From the Forums: How to Save Money on a Wedding
After getting engaged, many women start watching every wedding show on tv. They are great for getting ideas and imagining what you can do at your wedding. Then, you come face to face with . . . your budget. Suddenly all those great ideas you got from tv shows and magazines seem out of reach and every quote you get from vendors seem so expensive. So what do you do to stick to your budget and your vision?
1. Set your priorities early. When I start talking with a bride, I usually ask, what is the one thing that is critical to you? Is it a gorgeous venue, stunning photography or the dress that makes all of your childhood dreams come true? Once you have decided what is the most important thing to you, get the best you can afford in that category. Then, build the rest of your budget around that.
2. Don’t shop above your price range. It is so tempting to “just look” or “just try” something, especially dresses. The problem is that during such an emotional time of your life, when you fall in love with something, nothing else ever seems to compare. So if your budget for a wedding dress is $1000, do not try on that $5000 dress, “just to try.” The other problem you will run into with this is that when you are spending so much money, it starts looking like no big deal to go over budget here and there. Then before you know it, you’ve doubled your budget – not good.
3. Stay open on specifics. Go for an overall look rather than getting bogged down in the details. For example, if you can’t afford a centerpiece full of white roses, use white hydrangea to fill in with some roses. Listen to your vendors and see what they can offer you. Bring a picture and tell them, “This is really the look I am going for. Do you have any suggestions?” I’ve seen advice in magazines lately that says this by, “Tell your vendor the budget upfront and see what they can do for you within the budget.” Some brides have taken this to mean, go in with your list of demands and then tell them how much you are going to pay them for it (which is often an extreme lowball offer). That approach will not work well for most vendors, but if you are open to their suggestions, they may find something that will make you just as happy and is still within your budget.
4. Shop and compare. If you find something you like in the store, see if you can find the same product cheaper somewhere else. This may seem obvious because this is what we do all the time when shopping for everyday items. Yet, something seems to happen when planning a wedding that makes us think that we have to give up all our usual shopping strategies. Just make sure you are comparing apples to apples.
5. Hire a wedding planner. This may seem counter-intuitive because the perception is that planners are a luxury item in the planning process – something that only high end brides get. Plus, doesn’t that mean less money to spend on those little decor details or a great photographer? Actually, wedding planners often can save you money. They may be able to get you deals that are not otherwise available to the public or give you a tip that ends up saving tons of money in the end. If you think of the planner as a part of the budget rather than an added expense, you may be pleasantly surprised.
