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Budget Your Wedding Expenses With These Great Ideas
Wedding expenses can seem overwhelming at times but with these cost-cutting Tips you can stay in your budget. These suggestions when starting the wedding planning process are good ideas to help cut the costs of your wedding & help you stay in budget. An easy way to keep costs down is to attempt keeping your guest list small. When ordering invitations order them along with the thank you notes & take advantage of bulk order discounts. Another great way to save on invitations is to create your own. Think of off peak dates & times for your wedding & plan for a month that’ isn’t during “Wedding Season”. Many vendors will reduce their prices 30% - 35% for a weekday wedding.
Shop around for wedding reception & ceremony locations. Ask to hold your ceremony or reception at a friend or families house. Think of completely unique locations that are not always the first choice for a wedding. You’ll find the price will be much more reasonable than a ballroom. The same rule applies to popular big cities. There is more. Travel to a smaller city & save.
Choose an outdoor location with a gorgeous setting & avoid the costs of decor. Pass on the white limo it will cost you more than a black or silver one. Choose a DJ over a live band or be your own dj. Mix your own music cd’s into your mp3 player or cd & have them play at the reception.
Save on Decor by avoiding flowers at every table. Choose plastic gold or silver vases to hold flowers. Create your own bouquets & arrangements & buy your flowers in bulk. (Be sure to practice ahead of time or take a flower arranging class to get the hang of it). Add silk flowers to your arrangements for a full look at a fraction of the cost.
Keep your wedding menu simple. Three course menu, wine tasting party, or a cocktail party in place of a five course dinner. Use cake stands for a tiered look on your cake for a great way to save you money on the wedding cake (Avoiding the costly tiered cake). Shop around for the wedding cake. A simple supermarket bakery can replicate a wedding cake you love for far less. Keep drinks to a minimum. Offer some non-alcoholic drinks that will be just as tasty & cut your costs.
Ask around for photographers that will allow you to use the negatives & order your own prints. Share your photos on line with your guests through a photo sharing service such as shutterfly or snapfish.
Be creative when it comes to favors. For beach weddings simple shell’s found at a local beach (if possible) can assist create beautiful wedding favors. Browse on line for favor ideas & make some yourself. Being crafty can save you on expenses.
