Weddings are a one-in-a-life time event packed with memories, celebrations, families, and expenses. Controlling the budget is a concern for most brides no matter what their budget actually is. Here are five cost-saving wedding tips that can help you stretch your budget without sacrificing your vision.
Tip #1: Keep the Bridal Party Clothing Simpler
Nowadays, wedding expenses are paid sometimes by the couple themselves or even partly by both bride and groom’s side of the family. Either way, most couples have different priorities of where the bulk of their monies go. Whether you are paying for your bridal party’s clothing or not, tip number one is to make the bridal party clothing much simpler. Simpler to say that the clothing doesn’t have to be matchy matchy. Bridesmaids dresses can be mix and match designs and colors as long as they have a complimentary color mix. Even the Groomsmen can wear coordinating colors like this picture shows. Often this makes everybody happy by finding dress styles and colors that the particular person likes and prefers as well as it has the likelihood that they actually may be worn again at a different setting. Bonus becomes that it saves money!
Tip #2: Keep the Bridesmaids Bouquets Simpler
Wedding tradition does mean having a bridal bouquet and we always see that. I am a believer in that the bride should have the bouquet of her dreams so go whole hog and get that dreamy bouquet that you’ve always wanted. But, there are alternatives for your bridesmaids. Tip number two is to go simpler with their bouquets. One Boho-bride had her bridesmaid carry little lanterns adorned with greenery instead of purchasing bouquets. Often we see “greenery bundles” for the bridesmaids instead of a full-blown floral extravaganza. Bridesmaids hold their bouquets for ceremony plus a couple of photos and that’s it so you don’t have to go elaborate on theirs if you need to watch your pennies.
Tip #3: Double your bouquet purpose
Tip number 3 is to double the uses of your table decor. A stunning jar of florals can often be used “down the aisle” to enhance your ceremony area. While your guests are enjoying Cocktail Hour, these jars can be whisked into the reception hall and placed on your tables. This option lets you spend a bit more on the table florals knowing that you have also saved money by eliminating more florals down the aisle. Beyond this option, a slightly altered version of this is to use your bridesmaids bouquet in jars on the reception tables after photo time and before the reception. It likely won’t eliminating all of the need for table flowers and expense but it will save some money. Just have the jars filled with water and set in their position then wait until all bridal party photos have been taken and let them plop them in the jars. Once guests arrive, they are “none for the wiser” and these bouquets will make a beautiful table accent. One more tidbit of savings is if the bride is wanting to “toss the bouquet” later in the evening, let her toss one of her bridesmaids bouquets instead of purchasing an additional toss bouquet.
Tip #4: Purchase Mason Jars for Drink Glasses
Many couples prefer not to use plastic cups for drinkware. Rental glasses through the caterer or rental companies will give you various choices to avoid this. One option is to actually purchase small mason jars for your glassware which may be cheaper than renting glassware, strangely enough. Beyond that cost saving tip, you could even tell your guests to “keep their jar for the evening and it is yours to keep” in case they want to take it home. You could even have their names printed on a label or another idea is to have a crate of individually wrapped candy as favors so that guests can fill their mason jar full of candy on their way out so it double dips as a cheaper alternative glassware AND a favor plus you get the added benefit of going “green”!
Tip #5: Go Simpler with Dinnerware
Dinnerware can be a heavy expense too. Today there are many options beyond using real china. Tip number five is to go simpler with your dinnerware options. Order nice plasticware from any of a number of internet sites from Amazon to Smartyhasaparty, etc. Go with biodegradeable options if you want to go green. Many of the nice plasticware plates are so real looking that you actually have to touch them, hold them, to realize that they are not real china. If you want to do a bit of camoflauge to your plasticware, then either stack the plates on the buffet table so that they are not out on display, then guests won’t even notice. Once they get near the food line, they become more interested in what’s on the menu instead of the kind of plates you purchased. Another good idea is to jazz up your table settings a bit. If you have plastic plates, add a real bonafide napkin on top of it or add a sprig of rosemary on it (or both). These two little additions will impress anyone and save you some money at the same time.
Wedding day is meant to be special but nobody wants you to break the bank. My parents use to say “there are more than one way to skin a cat.” I don’t know what skinning a cat is and surely it doesn’t mean a bonafide cat, but there are indeed many ways to save some money while planning your wedding. I hope some of these help!
` Margie