Hosting a Fabulous Wedding Reception in a Struggling Economy
For the affluent couple planning a lavish six-figure wedding, the declining economy will have little effect on their wedding spending, but for the rest of us budget-minded folk, our failing economy and the uncertainty of a stable financial future can mean drastic cut-backs in wedding spending. Planning a wedding on a shoestring budget, however, doesn't have to skipping the day of your dreams altogether. Here are some tips on how to save a few dollars, but still have a wedding to impress.
Achieve the Right Mindset
First of all, you need to always keep in mind that the actual wedding ceremony is what's really important. Joining hands with the one you love and pledging your undying love, faith, and devotion is what this day is really all about. The rest of it - the party - is a celebration of your union, and it should be a bit more lavish than a back yard kegger, but it really is just that - a party - and sinking yourselves into debt for years to come for one night's party is simply irresponsible. Attack your wedding plans, and budget, always with the mindset that the actual ceremony is what is important and the rest of it is icing on the wedding cake.
Get Brass Tacks About the Money
Before looking into any of the individual details of planning your wedding, the two of you need to sit down together and get real about the money. Who is paying for it? How much can each of you realistically afford to spend... that's realistically, not skipping a car payment so you can spend an extra $300 on your dress! If your parents are helping out financially, what will they be paying for and how much do they plan to spend? If others are involved in paying for your wedding, then get those persons involved in the budgeting decisions from the start. Your budgeting motto should be "frugal now, financially sound later," not "party now, pay later."
Allocate Your Funds
After figuring out exactly how much you have to spend overall, begin allocating your monies to the various items and services you'll need. First, use the internet and other wedding publications to research the average costs for particular areas of planning; then, allocate your available funds.
Each of you should make a list of the five items or services that are most important to you and discuss them. The bride might decide that a ceremony in her church, ceremony vocalist, wedding dress, banquet hall, and photographer are most important for her; her groom might decide that the banquet hall, reception food, reception music, photographer, and limo service are his most important items. Begin allocating your funds with what you agree on and work your way out from there. Never, ever, attend a bridal show or begin making appointments or talking with vendors until you have a clear understanding of your the top dollar you are willing to spend in each area of planning.
The Guest List
After you've made your first (and I stress first) list of possible guests and found out your "per person" cost for your banquet hall or reception facility, begin narrowing your list. You may want to include everyone you work with, every buddy you had in college, all 25 children born to your 12 cousins, and every member of your golf league, but when it comes down to it, your reception facility will eat up a large chunk of your budget. The fewer guests you have the more your can afford to spend per person on food, liquor, and accessories. If you can, aim to cut your list of every potential guest in half. Use guidelines like "no one we haven't seen in the last five years" and "only children of immediate families" if you must, but get it done.
Learn Where to Cut Back and Where to Spend
Who doesn't want the fantasy dream wedding complete with your grand entrance on perfectly groomed white horses, adorned in a lavish $10,000 wedding gown, dripping in diamonds and sipping champagne from flowing fountains... chocolate dipped strawberries and brie for everyone! But let's get realistic. The budget-minded bride can do with just a bit less and still have a fabulous wedding. Here are a few places you can save....
Reception Costs ~ Wedding guests always rate the wedding reception based on two things... the food and the entertainment. Nothing ruins a wedding reception faster than bad food and a worse band or DJ. Consider cutting back on things like champagne fountains, sweet tables, and top-shelf booze and put that extra money into the food and the music. And take the time to interview bands/DJs before selecting one. A good DJ or band leader will not only know how to keep your guests happily entertained with music, but will also be a proficient host, emceeing the introductions and various reception events with confidence and fluidity.
The Flowers ~ Think about the last three weddings you attended. Did you attend both the ceremony and the reception, or just the reception? Do you remember the floral arrangements from the ceremony and the reception, or just the bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets and your own table centerpiece? You can save a good deal of money on your wedding flowers by putting the bulk of your floral budget into your bouquets and planning to use your large arrangements at both the ceremony and reception. Talk to your florist about how to use pew bows/adornments as table centerpieces and alter arrangements as pieces for the head table, and other essential tables.
Calligraphy or Hand-Lettering ~ Rather than paying for these services, consider doing your own hand-lettering. If you have enough time, you can even teach yourself one or two styles of calligraphy by taking a class or ordering books on the subject and simply practicing. Alternatively, it is now perfectly acceptable, IF you are detail-oriented in the task, to use your computer and printer to address envelopes and print inserts (ie: maps, registry notes, etc...). Be sure to select a font and color that coordinate with the style of your invitations.
The Gown ~ You can save a great deal of money on your wedding gown by choosing a non-traditional off-the-rack gown and having a seamstress alter it for you. Or, for the less sentimental bride, consider consignment shops, internet auction sites, or friends and family for a previously worn gown. Many large chain bridal shops offer "cheap" gowns in up-to-date styles by making them with lower cost fabrics, like polyester. You could even rent your wedding gown.
These tips can easily save a few dollars for any wedding couple, but how much you save really depends on your own initiative and will power. Try this tip.... Write yourself a sticky note, "The REAL purpose of my wedding is to marry the man [woman] I love. Do we REALLY need this purchase?" Place that sticky note right in your checkbook, on the next check to be written, and just before you're about to sign the next contract or make your next wedding purchase, force yourself to think about that purchase with this idea in mind. This might be the best way of all to save on your wedding spending!
Achieve the Right Mindset
First of all, you need to always keep in mind that the actual wedding ceremony is what's really important. Joining hands with the one you love and pledging your undying love, faith, and devotion is what this day is really all about. The rest of it - the party - is a celebration of your union, and it should be a bit more lavish than a back yard kegger, but it really is just that - a party - and sinking yourselves into debt for years to come for one night's party is simply irresponsible. Attack your wedding plans, and budget, always with the mindset that the actual ceremony is what is important and the rest of it is icing on the wedding cake.
Get Brass Tacks About the Money
Before looking into any of the individual details of planning your wedding, the two of you need to sit down together and get real about the money. Who is paying for it? How much can each of you realistically afford to spend... that's realistically, not skipping a car payment so you can spend an extra $300 on your dress! If your parents are helping out financially, what will they be paying for and how much do they plan to spend? If others are involved in paying for your wedding, then get those persons involved in the budgeting decisions from the start. Your budgeting motto should be "frugal now, financially sound later," not "party now, pay later."
Allocate Your Funds
After figuring out exactly how much you have to spend overall, begin allocating your monies to the various items and services you'll need. First, use the internet and other wedding publications to research the average costs for particular areas of planning; then, allocate your available funds.
Each of you should make a list of the five items or services that are most important to you and discuss them. The bride might decide that a ceremony in her church, ceremony vocalist, wedding dress, banquet hall, and photographer are most important for her; her groom might decide that the banquet hall, reception food, reception music, photographer, and limo service are his most important items. Begin allocating your funds with what you agree on and work your way out from there. Never, ever, attend a bridal show or begin making appointments or talking with vendors until you have a clear understanding of your the top dollar you are willing to spend in each area of planning.
The Guest List
After you've made your first (and I stress first) list of possible guests and found out your "per person" cost for your banquet hall or reception facility, begin narrowing your list. You may want to include everyone you work with, every buddy you had in college, all 25 children born to your 12 cousins, and every member of your golf league, but when it comes down to it, your reception facility will eat up a large chunk of your budget. The fewer guests you have the more your can afford to spend per person on food, liquor, and accessories. If you can, aim to cut your list of every potential guest in half. Use guidelines like "no one we haven't seen in the last five years" and "only children of immediate families" if you must, but get it done.
Learn Where to Cut Back and Where to Spend
Who doesn't want the fantasy dream wedding complete with your grand entrance on perfectly groomed white horses, adorned in a lavish $10,000 wedding gown, dripping in diamonds and sipping champagne from flowing fountains... chocolate dipped strawberries and brie for everyone! But let's get realistic. The budget-minded bride can do with just a bit less and still have a fabulous wedding. Here are a few places you can save....
Reception Costs ~ Wedding guests always rate the wedding reception based on two things... the food and the entertainment. Nothing ruins a wedding reception faster than bad food and a worse band or DJ. Consider cutting back on things like champagne fountains, sweet tables, and top-shelf booze and put that extra money into the food and the music. And take the time to interview bands/DJs before selecting one. A good DJ or band leader will not only know how to keep your guests happily entertained with music, but will also be a proficient host, emceeing the introductions and various reception events with confidence and fluidity.
The Flowers ~ Think about the last three weddings you attended. Did you attend both the ceremony and the reception, or just the reception? Do you remember the floral arrangements from the ceremony and the reception, or just the bride's and bridesmaids' bouquets and your own table centerpiece? You can save a good deal of money on your wedding flowers by putting the bulk of your floral budget into your bouquets and planning to use your large arrangements at both the ceremony and reception. Talk to your florist about how to use pew bows/adornments as table centerpieces and alter arrangements as pieces for the head table, and other essential tables.
Calligraphy or Hand-Lettering ~ Rather than paying for these services, consider doing your own hand-lettering. If you have enough time, you can even teach yourself one or two styles of calligraphy by taking a class or ordering books on the subject and simply practicing. Alternatively, it is now perfectly acceptable, IF you are detail-oriented in the task, to use your computer and printer to address envelopes and print inserts (ie: maps, registry notes, etc...). Be sure to select a font and color that coordinate with the style of your invitations.
The Gown ~ You can save a great deal of money on your wedding gown by choosing a non-traditional off-the-rack gown and having a seamstress alter it for you. Or, for the less sentimental bride, consider consignment shops, internet auction sites, or friends and family for a previously worn gown. Many large chain bridal shops offer "cheap" gowns in up-to-date styles by making them with lower cost fabrics, like polyester. You could even rent your wedding gown.
These tips can easily save a few dollars for any wedding couple, but how much you save really depends on your own initiative and will power. Try this tip.... Write yourself a sticky note, "The REAL purpose of my wedding is to marry the man [woman] I love. Do we REALLY need this purchase?" Place that sticky note right in your checkbook, on the next check to be written, and just before you're about to sign the next contract or make your next wedding purchase, force yourself to think about that purchase with this idea in mind. This might be the best way of all to save on your wedding spending!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home