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A Beautiful Wedding For Less

Not everyone has $10,000 to spend on a wedding, but how do you know where to cut corners without compromising on the things you really want? With a few changes, you can still have the beautiful wedding of your dreams without ruining your budget.

The basic principle of saving money on a wedding is to scale back. For instance, instead of hiring limos for the wedding party, just hire a limo for the bride and groom. Better yet, rent a Lincoln or Cadillac, or borrow a classic car from a friend. Instead of serving a five-course dinner, serve only three courses, or even set up a buffet. Opt for a less formal wedding.

With that idea in mind, here are a few specific suggestions for ways you can cut corners on your wedding without cutting style.

-  Fresh flowers help create the romantic and festive air of a wedding. Choosing flowers that are in season or that are less expensive per stem can save a significant amount of money. Ask your florist for ideas for flowers that are in your color scheme and in season to save on this bill. Consider using borrowed or rented potted plants for centerpieces to save on cut flowers.

-  Food expenses are another area that is easily trimmed. A buffet will cost less than a sit down dinner. Brunch or lunch receptions are also cheaper than dinner receptions. Buy your own alcohol, and use a smaller wedding cake for show and cut portions for guests from sheet cakes out of sight.

-  Rather than engraved invitations with extra enclosures, use thermography to print the invitations and skip the lined envelopes. Use a postcard for a response card. Don’t order anything oversize, or you’ll have to pay extra for postage.

-  If you want music for your reception, a DJ will be less expensive than a live band. If you really want a live band, find a smaller band to minimize this expense.

-  Shop carefully for your wedding gown. If you are not very sentimental, you might consider renting a gown. The groom can certainly rent a tuxedo rather than buying one, and there’s no reason to use designer tuxedos for groomsmen. If all the groomsmen rent from the same place, the groom’s tuxedo is usually complimentary.

-  Whenever possible, do it yourself. Have a friend do your hair and address your own invitations.

Sticking to your wedding budget is all about making choices. By scaling back on things that are less important to you, you should have the money for the things that really matter!