How to Reduce the Cost of Your Wedding

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by: AndiBeark
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Word Count: 602
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 Time: 9:32 AM
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Weddings are momentous occasions, and ones that a bride has envisioned in countless dreams. Understandably, every bride wants it to be a beautiful day that will stand out from every other. However, dream weddings come with a price. Most conservative weddings, with 150 guests or less, cost between $20,000 and $30,000. It is no wonder many are looking for ways to reduce wedding costs.

Lavish Weddings On A Budget
Increasingly, couples are opting to spend less and spend wisely on their wedding, choosing instead to save for their future. Budget Conscious Consumers are trending toward the creative to reduce wedding costs and still have beautiful and lavish celebrations to remember. The key: Being realistic, thinking outside the box and willing to put in time and elbow grease.

It Is What It Is
A limited budget does not have to limit the beauty of a wedding. The trick is to be flexible and shape the dream around the possibilities. If you dream of an expensive venue, an extensive guest list and a full course and open bar but your budget does not allow for that, dream within what you budget does allow, and work up. As you get creative and cut costs where possible, you can add many things you never thought possible.

Save Where Possible First
There are many ways to cut the costs of a wedding before you even begin. Everything from location, to time of day will impact the bottom line and every penny counts. When you plan, consider if it is something you, or someone you know, can do yourself more affordably. Is it a necessity that really adds to the big day? Will something more affordable work as well? While you plan, consider a few easy ways to reduce wedding costs:

• Consider do-it-yourself wedding invitations rather than pricey print shop versions. Many beautiful wedding invitations are available online and can also be further embellished.
• Use flowers that are in season, or even more creative, enlist the help of local gardeners. Floral wedding supplies can be affordably attained and with a little how-to help, you can have the best floral arrangements your guests have ever seen.
• Plan for an off season wedding when caterers, venues, and photographers are often cheaper.
• Enlist the help of friends. Chances are you have a friend whose photography skills can rival a professional, or someone who thrills at the thought of baking a cake.
• Opt for a smaller display wedding cake for the couple and wedding party and a coordinating sheet cake for the guests. It is much more affordable, and the guests will never know the difference.
• Borrow a wedding dress or buy one online. You can look stunning and save money.
• Consider alternative venues. Renting a historic home or elegant ball room may be ideal in your dream, but not for your pocketbook. The venue is not only the most important elements; it is also a place that gives a lot of room to reduce wedding costs. With some creativity, there are many options out there. Parks, beaches and even homes offer more than you might imagine.

Add In What You Can
Once you have found every area to reduce wedding costs, add in some of the things you had earlier ruled out, choosing the ones most important first. Chances are, once you have found an alternative, you will like it just as well, if not more. You can save the money for a spectacular honeymoon, or a down payment on a house.

About the Author

For Andi Beark, planning her niece's wedding on a budget was challenging. She used dried flowers to make the bouquets herself, do it yourself wedding invitations, and friends and family to decorate the venue. This left just enough to pay the DJ. PaperDirect made shopping for invitations easy with their templates and printable invitations, leaving plenty of time to celebrate the happy couple.