Unique Tips for Cutting Your Wedding Costs
Choosing every last detail for your wedding day is almost as special as the event itself, as you’ve likely been envisioning this for quite some time. What you don’t want, however, is a giant hole where your savings used to be. It is possible to throw the event of your dreams without breaking the bank. Read on for unique tips for cutting your wedding costs. After all, going to the chapel doesn’t have to eventually mean going into debt.
Ditch the Diva Dress
When it comes down to it, it’s one day, right? Do you really need a Vera Wang design that will set you back two years’ pay? Despite that, we know you want to look amazing. So how do you balance those two realities? There are a few ways to cut your dress budget. Find out about trunk shows in your area. While a trunk show doesn’t necessarily equate to discounts, many of the people running them will offer a price cut if you make the purchase that day. What’s even better, you’ll often be getting a sneak peek into the latest designs.
Another option is using a dress someone has used. You can find some gorgeous dresses second hand and, remember, this person only likely wore this one time—talk about lightly used! You could also ask around in your family. Perhaps your mother or grandmother still has a dress that could work or be brought up to date with a few alterations.
You could also consider buying off the rack. In other words, you could look for a dress that’s not a wedding dress but looks like one. There are plenty of options for these at places like Bloomingdale’s or Neiman Marcus.
Lastly, you could rent a wedding dress. We know we’re repeating ourselves but this ONE DAY of your life. With your hair perfectly coiffed, your stunning accessories, and the veil of your dreams, you’re sure to shine that day no matter what, so put the big bucks towards your ideal honeymoon or a down payment on a house.
Hire a Wedding Planner
Many couples mistakenly assume hiring a wedding planner will eat into their budget when, in fact, it’s just the opposite. This is because any wedding planner worth his or her salt has plenty of discounts and arrangements with the local vendors. Be wary of anyone who just hangs a shingle, though. Make sure your wedding planner is certified by a professional bridal association, such as the American Academy of Wedding Planners.
Target Aspiring Talent
When it comes to photographers, videographers, and wedding bands or musicians, you might want to think twice before hiring the cream of the crop. These people might be good at what they do but, because of this and their typically overbooked schedule, their price is likely to reflect their stature. Ask around or do some research online. Find someone who us a budding talent in any one of these fields and you’ll reap the rewards. And just think of the bragging rights you’ll have when you can say, “That person handled my wedding!”
Don’t Go Overboard With Wedding Favors
How many times have you left your hotel room for the airport post-wedding and threw the wedding favor right in the trash? Come on, you know you’ve done it. We all have. While they seem like a touching idea and it’s a nice thought, you don’t have to go over-the-top when sending guests home with a token of your appreciation. In fact, you don’t have to actually send them home with anything at all. A huge trend right now is donating to a charity in each guest’s name and leaving a note that you’ve done so by their place setting. They’ll be touched and impressed to say the least. Take a look at all the wonderful organizations to choose from on CharityNavigator.org.
If you do send them home with something, try the mini champagne wedding favors here. An elegant gift that can be personalized with a photo of the lucky couple, etched with the date of the event, or inscribed with a quote (whatever you choose, really!), these are a simple yet ideal way to go when it comes to wedding favors.
Worried your first stop as a married couple will be to the bankruptcy office? Don’t let your big day send you off on the wrong foot. Follow these tips for unique ways to cut your wedding costs.
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