Weddings are a wonderful occasion to share in the love that two people are feeling for one another. For the couple, it is an incredible chance to bring together friends, family, and other loved ones.
Unfortunately, weddings have two problems. The first problem is that no matter what, weddings have a certain amount of stress that just seems to be inherent within their very existence. The second problem is that weddings are enormously expensive. This is compounded by the fact that it is very easy for things to spiral out of control, when it comes to planning a wedding.
How many of us have wedding stories that start with “Well, we wanted it to be a lowkey affair, but…” Thankfully, there are easy ways to save at weddings. Saving on your wedding can alleviate a good deal of that stress we were talking about. Unless you are fiercely dedicated to wedding traditions in all their forms, here are some simple suggestions to keep in mind:
Emailing save-the-dates:
Tradition tells us to mail out a little card that tells people when you are getting married. Even with a wedding party of 20-30 people, we are still talking about some impressive costs. Honestly, no one is really going to care, if they get this notice via email. You may have to track down the addresses, but that’s a lot easier than doing things the old-fashioned way.
Going digital:
These days, there are some absolutely lovely options for those who want to focus their wedding plans online. Doing so can save you a ton of time and money, and there is a plethora of options you can choose from.
For our money, we are quite fond of The Knot. This is an amazing resource that allows you to digitally handle just about everything to do with your wedding.
Ceremony and reception:
Unless it just isn’t doable, having your ceremony and reception at the same place saves on a number of levels. It saves people the trouble of having to go from one location to another.
It saves you the trouble of coordinating such an endeavour, or even from the unenviable responsibility of having to pay to get people to the reception. You also save by keeping everything in a single location.
Department stores and bridal consignments:
Some people don’t really like the idea of a second-hand dress, which is what a bridal consignment refers to. Understandable, but we think it is worth at least a look on your part. There are some absolutely STUNNING choices available these days.
Barring that, you will probably be pretty amazed at what you can find in many department stores or online bridal dress boutiques such as Jarlo. We are talking about gorgeous dresses at very attractive prices. You aren’t limited to dress shops these days.
Also don't fret about going overboard on accessories. You'll only wear them once, and you can find some amazing bridal accessories such as veils and jewellery online at Ever Pretty.
Off-peak wedding:
Again, this comes down to preference. If you want that really nice venue, but the costs are just too high, find out if things are a little bit cheaper during the off-peak season. There is a really good chance that this is going to be the case.
Make your own cake:
You can opt to save a ton of money by making your own wedding cake. You can even go the naked cake route if frosting is something that concerns you. Don’t want to bother with the cake at all? A lot of people are opting for treats like doughnuts and cupcakes these days.
Don't go crazy on bridal party clothing:
If you're having a bridal party such as bridesmaids, ushers, flower girls and a page boy - then the costs for dressing them can also quickly add up. We recommend shopping online at places you wouldn't necessarily think of.
For example, WALG have some beautiful bridesmaid dresses at a fraction of the price of those you might find in a bridal store.
