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Stretch Your Wedding Budget

by Nily Glaser
Candles By Nily

Many couples are shocked to learn that today, the average wedding costs $20,000. But, it does not need to cost quite that much if you use good organizational skills, ingenuity, flexibility, and enlist the help of friends and family.

Today, about 70% of the marrying couples pay for their own weddings so, setting a realistic budget and sticking to it is a must if you are to keep the cost of your wedding within your budget.

So, get creative and examine your options.

Research the Internet.

Search the Internet thoroughly and you can save time and money. The World Wide Web Provides you with information and resources for making purchases on-line. Many wedding web sites provide links to wedding related businesses that could be your answer to quality products and services. A-wedding Day offers you contact with vendors and service providers through our Sponsor Banners, Yellow Pages and Resource Directory.

Set your priorities and your budget.

As you plan your wedding create three categories:
Must have
Optional
Nice to have.

Base your decisions on availability, on your budget and on your ingenuity. Once you decide what your priorities are, use your ingenuity and creativity. Involve yourselves, your friends and your families in at least some of the preparations. Loved ones will appreciate the opportunity to contribute to your happy day, have fun and save you money.

Choose vendors and service providers who can assure that your priorities will be met and that yours will be the wedding you dreamed of.

When you negotiate with vendors and service providers, be firm. Stick to what you decided you want and to what you budgeted for. Do not let them talk you into anything you neither budgeted for, nor want. But by the same token, be flexible enough to spend more or substitute, if you cannot find exactly what you considered a priority within your budget.

Be sure you are familiar with all changes, return and / or cancellation policies before you sign any contract or finalize any arrangement. Having to buy something twice, or having to pay additional fees for changes can and does add up. Always keep documentation of every contract and receipt in a safe place and pay special attention to deadlines for returning items.

Always comparison shop. If you have enough time, and start early, you can save a lot of money if you shop for bargains and clearance sales. But do not get confused between inexpensive and cheap. Before you buy reduced priced items, check to make sure that they are not of inferior quality since you'll most probably not be able to return or exchange them.

Use the expertise of wedding consultants and Wedding Professionals

They can save you time and money.

Here too, base your decision on your budget. Engage a wedding consultant to help you with tasks as small as locating trusted vendors and service providers, to tasks as large as organizing your entire wedding event from A-Z. The more you do yourself, the more money you save.

Check out artisans who create wedding gifts and accessories

As a general rule, when you purchase directly from an artisan, you not only get exactly what you want, but you save money. Unlike a store bought, a wedding gift or accessory that is created by an artisan does not go through a long distribution channel where every link must make a profit and where the store has up-keep expenses that need to be covered. With the middlemen out of the picture, the artisans receive the price they commend, and you save money. I call this a win/win situation.

Before the wedding:

Invitations

If you are willing to depart from the traditional printed invitations you can save not only money but time and anxiety.

You can of course create your own invitation right on your computer and print it on specialty wedding paper that can be purchased in most office supply stores. Or you can e-mail your friends and family an invitation to your private wedding site where they can get an official invitation, as well as directions and even registry information. The cost: FREE. Just go to www.a-weddingday.com and sign up for a free web site and an e-mail address dedicated to your wedding. Your guest can RSVP right off your site. COOL!!!

Ceremony:

Attire

Wedding gowns are very expensive but there are many options you may exercise to get what you want and save money. Do you have a friend or a family member who sews? Engage them and in return give them the honor of serving as an attendant at your wedding party. If you shop for a gown, before you decide to have it custom made, go to department stores and check their sale corner. Occasionally they have wedding gowns on clearance and you can buy a gown at a fraction of its original price and save a "ton" of money. Another option is buying a sample gown which was used for a fashion show or a display. If you still can not find just that special gown, and you need to purchase one, consider a simple gown off the rack.. Or comb the wedding ads and auction sites on and off the web.You'll probably be able to buy a gown that was used only once or even a brand new one for "peanuts". To save even more, you may considered a white "prom" or a bridesmaid dress? Bridesmaids dresses. Today it is customary for the bridesmaids to purchase their own dresses shoes and accessories..

Groom and groomsmen: Rent the tuxes, shoes and accessories. Here too it is customary for the groomsmen to pay for the rental of their attire. Many rental places will furnish the groom's attire for free if all the men from the wedding party will rent at the same time as one package.

Flowers

You can save money on your flower arrangements if you are willing to be 'original' and creative. If any of your guests create flower arrangements even as a hobby, ask them to do the flower arrangements.

But, if not, you'll need to purchase the bridal bouquet and the flowers for the altar at a reputable florist. But, have you thought of giving the bridesmaids mixed seasonal flowers? (They are even sold in supermarkets and are very reasonably priced.) These flowers can later be inserted in vases and serve as centerpieces for the reception tables too. Your bridesmaids may not be able to keep the flowers forever, but they will remember your wedding every time they see the vase. And, you'll save money.

Unity Candles

You can buy unity candles in stores, you can buy them from artisans who will create personalized candles just for you, or you can create your own.

Reception:

Meal

The reception is the most expensive part of your wedding. But, you can plan it within your budget and have a memorable event. You must be very particular when choosing the site. It must be appropriate and fit in with your reception plan. It does not have to be a traditional hall. How about having your wedding in a historical home, a park, a museum, fairgrounds, public gardens, on the beach, etc... You also need to know if it supplies you with all your furniture and dining needs. If not, you must calculate rental fees.

When choosing a wedding site, choose slow period and either a friday evening or a Sunday afternoon and you'll be able to negotiate the best deals.

If you invite some good cooks to your wedding, you may ask to them prepare their favorite recipes for your wedding reception. Also, if you invite some good bakers, ask if they could prepare sweets and desserts or maybe even your wedding cake. You'll save money and they will feel honored for being asked. In fact they'll be delighted to serve too.

If you have your reception catered, you must consider the number of guests, the time of day and the manner in which food will be served. Will it be refreshments only? dessert only? light snack? a sit-down? a buffet? will you serve alcohol? If bar tenders will serve alcohol will it be an open bar? will you or the guests pay for the drinks?

There is an enormous difference in price between a light brunch, for example, and a five course sit-down catered dinner. Following are some suggestions you may check out to fit your budget. Have a brunch or an early lunch and you need to serve fruit and vegetables, salads, eggs, cheeses, pastries, coffee, tea and cold drinks buffet style. Have a late lunch and you'll need to add some meats and poultry. You may still serve it buffet style, or as a sit-down meal. A sit-down dinner is by far your most expensive choice.

Music

When it comes to music, you'll need to decide what fits in with your personalities when choosing whether to use instrumental music, a band or a disc jockey. But, don't overlook your guests. If you invited singers, let them sing. Have them sing a solo or as a group during the ceremony And / or at the reception.

Others will be honored to drive a car, so you do not have to hire a limo, help decorate the reception room, be the disc jockey. Help with the seating, etc…Good friends and family will be honored and you'll save money and know that your wedding needs were fulfilled with love and care.

Photography and videography

Before hiring a photographer or a videographer compare prices and references. Choose the very best that are within your budget. Even if you need to choose a smaller package, here is where you want the very best. Go for it. Just like personalized wedding gifts and accessories, photos and videos will become treasured keepsakes.

Misc.

Ask friends to serve as your drivers and save. Instead of a limo, rent a luxury car and have a friend drive.They will be honored.

Copyrights Nily Glaser a-wedding Day.com 2000