Two weeks ago I wrote a post on how to have a fun and frugal wedding. I got some great reader responses; folks made suggestions for more ideas on how to save, and just about everyone agreed that simple, low-key, and laid back were the ways to go when it came to weddings.
NCReaderGirl had her ceremony at a local park, and afterward put her bouquet to good use by having it double as added decor for the cake table. Rebecca from Stapler Confessions said some of her priorities for her wedding included having a meaningful ceremony and ensuring guests had fun. When it came to spending, the purchase had to fulfill those goals.
And Ashley from The Passion Hunt made another great point: everything bridal and wedding-related has evolved into a huge industry with an enormous influence over brides and grooms alike (not to mention their various family members). With that in mind, I wanted to share even more tips on how to keep your wedding budget low and reasonable so you can start out happily wed, not unhappily indebted.
Skimp on the Save the Dates and the Invites
Yes, invitations make excellent wedding mementos, and I don’t think you have to skip them completely. But you can save money. You don’t need to go to a specialty stationary shop or have a calligrapher address your envelopes. Instead, use a site like WeddingPaperDivas.com to create your own announcements and invites. That’s what I used when I got married – and I absolutely loved how all my paper products turned out. And the price ended up being hundreds of dollars cheaper than what a paper goods store had quoted me. Definite win-win.
Buy Used
Most things people have at their wedding are used that day and that day only. The wedding dress itself is a biggie, but think about it: what do people do with all that decor once the big day is over? Often, people turn to consignment stores to sell used wedding items. Be sure to at least check out a wedding consignment shop to see what you can purchased used – no one will ever know you didn’t buy it new for twice the price. You can also search on eBay or Craigslist for wedding-related items, or design pieces and materials that you want to turn into decor.
Or Repurpose Your Old Stuff
If you can’t stand the thought of buying used for your wedding, get creative with the items you do have on hand. Do friends or family members have home decor pieces they’d be willing to lend to the wedding? Do you have items in your own home – tables or chairs, for example – that could be put to work for the ceremony or reception so you don’t have to rent these things? My big “repurposed” piece was actually my engagement ring. The diamond is from my husband’s great-great grandmother; with so much history and meaning behind it, it is worth more to me than the biggest rock in any old jewelry store. I feel honored that I get to wear it.
Like & Follow
If you know of a vendor you want to use for your wedding – like a photographer, caterer, or DJ – be sure to like their pages on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Sign up for mailing lists if they have them. By doing this, you’ll see special offers, sales, and even coupons easily. Keeping up with businesses you’re interested in for covering some aspect of your wedding, be it the dress or the venue or anything in between, is a great way to get a cheaper rate via a business’s own special promotions.
Enter Giveaways
You heard correctly. The best way to keep costs low is to score free stuff, and there are multitudes of giveaways out there that can help you do just that. Just about every vendor or business in the wedding industry gets involved with contests with prizes or offers a giveaway, so take advantage and enter. If you’re already following a vendor on their social media accounts to snag coupons and discounts, you should be able to see when they provide a giveaway or contest, too. And who doesn’t love a good freebie?
I’ve even got a giveaway to get you started: you can enter to win $100 or $50 from Soulmates Dresses, a boutique specializing in wedding day dresses for the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom.
You can click the image to go to the Rafflecopter widget to enter the giveaway, or you can follow this link.
Giveaways may seem like a stretch as a money-saving device, but the fact is you can’t win if you don’t enter. David from Young Adult Money wrote an entire post explaining how you can benefit from entering contests like these, and that post is what inspired me to start entering some recently – and I’ve already won a $10 Amazon gift card!
If you can combine some tips from Part I with the ones listed here in Part II, I think you’ll be well on your way to having a great wedding that will be both meaningful and low budget. You can have the best of both worlds! It all starts with remembering why you’re getting married in the first place: to start a new life with the one you love.
