How to Have a Fabulous Wedding for Under $1,000
The average American wedding now costs $28,000. Many people go as far as to take out loans to fund their special day. But you don't need to go into debt, or even spend much money at all to have fabulous wedding that people remember forever! I spent less than $1,000 on my wedding (including the dress!) and you can, too!
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Things You'll Need
- Creativity
- A desire to have an inexpensive wedding
- Flexibility in your plans
Instructions
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If you want to plan a wedding on a budget, the biggest place to cut costs is the location of your ceremony and reception. There are many beaches and parks where you can have your wedding for a very small fee - or even free! It took me only a few phone calls to find that I could get married on the beach in my town for no fee at all. Get creative - do you know somebody who owns a lot of property who might let you use their land? How about a favorite park?
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The dress is another place where people spend too much. If you are flexible, you can find a stunning dress for much less than the $1,000 average. A wedding on a budget means slashing your dress budget as much as possible! Find out when the sample sales are and go to them. The bigger stores get hectic at sample time, but those smaller, privately owned bridal shops often have no lines or craziness - just great deals! Another option if you really want to save money is to check out the white dresses that are out during prom season at department stores. Some of those dresses are absolutely stunning - and usually cost $150 or less. The plus side to a white prom dress is that it is usually more comfortable than a wedding dress.
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Other than saving money on location, another way to save money on your reception is to have an afternoon wedding. If you have a wedding at 3:00 in the afternoon, you will save on serving food. People do not expect a full meal mid-afternoon. You can serve nice appetizers and dessert without looking cheap.
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Do you know someone who does some photography as a hobby? Ask her to take your wedding pictures. My college roommate took my wedding pictures and they are absolutely wonderful. She'd never photographed a wedding before, but I'd seen enough of her "just for fun" shots to know she could handle it.
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Make your own invitations and programs. This is a great way to plan a wedding on a budget and stick with it! These days, the average, every day home printer is capable of what only a professional could do years ago. Take advantage of modern technology and do it yourself!
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Keep your head. Yes, your wedding is the most special day of your life - but it is just one day of your life. What really matters is the marriage that follows the wedding. The number one cause of divorce is fighting over finances. Going into debt over your wedding is just starting everything off on the wrong foot. My wedding cost me under $1,000 and all of the guests still say it was the best wedding they ever went to. It's possible if you are creative and flexible with your plans!
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