One of the biggest events loved ones can share is a wedding. Many people think the more you spend, the classier the wedding is. That is not true. You can have a beautiful wedding without going bankrupt. In this article, you will find lots of money-saving tricks and creative ideas to plan an unforgettable wedding.
Internet bridal shops have wedding dresses for bargain basement prices, but make sure to order well in advance so that you can get your dress altered before the big day. You may only spend $100 on the gown when buying it online, but it may cost another $200 for the alterations. Include the additional cost in your budgeting.
You can get a better rate on almost any venue by booking during an off period. Wedding season runs from May through September. Wedding venues can be pricier at this time. If you still want to have your wedding during this time, be sure to make all your arrangements well in advance so you receive the best possible deal.
Have your wedding on the property of friends or family. If someone you know owns a large piece of property, like a farm or a place with a large backyard, you can cut down a major cost. Saving money on the venue will allow you to hire people to set up and clean up.
Buying a wedding gown can be very expensive. If you are not looking for a traditional, princess type ballgown, consider looking into other types of dresses. You should check out the selection of bridesmaid dresses at the bridal store. One could fit your style at only a fraction of the cost. Even if you want the dress altered to change some of the styling, it could turn out to be cheaper than a wedding dress.
Do not go on a crash diet to fit in the dress. You may end up being dehydrated and maybe even light-headed. The last thing you will want to do is faint. A good idea is to get a dress that has a corset back; this way, you can keep it on or take it off on your wedding day.
Personalize your wedding by including unique touches that express the essence and interests of you and your new spouse. Select a theme that represents the time that you have spent with each other.
Flowers look beautiful as centerpieces on the dinner tables, but don’t overdo it. Flowers can be distracting for your guests and get in their way. Additionally, many people are allergic to flowers. In order to provide a romantic look, you can place unscented candles centered on the table.
Tie little decorative items into all the elements of your wedding decor. Use a similar ribbon for your bouquet as that on your gown or your centerpieces. Your wedding day is special and important so you want to put in the effort for even the littlest details.
Don’t rent a reception venue that has little room for dancing. People love to dance at weddings and no one wants to be crammed in a small space. If needed, move tables and chairs to free up some room for dancing.
When selecting a makeup artist for your wedding, be sure to see the makeup that they have done in the past. Do you really like their style? It is critically important that you know they can meet your needs. You certainly would hate to be minutes from walking down the aisle only to discover that you hate your makeup.
One ideal gift idea for your friends and family joining you for a destination wedding is to consider having a selection of local goodies delivered to the room of each guest. Include gifts that are sure to be useful while on location at the wedding, like sunglasses, tourist maps, disposable cameras, hats, and pamphlets that detail all of the best attractions in the local area. Also make sure you include a local restaurant guide that makes it simple for them to grab a bite to eat.
Dance Floor
When planning table seating arrangements, try to assign your guests so that there are an even number at each table. Facilitate conversation by making table arrangements according to age groups.
Don’t rent a reception venue that has little room for dancing. Nothing is worse than a tiny, crowded dance floor where there is no room to move around. To make the dance floor larger, clear out some chairs and tables.
Send a planning and an itinerary to your guests to help them schedule their activities and find their way. Your guests will appreciate knowing where they are expected and at what time; consider making a separate schedule for members of the wedding party.
You don’t want to have your guests waiting as you have your wedding photos taken. These photos should be taken in advance. In order to reduce the length of time that the guests need to wait for the bride and groom to arrive at the wedding reception, the bride and groom should also be photographed with their parents in advance.
If money isn’t an issue, you may want to get married on a cruise ship with close members of your family and close friends. If you do this, you can start your honeymoon immediately after the ceremony ends. Many cruise companies offer a special rate for a combined wedding/honeymoon package.
Give your wedding guests a time line of events of your wedding, they will know how to plan! Also, let your guests know what events they need to be present for, so they will be where they are supposed to be, when they’re supposed to be there.
Craigslist is a good outlet for locating local talent for your wedding. Meet up with them in person, do an interview, and discuss your needs and wishes before you pay anything.
Look on Craigslist for talent to make your wedding special. Always have a face-to-face meeting with anyone you hire off of Craigslist prior to giving them any cash.
If you want to have multiple courses during your meal, give them some sweets and appetizers on every table to keep them busy as serving takes place. Sugar roses, sugar petals or even crackers will do.
Ask someone to borrow an item to wear on your big day. A nice bracelet or necklace will both complete your look, as well as give you “something borrowed” for the day.
The table centerpieces can be expensive and should be artistically pleasing. Rather than spending a fortune on centerpieces that are almost as big as the tables themselves, keep them small and simple. This will make it easier for the people at the table to hold a conversation with each other.
Wedding Planner
If a bride and groom are from a different culture, be sure that you have both of the traditions represented in the wedding. Then try to get a reception set up that shows the other side of the marriage if possible. This allows you to set up a great contrast that will allow both sides of the family to enjoy the wedding as much as possible.
Maximize your wedding planner’s time by doing some research in advance. Copy the stylists and fashion designers who make mood boards and “look books” comprised of imagery, fabric swatches and other inspiring tidbits which can be a great start for the final product. You can add photographs, magazine clippings or perhaps song lyrics in order to show your wedding planner your vision.
A great way to place live flowers around your wedding without spending an arm and a leg on flowers that will end up in the bin is to use potted plants. You can choose pots with colorful glazes or add a little pizzazz to plain terracotta pots with decoupage, ribbons, or creative paint applications. Once the wedding is over, it is possible for guests to take home the potted plants as a memento of the wedding, or the newlyweds may want to plant them around their new home.
The arrangements should stand out quite a bit adding to the atmosphere. You can do this by adding flowers of varying heights or floral containers that are similar in appearance yet not identical. One great way to do this is to use tall vases and longer-stemmed flowers with smaller heads. Shorter flowers of greater volume an be used to surround the tall vessels. Have the shorter flowers be lighter in hue than the taller blooms.
Create depth in your floral arrangements by using flowers in varying heights. Use tall vases for flowers with longer stems and more compact heads. Then use shorter vases around the taller ones, filled with big flowers like peonies or hydrangeas. Have the shorter flowers be lighter in hue than the taller blooms.
Practice the first dance with your spouse-to-be while wearing clothes similar to what you’ll wear at the wedding. Dancing with your spouse-to-be is romantic, and in addition it will help you get used to each others’ clothes so you won’t feel awkward on your wedding day. Your skirt might be something you are used to walking or dancing in, but your soon-to-be husband might not. You might feel better about dancing in a very fancy dress.
Include your guests in your wedding day activities. Don’t just let your guests mill around patiently biding their time until your nuptials end. A scavenger hunt, or even a volleyball game, could be offered to your guests. The wedding will be memorable in proportion to the amount of fun.
Beautiful Wedding
When choosing a videographer for your wedding, make sure you interview many candidates and ask to see examples of his or her work. Also, find out what kind of editing sound he or she uses. VHS wedding videos were popular years ago, but make sure you get either a DVD or digital video which can be played for many years. Refer to the factors we have listed and trust your first impression of each videographer.
Planning a beautiful wedding on a small budget is entirely possible. You don’t have to take on debt to have a beautiful wedding day. You can make your invitations and have friends and family pitch in to cut the costs.
Begin planning your wedding as early as possible. The earlier you plan, the more options you will have open to you. This ensures you find better prices and the best vendors that can stick to your budget.
Plan ahead of time, as early as you are able. If you don’t start planning a year in advance, you may have trouble finding venues. Start your wedding plans as soon as you can if you want the most choices to be available.
Ask your vendors if they have any recommendations for your other services. If you love a photographer, see if they can give you the name of a band. Ask the band if they can recommend a caterer for you. You will have better luck finding vendors this way.
Try serving small meals at the reception. You need to reduce costs, especially if you would like to invite many people to your wedding. You can stick with a budget if you’re able to give people a smaller meal than usual. Another option is to cut the guest list.
Open a separate bank account for your wedding expenses. Creating a budget for your spending can ensure that you don’t spend more than your funding allows. If you want to have an extravagant wedding when you are older, start saving now.
Be mindful of the weather. If an outdoor wedding takes place in excessive heat, guest might opt to leave early. Winter weddings are especially difficult to plan because you have to deal with potential cold, ice and snow. Guests may not be able to travel to your wedding if there’s a blizzard, and may be afraid of getting sick and go home early, if you don’t supply enough heat. Do what you can to make sure your guests are comfortable; provide fans in the summer or small heaters in the winter.
Once you have the design of your wedding in mind, record it on paper and then start shopping around for services that specialize in that kind of design. You can make a list of services that are offered in your area and narrow the selection by using price and services offered as a deciding factor.
Tan Lines
It is okay to let some of the responsibility of planning your wedding rest on someone else’s shoulders. Weddings are very emotional, so you may desire a larger role in its planning. That said, it is possible to get in over your head. It’s better to trust hired help who knows what they are doing, in some cases.
As the bride, you’re not going to want tan lines. It is very important since you may want to have a great tan for the wedding, but the tan lines can really cause distractions.
Pictures are an important part of a wedding, and there will likely be many people you would like to capture in photographs on your big day. If your wedding is particularly large, finding all the folks you want shots with can prove to be a real hassle if you don’t schedule dedicated times. Inform all of your guests where and when you will want them to pose for photographs.
As you can see, you do not have to spend a fortune to have the perfect wedding. Use these suggestions to have a great and memorable wedding day.
You don’t want to dish off the wedding photos to a friend. Unless that’s your friend’s profession, they won’t be able to capture your wedding memories adequately. You want your pictures to show good quality, be spontaneous, and last forever. Friends might get a few good shots, but they may miss the overall feel of the day.