How to Plan an Affordable Wedding That Does Not Look Cheap
Some brides and grooms spend thousands and thousands of dollars on their dream weddings. With careful preparation and effort, you can plan an affordable wedding that results in an equally enjoyable experience to a wedding that costs thousands of dollars more. Trim your budget of professional services and accessories that family and friends can provide for lower costs or even for free.
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Instructions
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Limit your guest list. Each person you invite to your wedding will cost a fee. Pare down your guest list to limit your fees.
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Print your own invitations or buy premade invitations to which you can add your detailed information. Computer programs, such as Microsoft Publisher, allow you to design invitations. Purchase card stock and make your own invitations that look professional but cost a whole lot less than invitations that are purchased preprinted.
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Choose a venue with reasonable prices. If you choose a restaurant, rather than a traditional wedding venue, you may get a better deal. Many restaurants can create a small dance floor in any restaurants to ensure you don't have to forgo the traditional wedding dance.
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Negotiate the price of the wedding venue of your choosing. Cut down on some of the extras that the venue offers. Limit or take away the cocktail hour for significant savings. If dessert comes with your wedding package, stick with just cake for dessert, rather than a dessert bar.
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Schedule your wedding on a Friday or a Sunday. At many wedding venues, Saturday is the most expensive day to have a wedding. Fridays are significantly less expensive. If you have many out-of-town guests who will have to travel anyway, a Friday night wedding work out well for all.
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Book a four-hour wedding instead of a five-hour wedding. One less hour at the wedding reception can save you money on the music and photographer, for instance
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Choose a venue that allows you to supply your own bartender and alcohol. Bringing your own drinks will save you money because you can buy the drinks in bulk beforehand.
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Choose inexpensive buffet options or menu choices. Skip the surf and turf in favor of less expensive chicken, pasta and vegetable dishes. The food doesn't have to be expensive to be good.
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Buy a dress that is on sale, used, rented or has fewer embellishments. Scour the sale racks at local bridal boutiques or consignment boutiques for gently worn dresses. Visit a bridal store that lets you rent your dress.
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Skip the unnecessary flowers. All a bride really needs is her bouquet. Bridesmaids do not need bouquets. Corsages are not necessary. Keep your flowers limited for major savings.
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Use disc jockeys and photographers who are new to their trades. They may be inexperienced, but that does not mean that they aren't professional. Choosing affordable services will go a long way in planning an inexpensive wedding.
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Purchase inexpensive centerpieces and party favors. Candles make lovely centerpieces and party favors that are affordable, especially when purchased in bulk. Other options for centerpieces are vases with inexpensive or fake flowers or picture frames with pictures of the bride and groom. Inexpensive wedding favors include decorative bags of candy or Christmas tree ornaments.
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Give your bridesmaids small gifts. They are involved in your wedding because they love you, not because of what you can give them. A small, meaningful gift can be as nice as an elaborate gift.
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Do your own hair, nails and makeup. If you can't do it yourself, ask a bridesmaid or family member to help.
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Purchase inexpensive thank-you cards at any store. The thank-you cards do not have to be personalized: The important part is what you write inside of them.
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References
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