How to organize a wedding on a budgetAuthor: Peter Parker
Weddings are an incredibly expensive proposition – while you want to make sure that your special day is as memorable as possible, you also want to be assured that you still have something left in your savings account when all is said and done. There are ways to bring the cost of your big day down without impacting on the quality or enjoyment factor, however.
Ask guests to contribute towards the honeymoon
Your first holiday as a married couple is one of the major expenses to be factored in to the overall cost of the wedding, so why not ask your friends and family to contribute to the fund rather than buy you items that you don’t really need? Many travel agencies will allow you to set up a wedding account specifically for your honeymoon that guests can pay into – or even a registry that details specific activities of your choice, allowing guests to know precisely which aspect of the trip they are helping out with.
Get friends to document your day
If one of your guests is particularly handy with a camera or video camera then consider asking them if they would mind documenting your big day as their wedding present to you. Professional photographers and video camera operators can be incredibly pricey, so if there’s someone you trust to do your day justice then this is a great way to reduce costs.
Low cost cake
Similarly, if you have somebody among your guest list who is a dab hand in the kitchen, then consider asking them to bake your wedding cake. While many people prefer not to burden their friends or family with such a task, the fact is that more often than not the person in question will see such an opportunity as a huge honour.
Make your own invitations
With a bit of creative ingenuity and effort, there’s no reason why you can’t fashion some professional looking invitations at a fraction of the cost that they would otherwise cost. Hunt around online for some ideas – there are plenty of fantastic looking invitations out there to draw inspiration from.
Only invite those who mean the most to you
While you may well be under pressure to have extended family that you hardly ever see at your wedding, stand firm if necessary. It’s your day after all, so if you’re on a budget it’s entirely reasonable that you only invite those who you truly wish to be there.
Buy your rings online
Although it may be an initially worrying thought to buy your wedding rings online without seeing them in the flesh first, there are many reputable companies out there that can provide what you need for a fraction of the price that you would pay were you to walk into a jewellery store. Do your research and go for an online store with a good reputation and you won’t go too far wrong.
Don’t feel like you have to provide drinks all day and night
Laying on wine for the meal and champagne for the toast will cost enough, so don’t feel like you have to also provide a free bar for the festivities that follow. Guests will be more than happy to put their hand in their pocket and pay their own way for the evening reception.
Consider hiring out a pub for your reception
Given the right establishment, a pub can provide the perfect backdrop for a more relaxed, informal celebration than your average wedding venue – and at a tiny fraction of the price that you would otherwise pay. It makes for a genuinely memorable reception, too.
Ask guests to contribute towards the honeymoon
Your first holiday as a married couple is one of the major expenses to be factored in to the overall cost of the wedding, so why not ask your friends and family to contribute to the fund rather than buy you items that you don’t really need? Many travel agencies will allow you to set up a wedding account specifically for your honeymoon that guests can pay into – or even a registry that details specific activities of your choice, allowing guests to know precisely which aspect of the trip they are helping out with.
Get friends to document your day
If one of your guests is particularly handy with a camera or video camera then consider asking them if they would mind documenting your big day as their wedding present to you. Professional photographers and video camera operators can be incredibly pricey, so if there’s someone you trust to do your day justice then this is a great way to reduce costs.
Low cost cake
Similarly, if you have somebody among your guest list who is a dab hand in the kitchen, then consider asking them to bake your wedding cake. While many people prefer not to burden their friends or family with such a task, the fact is that more often than not the person in question will see such an opportunity as a huge honour.
Make your own invitations
With a bit of creative ingenuity and effort, there’s no reason why you can’t fashion some professional looking invitations at a fraction of the cost that they would otherwise cost. Hunt around online for some ideas – there are plenty of fantastic looking invitations out there to draw inspiration from.
Only invite those who mean the most to you
While you may well be under pressure to have extended family that you hardly ever see at your wedding, stand firm if necessary. It’s your day after all, so if you’re on a budget it’s entirely reasonable that you only invite those who you truly wish to be there.
Buy your rings online
Although it may be an initially worrying thought to buy your wedding rings online without seeing them in the flesh first, there are many reputable companies out there that can provide what you need for a fraction of the price that you would pay were you to walk into a jewellery store. Do your research and go for an online store with a good reputation and you won’t go too far wrong.
Don’t feel like you have to provide drinks all day and night
Laying on wine for the meal and champagne for the toast will cost enough, so don’t feel like you have to also provide a free bar for the festivities that follow. Guests will be more than happy to put their hand in their pocket and pay their own way for the evening reception.
Consider hiring out a pub for your reception
Given the right establishment, a pub can provide the perfect backdrop for a more relaxed, informal celebration than your average wedding venue – and at a tiny fraction of the price that you would otherwise pay. It makes for a genuinely memorable reception, too.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1822801_41.html
