It takes me forever to purchase something, whether it’s a new gadget or a fabulous pair of shoes. It’s not that I am indecisive. I’m just picky about where my money goes, especially during these unstable economic times. I rarely pay full price for anything and I’m always searching for a better deal. I’m not cheap, just resourceful. Same goes with wedding planning. Every bride and groom should have a budget and find any means necessary to stick to it. There is no sense in going into huge amounts of debt before you blissfully begin your lives together. So here are a few lessons I’ve learned so far about having a fabulous wedding on a budget.
Start Early. So what if you’re having an 18-month engagement. There isn’t a rule that says you can’t start planning as soon as possible. Give yourself a little time to bask in the glow of your newly engaged status, then start planning. If you plan on blocking rooms for out-of-town guests, do not wait until you’re a month or two out from your wedding. Contact hotels and other accommodations as soon as possible. Most hotels will block a certain amount of rooms without holding you to any financial obligation and can add more rooms if needed. If you wait too long to get a room block, events and other groups that are in town or blocking rooms could cause rates to increase or even worse—no vacancies. One more thing: the sooner you start planning and booking vendors, the more time you have to pay them. Paying a vendor over the course of nine months certainly beats paying them over the course of two.
Shop Around. I’ve learned to treat vendors like a job interview. Just because I met with them did not mean I was obligated to use them. I went to five different bridal gown stores, three different florists and what seemed like a million different ceremony and reception venues. Starting the planning process early means you can take more time meeting with different vendors and comparing prices and services. Once that’s complete, you can make a more informed decision and get the best bang for your bridal buck.
Be Honest About Your Budget. I was watching a wedding show the other day where a young bride told a bridal gown consultant that her dress budget was $5,000, when it was really between $1,500 and $3,000. Of course, the consultant was bringing out $5,000 gowns and the bride was falling in love with them. Then she had to come to her senses and tell the consultant the truth and they had to start all over. The moral of the story is when working with vendors, be honest about your budget. They are professionals and they can provide you with ideas and suggestions that will work best with your budget. There is no sense in getting your hopes up and theirs with services you can’t afford.
Be Flexible. When my heart is set on something, I want it. But as a budget-conscious bride, I’ve had to learn the art of compromise and flexibility. Perhaps your budget does not allow for cascading floral arrangements all over the ceremony site and altar, or you can’t have that $5,000 designer gown you love so much. Use your vendors to help find comparable items. Be ready to compromise.
Just Ask. We have yet to pay full price for anything. Why? Because we asked about discounts. Believe it or not, many vendors will work with you if you simply ask about discounts or added value. The worse they can say is no. For instance, when we shopped around for room blocks, we got the discounted group rates, but breakfast was not included in any of them. I simply asked if there was anything we could do about providing the guests with breakfast and we were given discounts of up to 15 percent and restaurant vouchers. Vendors are just happy to have the business, and as long as you’re not completely low balling them, they are usually happy to work something out with you.
Track Every Dollar Spent. Many Web sites have budget tools brides can use. It is important to track every dollar you spend on anything wedding related. This can be a tedious task, but it is so worth it. By having everything organized and in front of you, it will help you determine where you can move money around if necessary.
Budgeting can be tricky, but if you stick to some of my lessons learned, your wedding planning process will go much smoother and you can sleep at night without worrying about being in the poor house. Happy planning!
Garage Sale Shower
Photo Credit: HouseOfDuke
A Unique Garage Sale Wedding Shower
In this installment, I would like to interview my lovely bride on a concept she pioneered known as the “garage sale shower.” Only in a recession would a bride think of this, but enjoy the interview below to learn how you too can earn money while enjoying your wedding shower(s):
My love, tell us about what your idea was to help fund our wedding?
Of course, Pumpkin… I decided I would use one of my five wedding showers (!) to sell my used and unwanted clothes and shoes to my friends who were attending.
What was involved with setting up for this event?
Simply advertise the shower as a clothing sale and advise your girlfriends on what items you might consider selling. Price all of the items. Setup tables to display clothing and even decorate around a shopping theme. Have a non-threatening bucket or container for friends to deposit the appropriate amount of money into. It’s that easy!
How much money did you (we) earn?!
$400 that promptly went into the wedding dress budget!
What advice would you have for other brides considering this thrifty idea?
Have fun with it! Especially if this shower is with close friends, there should be no awkwardness or embarrassment over selling your older clothes– rather, it’s an opportunity for your friends to get some fresh items in their wardrobe at a discounted cost while supporting you, the bride!