Getting married is such an important, and meaningful occasion to so many people. Saying I Do to the love of your life, surrounded by friends and family is something that will linger in your memory for years to come. Planning what will be one of the happiest days of your life, can also be quite overwhelming, however. When you consider the amount of organisation, as well as the cost that having a wedding entails, the stress that this creates can be quite considerable and risks turning such a beautiful occasion into a source of anxiety. If you plan carefully, however, and follow several tips to keep the wedding within budget and under control, then there is no reason for this occasion to be anything but a dream come true.
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Opt for an intimate wedding
If you feel happy having an intimate wedding rather than a large wedding, this can be one of the best ways to save money on your wedding. Having a limited guest list will mean that you can slash the cost of catering and cost of smaller things such as the wedding invitations and table costs etc. Telling people that you have an intimate wedding will mean that people are not offended, particularly if you have a large extended circle of friends and acquaintances. Choosing to continue with the intimate theme of the wedding by having it in a local church or registry wedding, as well as a cosy local venue will allow you to avoid the costs of large, expensive venues. For further inspiration on how to have an intimate wedding celebration then take a look at ideas on this website https://www.theknot.com/content/intimate-weddings and tailor any suggestions to suit your individual needs.
Go For Vintage Clothing
Opting for a vintage dress or suit, while often a dressed up way of saying second hand, is an excellent way of having a quality item at a fraction of the cost. Go to vintage wedding stores, hunt in thrift stores or look online for a wedding outfit that you can alter if you need to. Choosing to avoid wedding stores and look for dresses and suits for yourself and your bridesmaids and groomsmen will provide you with truly unique options, that will likely have only been worn once. The cost will be far lower than what you could find in boutique stores, but will still likely only have been worn once.
Shop around
Don’t just pick the first venue you visit, or choose the first photographer you find online. While you may want to sort out the wedding arrangements as quickly as possible, being smart with your choices, and waiting to find the right option for your budget will help you save money in the long run. If possible visit places in people, such as the cake maker or the florist, and see if you can get a deal from them. Be upfront and let people know your budget and see if they can cater towards your individual needs.
Using coupons
Make substantial savings by making the most of offers and deals and using coupons. There are so many things you will have to purchase for your wedding, ranging from centrepieces and bridesmaids dresses to the makeup you plan to use. Make savings on the small and even large things you need to purchase by using coupons that you can find on sites such as https://www.couponsherpa.com/ , and which can help you fit more into your budget.
You can even use coupons to save on the cost of your honeymoon if you keep an eye out for offers on getaways and hotel stays.
Buy In Bulk
You may have sorted out catering for the afternoon or dinner, however most weddings will also require a buffet option, or hors d’oeuvres to be passed around at some point. Rather than hiring someone to provide this for you, you can save a lot of money by providing this yourself. Choosing to buy items in bulk means that you can have good quality food at a cut price. A buffet is an excellent option for weddings where there are a variety of age groups, and this allows people to choose what they would like to eat and fussy eaters or children to have options.
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Buy Online
Websites such as https://www.etsy.com/, allow you to get unique and personalised items from independent sellers. The major plus of using online stores is that you avoid the costs that vendors have to include when they sell from a store. If you are looking for wedding accessories, clothes, and gifts to give your guests, then you are better off looking online as you will have a better chance of finding better quality items at a reduced price.
Get Your Family Involved
Your family will probably love to help you out with your wedding, and while this might be in the form of financial help, it is not just limited to this. Having a family day, where you get together and make centrepieces together, for example, can be a lovely family bonding experience which will allow everyone to feel part of the wedding and save you money of buying ready-made centrepieces. On the day of the wedding itself, you might want to ask family members to drive people to the venue and save on transport. You might also consider making use of family members or friends to help with the logistics of getting the wedding cake to the venue and setting the tables.
Provide Your Own Decoration
As previously stated, making your own centrepieces and indeed any other wedding decoration will save you a substantial amount of money, and allow friends and family to contribute to the wedding. Choose your flowers carefully, as flowers can drastically vary in price, depending on the type you choose. Going to wholesalers for your flowers will cut out the middleman and enable you to purchase the flowers you like and avoid the costs of a florist. If you have a very limited budget but still want to include flowers in your wedding, then consider using more greenery than florals around the venue and on the tables, which can create a beautiful leafy feel without having to purchase an abundance of flowers.