-
Step 1
Wedding magazines are great places to get ideas to help you plan your magical day. However, subscriptions can become costly. With most weddings already pricey, consider getting free wedding magazines. See the resources below.
-
Step 2
Enlist the services of family and friends. Does someone in your family own or operate a florist shop, catering business, restaurant, print shop (for invitations), or anything else that you may find useful to help you with your wedding plans? Also, find out from family and friends if they have access to discounts and resources that may not be available to the general public.
-
Step 3
Skip the cocktail hour. If you are worried about your guests getting hungry before the reception is ready, schedule the reception to follow immediately after the ceremony.
-
Step 4
Plan on inviting only close friends and relatives. Keep your guest list simple. The price per head at a wedding can add up in the end. Limiting how many people you invite to your wedding will save you a lot of money later that can be put into other aspects of the wedding.
-
Step 5
Shop around for a caterer that who is willing to work with you on the presentation of the food and who is flexible enough to personalize the foods (e.g. for guests with food allergies or special dietary needs) at the price that you can afford. You may even consider having a reception with a buffet rather than a traditional full-course sit-down dinner. Check out the article, How to Find the Best Wedding Caterer (see resources below) to help you.
-
Step 6
Choose the date wisely. When selecting the day of your wedding, avoid the high seasons and locations whose prices may be greatly affected by peak wedding months. Saturdays also tend to be the choice day for people to marry. If you are flexible, plan on holding your wedding on any day of the week other than the notorious Saturday.
