. Using the same vendors for bigger savings can help too. If the photographer is also afiliated with a videographer, you may get a better deal booking together.
Anyway that you can find to save your budget is a win in my book
The first step is to plan your theme according to the season. Planning a wedding at Christmas, stick to red and green Christmas decor and many churches and/or reception halls will already be decorated for the season, saving your decorating budget. If you are planning a wedding near Easter, plan on a pastel theme and many places will be pre- decorated! By utilizing what is already in place, you can save time and money.
By planning according to the season your wedding is in, you can take advantage of the flowers that are in season, which is a great way to save money. Don't plan on fresh lilies at a bargain price in October. But if you use Daffodils in April, that will save you a bundle! Evergreen is readily available in December, but non existent in February!
Another way to save is to buy your decorations after the season has past. A couple got engaged at Christmas and decided to be married the next December. After the holiday, they bought all their decorations, lighting, tablecloths, flowers, centerpieces and napkins for 75% off! This is a great way to design, decorate and plan a fabulous theme wedding on a skimpy budget. Planning a fall harvest theme? Shop after Thanksgiving! Pick up a multitude of decorations, linens and style ideas for next to nothing. The only thing you need is a place to store them.
A wonderful Catering friend of mine, has a new cost effective plan for your food bill. They allow the couple to bring in some parts of the meal. A friend of ours had the dinner catered, but they supplied all the hor douvere's and soft drinks. This saved them about two dollars and fifty cents per guest! That totalled up to a savings of 500.00! A tremendous savings for a budget savvy couple!
Buying in bulk is the most cost effective way to buy supplies for the wedding. Cases of wine are always cheaper than by the bottle. Buying your wedding favors in a large supply is generally better priced than off the shelf. Using the same vendors for bigger savings can help too. If the photographer is also afiliated with a videographer, you may get a better deal booking together.
Anyway that you can find to save your budget is a win in my book