Are you making plans for your upcoming wedding? Do you have a limited budget and want to cut costs wherever possible? Having a beautiful wedding that doesn't cost a fortune can seem like an impossible dream to many people. Fortunately, there are ways to cut corners without sacrificing aesthetics. Here are some tips to help you get started thinking outside of the box:
- Rent your dress: It's tradition for a bride to purchase a dress and then save it for her daughter to wear at her wedding. But more and more people are opting not to have kids at all. Even if you decide to have a daughter, there's no guarantee that she will be able to wear your dress, even if she does decide to wear something so "old fashioned" for her own wedding. So why potentially spend thousands of dollars on a garment that will be worn once and then stuffed into an attic or closet? Although less common than tuxedo rentals, it is still possible to rent a wedding dress for a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new one. You can then apply the savings to having a more elaborate wedding cake or to the catering at the reception.
- Look for non-traditional venues: There are many beautiful and stunning locations that cater to wedding events. Unfortunately, because they cater specifically to weddings and need to keep up appearances, they are often quite expensive. A wedding in a local city park can be free, or nearly so, depending on whether or not a permit is required for the event. But if that's not to your taste, what about a wedding in a nearby beautiful state park? Another stunning location that may get little notice from many people is that of a local botanical garden. Depending on the garden, you may be able to have the ceremony there for a very nominal fee or donation.
- Buffet-style reception: If you check out an itemized list of expected catering fees, the costs for serving everyone can be as expensive as the food itself. Cut down on these costs by having everything served buffet style. By doing this, you can still have professionally cooked delicious food at a lower cost. Also, skip the open bar. If people want more than the one or two drinks that you'll provide, you can let everyone know that they should bring their own wine. While the catering company may still charge corkage fees for opening and serving these bottles that your guests bring, these fees should be lower than purchasing the drinks from the catering company itself.
