In today’s’ economic uncertainty more and more couples are looking for ways to cut cost and still get the wedding of their dreams. I’ve heard of many things that Bride and Groom’s are doing and unfortunately many of the things they are trying wind up costing them more money in the long run. Saving money on your reception can be easy, but it requires you to do a little work .
I often find budgeting to be the biggest issue with saving money on a wedding reception, why? Well that’s an easy question! Most Bride and Groom’s have no idea what they want to spend, what they should spend, or what they CAN spend on their wedding. And, if you don’t know, how can you ever save money. The first thing every Bride and Groom need to do is come to the truths of what they are willing, able, and comfortable spending on their wedding day…there is no wrong answer to this question. Secondly, before any ideas are considered, before any plans are made you need to make a list of everything that makes up a wedding and prioritize the things that are important to you. This is basically a double duty list. On the one hand it will give a ranked system of where your precious budget dollars will be allocated and on the other hand it is a list of the things you are willing to live with less of, to give to the things you want more or the areas where you can shave off dollars and cut back the budget all together.Another way that couple can save money on planning the wedding of their dreams is to hire a wedding planner. I often hear couples say that they can’t afford a wedding planner, but you really must know that any wedding planner worth their weight can not only save you enough money to cover their fees but the expertise they bring will help save money on time, mistakes, and stress. And let’s face the fact, stress is bad; physically, emotionally, and mentally…let someone else deal with it.
One of the best ways to get more bang for you buck is to meet with the vendors that you truly like. Do not let price deter you from a consultation with your dream vendors…I know you just went “What!” More often than not higher priced vendors bring you much greater value to the money you are spending. They often offer a greater level of service, more attention to detail, deeper levels of personalization, and more benefits than other vendors. Even if the higher priced vendor is way out of your budget range you can use them as a reference point for comparison, but remember, if this vendor is in a category where you have a high priority then work on ways to afford their service, you will not be disappointed.
One place to watch out for when saving money is doing things yourself. There is nothing wrong with doing some of the wedding items yourself, where most people mess this up is they do not have a clear vision for the wedding and wind up buying all sorts of things hoping that something will inspire them and stick. Money spent is money forgotten and this is exactly what happens! If you are going to be doing some things yourself develop a clear vision for the project. Know exactly what you will need, plan the project materials and only buy what you have planned on, do not improvise your shopping list!
And lastly, the best and sure fire way to save money on your wedding is simply to pay cash. No I don’t mean make under the table deals. Avoid using credit at all costs! If you go and put a wedding on credit you easily spend thousands more in interest payments, not to mention the worst thing a new marriage needs is the pressures and stress of debt. Start your marriage with a clean slate. If going big is truly important, start a plan, save your cash, and wait. A big wedding filled with glitz is not worth debt, especially credit card debt.
Ok, so my top 5 ways to stretch your wedding dollars are very simple. 1 – Develop a realistic budget with weighted priorities. 2 – Hire a planner to assist you in purchasing decisions, developing your budget, and avoiding costly mistakes or missed details. 3 – Don’t let an initial price quote deter you from meeting your dream vendors. 4 – Plan any and all DYI project thoroughly before you go shopping. 5 – Avoid debt at all cost, pay cash, negotiate, and let your planner work to get you the deals you want with the vendors you must have.
So how have you been creative in saving money on your wedding?
Chad Alan Events 