ALT-17 Best Ways to get Married on a Budget
Getting married is an exciting milestone in one's life. Every girl has her vision of the perfect wedding. Most involve tons of flowers, hundreds of guests, a castle and prince charming. When planning a fantasy wedding, anything is possible. In reality, however, all of those elements add up to dollar signs. If you want to have a beautiful wedding that will be remembered for a lifetime, but one that will not put you in debt for a lifetime, follow these simple tips.
1. Choose a day other than Saturday.
Many reception halls offer reduced rates or throw in extra perks for when you have a wedding on a Friday night or even a Sunday afternoon. I recently attending a wedding that was on a Thursday. Being flexible with the wedding date can save you money.
2. Explore various ceremony locations.
Many wedding ceremony sites charge rental fees. Some fees will be less than others. Check with your local park and recreation department. A gazebo in the park may be rented for an hour or so for a cheap rate. Surprisingly, I discovered that my church had the best rate, it was free to use. The only cost related to using the church was to pay for the priest's services. Don't assume certain sites will have large fees. Do your research, you may be surprised.
3. Do it yourself.
If there are things that you can do yourself, do it. I had a vision of what I wanted my flowers to look like. I spoke to different florists to get price quotes. What I discovered was that they talked me through how they would arrange the flowers. Based on the information I gathered, I was able to create my own bouquets and table decorations at half the cost. I was also able to do my own programs. With a little bit of creativity and patience, you can create many of the decorations and accessories on your own.
4. Keep it small.
The best way to keep your costs down is too keep the guest list small. Food is one of the most expensive costs of the wedding reception. By keeping the event small and intimate you can save money on the dinner cost and keep well within your budget.
Every bride wants to have the perfect day. The reality of weddings, however, is that they can cost a lot of money. There are ways, though, to have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank.
