Save BIG Money on Your Wedding With These Tips!

So you've finally got that ring on your finger. Surely, you've been waiting your entire life to plan this big day. Unfortunately, those childhood dreams of a princess like wedding don't mesh to well with your pocketbook. Here's the secret, folks. A wedding is, in and of itself, a beautiful experience. It is an opportunity to gather all of those whom you love and celebrate the love you share with your soon-to-be spouse. Now, tell me what part of that gathering requires a $50,000 budget in order to make it special! Yikes!

The truth is, no matter how much you spend, that the one unique, special facet of your wedding is...YOU! No other wedding will have the same two people at the altar (barring some strange circumstances) so you are what is the special touch! That's exciting news! So, now that we understand that part, let's get down to brass tack. Weddings still cost money...and lots of it.

When I started planning my wedding, I booked appointments with every vendor in town. After I got a date that matched the church and the reception hall, I moved on to florists. It seems as though flowers are, as Ron Burgundy says, "kind of a big deal." I'm flower illiterate and all I wanted was something pretty. After going from flower shop to flower shop in my hometown I began to come to a realization. I never realized how snooty florists could be! I didn't realize that flowers could be such a presumptuous industry! Of course I don't think all florists are this way, maybe I caught four different stores on bad days.

Anyways, I finally got someone to actually speak to me at a local grocer that has a very reputable florist department. I appreciated all of their help, but when I saw prices... (Jaw drop!)... I couldn't believe it! For the ceremony alone (e.g. bridesmaid's, bridal, boutonnières, corsages, and church decorations, etc.) I was looking at over $1,500! I didn't spend that much on my dress! So, I politely shook the florists hand and thanked her for meeting with me (and I was grateful!) and went home rather disappointed. Of course I wanted beautiful flowers but I also wanted other things that would have to be sacrificed in order to facilitate those flowers!

So, a few weeks went by and I came across a huge sale at Garden Ridge. I'm not sure how nationwide Garden Ridge is, but basically it's an indoor/outdoor home decorating store that has everything at fantastic prices. My mom and I had decided on gerbera daisies as the mainstay for my decorations. We decided to make the 20 mile trip to Garden Ridge and see what the store had to offer my concerned budget. To our surprise, Garden Ridge offered a seemingly endless variety of silk flowers in many different shades and sizes. We ended up spending about $250 and bought enough flowers to facilitate eight bridesmaid bouquets, my bridal bouquet, over 20 boutonnières, 10 corsages, and the church decorations. My mom and I (but mostly my mom) assembled the arrangements ourselves with 3 months to go until the wedding. We had plenty of time to tinker, try new things, and come to the conclusion that we loved them! And, most of all, they're gorgeous! The bouquets will be able to sit in vases in the bridesmaid's homes after the wedding (if they like) and will serve as a nice remembrance of my wedding. We won't have to worry at all about fading flowers throughout the day. They'll look perfect in every picture. They'll look bright and lovely from the aisle to the end of the evening. And to think we saved over $1,000!

Even if you're not the most florally inclined, I bet you have a close relative that will be delighted to lend a hand. Most people relish the opportunity to have some involvement in planning a wedding. It's a special honor to them, so take advantage! My fiancé's uncle is very good with flowers and will be assembling all of the reception decorations from Garden Ridge flowers as well...for much less than a florist. So branch out your arts and craft skills and save big bucks. You'll be so proud of your work and so happy with the finished product! I promise!