Dreaming of Your Wedding Day?
Lacey |
Thoughtfully composed by Lacey Filed under: Wedding |
Many young girls, and certainly some boys, dream about their wedding day. Even when the emerging trend has been to live together without the benefit of marriage, plenty of people still harbor fantasies of white gowns and fondant-covered pedestal cakes. Unfortunately, though, such grand ideas come with a price tag – and, in today’s difficult economic climate, there is increasingly less of a guarantee that parents, family or friends will be able to help with the cost of a wedding. It is prudent of a potential bride and groom to prepare in advance for their big day and to be willing to cover the lion’s share of the expenses. There are many ways to make a lovely wedding affordable – no matter the number of guests. The keys are planning, flexibility and common sense.
It is critical that the wedding couple decide first on the type of wedding they want. Will it be local? Will there be travel involved to a hometown or family location? Is a destination wedding the ideal? Will there be an overall theme for the event? Even an approximate wedding size should be decided upfront. Each of these decisions, in and of itself, will impact on the budget.
And there it is. The “B Word.” Budget. Whether or not a couple feels they need one, a wedding budget is necessary. It is far too easy to spend a little extra here or just a few dollars more there and, before you know it, you enter into holy matrimony already in debt. Therefore, as soon as the preliminary planning is underway, the couple should begin saving (if they have not done so already). The most manageable solution for many is to open a bank account that is only for the wedding. Decide how much will be saved from each pay check and, either take responsibility for depositing it each time or set up automatic transfers directly with the bank. No transactions should ever go through this account that do not entail saving or spending for the wedding. The couple should also be prepared to revise their savings amount as they start to see the impact of actual expenses.
There are so many way to make a wedding affordable. It simply entails the willingness to make some compromises and to do a little leg work. Here are some money savers:
1. Plan the wedding for an “off-season.” This does not apply only to destination weddings. It is typically popular to marry between April and September. Not everyone has to be a spring or summer bride. Consider marrying in the winter – most especially right after Christmas and New Year’s. Reception halls are readily available, as are most of the other services, and a great deal of what needs to be purchased can be found on sale.
2. Become well-acquainted with “DIY.” Meaning “do it yourself,” this can extend to everything from making your own invitations to decorations and favors. Let’s consider that winter wedding. There is a lot of ornate and truly beautiful stationery available for holiday use. Much of this is readily adaptable for a wedding and will be sold for half price or less, post-season. Office supply stores also carry boxed sets of wedding stationery that include everything from the invitations to reception and thank you cards. Make sure to have access to a good quality printer and spend the time to experiment with font types and set-ups. Many fonts can be downloaded for free online and there is a wealth of websites offering invitation wording suggestions. Visit craft stores and department stores after the holidays, as well, and take advantage of clearance pricing on decorating supplies. Wired ribbon, perfect for creating pew bows, trimming candle stands and doorways, is a great after-holiday bargain. Various types of branches, pine cones, and glass or metallic ornaments will contribute grandly to a winter themed wedding and can be used to create centerpieces or altar decorations. For the wedding on a budget, forego the cost of fresh flowers. Have a candlelit service with the bride and her attendants carrying pillar candles in holders hand-decorated with the types of craft supplies just mentioned.
3. Consider the cost of associated services and which are the most important to the couple. Huge savings can be made here. Is it necessary to rent limousines or are the friends and family that can take on the task of driving the wedding party? Is a live band necessary or will a dj with recorded music suffice? Will there be a full bar service or perhaps a punch fountain? Is it critical to the couple to have a wedding album or video? Almost everyone has a camera these days, most of them digital, and it can be a lot of fun to obtain copies of the guests’ candid shots. Alternately, the couple can place disposable cameras on every table and encourage their guests to be their photographers. The bride and groom can economize by only posing for a few “official” photos with a photographer at a different time.
Saving for a wedding is not difficult. It does, however, require dedication and a sincere desire to avoid debt. However, if the couple bears in mind that many of the most difficult times in a marriage involve disagreements and stresses over money, starting off their life together having learned some sound financial responsibility may be the greatest gift they can give one another.
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