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Best piece of Budget advice? Don’t always go with what everyone tells you. Look into it for yourself- because you never know what hidden fees you might find. Or you may even find something a little more budget friendly if you’re the one doing the research. Oh, and most of all- have fun while doing it!
stevielynn_dandrea (AT) fitnyc.edu
My best budget tip is to RESEARCH. Researching has been an integral part of my wedding planning. It’s a MUST to research the best deals and ALWAYS ask if they offer a discount. Watch websites that offer a classified section for brides. These have allowed me to purchase identical linens for 1/3 of the cost to rent them. Best part is, I can turn around and sell them to another bride, making my total cost $0! Sign up on wedding blogs and get help from fellow brides that have already done the legwork!
I have been finding wedding vendors and great wedding bargins through charity events and online auctions. I bought a brand new designer wedding gown at a great price from the Brides Against Breast Cancer Tour of Gowns when it came to my city in October. I got a steal on a photographer, DJ, wedding planner, and invitations from the Wish Upon a Wedding online auction which is a non-profit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals to couples facing terminal illness. You can also find some great wedding-related items on “Bidding for Good” online charity auctions in your local community. I recently got a great deal bidding on a wedding hair/makeup package from a local community child care center auction! Not only do you save a lot of money, but the money you do spend will go to some great causes so you feel really good about it!
That’s some really great info! Thank you for sharing.
I agree. What a great way to help out people in need while getting a deal on wedding necessities.
My best budget savvy advice when planning my wedding is doing as much as I can by myself. I’ve chosen center pieces that I can find just about at any thrift store, glass bottles is what I’m using, and the best part is I can take them back or recycle them when I’m through with them!! Along with those bottles, they will be sitting on cork board which you can buy in bulk at any craft store and decorate with ribbon or fakey’s because you can just pin them into the cork. Flowers will of course be in the bottles. My other piece of advice is to talk to as many people as possible. I landed a photographer that a friend of mine used, the pictures were awesome, and she’s by far saving me at least $1000 on photography because she’s just starting out. So ask around and see if somebody you know knows somebody that can do the photography. Always ask to see pictures first, but I feel we got her for a steal!! I’m doing party favors, but simple ones, little draw strings bags in assorted wedding colors and just putting hershey kisses and marbles in them. I’m making my own thank you cards for them that say “thanks, and don’t lose your marbles!!” If you knew my fiance and I that would make more sense!! We are both Catholic and around here (Austin, Texas area) Catholic churches charge a butt load to get married in the church plus the classes you have to take, so we went a different route. We know a friend of a boss that is minister, and he’ll do the classes for free, and not charge us to marry us!! That again is saving a pretty penny. We can then go and have the wedding blessed by the Catholic church later on. I actually wrote a letter to the bishop and we received a response that this was okay to do. I found some really awesome invitations through Ann’s bargains, that come with respond card and envelopes, and our wedding colors, and save the date magnets that by far beat any others we have looked at. Shop, shop and shop some more. You’ll get the idea of what you want and eventually figure out where the best price to get things are at, and what you are willing to spend on things. We’re not getting married until March 2013, so we’ve started to buy things that we know aren’t going to change, like favor bags, and bridal party gifts. That stuff isn’t technically coming out of the wedding fund, we’re just buying when we can, and that makes things easier!! Hope those help little tidbits help!!
My best advice would be to think outside of the box. I grew up thinking I needed a huge wedding with lots of glitz and glamor. Now I know the little, personal touches are what means the most to not only the bride and groom…but also the guests. There are so many little details that you can add to your special day when you evaluate what is most important to you. One example of how I will be saving money is regarding my favors. I had thought about doing a desert bar where the guests could take some home with them. After reading my fair share of bridal magazines, blogs and websites, I am resorting to the take home s’mores kit. I will be using the cellophane bags and favor labels from Ann’s Bridal Bargains to create a cute favor bag filled with graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate. There are so many great ideas you can find when you think outside the box and get creative!
My best advice would be don’t be afraid to ask questions. We went to a venue yesterday and included in the package was valet parking and floral centerpeices. I’m doing my own centerpeices and the parking lot is so close that valet parking seemed silly. We said we didn’t need either and we were able to save $6/per person! That really made a difference on our tight budget
All I can say is use ebay…i got my complete flowers package for less than $200 dollars,bridesmaidsdresses for $20each. Also got 100count of party favors(crystal roses)for $100bucks. With ebay you can arrange a wedding with anykind of budget.
I am a researcher at heart… but flowers scare me. We are doing silk for centerpieces but I am scared to find out what arrangements for bridal party, food tables, cake table, bar, aisle, etc. will come out too. What kind of floral advice do you have since you got such a reasonable deal?… Where?
The best way I’ve found to save on money while planning for the big day, is actually using a cheap reception site. It’s in a much quiter location. While it’s not extravagent, I’m having a great time planning on ways to perk it up with decorations. This is allowing my family and friends to help with the wedding and have their input incorporated easily. It’s also allowing my future in-laws the opportunity to help and meet some of my loved ones. It’s been a really fun experience so far, and it’s allowing us to spend more in other areas
Best piece of budget-savvy advice? There is no such thing as “over planning” or starting too early. I found that because I have started the planning process early, I don’t feel pressured into making a decision due to fear of my favorite vendor being snatched up. Starting the planning process early allows you to do the research and gives you the flexibility of finding what you want at the price you want. I am slowly figuring out also, that it’s all about what is important to me and my fiance and not about what the “norm” is. If it’s not important to you then you can cut it out of the budget and more than likely your guests probably wouldn’t even notice that that one thing is missing. Planning early also affords you the opportunity to pay as you go and please pay as you go, do you really want to pay all of your vendors 4 weeks before the wedding? There is less stress if you break those use payments up during the months leading up to the wedding. The most important thing is to stay within your means, in the end you will be happy with the decisions you made if it was a decision you could afford.
I found my dress at a local store, with a price tag of $1000. My toal budget for our wedding is under $5000, so a $1000 dress is way out of my means. I tried on other dresses, but they never measured up to “the one”. After waiting and trying to work our funds to get my dress, I came to realized that I was not gong to be able to make it work. As a fluke, I looked for the dress on ebay and found a store sample of my dress for $150! It is the exact same dress I tried on in my local store for a fraction of the price! I now get to wear “the dress” on our special day and I didn’t have to compromise on the dress or the budget.
One thing we are doing is looking at what we needed to rent (linens, chair covers etc) and how much it is to actually purchase the items. Most are around the same price, but we can sell them afterwards. Even if we get half the money back that we paid for them, it still ends up being cheaper and we get exactly what we want in color, style etc.
Find a reception site that does not include a caterer but allows you to bring in your own vendors. You will be able to pick and choose your vendors in a way that accommodates your budget!
Also- check out Brides Against Breast Cancer for your wedding dress! Inexpensive dresses, with the proceeds going to a great cause!
My best tip for budgets is to know what your budget is and be flexible with your plans. I basically did things differently, there were a few key items that I knew I wanted the rest were up to luck, chance and the budget. This way you can relax and pick what fits into the wedding without going over budget. For example, invitations are expensive, well I knew I wanted black and white. So from there I was able to find the perfect invitation that met my budget and because I wasn’t set 100% on something in my head it gave me a lot more options! Just relax, and look everywhere, you can always find things cheaper
In light of the holidays I think my biggest budget saving tip is go shopping/researching now! Many Christmas and Holiday decorations can be found for a fraction of the cost later. Some great products I’ve found in the after-Christmas sales are lights, lighted branches, battery operated lights for your centerpieces, Monogram ornaments that can be used for anything including your cake topper!
You have to remember that this holiday sales aren’t just for the red/green colors – Christmas seems to have taken on quite array of color schemes. Target: bright pink, green, blue and even purple!
So rush out that door now and do a little post-holiday shopping and save LOTS!
My best piece of budget advice (so far) is to try to see what you can get with who you know. For example, I found a friend of a friend looking to get into photography who is building a portfolio and got a tremendous deal from her on a photography package. Plus, a co-workers wife is starting a bakery on the side and they are doing our cupcakes and desserts for less than $2 per person! I’m also making my own centerpieces and keeping it simple.
The beat advice I have gotten is to stick to your budget no matter what anyone SAYS cause it can be done.
I found necklaces and earings in bulk from wholesale distributors through ebay for my bridesmaids and flower girls as well as cufflinks for all the groomsmen all under a grand total of 0$40!!!
If you are getting the digital rights to your pictures, you can cut prints out of a package to save money or ask to substitute them for more hours of coverage. You can print them yourself once you have the funds or if you get cash for gifts. Also, more financially smart than budget-saavy, but pay for everything with a credit card! By law your credit card purchases are protected so if a vendor goes out of business after your deposit and before your big day, you can get your money back. If you write a personal check or give cash, your money is long gone.
Great advice, Kathryn on credit card usage!
Budget advice? Choose the three things that you MUST have at your wedding to begin with, then focus most on those. One thing I’m obsessed with having is flowers- thousands of beautiful, photo-worthy blooms. I’ll be able to get more bang for the buck by researching cheaper blooms that go a long way. Think baby’s breath, hydrangeas, and peonies. With the hydrangeas and peonies, you need less for the same look than you would with tulips or roses.
I agree with you for the most part, but the size of peonies don’t make up for the cost of the flowers they’d replace. Depending on the season (peonies are in season for a relatively short period of time), peonies will cost you anywhere from $12 to $18 per stem. A better alternative would be to do standard roses that are allowed to open as fully as possible. They take up a lot of space that way, and are much less expensive than peonies. A really great alternative to flowers like peonies (where they have a very delicate, lace-like quality to them) are carnations. They’re incredibly cheap (think $1-$1.75 per stem), and when packed tightly together, they give a similar look as peonies and hydrangeas.
My best piece of advice: join forces with other brides if you can. A friend and I are both having our weddings next winter, but a few months apart. So far, we’ve used the “lure” of booking two weddings to get reduced rates on DJ, limo, and a florist. If you don’t know anyone getting married, try finding someone online on facebook or a blog site. It is totally worth it if you can group price!
My best advice is research and doing as much as you can on your own. I no if you work like i do their is not alot of time. If you plan your wedding in advance you would be surprised what you can do early. Start watching for sales.. Ebay and my favorite Hobby Lobby. Usually once a month they have 50% off all wedding supplies.. buy a little at a time and you will save lots.. You can make so much.. your centerpieces, decorate your reception, your bouquets and it is so rewarding. The hands on I loved and you put so much into it since it is your wedding…
I’m telling you this is the AGE of internet. I’ve searched in a week and found just about everything we’re going to need at closeout prices. Why pay too much when you don’t have to? Anns Bridal Bargains started it off. Very affordable and prompt turn around. I ordered right before Christmas and got them Friday the 23rd. They started off my budget saving orders.
I agree with all of these one of my fave budget ideas is to get others to help if you have a aunt who is a fab cook get her and a few others to cook if your friend runs a cake business ask her to make your cake most family and friend will do it as your wedding gift and you dont have to spend a dime.. Also do not wait till last min for any thing… I know people who had to spend extra hundreds for waiting last min.. Also have a notebook with everything in it divide it into different groups and budgets and put it all down to the smallest thing that way you can avoid most last min budgets problems.
I would have to say take your time & don’t rush just because your excited! I got engaged in July of this year and right away I wanted to plan plan plan and have a large outrageous wedding! We set the date of april 2013 and as time passes all of that stuff means less and less and the meaning of the day becomes more & more what matters. Now I’m at the point that I’m just happy to have found the love of my life & how ever we get married will be just fine with me!!
My best advice on saving money is that, just cause they call you their good friend, doesn’t mean that the girl that sat next to you in almost each class you had of high school, should be a bridesmaid. Limit the price of your wedding by not inviting everyone that was nice to you a few times.
I have learned while planning my wedding is to shop around. I was going to rent table runners to bring color to my reception, but found some on Ebay for $2.50 each which ends up being much cheaper. I have found that after searching for awhile that some of Ann’s Bridals invitations are the best route as they have the response card and all on them making them around only $.96 each rather than from around here are more than $1.50 or more each. I have found some other items from Oriental Trading for a few of the little items and I have gone local to get my bridesmaids gifts. Another thing was is that I let the girls pick out their own dresses so they could go with less expensive ones or ones they will use or wear again; I only specified the color. Good luck to everyone and I hope you find this helpful.
I have learned quite a few helpful budget saving tips from planning our wedding. The first major tip to save money is to consider a non-traditional time. We decided to have a morning ceremony and brunch reception. Serving everyone a huge breakfast buffet is A LOT cheaper than feeding everyone dinner. By doing this, we were able to have the venue we wanted, and not have to cut down the guest list, which would’ve forced us to cut out people we wanted to be there with us. Also, by having our wedding in the morning, vendors can still book another wedding for that evening, allowing us to negotiate cheaper prices. We booked a DJ that is part of a company rated best in our area 8 years in a row because of our ceremony/reception time. We also liked this idea because our venue is a beach front ocean resort. After the ceremony and reception, we can all change clothes, hit the beach or pool, and still have most of the day to spend time with family and friends.
Another great tip I found was to cut down on postage by not having guests RSVP by mail. We created a wedding website where our guests could RSVP and included the information in our invitations.
Additionally, it can often be cheaper to have cupcakes than a traditional cake. After talking with our baker, we found out the cake we wanted for 75 people would cost twice as much as having one cutting layer, and the rest cupcakes. This also allows us to offer a greater variety of flavored that we would not have been able to do with a traditional layered cake.
It really is helpful to think outside the box when you are planning a budget savvy wedding. Think about the things that you absolutely have to have and then look at areas that you can compromise on. We wanted our venue and guest list and chose to think less traditionally about the other things.
Think outside the box – for everything… Sure you may get wedding fever from this, but check out every place for deals – dollar tree, goodwill, craigslist – I got some great deals very easily through craigslist actually, just by offering a price I was comfortable for once used seat covers… You may not want to go mainstream – and just look at how flower and twig arrangements look verses the roses… Keep your mind open and you will find some steals!
The advice I have for brides to be like myself- find a friend or family member who had been narried recently. Talk to them and see if they have decor you can borrow if you are having a reception after your ceremony. I have tons of white lights, vases, tinsil, ribbons, table cloths, and serving platters and drink holders etc. You dont have to spend tons of money for the reception to look how you want. With help from friends and family you cand save time and money on your reception and ceremony decor by asking people you know if they have these items or like items! Everyone wants to celebrate their wedding and have their perfect night too!
I would say to do your homework, always ask for deals and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The internet is a great tool and your friends and family are to. Ask for opinions and ideas, but in the end you will choose what you think is best. Remember to enjoy every minute of it and you don’t have to have all the glam and glitz to have an amazing wedding, after all its the start of a life together with your fiance, you should enjoy the time together instead of worrying about every little thing. It will all work out and you will have a great day!
My fiance’ and I are saving money by having a longer engagement – it is amazing how much we’re getting paid off just by being engaged a little longer. Plus, it gives us more time to hit the after-Christmas deals and other price-savings! I bought all of my ribbon for 75% off! We have our Photographer reserved, reception reserved, we’re looking at getting our honeymoon in a few months. Having a longer engagement has given us time to save money, so we can have the wedding we want. Plus we’re current students ll be college graduates by the time we get married June 22, 2013 – so saving money is a definite plus!
Instead of spending outrageous money on a photographer seek out a local community college or photography students to take pictures at your wedding. Sometimes they will do it for free just to build up their portfolio or for really cheap. But always ask to see their prior work to make sure they have a good eye for pictures.
Advise that I used for my sisters wedding, you can stretch your flower budget by adding silk flowers and ferns as filler. She really wanted orchids but the price tag for the finished product was way over budget. By having real orchids with baby’s breath then using silk ferns and small accent flowers she had full bouquets in the flowers she wanted for half the price. We found the silk flowers both on Ebay and on clearance at out local craft shop.
Best piece of budget advice….. Remember that the marriage-not the wedding- is the important part. Make the wedding nice and special, but remember that at the end of the day the point is that you’re married not that the flowers and decorations look like something Martha Stewart dreamed up. Keep your head and invest in the *marriage*.
my best budget advice is shop around. i know a lot of people actually say that but when you are planning a wedding you always think well online is best. and that’s not always the case. now certain things yes it could be cheaper. but other things like Wedding Invites and Response Cards they can be an arm and a leg. Now i spent about $24 on 125 invites and response cards. i made the design myself and printed them out at my local walgreens when they had a photo deal going on. and the bubbles i bought them at dollar tree and printed labels out on label paper from my own printer. with those two things alone i saved about $400. And if you are the do it yourself type or know someone who is you can always buy a plan simple white dress and add on to it i bought a white spaghetti strap sun dress and added on to that and in total cost me about $80 compaired to the $1000 dress i was looking at and it was almost identical when i was done and it fit a lot better. hope my tips help.
my best advice is to do your research into vendors but don’t try to compare your wedding to others! i did a lot of research on venues, photographers, hair and makeup artists, etc. before booking and i made sure i asked a lot of questions. if you found someone you like (i.e. a photographer) but they’re out of your price range, it doesn’t hurt to tell them what your budget is and to ask if they are willing to match it. surprisingly, almost all the vendors i booked are within my budget because i was upfront about it. also, it’s great to get inspiration from other brides, but don’t try to compare your weddings too much. in the end, it’s special because its your day and you’re marrying the love of your life! i’ve had to tell myself, i don’t really need a expensive card boxes, decor, uplighting, etc.!! i’ll still have a great time b/c im getting married!!
My best advice for a budget savvy wedding would be what I am doing. We have about 6 months until our wedding. We calculated how much we are willing to spend total and split it up equally. Between favors, centerpieces, napkins etc we are buying things piece by piece that way when it comes down to the wedding everything is paid off and we don’t have any debt to worry about. It helps a lot and it is a lot less stress. Happy wedding saving!
This is right up my alley. I am finding so many ways to save save save. In a word….GOOGLE. You can find anything online, compare prices and get great ideas. My most exiting bargain so far… from a bridal shop that was going out of business and I got a $7000 Vera Wang gown for $99. Crazy right? We decided not to use a florist, the girls are going to carry lanterns. I found these really cool looking ones that mimic the flow of my dress. There are sooo many non- floral centerpieces that are very elegant and easy to do. We are also not using a photographer. My fiance’s uncle is taking pictures as our gift. We are doing the disposable cameras at the table. Also, we are creating an online photo account where guests can upload their pictures and choose from other attendants photos to print from. We are leaving a card at the table with the account info (log on info and password). I’ve also been saving my coupons from the craft stores and and getting one item at a time usually at 40-50% of each item.
Thats some really good advice!! I love it
As I am planning my sons wedding and doing all the foot work due to him being stationed over seas, and his bride is from Moldova I have learn the net is my best friend for just about everything I need from invites to the decorations.Ebay,craigslist, any many other sites i googled have saved me up to 75% . making everything myself saves me even more. for center peice i went to local resturants and got empty wine bottles sprayed them with spray glue and rolled them in bath salts in the color i needed. went to Micheals and got battery operated candles to put in the top.added some ivy with grapes and babybreath. total paid for 15 center peices $15 and they r gorgous. total spent for whole wedding and reception decor $75. photographer is someone starting out got them for $400. DJ is a friend $100. cake made by a friend for 150 ppl $100. Use the net for everything you are looking for its your best tool and talk to others who have gotten married or is engaged. they can give you great ideas or refer you to great deals.
The best piece of advice that actually came from a caker baker themself… Order a much smaller topper cake that will be the one you cut into. Then have the other layers made of styrofoam. Have sheetcakes with the same outside decorations waiting in the kitchen. Then when your cake is wheeled to the kitchen, the servers can cut up the sheetcakes and no one knows any differently. It will save you a lot of money this way and still let you present to your guest a “kick tush” cake!
My money saving route is renting a beautiful pavillion on a lake located inside a state park. Total rental fee only $125. that means I can splurg the extra money on great food and beautiful decor!!!
I noticed that any kind of wedding stationary, save the dates, invites etc that has any kind of bling on it is much more expensive than without the bling. I ordered rhinestones online and added my own to our save the dates and invitations. It saved us atleast a couple hundred dollars.
My best advice? Instead of buying all of your decorations, use sites just like this one and others to find ideas on how to make some of your own decorations. Use doilies and sugar starch to make beautiful candle holders. Also, look to your artistic friends for help. They will often help you out with design elements for your wedding and they will always take your wishes into consideration!
I just read a great piece of advice which I am going to do. Have a small 2 layer cake designed and made by a friend to cut and serve to the family and party, and have a sheet cake set in the back to serve to the guests. Also, do as much decorating or creating things yourself. It saves a LOT of money, it looks just as good as store bought. Plus, it’s a LOT of fun and you put your own touch into your wedding. Use fake flowers instead of real too. I have already made my flowers and they are simple but still pretty. I got all of mine and the bridesmaids and junior bridesmaids flowers for about $125 at Hobby Lobby because of their 50% off sale. Plus, you can keep them for a lifetime!
I wanted to add one more thing. Instead of going all out on gift favors, bake some small type of desert and set at each place on the table, Or have Hershey kisses with the names printed onto labels on the bottom (which you can do yourself to save money).
My best piece of advice so far would be, do what you wanna do dont let anyone else steer you into what they want, like IN LAWS lol and also I have usedorientaltrading.com for a lot of things its a great place to get ballons, and table settings etc. for a wedding while keeping it cheap.
I found it most helpful to really analyze the guest list. My parents wanted to add lots of their family and friends and we had to really think about who I actually knew and was close with. This was difficult but we couldn’t invite everyone.
I found that NOT mentioning the word “wedding” made a HUGE difference in the price of things! A lot of vendors try and capitalize on weddings, so I always told people that we were just planning a “party” whenever we could. Our photographer, florist, and DJ obviously know that we’re planning a wedding, but our linen rental people, for example, think we’re just having a really big party. I priced them out twice. When I called to get a quote for a “wedding reception,” the cost of our linens was THREE TIMES AS MUCH as when I got a quote for a “get-together.” So whenever you can, leave out the word wedding. Along the same lines, look in places that aren’t geared towards brides whenever you can. A “wedding photographer” is going to cost you a ton of money. A photojournalist is used to capturing events without intruding as much as possible and they’re usually much less expensive. Our photog has plenty of wedding experience, but it’s not his only income, so we’re getting really high-quality work for a fraction of the cost.
My best advice goes with the cake and flowers. Get a smaller cake that looks good from a bakery and get sheet cake from the local bakery in the grocery store. Average cost for a 80 piece sheet cake from grocery store is $40, from a cake maker it is about $80-$100. Also the same with flowers. We did not use a florest but rather had the local grocery store make the pin on flowers for half the price and had a vendor at the local farmers market make bouqets for about $10 a piece. Hope it helps
My best budget savvy ideas are to definitely research, do not go with the first vendor you find. Also ask around to get references, make sure the vendor you pick is right for you. When needing to save a few bucks look at college photography students, it can be a win win situation, you get a deep discount and they can use your photos for a portfolio.
3 budget saving tips I used…
- Using a cupcake cake instead of a tradional wedding cake. Its so much cheaper and you won’t have to hire someone to cut it.
- Order your dress at the end of the year sale. You can get a beautiful dress for an amazing price at the end of the year.
- Using the seal n send invitations are great. You have everything all in one.
Well just a few words of wisdom to save some money on the costs of your special day; DO ALL THE FOOTWORK YOURSELF, don’t rely on hear say, Don’t depend on anyone when they say they’re gonna help with the cost always be prepared to pay yourself, SHOP AROUND don’t go with the first place/things you think you fell in love with, When you think you have found a good deal but not too impressed with the provider find a provider you like and see if they will match that deal ( 9 out of 10 times they won’t want to lose your business so they will), And lastly make a night of you and your wedding party making wedding favors instead of purchasing them pre-made and homemade is always so much better!! Good Luck with planning im currently still in the process myself 1 more year and I will be married!!!!
Okay, so I may be the groom in this case but I think it’s still relevant. Best money saving advice I have is to use twinkle lights for decorating and just everything. I’ve found them quite inexpensive and can add quite the romantic touch:) Also, the best time to get them is now! Right after the Christmas rush when everything’s on sale is the best time for shopping in advance, say for a June wedding like mine. (you can also use the twinkle lights again and again which is something the men have to be thankful for;).
Honestly don’t wait till last minute has been my awesome budget savvy…I have been watching craigslist and going to yard sales in the area. I found all our decorations for our wedding off craigslist and yard sales. And I have only spend 150 dollars on decorations. Oh yeah and the dollars stores have been my life saver.
Dress wise…I borrowed my cousin Amandas. Hers was the same style I wanted just a little different bead work but it fits perfect I am size 6 and she is an 8. There is no difference between it. It fits perfect.
Borrowed wise is awesome. My cousin had the idea to send me her dress it cost 80 dollars to dry clean and 13 dollars to send from alaska to washington state.
Wedding wire is amazing. I found my venue off there and not every one of them are sky rocket price. My venue is 650 dollars total with a chapel and two banquet rooms, full kitchen and a few of the valley behind for pictures.
Based on indoor and outdoor weddings. The out door wedding is extremely expensive over indoor weddings. We were going to do an outdoor one but it would have been about 4000 dollars. Ours will be no more than 2500 now with everything I ever wanted in our wedding.
1. Yard sales 2. Dollar stores 3. Craigslist 4. Family and Friends with extra wedding stuff to pass on.
Are my major places I found everything I need to make our wedding amazing.
Oh invite wise my brides maid found at a yard sale and I hand wrote everyone of them.
make your own bouquets and table settings and flowers for the table decorations as well as the flowers for the floor and the church or wherever your wedding will be. Make your own wedding invitations and send out everything yourself. Try to make your own cake if at all possible.
My BEST piece of advice is to decide what is most important to YOU! Sure, you’re concerned that your guests are having a good time and will be impressed with all the time, money, and attention to detail that you’ve spent, but remember these two VERY IMPORTANT facts:
1. Your wedding is about the love and commitment YOU share with your spouse, and
2. No matter how hard you try, there will always be at least one “Debbie Downer” that thought the chicken was too dry or thought the music was too loud. Everyone has their own opinion, but no one’s should matter more to you than your own!
My best bit of advice I can give is shop early!! By things as you go through out the whole planning process. Don’t be afraid to shop around. If you find something that you like google it under discount whatever it is and get the best bang for your buck!! That is how I found this website.
start early and compare prices closely you may see something you like at one price but if you shop around you can find it for less
The best way I’ve found to save some $$$$ on your wedding is DIY projects! There are great websites, books and communities out there to help you with making your own invitations, bouquets, centerpieces, reception decor, favors and anything else. You will save money by putting in the time yourself (you can also ask your bridal party to lend a hand) and it will be more meaningful because it was created by you rather than purchased.
My best advice is ask other people! Even if you don’t live in the same town as them or it’s been a couple of years since their wedding they’ll still know details, tips, and tricks you probably haven’t heard before. We’re on an especially tight budget and one of our friends suggested going to the stores looking at everything you want then go home and research it! Usually, if you have time to spare, what you’re interested in clothing and decoration wise, is going to go on sale at some point. My other tip is create a wedding e-mail account, so you can register with all of the company’s and stores that you have seen something interesting in but it won’t blow up your regular account; plus, you then you don’t have to worry about accidentally deleting it and emptying your inbox!
My budget savvy advice is to not forget all the tips and taxes that will be added on in addition to the package costs. Don’t stretch your budget to the ends of its life and not include the gratuity you’ll be giving people for their services or the service charges and taxes that aren’t included in that already pushing it price. Stay safe within your budget and celebrate with the extra on the honeymoon if anything.
My best piece of advice is ….’It’s never too early to start planning & buying!’.
We started planning in March 2011 and are getting married in December 2012. I have researched things online and in stores first so there is no pressure. I also know that I don’t have limited time to get things so I’m not rushed. We calculated our budget and divided it up according to a chart I found online regarding the % usually spent on certain aspects of weddings. As we book or purchase things whatever money we save gets put into another category that may need it.
ALSO…don’t be afraid to DIY…(DO IT YOURSELF!) That alone saves huge money and if you make it a ‘girls night’ I bet your bridesmaids, maid of honor, MIL, Mom, etc would be more than willing to help!
Good luck to everyone in their planning adventures! I know I am enjoying it so much I am considering taking a course to become a certified wedding planner!
Relax and enjoy….DON’T RUSH!…it will all be over before you know it
The best advice I can say is you can never start too early and it is your day. Do not do what other people think you should do. Do whatever you and the groom want to do. It is your wedding and not anyone else’s wedding. Just remember the only person that you have to go home to every night is your husband, not anyone else.
My best budget saving advice: don’t be afraid to haggle! You never know if you don’t ask! The worst thing they can say is no- but usually to get your business, every vendor will flex their prices a little, or may throw in extras for the same cost. We were able to book my favorite photographer for almost HALF of what their posted prices are & got an amazing deal on our caterer/reception space- we’re not being charged for cake cutting (even with the cake coming from an outside provider), the room rental, & we were even able to negotiate PLATED DINNERS! I can’t wait for our wedding, it’s going to be so elegant! Truly my dream come true- all without us going into ANY DEBT. Sooo excited! Good luck to all the brides & hope this helps!
i say go to thrift shops & goodwills…also garage sales always have wedding stuff…since its after Christmas right now…on clearance they have great glitter glam decor you could use…& never forget to use coupons anywhere you go!
First make sure you haven’t SETTLED for someone who isn’t everything you want in a husband. Then, ENJOY your wedding planning and don’t stress. You will find lots of good advice in bridal stores such as Anne’s…these people have heard it all. Lastly, LISTEN to your parents who know you better than you think they do. Remember, they are only looking out for you. Once you KNOW in your heart you have the right man, make a card index file of all the people you will be inviting or using in your wedding and list address and gift given as well as date you write the “thank-you” note for the gift. This way you will be sure to thank all who were thoughtful enough to send you a gift! This file will come in handy for years to come to send birth announcements, pictures, etc. as well as help keep you organized with so many things to do! Happy planning!
My best advice is to plan early and once the budget has been established try to find a venue that can accomadate the wedding and reception so that way you can cut back on transportation expenses, instead of a stretch limo some limo companies have and luxury cars that are more affordable. If you are making your own wedding favors such as bubbles instead of going to your local dollar tree or ebay try going into a Wal-Mart after a holiday and grab some mini bubbles from the party decor for the holiday that has passed, I give parties often and this is how everyone gets a good goodie bag with all contents probaly totaling 50 cents, if you want to have a DIY candy buffet you can buy candy while its on sale and place it in your deep freezer or family members, there is always a way to get everything you want just by preparing early look for great deals such as disposable chair covers and linens that look and feel like cloth all of this is just a fraction of the cost if you look around and plan ahead.
I found my invitations on esty.com. I was hesitant at first to buy invitations online but I could choose from them printing them for me or them sending me the invitation electronically and printing them off myself. While I wanted to DIY invitations I found it would’ve been much easier to have them print them off and send it to me. I love my invitations and only ended up paying $220 for 125 invitations that were designed especially for me. They fit my theme and colors perfectly. Sometimes you have to go out of your comfort zone in order to see a great deal and a great opportunity. I am also making my own bridesmaids gifts, etching wine glasses and making personalized hangers. While I’m saving money it is also a great personalized gift!
My best piece of advise would be to do as much as you can yourself. That includes Save The Dates, Invitations, not hiring a wedding consultant (although someone else handling the details sounds so appealing). Use your Bridemaids, if they were willing to be a part of your wedding, they will surely not care to help with some of the details. Main thing is asking. Whats the worst that could happen, they say they don’t have time? Have a get-together with drinks and have fun looking things up together. You’ll have fun and get things done.
I have found that friends can be a great help. Just make sure they know it’s your wedding and not theirs. Use the internet, I have found that pinterest.com has been a great help for do it yourself ideas. Items I have found so far have been extremely easy and cheap. You can find so many websites like this one to keep your wedding in budget.
Best Piece of Wedding Advice? Remember to budget yourself with tax and gratuities. The venue and caterers sure will not. Also when searching go with a general yet specific idea of what you want. Many of these places want to sell you. If you are one to be coax then be steadfast and sure in our wants and needs rather than anyone one else. It is your day after all so make the most of it, let loose, let your inner bridezilla out with a great roar, but refrain for heads rolling save that for the wedding day….or night. Lol
Don’t lose control of the guest list!! The size of your wedding is important for obvious intimacy reasons, but also each guest costs an extra dinner (and often a guest’s dinner) plus a favor, extra cooks, bartenders etc, and reception halls have capacity limits and the bigger the place, the more expensive… obviously. Pick a number and stick with it! Sorting your list into a “need to invite” and a “nice to invite” list makes it much easier.
My best advice is to spend on the things that really matter. Get your venue and dress first. Everything after that you can just go by what your budget is after the important stuff. In my dream wedding I am getting married in a castle in a fairytale dress. For some people the hunny moon is most important. I would rather invite less guests and cut cost that way then compromise my dream wedding
DIY, DIY, DIY, duh! There are soo many websites with awesome DIY ideas especially for weddings. Pinterest.com is my favorite but there is anns and the knot as well. I think DIY weddings always end up better than weddings where everything is purchased with no thought put into it. Sure it takes a little bit of time but it’s well worth it with all the money you save. I’m a photographer so I’m very picky about the photographer I will be having. Unfortunately, she’s the most expensive in town. In order to be able to afford her, we’re doing a lot ourselves, right down to making our own cake! I feel better about the whole wedding though, knowing I will have made all the decorations and cake so me, my family, and my friends all have their personal touch into it. It will make it much more enjoyable for them and even the guests knowing we did it all ourselves. Another tip, we’re planning our wedding so far in advance that we’re buying things throughout the next couple of years instead of all at once. It’s so much easier to budget that way. We’re also saving any change we accumulate and putting it into two separate coin counters. It’s almost a competition between him and me to see who can save the most change! Sure it’s just change but it adds up fast and because it’s just change, it’s not money we will be missing. It’s definitely a fun little game that will have a great outcome
Last tip – DON’T PROCRASTINATE wedding planning! When you plan far in advance like we are, you’ll have enough time to watch out for sales for the necessities. If we were to wait until two months before the wedding to buy necessities, we would lose so much money by not being able to take advantages of sales. Look over the internet for coupons, even for cheap items that you’re using for DIY. Every penny counts!
Oh and one more. http://ruffledblog.com/recycle-your-wedding/browse-listings/ This website is amazing. Brides can buy gently used and/or never used items from other brides. They have everything from veils, to jars, to candles, to clothing, and EVERYTHING you could possibly need. You can also sell your old wedding items on the website for free. There’s also ebay and amazon to buy simple things like jars for cheap!
Here’s a website for discount craft supplies: http://www.save-on-crafts.com/apothecaryjars8.html
and a website that just sells jars like mason jars http://www.specialtybottle.com/ecomasonjarsmi.aspx
Hope this helps everyone! I know I will be taking great advantages of discount websites like these.
It may sound crazy but start planning way ahead. My boyfriend and i have talked about getting married, and though we’re not ready for that commitment just yet, we know it’s down the road and we’re both very excited. So we started casually talking about our wedding, tidbit by tidbit. We have a general idea of what we want and we’ve begun doing our research. We also started a separate savings fund for it. By starting now we’re able to establish the basics and start saving, without the stress that comes with deadlines. And when we’re finally ready to tie the knot we’ll be able to really enjoy the whole process!
My biggest money savers were my dress and my photographer. I found a gorgeous dress in the shopping district in los angeles.its beautiful mermaid style and since they’re tiny little shops I talked the owner down to $100!! I know insane right? Then I tracked down a university with a photography program and asked for the most talented photography student. I found a girl who is amazingly gifted and is trying to build a portfolio so shes only charging $500! Just got our engagement pictures and my older sister swares they’re better than the photographer she droped about 5 grand on. My advice is don’t buy into the whole wedding industry trap like at those shows, you can find quality without compromising your newlywed bank account.
Frugality. That is the word that I my grandmother taught me first. Whether it be groceries or dining room furniture, she can find the best quality at the cheapest price. If you are anything like me, or most brides for that matter, you love flowers and the more the better! There is nothing like a brilliant arrangement to set the mood and tone for an elegant, top-of-the-line wedding. Well, you can have this and more with one of the greatest ideas that I know. While florists charge enough to empty Fort Knox, I have come up with way to get the amount of florals that you want (plus some even), with the look that you want, for next-to-nothing, and in many cases-FREE… Instead of investing in brand-new flowers everywhere, use them only in the key spots-bride’s bouquet, corsages…but use borrowed or restored silk flowers everywhere else. Go to stores and ask for their bargain flowers or for the flowers that they have overstocked…use coupons to Hobby Lobby and Michaels and get an extra 40% off flower purchases…Goodwills have tons of household arrangements that can be cut apart or used in various places. My favorite: I got flowers that had been originally used outdoors and then used bleach to restore them! They look fantastic! If you don’t want to use them as focal points for your wedding use them elsewhere…the vintage look is hot right now and for my wedding I want tons of flower petals lining the aisles…EXPENSIVE! So I have cut apart old silk flowers! I have all of the flowers I want and have saved hundreds!
My best piece of advice is to not only go wallet-friendly, go eco-friendly too (when possible)!
As opposed to the average invitation that includes multiple envelopes, inserts and envelopes, we decided to go with Send and Seal (like a one-stop shop invitation-style) invites printed on 100% recycled paper. Eco-friendly invites are less expensive, yet still beautiful. Besides, most invites are thrown away after the party (really, who’s going to frame the thing besides you and your parents?)
Budget and environmentally-friendly.
The on sale now “favor tree” is a dynamite accessory for any celebration. Place in the center of tables with name tags for those sitting at that table, place in the center of the table with wish cards that guests write on their best wishes and put on the favor tree! One of my favorites, hanging small memory gifts for guests to take – our chakra gift bag with instruction tag is one of our most thoughtful gifts!
My advice would be to stick to your budget, do lots of research and to remember to do what you like and what will make you and your groom happy!
My best advice is invite only the people that are important to you and the future hubby. Guest lists can get out of control fast and that means larger venue, more food and drinks, favors etc… Create the list of people that are most important to the two of you for the big day and stick to it. The guest list dictates the cost of many other parts of the wedding.
My best piece of budget savvy advice would be to not sweat the small stuff. Worry about paying for the big stuff like reception sites, photographers, DJ’s, etc. Small things like champagne flutes, knife and serving sets, and stationary are small and don’t need to be top notch. If you can save by not getting the thermography save the dates, then do so. The little things go on sale frequently – the big stuff rarely does, if it goes on sale at all.
My best piece of financial advice is: the day after he proposes, set up a savings account that will withdraw a set amount directly from your checking account (i suggest $50+) every time you get paid. I got a high intrest rate savings account through Sallie Mae and it has helped me with budgeting….every pennie coming out of my account goes for something for the wedding. Good Luck Ladies!
My best piece of advice is to follow your heart and don’t give in to pushy sales people.
My best piece of advice is to do as much as you can yourself. I am doing the bouquets, jewelry, invitations and programs myself. Michael’s has great offers and each week when you buy something you get a coupon for 40% off the next week (non sale items)! I have been using this to buy everything and its saving me 40%. Don’t be afraid to try things. The best part is, whatever you make will be truly original and one of a kind. The wedding party and guests can treasure them for years to come.
40% off ONE item sorry!!!
My fiance and I are trying to do as much as we can to keep our costs low. We are planning an autumn wedding next October. Here are some things that have been helpful for us:
*Seasonal sales – We purchased seasonal decor just after Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons ended. Everything I’ve purchased was 50%-75% off.
*Clip coupons – Michael’s & other craft stores regularly have 50% off coupons. My friends and family collect the coupons and we all go together to purchase decor for the wedding. This way we get multiple of the same items for the table decorations, but everything is 50% off.
*Get creative with resources you already have – My fiance purchased me a wine bottle cutter, so we’re collecting bottles people are throwing away and making vases out of them. We’ll then look into etching the bottles or wrapping them with discount ribbon purchased from Costco during the holidays.
*Look in your garden / forest – we will be clipping branches from bushes in our yard and nearby forest areas to add to our centerpieces. We are adding these to the silk flowers we’ve purchased to help ‘bulk up’ the arrangements w/ greenery, and it’s free!
*Use the holidays to your advantage – Many venues decorate for the holidays. If you have a December wedding, you can find locations that will be completely decorated so you don’t have to!
*Embellish cheaper options – you can purchase lower end invitations and other items and embellish them yourselves with glitter, rhinestones, watercolor, etc.
These are the things we’ve used so far. Good luck, Brides!
There are some amazing tips here. As the MOTB, I am “somewhat” involved with my daughters wedding set for 7/14/12. She is doing all the pre-planning now by using many of the tips mentioned on this post.
Money saving tip: (for us, anyway) We rented the entire St. Mary’s Art Center in Virginia City, NV for the wedding week-end.
The building used to be a hospital back in the gold rush days and some say it’s haunted. Yea, well, I think it is just an old historic building with a unique personality. It has several rooms that will rent for $50/night for family and wedding party that want to stay for the week-end. They have pre-paid their $50 per room/night (online) have they have been assigned. So, $100 per couple for a week-end stay. (not bad)
Additionally, a list of motel/hotels near by were printed on the save the date cards. Note: add if they accept pets or not. We have a pet lovin’ family. Print your own cards, cheap, easy, and you decide what info to add.
The entire top floor of the St. Mary’s Art Center has a huge room with single beds. (set up like it was as a hospital a century ago) This room will be for the kids. There is room right off that for the adults (Grandma & Grandpa) to stay in to keep an eye on the youngins. (all this space, 12 beds, for $100/night)
It is furnished with big kitchen with large fridges and 2 stoves so we can prepare our own food and have room to store it. We will also have a day before wedding day cupcake making day where we will present our “helpers” (the family) each a homemade apron that my daughter and I are sewing up and embroidering the date of wedding on. Our machine has an embroidery option. We are using “vintage” material. In other words, old second hand store clothing.
The cupcakes will be tiered under the single layer top cake that hold the cake topper (no expensive cake here) We are making our own centerpieces with an 1800′s look. Lanterns w/battery operated lights.
The courtyard to St. Mary’s will double as an under a rented tent outdoor ceremony followed by a DJ and reception dance. We rented a portable dance floor for a really great price.
Perks to renting a building such as this. Lots of parking. Family/close friends all under one roof and helping with decor and prep. (I think people love being involved)
The entire building and grounds are ours for the week-end. All this costs is $50 for the rooms. The $500 reservation fee is refundable if we clean up.
Personally, I wanted a church wedding for my daughter but after seeing the courtyard with trees and grass, I reckon they will take their vows in a church that the Lord certainly approves of since He had a huge hand in making it.
Another perk. The yard is big enough to tastefully rope off an area for kids and have blow up pools, toys, games, etc. Think July, Nevada, hot, and bored kids. Not at this wedding!
There are so many budget tidbits I have learned during this process.
First one, just ask! A lot of times vendors are flexible on their prices, but you would never know unless you ask. I always ask vendors if they are willing to go lower, or throw in additional items. The worst they can say is no.
Second, sign up for vendor email lists. You will be the first to know when they are having special promotions or discounts.
Third, ask friends and family if they have any wedding connections. I found my photographer, pastor, and venue this way and it has saved me thousands!
When researching for vendors I contacted local area schools. Many of the schools allow their students to do weddings at a small fee to gain experience. If you dont mind a student taking care of your wedding needs you can get quality work at a cheaper price. Check your local photography school, baking school, etc…
The best advice I can give is to shop around. Many things can be foind at reasonable prices. I have seen so many items that are the same but have different prices. Also, I would suggest that for a wedding cake instead of paying for a fully decorated cake it would be cheaper to use something else as a foundation and have the bottom tier your cake. Your guest would get pre slices wedding cake and your beautiful cake stay that way.
My best advice is to make a list of what you want in order of importance. Every bride has their #1 thing they can’t budge on. Mine was my dress. I saved pop cans and pocket change for four years to help pay for it. My friend wanted a fancy dinner and that’s what she splurged on. Know that you will have to give on some things you want, but make yourself happy by getting your number one. At the end of the day you’re going to marry the one you love so as long as you’ve got him it should be an amazing day regardless.
I would love to give you my best advice while planning for your wedding. I am helping a dear friend plan her’s and we are trying our best to go green. For wedding favors we are hoping to give live trees and have each of the guests take them home and plant them in honor of the special day or in memory of a loved one they miss. Also if we can’t reuse, or recycle we will try to rent so we don’t waste alot of natural resources. We are also making our own invitations on recycled paper. Making the dress, and everything else that we can from the dress to the centerpieces if we can.
My best advise is DIY! If you are at all artisticly inclined, figure out how to do it yourself. you’ll save lots of money. and if you feel something outside is your abilities, take the time to learn how to do it. you’ll appreciate seeing things you put your own time and effort into, and learn valuable skills along the way.
We decided for our weddding coming up in June…. to hire people that we know who has a specialty and need extra cash instead of hiring professionals. Our reception dinner is some stuff we willdo ourselves and the rest will be done by my mom’s friend who does catering it on the side. Our music will be a friend who has a band and he will also do some DJing. Our photographer is a girl in my fiancee’s family who does photography on the side. This will deffinitely save us a lot of money. We aren’t looking for “fanciness” for our wedding… just a really good time with family and friends to celebrate with good down home cooking and great music
The best advice I have for a budget savvy bride is prioritize! You have to know what is important to you for a wedding, therefore know where you want to spend your budget, and where you can afford to save money. For me, invitations were not very important, I went with plain and simple. As long as people know when and where everything is fine, it does not need to cost you thousands or even hundreds, they go in the trash anyway! Also for me I chose to have a family member do the photography (free) and I also hired a college student who has a passion or major in photography. I was able to pay 50 for their time and I will have the pictures added to a shutterfly and order the prints I want. I know myself and I want a picture or two to frame and I would like an album, but ow often will I really look at it. Pictures ordered from a picture website will come out just great, not to mention everyone takes pictures and they end up on facebook. I want everyone to enjoy my wedding. I want them to have fun! So entertainment, food and a long open bar were important. Also I want everyone to be safe, so transportation was important. I wanted a shuttle so no one had to worry about drinking and driving. My centerpieces were included and they gave me a big budget, which was a great cost saver! Also be sure to work with your venue because they sometimes have vendors that will offer discounts. So just make sure to know whats important to you and what you want to spend your budget on
I just did a lot of research and asked my co worker who’s daughter got married a couple of months ago a lot of questions. Don’t be afraid to cut coupons for places like “Joanne Fabric”, ” Hobby Lobby” and “Micheals”. Everything I have gotten I have not paid full price for and i’ve saved my parents, fiance and myself hundreds of dollars.
Don’t be afraid to try to negotiate and get a customized package with exactly what you want instead of paying for extras that you don’t! With our reception food package (I’m a vegetarian, so we didn’t want to pay for all the meat options in a typical package), photographer, and videographer, we are getting customized packages to meet our specific needs and I’ve been surprised at how willing they are to provide this. (Though I’m sure not all businesses are as flextible, but it can’t hurt to try).
Etsy.com is such a great website. Its sort of like ebay but better
Its all handmade stuff so its guaranteed unique. There is sooo much wedding stuff on there from the big stuff to the tiny details. And its friendly for every budget. Many sellers can do custom orders too! I sell jewelry on etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/lushlifeart but there is seriously everything u could think of to complete your wedding on the site. There are bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses that are fashioned after high end designers at a “normal person” price. Most of the designers are fashion/art students or graduates w/ the degrees.
Don’t be afraid to pit travel agencies against one another. I saved $50 per person on our honeymoon vacation because I compared one’s prices to others in town.
Use your friends! I have found so many hidden talents in my friends and friends of friends that only came about when speaking of wedding planning. You never know what someone has done in a past life that would be perfect help!
One thing I am finding out is that even though DIY projects may be a lot of fun, they are not always the cheapest idea. If you are trying to keep your expenses at a minimum make sure you look around before you try to DIY. Not only can some projects take up a lot of time that can be used elsewhere, some supplies can also be expensive and you may never use them again! Weigh your options before you commit to a DIY project!
Don’t just listen to all of the advice everyone is throwing at you. Look into it yourself. You may come up with better ideas for a cheaper price or you may even find hidden fees, those well-meaning people didn’t.