Wedding Planning on a Budget
Wedding Planning on a Budget
There’s no doubt that planning a wedding can be expensive. However it is possible to execute wedding planning on a budget. The first thing you need to do as soon as possible after the engagement is decide on a budget. This will be the frame on which everything else is built. For example, a lavish wedding will take longer to plan so your wedding date will be further in the future, whereas a smaller wedding won’t take as long so you can choose a closer date if you wish. Think about what you can actually afford, not just what you want. Because while a wedding lasts only one day, a marriage lasts a lifetime.
Once you come up with a figure, or a price range, vow to stick to it. The next step is to find creative ways to make your wedding special while staying within your budget. One way is to make your own invitations. You can do that on your computer with card stock paper and a software program, there are plenty of inexpensive programs that help you make invitations and other documents. Another idea is to consider fake flowers rather than fresh ones, or at least choose fresh flowers that are in season at the time of your wedding.
Check around your local area for new bakeries and catering businesses, or better yet ask friends, family and co-workers if they know anyone in the business. Small and new businesses, especially when you are referred to them by someone they know, offer cheaper prices. You might even have a friend or relative who loves to bake and can put together a pretty wedding cake for a very low price. Or a relative or friend who loves cooking and can cater your wedding for a bargain.
Another thing you’ll need is a photographer. This is another professional for which you should do comparison shopping and ask for referrals. Also, have friends and family take plenty of candid shots for you and order the minimum package from the official photographer. If there are any snapshots from regular cameras you adore, you can have them enlarged to any size you like at many photo shops and even Wal-Mart.
There are also lots of helpful resources out there to help you with wedding planning on a budget. Check out books like Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing A Fantastic Wedding On A Realistic Budget by Denise Fields and Alan Fields, Stylish Weddings for Less: How to Plan Your Dream Wedding on a Budget by Catherine Sabino and How to Plan Your Own Wedding and Save Thousands — Without Going Crazy by Tracy Leigh.