Did you know that the average cost of a wedding today is $16,000?
Start shopping right away. You won't feel rushed or pressured into buying something, and you'll be able to shop smart. Think about buying a white bridesmaid's dress. Watters and Watters has some especially gorgeous ones, and you'll pay about $250! Nicole Miller is another choice; her dresses can be easily and beautifully worn again. They average about $450. Keep in mind that simpler, unembellished dresses may be less expensive than ornate ones decorated with crystals, beads, and lace. Buy a sample dress. If you're lucky enough to be the right size to fit into a dress right off the rack as opposed to having it made for you, you can save serious bucks. Only thing to remember: you'll probably need to get the dress dry-cleaned before the wedding. Rent or borrow. Check in the Yellow Pages for resale/rental stores near you, or ask girlfriends whose dresses you liked if they'd mind if you wore theirs. This may be touchy, there are definitely many women to whom the dress is sacred. So be tactful and selective about who you ask. If it (generally) fits you and you like it, wear your mom's dress, the cost of alterations or adding embellishment (beads, lace) will be minimal compared to the cost of a new dress.
The Space Friday and Sunday are less-expensive days to schedule a wedding, Saturday is the most popular, sought-after day. There will probably be better availability for Friday and Sunday dates, and you may be able to get a lower rate on the space. Think off-peak months and hours: November through April and lunch/brunch/teatime. Rates will probably be reduced, and the food for these meals is often cheaper and easier to prepare.
If you book the reception space far ahead - a year or more - you may be able to negotiate a better price than if you're scrambling at the last minute. (On the other hand, if you're planning in a rush, sites that are not yet completely booked for the next few months may welcome your business at a reduced rate.) Instead of a grand ballroom or banquet hall, think creative, less-expensive sites, like university buildings, publicly owned buildings and parks, community centers, the church or temple hall, the backyard, the beach, a photography studio, an art gallery, a restaurant's private room. (You may have to get a permit to marry in a public place, but it will be less than a private banquet room for sure. Other expenses you might incur instead: renting a tent, tables, dinnerware, etc.) Borrow items like punch bowls, dishes, tables, glasses, and linens if you can instead of paying to rent them. If you do rent, make sure everything is returned on time, so you won't pay late charges.
Food and Liquor Stationary appetizers (crudites, cheese and crackers, olives, bread with spinach dip) cost less than passed hors d'oeuvres, which also require wait staff. Choose cheaper entrees, like chicken instead of beef, or pasta instead of scallops. Simpler vegetables like broccoli instead of asparagus will cut the cost, too. Cut down on courses. If you're having a cocktail hour, do you really need an appetizer course? Do you need soup *and* salad? Instead of a seated dinner, consider a buffet or pasta bar. Think ethnic! Mexican, Indian, Italian, or Chinese food is fun and much cheaper per person than the traditional wedding menu. See if your favorite neighborhood restaurant caters. Plan food around a theme -- have a Southern-style barbecue, or a Tex-Mex feast. Foods bought in bulk may cost less. Have the wedding cake only as dessert and eliminate any other sweets (eclairs, pastries, etc.). Consider a wedding breakfast or brunch (omelettes, muffins, pancakes, French toast), or a tea (a variety of tea flavors, finger sandwiches, scones and jams, etc.) to save money on food and labor. Bloody Marys and Mimosas will save on alcohol and complement these foods well. People will also drink less liquor at these times of day. Get a small, decorated cake to cut during the reception, and supplement it with a sheet cake of the same flavor that's cut in the kitchen for guests. Think about a cocktail reception, with just drinks and hors d'oeuvres, or a champagne-and-cake reception after the ceremony. Time them appropriately (early or late afternoon), so that guests will not expect a full meal. Serve only wine, beer, and soft drinks at the open bar, plus a round of champagne for the toasts. Serve traditional wedding punch -- you'll need less liquor, and you won't have to use the most expensive brands. Buy liquor yourselves; you may be able to return unopened cases, instead of paying a flat rate to your caterer or banquet manager for a set amount of open-bar hours. Close the bar an hour before the reception's end, and just serve soft drinks, sparkling water and coffee. This should also reduce the risk of tipsy guests attempting to drive home.
Photos Compare hourly fees and package deals to see which is more cost-effective for you. Place a disposable camera at each table for guests to take candids at the reception to fill out your album. Have a professional photographer take the formal pictures and shoot the ceremony; have guests take all reception photos. Call an art school's photography department and check out some of the students' portfolios. Find out how long the photographer will keep your negatives; you may decide to buy prints later, after the other wedding bills are paid.
Videos Ask if the videographer will do a scaled-back package for less money. Eliminate special effects or extra editing, for example. Have one roving camera at the reception and multiple cameras just at the ceremony. Too many cameramen at the reception might be overwhelming to guests, anyway. If you have a friend or relative with a video camera, ask him or her to videotape your wedding as a wedding present.
Flowers Use flowers that are in season and/or locally grown -- they're less expensive than out-of-season flowers that must be shipped to your area.
Trim huppahs, trellises, pews, etc., with more greenery than actual blooms. They will still look lush! Use multiple, less-expensive flowers in bouquets, like baby's breath and daisies, with ivy to fill them out. Or, walk down the aisle carrying one or two large, stunning blooms, like roses, orchids, tulips, lilies of the valley, or sunflowers, tied with a ribbon. If you're getting married in a naturally flowering place, like a park or garden, you may not have to bring in many more flowers or plants at all. If you're marrying around Christmas or Easter, your church may already be decked out beautifully. (But beware the Valentine's Day wedding, when rose prices will be outrageous.) Take ceremony flowers along to the reception site. Or, arrange to share the cost of ceremony decorations with the couple marrying directly before or after you that day. Mix silk or dried flowers in with fresh ones in table centerpieces. Or, put pretty flowering plants on the tables as a less-expensive alternative.
Music DJs generally will cost less than live bands. Hire students from local universities or music academies to play or sing during the ceremony. Ask a talented friend or relative to do a solo at your ceremony. Hire in-house musicians from your church or temple; since they already receive a salary there, their fee may be nominal, or at least less than that of outside musicians. Ask bands about the minimum amount of time they will play at a reception. You might have them play for three hours, from the first dance to the cake cutting, with supplementary taped music for the cocktail hour and to wind down the party. Consider hiring a three- or four-piece combo instead of a larger band or orchestra -- you'll also save on tips, meals, etc. Ask if any of the musicians play another instrument; if the pianist also plays the guitar or violin, perhaps he or she can also provide cocktail-hour music, and you won't have to hire another musician.
Invitations Consider thermography, which is a less-expensive process than engraving, but still gives a raised look to the words. Ask stationers if a package price is available if you order all your stationery at once (invitations, thank-you notes, announcements, etc.). Send invitations that are light enough when completely assembled to require only a single stamp for mailing. For weddings with less than 50 people, formal invitations are not required; you can send handwritten invites on the paper of your choice. If you or a friend or relative are handy with a personal computer, you can design your own invitations at a nominal cost. Or if you want to be truly modern (as well as thrifty), you can send your invitations via e-mail!
Transportation Use limousines for the minimum amount of time, instead of having the driver wait, hire one limo to go to the ceremony and reception and another one to pick you up at the end of the reception. Only hire a limo for the bride and groom; have attendants driven in relatives' cars, or have them drive themselves in groups. Ask about different types of cars - luxury limos might contain a TV and VCR, unnecessary for a wedding day. A corporate limo might be perfect for your needs, but will cost less. Borrow or rent a gorgeous sports car or antique car from a friend or relative.
If you're planning a wedding, sit down, take a deep breath and don't panic. There are plenty of ways to cut costs on your wedding and still have the wedding of your dreams. Here are some suggestions for holding a wedding bash without breaking the bank:
| The Dress | The Space | Food and Liquor | Photos | Videos |
| Flowers | Music | Invitations | Transportation |
The Space
Food and Liquor
Photos
Videos
Flowers
Music
Invitations
Transportation
Happy cost-cutting!
