Although it may seem hard to believe, weddings are becoming more expensive each year, the industry is worth almost 25 billion dollars annually and when a wedding has an average cost of approximately 25,000 dollars it’s not surprising. It may feel as if you must have an expensive wedding or miss out, this is not the case as huge savings can be made without sacrificing that much,many people enjoy the challenge of arranging a cheap wedding while still ensuring that they have everything they want. Here are a few suggestions to help you save some money on the more expensive areas,still ensuring you have a great day.
Cheap Wedding Dress
The wedding dress is one area where huge amounts of money are spent; this is something that will only ever be worn once so a previously owned dress is worth consideration. Many brides spend two to three thousand dollars (often more) on a wedding dress and only wear it once; why not make use of a beautiful dress that someone else has only worn once, for a fraction of the cost?
Wedding Reception Preparations
The largest single cost is that of the wedding reception but even here savings are possible,planning is crucial but with some clever re-thinking, this is where your cheap wedding will save the most. You can reduce the number of people attending by not inviting those who are only at the periphery of your life which can include distant relatives; when it comes to the meal, instead a four course silver service, why not arrange a hot or cold buffet.
Other cost reductions can be made in where the wedding reception is held; it could take place in a friend’s house or a local club where money could be saved on beverages if they are supplied directly.
The Wedding Photographer
Photographers are expensive but there is generally no need to hire one for the whole day; why not have your friends and relatives take pictures during the reception. Some people save money by dispensing with the professional photographer entirely; using a friend or relation may sound strange at first but you can guarantee one of them is a keen amateur photographer.
Low Cost Wedding Stationery
Cutting down on costs can also mean creating your own wedding invitations and seating cards etc; a personal computer combined with a home printer means it is quite easy to produce very professional looking results. Many people are now competent enough to produce near professional quality work; problems and errors can be corrected quickly without regular visits to the printers.
The Wedding Flower Arrangements
Flowers can be another expensive outlay especially with the alternatives on offer; why not buy wholesale flowers, or pick flowers from your garden and buy plain gold or white gold bands as these are the least costly. There is no reason why a friend or relative can’t bake the wedding cake; this will save more money plus the traditional fruit cake does not have to be used as there are many other fillings that people enjoy.
The Wedding Car
Most people, when asked, feel proud if their car can be used as wedding transportation; it is surprising how impressive this can look when done properly.
It is possible to plan a cheap wedding without necessarily cutting back on the services; you can save money at the same time!
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How To Afford Wedding Favors
The budget for a wedding favors often depends entirely on how much money you plan to spend on your wedding. The larger the wedding will be the more likely you will be inclined to look for a cheap wedding favors option. For those that still want to have a large number of guests but have limited finances then there are many cheap wedding favor options available.
One of the simplest of ideas for cheap wedding favors is candles. To make the candles look more original and expensive without the cost; why not use personalized ribbons to add the finishing touch. These ribbons can usually be ordered and may include your names and the wedding date and although this may sound like a pricey item, if you purchase these ribbons on a reel instead of precut it can be very affordable. You only need a plain and simple taper style candle, combined with the ribbon will give the appearance of a much more expensive gift.
Using candy is an alternative that while inexpensive can really make an impression and does not look like a cheap wedding favor. Small tins or cartons can also be bought wholesale in addition to the candy so each guest can have his or her own small portion. You could also use candy bars with personalized packaging which could be supplied at a reasonable cost. A picture of the bride and groom can also be placed on the wrapper in addition to the wedding date. The design does not have to be complicated and by having the same wrapper, the cost will be brought down further ensuring the bride and groom provide a cheap but effective wedding favor.
To be really unique in your choice of wedding favor, why not present each guest with their own plant seeds in a special box. Using pots to place the seeds in could be another way to present them that doesn’t cost too much. You don’t even need to buy large pots as they are not to be used for planting the seeds, just to hold them in temporarily. Although this may sound strange, it does keep the expense down as the larger pots cost considerably more than the smaller one that are only for decorative purposes only.
If you are a practical person then you may find this last idea to your liking as it involves giving pens as a cheap wedding favor even if the happy couples wedding details are on each pen. Marketing and promotional gift companies can supply this type of cheap wedding favor gift easily so there shouldn’t be any problem even if they are not ordered until a few weeks before the wedding. This wedding favor shows what you think of your guests because you are telling them you want to hear from them and to know what they thought of the wedding. If you really want to show them you are serious, why not also leave a stamped addressed envelope just to show the guests how serious you are about hearing their thoughts about your happy day.
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