Five Tips For Planning A Budget Friendly Wedding

Today's Guest Post is all about planning a wedding!


About Author:

Laura Greening is a mom and a part time wedding planner. She loves to write about wedding planning and preparation. She is currently working as a consultant for MyKidStudio, a flower girl dress store, based in Los Angeles, CA.

Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life. Yet planning it features at number seven on the Holmes-Rahe scale of stressful life events. This stress can be magnified if you are dreaming of the perfect wedding but your budget is very tight. However, with a few simple pointers you can still plan your perfect wedding at a lower cost.

   

 Tip One: 

Book Off Peak Regardless of where you live, peak wedding season tends to fall between May and October. Due to high demand everyone, from the venue to the caterer, tends to hike their prices. If you are willing to book at a less popular time of year, such as January, vendors are much more likely to offer competitive prices or at least negotiate on costs. If you have your heart set on a summer wedding, then you can cut costs by avoiding a Saturday. Consider holding your ceremony and reception on a Friday evening, or even holding the wedding celebrations during the afternoon. You can reap significant savings. 

 Tip Two: 

Know Your Priorities If you don't have the budget to create your dream wedding, decide which items are non-negotiable for you and your future spouse. A good investment of your wedding fund is a decent photographer. After all, you have put months of planning into creating one perfect day. You are going to want plenty of photos to remind you of that special moment in both of your lives. If something such as flowers are a priority to you both, ask yourself if there are aspects of that which you are willing to compromise on. Flowers can be one of the biggest costs when organizing a wedding, but if you are happy to restrict yourself to in-season blooms then you will be able decorate the venue at a much lower cost. 

 Tip Three: 

Shop Around For Your Perfect Dress If you are a bride who wants a big white wedding, the dress probably features highly on your priority list. Bridal shops can carry a beautiful selection but do not limit your search to specialist stores. Many department stores also carry a stunning range of gowns, and they are likely to be much cheaper than those found in a bridal shop. If, however, you do fall in love with an expensive gown, try to find out when the sales are. 

 Tip Four: 

Make Your Invitations Handmade invitations can look every bit as pretty and sophisticated as elaborate ones, and do not have to be difficult to make. Plenty of inspiration can be found online, and your crafty friends may be happy to lend a hand. 

 Tip Five: 

Consider A Buffet A sit down meal works out very expensive per head, so this is a good area for compromise if you are on a budget. A buffet is far cheaper, as the caterer does not need to provide waiters, and many guests love the increased opportunity for mixing and socializing. You might also want to consider a cupcake tower rather than a traditional wedding cake to save money on catering. With some careful planning, you can create a beautiful but budget friendly wedding. It will create a memorable day both for you and your partner, and all of your treasured guests.