How To Save Big Money on a Big Wedding

Wednesday, June 7th

How to Save Big Money on a Big Wedding

If you've always imagined a big formal wedding with all your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers you may now realize the cost is too substantial to pull off. With many couples now footing their own wedding bill large weddings are on the decline.

But, if your heart is still set on inviting several hundred guests you'll have to set a strict budget and stick to it. Saving money to make the budget stretch is a necessity and the wedding gown, party favors, drinks and venue are not exempt. Below are several tips on how to cut costs at your wedding.

• Consider a smaller wedding: If you've always dreamed of a big wedding it's ok to trim it down to a more affordable size. Many couples today only invite close family and friends to their special event. If you're adamant about having a big wedding consider trimming down the guest list by 25% - you'll see a significant price drop for food, drink, cake, wedding favors, venue size and more.
• Choose an outdoor theme as an alternative. A lower priced venue is going to allow you to save thousands of dollars on your wedding. Outdoor weddings or receptions are generally less expensive if you can count on the weather. Think outside the box and ask around to see what places are willing to rent their space for a period of time. You'll be surprised to find affordable options that may have not been obvious before.
• Consider an off season. June is the most popular wedding month and subsequently can be the most expensive. If you're able to be flexible with your schedule choose a date that has less demand. Ask the venue of choice if they could offer a discount for on off month of their choosing and see if that works into your plans.
• Avoid a formal affair: If you're trying to cut down the budget avoid having a formal black tie wedding. The more formal the affair the more costs associated. Consider a cocktail party or something even less formal to reduce the costs of food and the length of the reception. Generally speaking, less formal wedding gowns are cheaper in cost as well.
• Consider a cash bar. A cash bar is generally not the first choice of most couples but will reduce your costs significantly. Liquor costs can range thousands of dollars for several hundred guests. Or you may consider offering beer and wine but allow guests to pay for any other drinks they may prefer. This is a nice compromise for guests and a reasonable offer.
• Look for lightly used wedding decorations: Many brides look to sell their expensive decorations at a fraction of the cost. Check out Craigslist.com or even EBay for used decorations that will save you significant costs.
• Shop online for wedding favors: Shopping online will yield the best bargains. Look for wedding favors, decorations, invitations, gifts and more online. Often times these items are sold at a premium at local retail stores - the internet can cut costs significantly.
• Shop online for a wedding gown: This is a great way to easily save hundreds to thousands of dollars. Designers and dress makers alike are becoming savvy at creating beautiful wedding gowns using expensive looking fabrics for a fraction of the cost of silk and other high end materials. You no longer have to buy an expensive dress to look like you're wearing an expensive dress. Online stores do not have the costly overhead that a local store has to pass on to their customers. A large number of online wedding dress stores are available to search hundreds of beautiful wedding gowns at much lower prices than a local bridal shop. Utilize independent product reviews to research the best online dress shops available.These companies do much of the work for you by identifying return policies, history, customer service levels, selection, costs and more.

Planning a big wedding on a budget can be a stressful event. Having to cut corners and find discounts can take time. Today many brides are becoming more savvy with their efforts to shop budget smart and are taking their wedding gown research outside the box. The internet is a great place to save on wedding favors, gowns, shoes, jewelry and more. This allows brides to save significantly by bypassing retail markup and big overhead costs.