Budget Tips for Planning a Wedding

When I began to plan my wedding to my husband I had a beautiful evening ceremony in mind that would take place on New Year's Eve. We even had the great idea to have our families ring in the new year together so when the clock struck midnight that it would be symbolically binding the two families together. I had every item I wanted picked out, from the centerpieces at each table to the bells that would be rung whenever the guests wanted the newlyweds to kiss. I had my colors picked out, I had an idea for my soon to be mother-in-laws dress; I had everything planned.

Unfortunately that is not what happened. My husband was in the military at the time and we were smack in the middle of Operation Iraqi Freedom so while I was planning this storybook wedding (while being a full time student in college no less) he informed me that there was a slim possibility that he may be gone for a year and would thus miss our wonderfully planned wedding. However we wanted to get married still before he went over for his second tour so our plan was to go to a Justice of the Peace when he was in town on leave so we could be married and have a mini-honeymoon. Words of wisdom from friends and family however prompted us to have a real wedding even if it was smaller than the one we originally had hoped for. So I decided to plan a wedding.
In ten days.

Crazy I know right? And it was don't get me wrong. Looking back on it now even after being married for almost six years I wonder how I didn't go crazy. He was over in California busy with his job so he didn't really have an opinion on anything, but then again what groom does? Usually all the say is to tell them where to stand and what to wear. But as crazy as it made me it also made me realize something that many people hear. A wedding is just a day and a marriage is a lifetime. Why start out your life together deep in debt because of everything you had to be "absolutely perfect" down to the confetti on the tables? Why not have a beautiful yet simple wedding that won't cost an arm and a leg? Here are some of hints from me to still have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank.

One of the things that most brides will spend the most on is the dress. They all want to feel like Cinderella in their wedding gown and who could blame them? What other day are you going to have all eyes on you like this? But you don't necessarily have to have a gown that causes over three thousand dollars. I went to a second hand store for my dress (don't shudder keep reading) and found a gorgeous dress and gown for under $100. How? The dress I ended up buying was a dress that was used on display at a wedding showcase but was never brought. And it was a beautiful long sleeved dress reminiscent of the kind that your mother might have worn. Lace covered the sleeves as did sparkles that looked like crystals and it had an empire waist that fit my hips really well which is no easy feat believe me. It may have not cost a whole lot of money but it certainly did not look like it was the inexpensive. Everyone complimented me on my dress and the way I knew it was the one? Everyone cried when I came out of the dressing room in it. So check out your second hand stores or maybe find a dress from a woman in your family and have it modified to fit your style. Make sure to ask your friends if they know a seamstress who would consider doing the job at cost.

Speaking of at cost, that is also a good way to do the food and flowers. I admit I was fortunate enough that the mother of one of my friends was a florist and her friend was a chef. So they were willingly to do all cooking and flowers for my wedding and all I had to do was pay for the supplies which is a good deal when you consider most of the time you are paying for that and the labor that goes into making them and setting it up. Weddings bring people together so ask around to your friends and family to see if there is anyone they can call a favor in for to help make your day memorable. I'm sure they won't mind plus you won't have to spend so much on two of the items that don't last that long at a reception. Remember that just because food costs a lot doesn't exactly make it good; home cooked from someone you know took the time to make sure it was tasty is a lot better in the long run. Also as for beverages you may want to consider punch as with some places if you plan on having an open bar or any kind of alcohol you may have to hire a police officer to stand by.

Let us not forget the location of your nuptials and the reception. There is no doubt you have the idea of where you want it, whether it is an outdoor venue or in a beautiful cathedral. However sometimes places like this are very expensive and they don't always offer good benefits meaning you have to get in, get out with no time for pictures or no leeway if the wedding gets started late. Your best bet is to either have the wedding at you or your fiancé/e's home church (if you have one) or go through a family member or friend to use theirs. For our wedding since there was nothing else going on that day they were able to let us get married there and all we had to pay for was a donation to the pastor for taking the time to officiate. While you may not get as lucky as we did it doesn't hurt to ask to help elevate the worry about that cost. Receptions are also tricky because you want a place where you can dance and drink (if you choose to have an open bar but remember what I said in the paragraph above). We ended up going with a Lions Club Hall because it was inexpensive and they provided us with tables and chairs. I can't remember the exact price but it was under five hundred dollars which is a great price you must admit. Plus we got the hall until midnight although obviously the bride and groom didn't hang around that long.

Then there are decorations. While a room that is completely white like a winter wonderland with crystal lamps on every table and "icicles" falling from the ceiling sounds gorgeous it also sounds expensive. I am not saying you have to decorate with items from a dollar store but use your imagination and enlist your friends to help make your decorations. It will cost less and have more value since your friends took the time to sit with you to create them plus they are bond to create memories that will help you look back on wedding planning fondly. The church should be easy to decorate (luckily for us our wedding colors were close to the colors OT the Christmas decorations that were still up) but the hall is a place where you can fully use your creativity.

I don't recommend planning a wedding ten days unless you thrive under pressure. However, having to plan that quickly showed me that a lot of the items we worry about for weddings are in actuality unnecessary and costly besides. Hopefully these hints will help you in planning your wedding by helping you realize what items are necessary and which aren't. Don't get me wrong; big beautiful weddings are wonderful and if that is what you want and you can afford it by all means go ahead. However if you're a little strapped for cash you may want to use some of these hints and save the big to-do for vow renewals at your ten year (which I personally plan on doing myself).