Cutting the Cost on Weddings
The Guest list: This tugs at your heart strings. How to cut one person and keep the other? A wise old woman said to me, "Who, on your list have you spoke to in the last year? If you haven't communicated-cross them off, you aren't that close” Though harsh, it made sense. Think about who really is your “must have” list and stick to it. You can also shrink your guest list by also including “adult only reception to follow”. Most parents welcome a night out.
Budget wisely: When you are planning your wedding it is all too clear how quickly money disappears. Catering, thank you notes, table runners, open bar YIKES! How did we dump our budget so quickly? What people fail to recognize is the need to budget for the things that matter the MOST- first!! You can be selective afterwards. So PRIORITIZE what is most important to you FIRST on your budget, factor in how much that will be, and then scrimp on the things that are lower on your list. I personally wanted a great photographer and videographer knowing it was my only investment with a return. So, I picked them knowing I was spending a lot of money on it. 17 years later, I still have amazing photos hanging on my wall today and a highlight reel that looks like a well thought out music video. They were 2 of my smartest purchases, and I have no regrets.
Order of Importance: After selecting your "must haves" rate them in the order of importance to YOU. While photography was super important to me, it may not be to you, perhaps you want to spend your money on a 7 course dinner that really wow your guests. There is no right or wrong answer here really, so please try to focus on what is important to you, and ask yourself WHY it’s important to ensure your on the right track. (Rate this list numerically in order (from #1- #25 for eg ) After doing fair market research you can then start seeing where you money will be going first. Truth be told, I blew almost all my money on photography and videography so I knew I had to be frugal elsewhere. How did I do it?
The Dress: I tried on dresses and found the one I loved took a picture and took it to a seamstress with fabric I purchased on sale. Saved 7 grand and since my bestie was the seamstress I spent only 70 dollars on fabric. Can you buy used? Get it discounted? Can you get it made? Have you tried Kijiji or forums where brides have unworn dresses they are selling? Be sure to consider all avenues before purchasing. Yes it's important to love your dress but let’s face it if we have allotted 70 percent of our budget to something we only wear once; we will have some pretty major regrets later.
Invitations: Knowing full well that most of these will get an unsightly toss into the garbage as soon as the information is received from your precious and well thought out work, you might choose to source out beautiful paper and print your own. Most computers have downloadable programs and templates that can assist you with printing and designing your own. It will save a ton of cash in the end. Also amazing people in the business can create exactly what you want, but leave some of the grunt works to you to save costs. If you are willing to stuff envelopes, or do some gluing you might save cash with a designer you love and still get what you want. Here’s an even cheaper solution. E-VITE!! Yes online email invites, that people can quickly respond with a check yes or no on an RSVP. Leave the paper ones for the older generation that might not have access to computers. How awesome is it to just click reply instead of returning those RSVP envelopes to the post office. I know I’m a fan of the hit reply… Boom, done….
Hire by the hour: Can't afford your photographer or videographer, wedding planner, for the whole day? See if they offer by the hour options. Photographically speaking, beyond your first dance,the rest of your reception is a mess of plates, food and servers everywhere your reception photos aren't the ones that usually make it on the wall so if you want amazing high end photographs and can't afford them, then shell out for fewer hours and float the rest with someone who is a shutterbug. It is better to have 200 amazing images, than 1,000 mediocre or (worse yet ,horrible) ones. Trim down what you require for vendors, and you might find package options that can still work for you.
Re-use and Recycle: Yep you heard me, can you borrow stuff? Don't be shy if you have friends who have gotten married and have something you can re-use why not? Okay so maybe not your best friends dress, but did they have extra napkins, clear vases, silk flowers that can be re purposed? Mason jars filled with candles, old barn wood that just needs "Here comes the bride" painted on it? Granddad's old bicycle with flowers in the front basket as decor? Chalkboards you can write your guest table numbers on? If you can take something and make it completely your own then, why wouldn’t you? It will save you a ton of cash and put your own creative stamp on things. One of the most beautiful bouquets I have ever seen was a re-purposed broach bouquet, all broaches jewelry and bits and pieces from their own heritage. SO precious, so intimate, so special, so FREE. If I were to do it all over again I would be doing one of those silk broach babies- Best yet it’s a keepsake that I could keep forever. This goes for decor too, Look around your place for things that have sentimental value and see if they can work in your space.
Wedding Favors: Back in the day when I got married I bought tooling by the yard, ribbon and a ton of vintage candy from my childhood at the bulk barn. For very little money I created a nostalgic candy center with a message attached to each. Okay maybe not the classiest but it was certainly fun and something I could afford. Who doesn't want Thrills gum and Runts at a wedding? Just remember Personal wins over Price ALL THE TIME!!!! Having a personal note to your guest, a childhood photo, their name on the wedding favor, thanking them personally for being there... that will mean far more to them, than what you spent on it. My personal favorites receiving wedding favors were red pepper jelly made by the bride herself in teeny mason jars. Another one was a box of chocolates with my full name on it, thanking me for being there.( I’m just the hired help so being included in this favor warmed my heart, I kept the box, always will- Totally massacred the chocolates though) Here is a very trendy option. NONE, yep you hear me NO wedding favors at all. In place of a wedding favor a little note that says in lieu of wedding favors the bride and groom have donated to a charity that is close to their heart. Some bride and grooms gave to an animal sanctuary. Some to the children’s hospital in which they tragically lost someone they loved. Those were very personal favors. I frankly could go without a favor knowing that they did something charitable. I think most people there felt the same way.
The Venue: Venue costs are hard to avoid and let's face it, the nice ones cost a lot of money. Can you find a venue that does multiple events on the same nights? Can you plan your wedding off season? On a Friday or Sunday? You would be surprised at how much you can save by picking a non-traditional month or day! Find out if they supply catering and decor and factor that into your price. Getting a package deal at one venue that seems pricey might actually cost you less than booking all these things separately. Make sure you do the math first and then decide. Think out of the box too! A restaurant already has chairs, dishes, ambience and decor! If you plan on having a small wedding, you could save yourself a bundle going to a nice restaurant and renting a part of it for your guests. Grandmas beautiful flower garden, a farmhouse, a backyard wedding would be dreamy! Be open to different possibilities.
Get Creative: Can you make your head table pieces by spray painting branches you find in the woods, can you use farm fresh blooms you grew yourself? Mix and match china, teacups and teapots from second handstores can make for whimsical furnishings.Can you create a mood with twine, mason jars and candles? Pinterest has loads of DIY projects that are beautiful as well as will save you money.
The Bar: To cash or not to cash bar, that is the question. Simply put there should be no question if it's not in the budget. Ways to save are to make your own wine, bottle it and label it with personalized labels. If you choose to have an open bar try dropping the price by only offering beer and wine and maybe one signature cocktail. Even having a toonie bar will help your budget and not break the budget of your guests. If you are serving wine to your tables here is a BIG money saver. Don’t open the bottles!! If the guests want to they can open them, that way the unopened ones can be saved and not dumped out at the end of the night. A TON of wine goes to waste by just being opened and not used.
The Cake: “Cutting the cake” is becoming less and less of a tradition. If you want to opt out of a cake, get pricing on a cupcake tier! Equally tasty and gorgeous and far less expensive. You can also ditch it entirely as most caterers include a dessert in their meal line-up, a lot of times the cake barely gets eaten. Some venues will allow you to bring in your own late night buffet or sweet table at the end of the night so ask them, most desserts can be frozen ahead of time and you and your family members can pitch in and bring in your own desserts for the late night table.
Network! Join groups on Facebook that might give you info on swaps, resales, and rentals. You will have an opportunity to save money this way as well.
**Remember it’s one day and it will come and go quicker than you ever imagined it would. You have forever with your partner so plan not only for your wedding day but your future as well** Happy Planning!
www.jenlinfieldphotography.com
