Marriage & Wedding Information |
How to Plan a Cheap Wedding
There's no doubt about it, weddings can be expensive. The average cost of a wedding today is $20,000 - $25,000, and weddings are estimated to be a $25.3 billion industry. But don't worry if your budget cannot stretch for the most expensive custom-made gown, elegant invitation cards, or the top photographer, it doesn't mean that your wedding will be any less unique or special than anyone else's. You just need a bit of guidance and a few tips to help you achieve the dream of your big day. Here are a few suggestions with tips on how to save on some of the more expensive aspects of a wedding. Wedding Gowns Do you really need a hand-made wedding dress with beads and diamantes? This is where the big cost is and there are several options in cutting the cost. Why not opt for a second-hand wedding dress? It's probably only been worn once anyway and you can get a once expensive dress for half the price. Consider buying an evening gown/cocktail dress from a department store or look into renting your wedding dress for the day. The Reception This is where the cost of a wedding can get out of hand. The wedding reception is normally the biggest expense, but one of the easiest to cut down on costs. Statistics show that an average of 189 guests attend a wedding, this is a lot. Try and keep your guest list to a minimum, do you really need to invite family members who you have never seen for years? Instead of a three-course meal why not opt for a hot and cold buffet (even cater for yourself)? Instead of holding the reception in an expensive hotel suite or wedding reception, why not consider having it at someone's home or a club, or even book a restaurant. Keep an open bar to a minimal and only serve beer, wine and soft drinks. Photography The obvious choice is to shop around for the best rates, but consider hiring a photographer for the ceremony only and ask a family member or friend to take snap photos of the reception. Or you could go one step further and ask them to take the photographs for the whole day and not bother with the expense of a photographer at all. Invitations / Stationery If you're on a budget and looking for cheaper wedding stationery items, then you might like to consider print-at-home http://www.1st-for-greeting-cards.com/invitation-cards.html There are many online stationer's that will offer this service free of charge. You pay for the paper and envelopes, then use their software to print directly from your own PC. With sophisticated customization tools you'll be able to enter your own text and preview it before you print so as not to make any costly mistakes. Alternatively, you can buy software and do-it-yourself from your PC. Miscellaneous Flowers can be another great expense, but also an unnecessary one. Why not buy wholesale flowers, or pick flowers from your garden (or a friends or relatives). Buy plain gold or white gold wedding bands as these are the cheapest. Get a friend to make your wedding cake for you and opt for a smaller tier cake and it doesn't have to be a fruit cake - try a sponge, chocolate or carrot cake! Make your favors and center-peices yourself. Accessories for these can be found at little outlet stores or online. Lastly, instead of a limousine why not rent a car or borrow a luxury car from a friend or relative? Summary Weddings are expensive if you want them to be. But if you want to keep money aside for a deposit on a house or a honeymoon to remember, then there are many cost cutting ideas. All you need is a little imagination, and some help from friends and family and you too can have a luxury wedding with all the trimmings. About The Author Claire Bowes is a freelance write and owner of http://www.1st-for-greeting-cards.com where you will find further tips and advice on invitation cards ( http://www.1st-for-greeting-cards.com/invitation-cards.html ) and personalized stationery ( http://www.1st-for-greeting-cards.com/personalized-stationery.html ).
MORE RESOURCES:
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Enhancing Communication in Marriage In marriages, many arguments and hurt feelings can be traced back to communication problems. It's not unusual for spouses to stay in a continual state of frustration, feeling misunderstood and unappreciated. How to Have a Sizzler of a Honeymoon! Article No. 8 To paraphrase a song, "Are you doing it more, but enjoying it less?"An ongoing debate has it, that women, according to men, are choosing to be harder and harder to please; complaining of more headaches than ever before; and taking in their stride any tokens of affection offered by men. Oh, sure, they will add, a woman might play the part of a responsive partner before she gets the wedding ring, but once the legal contract is in her hot little hand, it's, "Stop pestering me. Theres More to Wedding Invitations Than You Might Think Everybody talks about wedding invitations, but what about all the other terms and items that are associated with them. Below are explanations of some of the more common terms and items that you'll probably encounter while shopping for your invitations. Alcohol and Wedding Receptions-Everything You Will Need to Know Sure you want your guests to enjoy themselves at your wedding reception, but if you don't want to break the bank or the law here's what you will need to know, including how to calculate how much to buy.Unquestionably, one of the hottest topics that must be dealt with when planning a wedding reception is whether to have an open bar or a cash bar. Sending Out Your Wedding Invitations It really doesn't matter if you are planning to have a large or a small wedding; you still have to send out invitations. For larger wedding parties, you should buy your invitations at bulk party stores, or wedding warehouses in order to get the best buy for your money. The Bridezilla Syndrome: Do You Have It? Ten Ways to Avoid All the BS! In a fast-paced world of wedding planning, stress levels are high; immune systems are low; and over the course of the past 20 years, brides have transmitted, what has become a bridal epidemic of our time.The number of victims has steadily increased; and to date, there is no cure. The Planning of a Bridal Shower! Planning a bridal shower? Maybe a dear friend or even sister is getting married and you are in charge of planning the bridal shower? Bridal showers are customary and traditional. They aren't all about the bridal shower gifts though! They are a way to welcome new family members and celebrate a new beginning for the couple. Wedding Photography - Tips for a Wonderful Session Every couple wants wonderful photos of their wedding day that capture the celebration, details, romance and beauty.Here are a few tips for a successful photo session:1. Help Your Marriage Survive The Rough Spots Every marriage has its ups and downs, its rough periods. Even in the best of circumstances, there are going to be difficult times. Choosing Your Groomsmen: No Matter What They Say, Nobody Must Be In the Wedding Party Your lovely fiancée has chosen her 'maids, and now you're stuck with the task of finding just the right number of family and friends to pair them with. How do you decide who makes the cut? The Usual Suspects Remember: No matter what your family or friends say, there aren't people who "must" be in the wedding party. Organising your Wedding Stationery Of all the things you need to do, buy and organize in preparation for your wedding, wedding stationery is something that must be planned ahead. After all, you need to let your guests know well in advance of your forthcoming big day. The Charm of a Gatlinburg Wedding Nestled in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg's romantic and beautiful outdoor scenery is perfect both for honeymoons and weddings. Hundreds of couples take their oaths in Gatlinburg each year, both in casual and formal settings. Marriage Advice: Ten Danger Signals to Watch for in Your Marriage Healthy marriages require time, attention, energy, and vigilance. It's not realistic to think that you can have a super marriage without effort on your part. Wedding Web Site Design - How to Design a Wedding Site That Others Will Rave About If you are in the process of design a wedding web site, you want to put some serious thought into the design of your site before actually building it. The reason you need a plan is so that you know where you are going and how to get there, the plan is a roadmap of sort for the success of your wedding web site. Unique Wedding Reception Entertainment The typical wedding reception entertainment scheme of pretty flowers and background music is fine for some people, but all kinds of options exist to spice it up a bit and provide a celebration that everyone is sure to remember for years to come.Before planning any of the following wedding reception entertainment ideas, please take this short bit of advice: discuss it first. How To Keep Love Growing Through All The Ups And Downs The relationship expert on i.village. Which Came First, Love or Marriage? I came across an article today: LOVE AND MARRIAGE THE TORAH'S CRITERIA by Rivka Olenick.It helped me think about my own marriage, and the way that many couples approach the idea of being together before they get married vs. Unique Wedding Invitations Today's tech savvy couples are plugging in and creating unique wedding invitations on CD/DVD. These customized invitations use music and images, photo montage and video, to tell the couple's story and provide a personal invite to their wedding. Send Flowers and Liberate Your Bridal Party From the Shackles Of Monogram Hell With so many ways to ask your closest friends and family members to be a part of your big day, it's tough to know how to strike a balance between creativity, cost and convenience. Sure, you can opt for the boring standards like monogrammed stationery, handkerchiefs and jewelry---and be like every other bride on the block. How to Lower a Wedding Cake Price I recall how Mrs. Ingridman taught me invaluable lessons on how to lower a wedding cake price while still going for the classiest of cakes. |
home | site map | contact us |