Erin Patrice O'Brien for TIME; Origami Roses by Tony Cheng / Origami USA Time Magazine recently did an article on Downsizing your Wedding. Articles like this are popping up everywhere. I know everyone is worried about how to stretch that already thin dollar to cover the “dream” wedding they have always wanted. I find that even with my brides with the larger budgets, cutting back is becoming more of a concern. “How do I have my dream wedding, without dream wedding pricing?” is a question I hear a lot.
Now, I am nothing if not a bargain shopper and I love saving money as much as the next guy, so let me give you a few tips that I share with my brides.
First off I know you are thinking, “Hey if I skip the wedding planner, I can save a bundle”. Ok, I know I’m a planner, so my answer may be somewhat biased, but skipping the planner is not the answer. A planner, besides knowing all the logistics to make your wedding work, knows the people behind the scenes. She can save you from hours of stress and tanks of gas used searching for and meeting with vendors that aren’t quite right for you. She knows the questions to ask the vendors upfront to save you from expenses later on. Remember, you don’t bring a vendor return business, you will be his customer once, but a planner will bring him people over and over. He wants to please that planner and this ultimately pleases you. A planner knows how to get you the bang for your buck.
Ok, for the biggest money saver of all, cut down on your guest list. Remember every guest requires an invitation, a RSVP card, a thank you note and three stamps, a chair (if you are renting or a chair cover if the site’s chairs are awful), and every table of 8-10 guests require some sort of centerpiece. Not to mention there are drinks for each person, a meal and a slice of cake. This adds up quickly. Cut your guest list and save big money.
Cut your attendant list and save more money. See above, plus there are bouquets and boutonnières, attendant gifts, transportation, and quite possibly hotel rooms. Before you ask all 10 of your sorority sisters to be in your wedding, give this some thought.
Choose your site carefully. Maybe that outdoor wedding is your dream, but with every dream comes a price. Remember the less the site offers, in terms of chairs, linens, bad weather options, etc. the more you will ultimately have to pay. Maybe you can rent that park garden for practically nothing, but you are going to need to rent a tent (or at least have one on hold), chairs, tables, heating or air conditioning, linens, security on top of all the normal rentals. Not a money saver plan. Keep looking; maybe you can locate an outdoor area at a country club or hotel that includes all the necessary rentals in the price. Not only will you most likely save money, but you will save a lot of gas and time you won’t have to use trying to arrange all the details you will need for a site that includes nothing but a view. Again, I say choose your site carefully.
More money saving tips tomorrow…
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