Close to seventy percent of the brides and grooms of today pay for their own weddings. This is why it is so important to determine a budget and stick to it. Once you are married and life returns to a realistic normal, you will discover how important that wedding budget really was. Many couples make the fatal mistake of spending beyond their limits which results in the burden of additional debt placed upon a new and fragile marriage.
Early on, I mentioned the importance of doing a fairly substantial portion of your wedding planning using the internet. Using the internet will save you time and provide you with an infinite source of ideas, and because the cost of gas has skyrocketed, it will also save you money.
In addition to ideas and individual products, you will also find knowledgable sources that can guide you through the selection of wedding vendors, coordinators and service providers. You will find wedding directories that contain listings of everything imaginable, wedding planning checklists and timetables and even on line gift registeries.
Once your budget has been set and you are ready to do some serious wedding planning, you will have to decide what you absolutely can't do without and what you will be able to sacrifice in order to stick to the limits of your budget. Give this a lot of thought and seek input from family and friends without losing site of the fact that this is your wedding. The same thing holds true for the wedding vendors and service providers that you decide to deal with. Stay firm in the decisions that you have made with reference to your budget. There's always going to be something bigger and better and they are always accompanied by higher prices.
By all means, familiarize yourself with their business policies and only accept a firm commitment in writing. Document everything with dates and names and always comparison shop, but, do without before doing "cheap".
Although most weddings require the services of a wedding coordinator; most budgets can't afford it. If you can't afford the services of a professional, ask around or seek the advice of those who have just planned and carried out a nice wedding.
Keep in mind that there are a few particular items that you never want to skimp on. For example, the invitations are the very first impression that your guest will have of your wedding. There are so many samples of invitations that you can just about be guaranteed that you're going to find something that represents your wedding and still be inexpensive and if you can't find what you're looking for; there's always the option of creating the invitations yourself with your own computer.
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I also wouldn't skimp on the reception flowers. Bouquets for the bridesmaids and boutonniers for the guys can always be decreased in size and still maintain a beautiful quality. What I'm referring to are the fresh flower arrangements for the buffet tables at the reception. They really say something about your wedding. Even one well-placed, spectacular display can eliminate the need for anything else. Use flowers in season to hold down the cost. One very important thing I'd like to mention is don't skimp on the bridal bouquet. Get what you want. I'm a firm believer in the bride getting what she wants within reason.
A good way to decrease the cost of the reception flowers and decorations is to cover the guest chairs with chair covers. Doing this one simple thing provides a dramatic touch of elegance to any wedding of any size. There is a site called www.fabulousevents.com that just recently gave a friend of mine a super deal on chair covers.
Consider the talent within your family before spending a lot on musicians for the ceremony and the reception. A lot of couples use recorded music and there are plenty advantages to using it such as cost and consistent quality.
When it comes to the photographers and videographers, you're going to have to be extra cautious and do some serious comparison shopping. Of all the things that make up a wedding, I find this to be the most challenging. There are so many differences in the packages, the pricing and the photographers themselves that you should plan on spending some additional time in choosing one. Wedding photos and videos can be extremely expensive and, if you're not careful, you may end up spending a year or two just trying to retrieve your album.
Rather than renting a limousine, ask a friend or family member who has a nice vehicle, to drive you to and from the ceremony and the reception. You may also want to call on a close friend or family member to act as the DJ at the reception.
When you're looking for those bridesmaid dresses, remember to consider the cost and the comfort. There'll be shoes and hairstyles, make-up and gifts that they will also have to buy so don't over-burden the people you care about the most.
The same holds true for the guys. Please think "comfort" especially during the hot summer months.
There are lots of ways to stick to your budget and still have the wedding you've always dreammed of but there's one sure-fire way to blow your budget sky high. I've left this discussion for last.
I know you've been dreamming of that bridal gown since you were a little girt but when it comes to the wedding dress, this is the single, most important item that can get out-of-hand very quickly. Don't let your emotions choose your gown. Stay focused and realistic and remember, you'll know it when you see it. Please, please shop around and you'll be surprised at the prices and the quality.
