Wedding Savings Ideas
Posted on: February 22, 2016
Outdoors Wedding Reception
Every bride has a wedding budget and a dream wedding but often many areas of the planning are overlooked for cost savings. With the proper tools and planning ideas, brides can still have an extraordinary wedding that won’t break the bank. Below are ideas to help with saving in areas of the ceremony and reception.
Have your wedding out of season
Venues always tried to keep their hall booked during the weekends, even when it’s not wedding season. During the fall and winter months, venues will discount their rooms.
Venue members, VFW, union halls, community centers
If you know anyone who is a member of any organizations such as VFW, Moose lodge, unions or live in a community with that may have a center which has a banquet hall. Typically the member can use their halls for a very reasonable cost.
Destination wedding
You may not have a guest list of 200+, but planning a destination wedding will save a considerable amount of cost. Plan a wedding in Hawaii or Mexico and blend your wedding with your honeymoon.
Have your wedding at your family or friends house which has scenic yard scape
Save on a venue and have your wedding and reception at a family or friends yard. A bonus would be if they have a nicely landscape yard giving your venue natures décor, or a nice pole barn for an inside area.
Use your mom’s or grandmothers wedding dress and or jewelry, make your own hair clips or add your own sparkling rhinestones on the dress.
Keep The Wedding Party Small
Instead of having a large wedding party , reduce the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. When you include the bouquets, boutonnieres, dinners, gifts and even attire if you’re helping with the cost. Take away the flower girl and ring bearer and include alternate ideas such as using the best man and maid of honor.
Trim the Guest List
You may have good intentions of inviting everyone to your wedding but you will save on your budget by reducing your guest list. The cost of each guest can cost $25.00 – $50.00, so the savings can add up fast.
Cut the alcohol
Your younger guest may not like your decision, but including alcohol with wedding can add upwards into the thousands. If alcohol is a must, don’t choose top shelf liquors, instead, include mid or lower shelf choices.
Bring in your own bar
Ask the venue if you can provide your own alcohol and choose just a few types of liquors and 1 type of beer in a keg.
Cut the champagne
Bubbly is always a choice for the traditional toast to the bride and groom. Provide sparkling juice in the bottle that looks like a champagne bottle. Guests who don’t drink alcoholic beverages will enjoy this.
Have a cocktail and appetizer only wedding reception
Have a small reception celebration for 2-3 hours of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres only. Include appetizers like platters of meats and cheeses, breads and veggie trays with dipping’s, fruits or other appetizing finger foods.
Overlooked Wedding Decorations
Don’t over decorate; many venues may have the perfect touch for your wedding decorations that will allow you to use limited decorations
Flower choices
Choose flowers that are in season, flowers are expensive especially if you want flowers that are out of season. Don’t skimp on the bride’s bouquet but have a toss bouquet with fewer flowers than the brides. With the bridesmaids, use more filler flowers like hydrangea’s, then add a few smaller flowers of the same type as the bridal bouquet. Forget the large floral centerpiece on your tables and either scale down on the quantity of flowers, use candles and look at rental centerpieces.
Shop around for catering
Many venues provide their own catering but ask if you can use your own and shop around for the best plate per person cost or utilize family of friends to help with the cooking.
Tone down the wedding cake
Wedding cakes can cost upwards into the thousands, tone down the design, instead of fondant use cream cheese of buttercream frosting. Cupcakes are very popular in place of cakes; opt to have a small cake for the bride and groom, then cupcakes for the guests. Keep with one flavor, multiple flavors add to the costs.
Plan way in advance
Give yourself plenty of time in planning your wedding, create a checklist of each areas of your wedding and put a cost you’d spend on each, this will help set your total wedding budget. It’s OK to move the costs you have planned around to different areas but keep within your budget.
Wedding Bliss-Baby Kiss 
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