We really don't like to put 'money' and 'love' together but the fact is, even people with truckloads of money have to draw the line somewhere when planning their wedding. And when it comes to money and what-you-want versus what-you-need, this quote from Steve Martin is one of my favorites:
"I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog polisher. A gasoline powered turtleneck sweater. And, of course, I bought some dumb stuff, too."
While it might not seem like it at the time, many of us fall prey to "dumb stuff" while wedding planning. If you have a limited budget or you don't want to get carried away with things you think you have to have at your wedding, put these crazy easy money-saving ideas on your wedding planning checklist:
- Save a substantial amount of money by forgoing a sit-down dinner for a buffet. Negotiate the price of children's meals. They can usually be had for half-price.
- Limit your alcohol offerings to beer and wine. Purchase liquor at a store that allows the return of unopened bottles.
- Pass on favors OR limit them to one per couple rather than one per guest. Also consider giving a donation to a charity in lieu of favors.
- To limit the amount of time you have to pay for the photographer or videographer, cut the cake early.
- Consider getting married on a day other than Saturday. And book your venue off-season. Planning to have your wedding one week before wedding season starts will save you lots.
- Have the ceremony and reception at the same venue. At the very least, it will save transportation costs.
- Use local and seasonal flowers and have a friend transport the flowers from the ceremony to the reception.
- Consider unusual venues such as restaurants, museums and art galleries. They often don't charge a venue fee if you use their caterers, etc.
- Investigate hidden costs such as 'cake-cutting' before you sign a contract.
- Look for sales! Check out Event Decor Direct for a wide range of wedding and event decor items. If you live in Florida, check out these affordable products in person at the new bricks-and-mortar retail store located at 98 SE 7th Street, Deerfield Beach FL 33441. If you don't live close to Deerfield Beach, check out our website at: https://www.eventdecordirect.com/catalog/.
Above all else, do not go deep into debt for ONE day. Sure, you only plan to get married once, but the primary focus of the day is you and your partner. Save your money for a down payment on a house. Go on a honeymoon. Or just save your money!
For more ideas about wedding planning and designing, check out the Institute of Wedding and Event Design at https://iwedglobal.com.
What are your best cost-saving tips for wedding design? Post a comment. We'd love to hear from you.
