Weddings are never an inexpensive affair. And it should not be so because it is a once-in-a-lifetime affair. However, there are ways to reduce costs which are actually not necessary. This will keep the wedding memorable and at the same time reduce the heartburn that comes with burning money! Here are ten elegant ways to minimize the wedding expenses without compromising on the quality of the wedding.
Cheap wedding invitation ideas
It is claims that an average of about $300 is spent by a couple on invitation cards themselves. If you are even slightly of an artistic nature, you could get your own cardboard charts and create the invites. It will be a fun exercise, every card will be personalized and it will be economical – a complete winning situation for all concerned. Even if you feel you are not capable of that, there is no need for worry. Hundreds of websites allow you to create your own card which you can then print inexpensively. The best, however, would be to use e-invites as much as possible.
Cheap wedding flower ideas
Flowers are also very expensive and it would be a wise idea to choose flowers that are in season. Obtaining them from a wholesaler after proper bargaining will get you a good deal. Better still would be to find a venue which is already naturally enhanced with flowers like a garden. Ribbons and bows can go into the decorations to reduce the dependence on flowers. One could also utilize flowering plants like gardenias, azaleas and chrysanthemums which are much cheaper than actual floral decorations. The cheapest would be to make use of paper and crepe flowers which lend the same visual beauty as far as photos and videos are concerned.
Cheap wedding food and catering ideas
Food will most likely be the most expensive part of the wedding. To cut down the costs dramatically, you should keep the wedding short and time it perfectly. Keeping it short will help skip one course. Hosting a lunch instead of a dinner will help you economize because usually, the guests’ expectation from a lunch is much lower than their expectations of a dinner. Reduce the food choices – variety always costs and often gets wasted. Most of the caterers are open to and used to working on budgets. So confide in them and take their advice. Set up a buffet which helps you cut down on personnel cost.
Cheap wedding dessert ideas
Desserts are rich foods in more than one sense – they involve a lot of costs! With a little intelligence, desserts can be made cheap and fun too! Creating a wedding reception sweets table and asking close family members to make different desserts will increase the available variety and reduce the burden on you. Instead of going for exotic and expensive desserts, having a sundae bar with a large variety of ice-creams that can be custom served would be fun and cheap at the same time. A colorful candy buffet is pleasing to the eye and is easy on the wallet too!
Cheap wedding favor ideas
Wedding favors are a real nice way to show one’s appreciation and gratitude to the guests. Though they are relatively inexpensive, purchasing them in large quantities could be heavy on the pocket. The secret lies in searching intensively and extensively on the internet. You will be able to get favors for under $2 per piece. Avoid going to large outlets, boutiques and local wedding stores because the overheads of a brick and mortar structure raises the price of the favors. Always purchase the favors in large quantities which gets you good discounts.
Cheap wedding cake ideas
The two most important traits of the wedding cake are that it should be tasty and should look good. Being expensive is not a necessary trait at all! The cheapest way would be to bake your own cake. If you are ordering, you could order two – a small and well decorated one to be cut and a large one with the same icing to be served to the guests. There are professionals who can add on ‘false cake’ to make the cake look much bigger than it actually is and this will be a money-saver. And the best idea for a cheap wedding cake would be to avoid buying a ‘wedding cake’ as such. Buy a large variety of ‘everyday’ cakes instead!
Cheap wedding dresses ideas
The bridal gown is a vital part of the wedding but you would be wearing it only once in your life. So it does make sense to economize on it. Start by shopping at seconds. They stock some real lovely gowns which have been used only once. Shopping online will be cheaper and get you more variety to choose from. You could choose some grand dress that you already have and get it re-done for the wedding. Even if it is not white, you could add on a piece of tulle or satin to it. Borrow the dress that your mother used – it will carry a sentimental value also. When all else fails, you could borrow your friend’s gown too.
Cheap wedding decoration ideas
Decoration is one area which often takes up a lot of dollars. Choosing wisely and well would help save lots of money. For instance, if your wedding falls near a holiday, avoid ordering flowers because the churches and halls will already be decorated. Even better, try to fix a date which coincides with Easter or Christmas celebrations. Candles are a nice and elegant way to adding a lot of ambiance at a low cost. Purchase the tall and sturdy ones for a real grand effect. You could also start hand-making decorations well in time before the marriage. The internet has hundreds of tutorials on making decorations.
Cheap wedding band/ring ideas
Wedding bands or the wedding rings are symbolic of the never-dying love between the couple. No wonder then that everyone tries to buy the most expensive ones because of the false notion that price equals quality! Demolish this notion and look for the wedding bands at either discount stores or online. Avoid the traditional jewelry stores. Titanium and tungsten are cheaper and viable options for making wedding bands that look neat and last long. Also, using some heirloom wedding band gets you a free ring along with tremendous sentimental value.
Cheap wedding drinks ideas
Drinks could be a major cash-burner during weddings. But many times, a wedding is remembered from the wedding drinks alone! Choose the same caterer who gets your food to get the drinks too in a package deal. This will work out way cheaper. Do not go for the best brands – you will be paying for the label along with the drinks! Reduce the salt content in the food being served for salt makes one thirsty more often.