Wedding Planning on a Budget
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Unless you plan to be married at the court house, it costs money to have a wedding,
even a small one. It is possible, however, to keep costs to a minimum and still have a
lovely event. The following ideas are meant to spark your thinking and creativity. You
will certainly think of other ways to save as you begin planning. By thinking creatively
and being willing to compromise, you can create a wedding that is long on memories,
yet short on costs.
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Facilities
By holding the ceremony and the reception at the same location, you will save rental
fees and transportation costs. If you can't afford the costs of a traditional wedding
venue, consider having your wedding at places such as senior citizens centers, fraternal
lodges (Moose, Elks, etc.), grange halls, Legion halls, and other facilities where large
groups gather during the week. Many are happy to rent their facility on the week-end
and most have kitchens and tables and chairs that you can use.
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If you or a family member is associated with a church, you may be able to rent it at a
reasonable price. Larger churches may have well-equipped kitchens that you can use. The women of the
church may be willing to help in the kitchen, including washing dishes and making
punch and coffee. This can be a great help and often the only payment required is a
donation to the women's organization of the church. Do be generous with the donation,
however. Members of senior citizen's centers may also be willing to help with your
reception.
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Some churches will also allow you to hold the rehearsal dinner there. You may have
to cook the food yourself, have it catered, or send out for pizza, but it can be less
expensive and more relaxed than taking the wedding party to a restaurant and you
will already be there for the rehearsal.
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Many hotels and other event locations allow you to hold both the ceremony and the
reception at their facility. You may be able to have one event indoors and the other
outdoors, giving the illusion of two facilities.
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Contrary to what most people think, having a reception at a private home is not
inexpensive unless the wedding is very small. You may have to rent tables, chairs,
linens, canopies, a dance floor, serving dishes, and other items and the cost adds up
rapidly.
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Wedding attire
A wedding gown need not be purchased in a bridal shop for a premium price. Attractive
gowns are available in a number of places and at reasonable prices. Consider renting
the bride's gown and/or the attendants' dresses. Gowns are also available in resale
shops, in catalogs, through the classified ads, and on the Internet. If you order from
a catalog or on-line, be prepared to pay shipping charges and to hire someone to do
alterations.
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Some Internet sites sell gowns at discounted prices. Be careful about purchasing in
this manner, since you have no guarantees of the quality of the dress or its cleanliness
and you may have difficulty returning it if there is a problem. You will also have to
find a local seamstress to make any needed alterations and someone will have to press
the gown.
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E-bay, the Internet auction site, is another source where you can find reasonably priced
gowns, both for the bride and the bridesmaids. Some gowns are sold by the owner
and may have been worn. Others are sold by bridal shops that are disposing of their
discontinued merchandise or shops that are going out of business. Before making a
purchase, find out the brand name of the gown, then do some checking, either on-line
or by visiting local shops that carry that brand, to determine the quality of a typical
gown. Also ask about stains, tears, or any other problems with the dress, since you
are buying the dress "as-is" and if a shop is closing, you won't be able to return it.
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Also look for gowns at local resale shops and in the classified ads in the newspaper.
Women who have broken their engagements or who have divorced sell their gowns
this way. You may be able to purchase a new gown for a fraction of the retail price.
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Formal dresses that can be worn by bridesmaids are often available near Christmas,
New Years, and prom time and can often be purchased on sale. The bride might also
consider wearing a gown meant for holiday wear rather than purchasing a traditional
wedding gown.
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You might choose to borrow a gown from a family member or a friend. If you or
someone you know sews, consider having them make the bridal gown, the attendants'
dresses, or the veil. Veils are quite easy and inexpensive to make. If you want a gown
that is covered with sequins and pearls, consider purchasing one without them and
sewing them on yourself. You can save as much as one-third of the cost of the dress
by doing it yourself.
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If you are planning a spring or summer wedding, you can often find Easter dresses
in stores as early as February that are perfect for the flower girl. Easter is also a good
time to purchase shoes for the flower girl as well.
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Flowers
It costs the least to choose common flowers that are always in season, such as daisies
or chrysanthemums, for your bouquets. You can create a lovely wild flower look by
using these flowers. Using silk flowers does not always save money, because they
are labor-intensive to arrange, but do compare costs. One nice thing about using
silk flowers is that you will be able to keep your bouquet. You may also be able to
create centerpieces using silk or dried flowers to use at the reception that can later
be used in your new home or given as gifts.
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Consider using sprigs of rosemary in place of flowers for boutonnières and corsages.
This is common in Europe and it adds a unique touch.
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Simple centerpieces can be made by floating a large blossom or a candle in a clear
glass bowl. Place it on a mirror tile to add sparkle. If a centerpiece is used at the
church during the ceremony, it can be moved to the reception area and placed on a
serving table. For spring weddings, consider using small potted plants for centerpieces,
then plant them in your yard or give them as gifts.
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Food
Etiquette dictates that food should be served at a reception, but what kind and how
much is up to you. The simplest and least expensive reception is one at which only
cake, punch, and coffee are served. If more food is desired, trays of vegetables,
fruits, cheeses, or hors d'oeuvres can be served. The most expensive reception to
prepare and serve is usually a sit-down dinner because of the wait staff and the china,
glassware, and cutlery needed. If you serve finger foods or a buffet, you may be able
to use paper products, which many caterers provide for free.
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To reduce the amount of food needed, schedule your ceremony for mid-afternoon or in
the evening after the dinner hour when your guests won't expect much food. A dessert
reception with a variety of desserts plus wedding cake is another popular alternative.
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If serving a dinner is important and you have invited a large number of guests to the
ceremony, consider having a punch and cake reception following the ceremony for all
of the guests, then having a second, smaller dinner reception for the wedding party,
family, and close friends. Hold the dinner at another location, not at the same place
where the first reception is held. You might hold the first reception in the church
fellowship hall, and then have the dinner at a home or a restaurant.
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If you plan to serve a buffet-style meal, you can prevent the large eaters from taking
more than their share the first time through the line by using smaller plates. That way,
everyone will be able to get through the line at least once before the big eaters come
back for seconds. If you are serving only hors d' oeuvres, then use 6" plates.
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When choosing your wedding cake, a three layer cake looks nice in your wedding
pictures and most will serve 110 to 150, depending on the diameter of the layers.
If you are inviting a large number of guests, order a smaller cake and supplementing it
with additional sheet cakes, which are much less expensive.
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Alcohol
Serving alcohol will dramatically increase the cost of your reception. To reduce costs,
onsider hosting only a champagne toast or serving no alcohol at all. If your family and
friends would usually expect alcohol to be served, you can avoid the problem by
scheduling your wedding for morning or early afternoon, since alcohol isn't normally
served early in the day. Provide soft drinks, punch and coffee as alternatives.
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Music
All weddings need music, particularly for the ceremony. If you are having the ceremony
in a church, the church organist or pianist will probably play for you for a modest fee.
If you are having the ceremony and reception at the same location, you might hire a DJ
to provide music for both. Don't use a CD player for your wedding, however, unless
there is no other alternative. Most CD players do not project sound well and turning
up the volume distorts the sound of the music.
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If you would like live music for your ceremony, check with the music department of
local high schools and colleges to find students and instructors who play for special
events. You may be able to secure a string trio or quartet, a classical guitarist, a harpist,
a flutist, or another group for a reasonable cost.
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If you have a brunch or lunch reception and you don't plan on dancing, you may be
able to have the house music at your reception location piped into your reception room.
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Photographs
When money is tight, the first thing many brides eliminate is the photographer, but most
regret it later. If you can't afford the services of a commercial wedding photographer,
contact local high schools or colleges and ask if the photography teacher will photograph
your wedding. Some teachers moonlight on the side, and are happy to have your
business. Ask to see samples of his or her work, or have the person take your
engagement pictures and see how you like the results. Don't allow a family member
or friend to take your wedding pictures unless the person has a good quality camera
and is trained in lighting, posing, and other aspects of photography.
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Videos
Today's video cameras have become so easy to use that most anyone can take
reasonably good pictures. If you can't afford to hire a professional videographer,
ask two or three friends to take pictures from different locations in the room during
the ceremony and reception. If one of your friends is good at editing, they can combine
the videos, add music, a picture of the invitation or program, and other special effects.
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Programs
If you will have 100 guests or more, or if you are including unique activities in the
ceremony, it is nice to have a wedding program. Programs can be printed inexpensively
at copy centers. You can design the program yourself on a computer, then simply
have it printed on colored paper. The printer can add a design, or you can use clip art.
Some copy centers are open 24 hours a day and will even print the programs overnight
just before the wedding.
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You can print the programs on your computer, but if you have an ink jet printer, you
may spend more for ink cartridges than what it will cost to have a printer do it.
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Decorations
Consider using potted bedding plants at an outdoor wedding or outside the entrance
to the church or reception center. They will add a touch of color, then you can take
them home and plant them in your yard or put them on a deck or balcony. Pots of
herbs make attractive centerpieces, especially for outdoor receptions. They can then
be given as gifts.
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Balloons are inexpensive and can be used to decorate tables or the dance floor. You
can rent a helium tank and blow up your own balloons if desired.
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Tulle comes in many colors and can often be purchased on sale at fabric stores. It
can be used to decorate banisters, arches, down the aisle, and in many other ways.
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Silk garlands made to resemble ivy, flowers, or evergreens can be purchased at craft
stores and used to decorate arches, stairways, and other places. Also look for clear
twinkle lights at craft stores and discount stores. They can be used everywhere,
including on bushes, trees, railings, arches, and more.
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Christmas weddings
If you are planning a December wedding, you may be able to incorporate some of the
church or event center's holiday decorations into your decorating plans. If there is a
Christmas tree in the reception area, place your gifts under it. If there are poinsettias
or greenery available, work them into your decorating plan. Be careful, however,
about having a December wedding and choosing colors for your wedding that do not
match the facility's decorations. If the church decorates in red and green, for instance,
purple would not be a good choice for one of your wedding colors. Since you will be
reserving the church or reception center months in advance, you will need to find out
from someone how they usually decorate for Christmas. That person should also inform
you when the facility begins decorating, so that you can see what decorations have
been used and what you might want to add for your wedding.
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..With a little planning and creativity, you can cut costs in every area of your wedding planning
and still have a lovely wedding that you and your guests will long remember.
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© Copyright 2001; Glenna Tooman, all rights reserved . Glenna Tooman owns Memory Makers Event
Planning, LLC located in Boise, Idaho. Visit our web site at
www.memorable-events.com
for more wedding planning tips.
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