ALT-2 Tips for a Great but Low Budget Wedding
The wedding day is that magical occassion that marks an important step in your relationship and one that will hopefully be remembered fondly for many years to come. Unfortunantely not all of us are made of money and so can't permit ourselves the extravegant weddings of the celebrity world. A limited budget however doesn't have to mean your wedding will be any less amazing. It just means you need to use a few careful tricks.
Firstly keep it intimate. It's your wedding and should be spent with those who matter to you not the second cousin of a distant friend. Only invite close family and friends. You can be more lavish with your menu if you're feeding less people.
The wedding dress is one of the biggest costs but you needn't spend a fortune to look like a princess. Wedding dresses can be found in the sales for next to nothing. I got mine in England in August (summer sales) and only paid £130! The veil can be made easily at home from a piece of material bought from stock. If you're going to spend extra money on anything it should be the shoes, you want to be comfortable and enjoy the day. These can also be found in sales. The finishing touches will make the outfit special: nice jewellery and great hair and makeup. It's a good idea to invest in a good hair mask in the lead up to the date to improve the general condition of the hair. This will mean even a simple style will look amazing. Makeup is best kept natural. Collect free samples from magazines and beauty counters to try and test. Pick the one that suits you best and is long lasting, that way you'll look spectacular all day without the need for touch ups. Remember matt foundation will look better in the photo's.
For the Groom: a lot of highstreet stores now do great suits at good prices... shop around.
A lot of high streeet shops now have a good selection of evening dresses that could work well for bridesmaids. Be sure to check out the prom dresses as you might be able to find a suitable dress for you as well as your bridesmaids.
Making the invitations yourself can also save money and ensures that personal touch. You can easily buy supplies from stationary shops and even supermarkets. A heart shaped hole puncher, some ribbon or maybe some glitter... You can easily find a style and colours to match that of the wedding.
Having an outside reception can save lots of money however it also relies on good weather. If you can a casual grill and buffet can save you loads. However if you don't live in a sun drenched area, it's best to hire a hall or restaurant to be on the safe side. For my own wedding I hired the terrace of a friends restaurant (directly in front of the Colosseum in Rome) and he gave us a huge discount.You could also (if hiring a hall) get family and friends to help prepare the food. A finger buffet will cost less than a sit down meal and you won't need catering staff.
As for music, we had some musician friends of ours perform live at the reception. If you know people that sing or play instruments this can be a great way to make it both special and cheaper. This is also in keeping with the personal touch theme. Another option is to have a friend be in charge of the music. Set up a computer with all the songs you want loaded onto it and just get someone to start it off and keep an eye on it. You can download thousands of songs from the internet on the cheap.
As for decorations, candles will add to the romantic atmosphere and cost next to nothing. Balloons are always popular and can be tied nicely with ribbons and hung around the room or filled with helium and held with table weights or left to float up and fill the ceiling. Scattering rose petals on tables can give a nice romantic touch.
For general information and discount coupons it's a good idea to go to some wedding shows. Most are free to enter and you can look around thousands of stalls and check out the prices for everything from the dress to flowers, to reception halls. Most companies there will offer free trials/ samples of their products and have discount coupons if you choose to use them. It's also a good place to get general ideas, a lot of which you can then make yourself at half the price.
