Planning a Cheap Wedding: Determining Where to Save and Where to Splurge

Wedding Planning Secrets – How To Have Your Fairytale Wedding On a Shoestring Budget!

Most weddings become very costly and sometimes even require the new couple to go into debt to pay for their ceremony and celebration. The good news is that you can have a memorable day without spending so much money by planning a cheap wedding.

Planning a cheap wedding simply requires you to prioritize your spending and get very creative about what you’ll be buying. You may have to sacrifice in one area to splurge in another, but you’ll still be able to throw a great party that everyone will enjoy.

Some things you can do to cut costs when planning a cheap wedding include designing your own place cards and printing your own invitations, asking friends to take pictures and help prepare food or decorate, make your own cake or ask a baking friend to do so, and forego expensive entertainment by simply programming hours of background music to be played ahead of time.

Sometimes, a coordinator available at your venue may be able to advise you on planning a cheap wedding at their location. They have years of experience in helping with this type of thing, and will help to save you time and headaches in the long run.

The further ahead of time that you start planning a cheap wedding, the more time you’ll have to seek out sale and clearance items along the way. Special sales at various times of the year can help you save up to 50% or more on your decorations, paper goods and even your dress and wedding party attire. If there is a seamstress in your family, you may also consider having them make your dresses, too.

Planning a cheap wedding may also call for the bride to search for an alternative gown, such as a formal gown found in a department store or a prom gown after season. The latest trends require simple and elegant designs, and you can always add lace or beading to the simplest dresses.

Start practicing now with your makeup and hair, so you have plenty of time to figure out how to do them yourself on the big day. Planning a cheap wedding requires you to cut out some of the extras like hiring a beauty professional to do things you’re perfectly capable of doing on your own.

Consider the time of year and venues you’ve chose for planning your cheap wedding, too. If you get married in the offseason, you may be able to save quite a bit of money. You’ll also be able to save on your reception hall, too.

Also, planning a cheap wedding may require having a simple cake and punch reception after the ceremony. It’s not necessary to feed your guests an entire meal; simply plan the wedding around normal eating times to avoid this requirement.

Enlist the help of friends and family and tell them you are planning a cheap wedding and need them to take care of certain tasks. You can have everyone pitch in for decorating and serving cake, and even clean-up after the celebration.