Your wedding should be a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime event, but it’s becoming easier than ever to let wedding-related expenses take over your life. You can have a beautiful and inexpensive wedding if you carefully plan a budget and stick to it. Knowing the steps to staying within your budget ahead of time can keep you from getting caught up in the moment and spending extra money.
One thing you need to think about during the wedding planning process is what alcohol will be served, and how much you want to spend on it. For example, an open bar can cost you an arm and a leg, especially if it’s open throughout your reception. Wedding venues will have different options, such as a limited open bar or a offering fewer options to help keep alcohol costs down.
Typically, a wedding dress costs a lot of money. When you shop for a dress, try dresses that aren’t categorized as wedding dresses. For example, a bridesmaid dress is typically much less expensive and may be just what you’re looking for. Even after some alterations to spruce it up, it can still prove a more affordable alternative to a dress that says wedding on the label.
Internet bridal shops have wedding dresses for bargain basement prices, but make sure to order well in advance so that you can get your dress altered before the big day. Even though a gown can be fairly cheap, having it altered to fit your perfectly can sometimes be more costly. Make sure the additional costs are allowed for in the budget.
Spend quite a bit of time writing your vows so that they include all the things that are important to your union with your spouse. Marriage is a life long commitment that requires love, sacrifice and the art of compromise and forgiveness. Make sure your vows truly reflect your feelings for your spouse.
Don’t overcrowd your wedding reception tables with excessive flowers. Often, flowers interfere with guests being able to converse across the table. Make sure to keep in mind that some guests may have flower allergies. As an alternative to flowers, place non-scented candles on the tables. This will also help to create a romantic ambiance.
Consider how many people will be dancing at your reception when you look at the dance floors of your possible reception venues. You don’t want to have dancers crashing into seated guests or knocking over the dessert table, so ensure you have adequate space available. If necessary, move some chairs and tables out of the way to make more room.
Of course, the most important aspect of getting married is choosing the right intended! This life-altering decision is one that should not be rushed into. Take the time to make sure you are ready to make a lifetime commitment to your fiance and consider the things that you love about them, as well as the things that drive you crazy.
Choose someone who has an interest in photography that you will enjoy working with. Your assistant can help you corral the wedding party for great photographs.
A thoughtful gift for destination wedding guests to receive is a basket of vacation goodies delivered to them in their room. You will want to include useful items such as a disposable camera, tourist map that shows fun places in the local area, sunglasses and a hat. You may also want to include a guide for the restaurants in the area so they can choose where they prefer to eat.
You can have a wonderful wedding without letting your spending get out of control. Put the ideas from the preceding paragraphs into play and you’re sure to plan a divine wedding that fills your heart without emptying your wallet.
If you cannot justify the cost of a thousand-dollar wedding cake, consider contacting a local bakery and inquiring about single-serving portions, like cupcakes or cake pops. For example, cupcakes can be made to be gluten-free, topped with fruit, or include artificial sweeteners.