Money Saving Tips

Below are some of our favorite money saving ideas - we'll be adding more
ideas soon.

Before you begin planning your wedding you must decide on two things. Your budget and the size of your guest list. All other details will be determined by these two factors. The amount of money you have to spend will affect the formality of the wedding, the location at which you have it, and the number of people you can afford to invite. The cost of food and drink at a reception is generally calculated on a variable, or per person basis, and this amount will be the largest expense you incur.

But don't think that unless you have an extravagant budget, you can't have a big wedding. There are many things you can do to keep the cost down and still include the number of people you want to invite. For example, it's less expensive to hold a wedding reception on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon than in the evening. And Friday night can be cheaper still. Or you might consider a morning wedding followed by a brunch. Most banquet facilities and caterer's offer a variety of menu options that will help you tailor your reception as well.

However, if you want to go all out and have a formal black-tie wedding with an elaborate sit-down dinner and eight-piece band, it makes sense to keep the guest count down. The fewer people you have, the more you will be able to "upgrade" the reception.

Before you make any final decisions, it's smart to talk with both of your families about your plans. There's a good chance that each of your parents has some preconceived ideas about your wedding, and you don't want to step on anyone's toes.


Who's Paying?

Traditionally, the bride's family paid for the majority of the wedding and
reception expenses. The lucky groom's family got off with just the rehearsal
dinner, and the groom picked up the cost of the marriage license, the bride's
engagement and wedding rings, the honeymoon, the bride's bouquet, corsages
for the mothers, the boutonnieres, and the officiant's fee.

Times are changing though! Recent polls show that nearly 80% of all newlyweds
pay for the majority of the wedding and reception themselves. Another popular
option is to have the bride's family, the groom's family, and the couple each
contribute one third.

Keep in mind that money often comes with strings attached. If you do accept
financial assistance from your parents, you will be somewhat obligated to
consider their ideas. If it creates an uncomfortable situation, you may want
to politely decline.


Trimming Your Guest List

The size of your guest list will greatly affect the total cost of your wedding. It is rare - whether dealing with 40 or 400 guests - not to have to trim down the original guest list. It is very likely several people will be helping decide who to invite - probably you, your fiancé, and both families - and each will have his or her own idea about who is necessary to invite and who can be eliminated. To keep things from getting to hectic, try the following tips for trimming your guest list.

• Have everyone involved in the inviting submit a list of the people they'd like to attend. They should rank the names in order of importance, from top to bottom.
• · Compare the lists and cross off any duplicates.
• · Add up the names that are left and compare that number with your estimated guest count.
• · If your count is over the limit, determine how many names you need to eliminate.
• · Then have each person cut an assigned number of names, starting from the bottom of his or her personal list.

Budget

Painless Ways To Cut Cost

Flowers can be a large piece of the budget. Rent silk floral arrangements
instead. If you want fresh, buy fewer flowers and stretch them with greenery,
candles, tulle and ribbon.

• Plan your wedding in the holiday season to take advantage of seasonal decorations already in place at your reception hall.
• Tulle, tulle, tulle! This versatile netting is a favorite trick of party planners.
• Drape it in archways, doorways and table edges.
• Tie large bows to ends of pews.
• Drape and tie around chairs at reception. Create a canopy.
• Hang it from a hoop suspended from the ceiling to form a column. Don't hem it -- let it puddle on the floor.
• Place in front of small white lights to create a soft glow.
• Instead of a bouquet, carry a family Bible, a basket, a wreath or a single flower.
• Skip the aisle runner. Two good reasons:

1. It gets tangled, ripped and dirty very quickly;
2. Most churches or temples have dark carpet or wood in the aisle, which creates a wonderful contrast against your white dress -- A white aisle runner makes your train disappear!

• Balloons are an economical decoration. Many balloon providers can create an arch for your dance floor or entry.
• Sprinkle confetti or potpourri over the table top. Cover with a glass top, lace or tulle.
• Create your own guest book by covering a scrapbook or journal with satin or linen. Use a beautiful pen...skip the cheap feather pen.
• Use printed sheets instead of renting tablecloths. After the wedding, use the sheets in your new home.
• Buffet service is usually cheapest. For a really tight budget, ask your family's best cooks to create the entire dinner or supplement the caterer.
• Use lots of candles to create an ambiance -- large, fat ones tied with French ribbon; tall, thin ones in elegant candlesticks; votives of all shapes and sizes. Don't go overboard on scented candles -- you don't want to overpower the food.
• The biggest cake expense is decoration. Garnish a plain cake with fresh flowers.
• Buy a small decorated cake for cutting and photos. Serve guests from sheet cakes. Once it's cut, they will never know the difference.
• Hang curled french ribbon from the lights or ceiling.
• Set votive candles in a clear glass bowl of coarse (kosher) salt for a "candles in the snow" effect.· Decorate a serving bowl by placing it in a larger bowl or basket. Fill the space with fresh flowers, colored water or ivy.
• Bring nature inside. Use pine cones, branches, wildflowers or pine greenery to create an outdoorsy feel.
• Blow up a favorite photo of the two of you at Kinko's or Office Max. Have the guests sign it instead of a guest book.
• Print the menu and seating cards on your PC. Place the menu in a small, gilt frame at each table.
• Make inexpensive favors. Buy inexpensive stemmed glasses at Wal-Mart or Target. Fill them with candies or almonds and tie with tulle.
• Skip the cake knife set. Bring your own and tie on French ribbon or raffia.
• Forgo the traditional meat main course. Try pasta or stir fries.
• Go easy on your bridesmaids too! Let them rent a gown since they'll probably never wear it again.

Deluxe

Great Ideas That Say Wow

• Pass out candle tapers to each guest as they arrive. After lighting the unity candle, the bride and groom walk down the aisle, lighting the candle of the guest seated at the end of each pew. Each guest lights the candle of his/her neighbor. Strikingly effective during an evening wedding.
• Don't leave doorways plain. Create an entrance with draped tulle or fabric, ficus trees, flowers, archways or potted topiaries. If using fabric, use flowers, French ribbon or ivy as tie backs.
• Feature "party stations" instead of a buffet or sit down dinner. Several individual areas with each offering various styles of food.
• Create unique invitations that reflect your personality. Instead of thermography, opt for "letterpress", an old fashioned printing process that yields an antique, handmade look.
• Incorporate professional music at your ceremony. Traditional options include string quartet, trumpet, organ, classical guitar, harp, violin and flute. Or consider bagpipes, a gospel choir, fiddle, bell choir, steel guitar or mandolin.
• For the reception:

1. Set off indoor pyrotechnics for your grand entrance and or first dance. Your guests will be amazed!
2. Use a professional DJ that offers intelligent lighting: Intelligent lighting can be used to spotlight your grand entrance (in your choice of colors), first dance etc. It can also be programmed to create an amazing light show for the dancing portion of the evening.

• Treat your bridal party to a day of pampering at a local spa.
• Think beyond "bridesmaid" gowns. Find an understated, simply cut cocktail dress available in everyone's size.
• Dress all the bridesmaids in white as well.
• Put the ring bearer in navy blazer paired with shorts and knee socks or white pants.
• Swag tulle or satin between pews. Guests enter from the outside wall.
• Create topiaries studded with fragrant lemons, dried flowers or ivy.
• Create overhead interest:

1. Drape long swaths of fabric across the ceiling from wall to wall.
2. Hang cloth banners over each table.
3. Suspend globe topiaries by ribbon.

• Fill terra cotta planters with sand and insert groups of candles. Finish the pots with ribbon or gold paint.
• Have an ice sculpture of your initials.
• Hire a different musician for dinner such as a strolling violinist or harpist. Switch to a DJ or band after dinner.
• Use garden statues such as cherubs or busts for a sophisticated, museum feel.
• Make copies of the sheet music to "your song". Roll into cones and fill with potpourri or petals. Hand out to guests to toss after the ceremony.
• Buy candlestick lamps with shades and place two at each table.
• Instead of a ring pillow, carry the ring in a treasured heirloom box lined with velvet.
• Design your own wedding jewelry. Have a cameo necklace or brooch made from myour portrait. It will become a treasured family heirloom.
• Find a baker who bakes from scratch with quality ingredients -- then imagine the design of your dreams:

1. Create a cake of stacked "presents"
2. Adorn the cake with marzipan fruits or bows
3. Design a cake in all white or ecru
4. Wrap the cake layers with white or dark chocolate "ribbon"
5. Cover the cake with edible gold filigree in a harlequin pattern

So, you've just gotten engaged. Congratulations! You're about to be inundated with advice from everyone and their brother. What we're going to tell you you're not going to be hearing from many people.

The first thing any bride-to-be should do after saying "yes" is, "Show me the money!" If you're anything like the average couple in the United States, you're predicted to spend about $20,000 for your wedding.

Is all of this hoopla really going to be worth $20,000?
Let's think about what else you could do with $20,000.

1. It could be the down payment on a new home that's worth over a quarter of a million dollars.
2. It could pay for a graduate degree at most state schools.
3. It could get you a pretty nice new car.
4. You and your spouse could take a trip around the world.
5. You could start your own business.

Or you can throw a party that will last about four hours. Makes you think doesn't it?

You need to decide what is most important to you. If you've always dreamed of having a huge blow-out wedding complete with Barbie doll bridesmaid dresses and a honeymoon in Paris, then now is the only time (hopefully) that you're going to get a chance to do it. So go for it!

But, if you're like most of us, chances are that while those ideas of pearl taffeta and tiaras sound romantic, the truth is that we've got some more down-to-earth things that we'd rather do and a limited amount of money with which to do them.

So, what to do?
Well, first of all, who's going to be paying for the wedding and reception? Traditionally the bride's parents have paid for most of the wedding and reception, but recent polls have shown that nearly 80% of all newlyweds pay for the majority of the wedding and reception themselves.

If you find yourself in that category, you might want to take a cue from some of these people who broke with tradition and still had beautiful, memorable weddings.

• Tim and Jackie rented a county-owned historic site next to a beautiful river for their ceremony. Afterwards, they had a barbecue cookout for their reception. Dress was casual and the music was provided by a DJ. They splurged on the honeymoon and went to Tahiti.
  Total cost: About $9,300.
• Dustin and Lisa used his parent's farmhouse in rural Indiana for their outdoor ceremony and reception. The wedding was in late summer and earlier in the year they had planted sunflowers all over the farm. By the time the wedding came around the entire property was adorned with huge smiling flowers. The food was prepared by Dustin's family and the wine was homemade.
  Total cost: About $2,000.
• Anthony and Heather rented an outdoor area of a local amusement park for their ceremony and reception before their hiking trip/honeymoon around the world. Guests received T-shirts that said "Anthony & Heather's World Tour" with all of the places that they would be going on the back. They served barbecue, hamburgers and ice cream.
  Total cost of wedding: About $2,500.
  Total cost of honeymoon: About $12,400.
• Joshua and Renee wanted their own house more than anything else. They let it be known to all of their guests that instead of gifts they'd really rather have help with the down payment of their house. While Miss Manners probably wouldn't have approved, their friends were asked to send checks to a bank account set up for the occasion. The wedding and reception were held at their church.
  Wedding cost: About $2,000.
  Money raised for their new home: $9,500.

Bottom line, have fun, and spend the most on what is most important to you.