Other Peoples Reactions To Our Frugal Wedding Plans
I had expected plenty of, Wow, youre so smart to save your money and stress! and Good for you for not giving in to pressure and just doing what you want! But instead, people seemed sincerely disappointed in me.
Why would I give up my chance at that one special day? Why did the frugal wedding have to be that frugal? And, why wouldnt I want to include them? I didnt think that their friendship and support was worth an open bar? I couldnt offer them a rubbery piece of chicken and a drunken version of the Cupid Shuffle?
Apparently, by todays standards, spending heaps of money on a wedding is more socially acceptable than attempting to be frugal with your planning.
Youre going to regret this, they all said. So far, Im still waiting for that painful moment of remorse. And honestly, I dont think it will ever arrive.
Of course, I adore all of my loved ones, and their roles in my life are worthy of a lot more than an overcooked banquet meal. While theres definitely a small part of me that wishes we couldve had them all together under one roof to celebrate our union, $20,000 spent on one day of our lives still seemed impossible to justify.
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Consider The Date And Time
Highly sought-after seasons and days of the week are pricier for obvious reasons. An evening reception is usually more expensive than a brunch or afternoon reception, not only because of higher catering costs for dinner, but also because people tend to drink less during the daytime, and many couples choose to go more low-key on elements like lighting, music and décor.
Have a winter wedding. Choose a Friday or Sunday. Or celebrate with mimosas over brunch instead of hosting a four-course, wine-paired dinner.
Planning A Wedding On A Budget Of $1000
Do you have plans to get married? If so, congratulations on your big days event to start a new life. A wedding is one of lifes most memorable moments. With that in mind, you have got to make it the best event ever. And planning a wedding on a budget of $1,000 or $100,000 needs a solid plan. The best thing is, you dont have to spend all your savings on your wedding day.
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The problem with expensive weddings is that it can come back to haunt you if you cant afford it. As a result, planning wisely for your wedding is one of the best financial decisions the bride and groom can make.
The best way to plan a wedding on a budget of $1000 is to get help. Those closest to you will often be more than happy to pitch in to help out with the festivities. And saving on labor costs is the single best way to have a wedding on a budget.
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Find Affordable Decor At Thrift Stores
Want affordable wedding decor? Go hunting for decorative items at your local Goodwill or thrift stores in your area to build your collection. Its especially great for centerpiece vases, linens, old books, or other accents to make your decor shine.
Prioritise What’s Important To You
Even if you have a strict budget, you dont have to scrimp on everything. Take the time to think about what is most important to you and prioritise those things, then aim to cut costs on the less important elements. Perhaps you have always dreamed of that designer wedding dress but arent as bothered about the cake, or you want to spend more on that unique wedding venue that doesnt require any extra decorations. With some savvy planning you can still create your perfect day on a budget.
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Here Are My Best Frugal Wedding Tips:
Dresses One of the first things most girls do when they first get engaged is to look for a wedding dress. Although we tried on the $800-1600 wedding dresses, my daughter found a very nice $75 non-traditional wedding dress. She bought it from lulus.com and it fit in perfectly with her wedding theme. She ended up purchasing 2 of the dresses so she could alter the dress to the way she wanted it and make the veil from it. The bridesmaids dresses were found at Macys in the junior department. Look in non-wedding places for dresses to save the most.
Invitations We used VistaPrint for our invitations and reply cards. Their templates are amazing and make even the most lame artist look more professional. If your daughter is not good at designing invitations like mine, ask a creative friend to help you make invitations and reply cards.
How To Plan A Frugal Wedding
A wedding should not be seen as an opportunity to impress your guests with the most lavish things you can find. And yet, many people are still making the mistake of spending too much on their wedding. Yes, it is an event that will only happen once, but staying frugal will help you save money for the marriage itself, as well as avoid borrowing money so that you can afford it.
If you want to have a stylish and beautiful wedding without breaking the bank, here are some frugal tips for you and your significant other:
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How To Plan A Frugal Destination Wedding
At first, the idea of having a destination wedding can seem expensive. Traveling is often not cheap and there are lots of things that go into planning a wedding in a location far from your hometown. How does a frugal destination wedding sound?
That said, traditional local weddings can cost a pretty penny as well. Once you add up costs like the venue, meals for each guest, flowers and decorations, a photographer, etc. You could also easily spend tens of thousands of dollars on your big day. With the average cost of a wedding ranging from $20,000 to $33,000, it just might be possible that you could save money with a destination wedding. Youd need to watch costs of course, but its becoming more and more common to plan a reasonable and frugal destination wedding.
So if you love to travel or have always dreamed of getting married on a beach. Here are some tips to help you keep costs low when planning a destination wedding.
Pick A Specific Time Of Day
Nowhere does it say that a wedding has to take place at night. In fact, its becoming more and more popular to have a daytime wedding, or even an early morning wedding.
You wont have to worry about lighting if you have your ceremony or reception outside, and youll be able to save on food costs too.
Try having your wedding around two in the afternoon. This way, everyone will have already eaten lunch, and all youll have to do is supply some basic finger foods at the reception.
Between some small sandwiches, a fruit tray, some vegetables, and the cake, youre guests will feel full and satisfied, and you wont have even spent that much money on all of this! Its these frugal wedding on a budget tips that will help you be less stressed since there wont be so many details to remember and to purchase too!
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A Bike With A Floral Arrangement In The Basket
Ask around to see if any friends have old bikes lying around the garage, or check out thrift stores too. The bike may already have a pleasantly rusted, vintage vibe. If not, you can paint the bike white, off-white, or to match your wedding colors. Then arrange an overflowing bouquet inside the bikes basket, or a wicker basket you attach to the front yourself.
Why We Didnt Want An Expensive Wedding
The average American wedding costs $38,700 for the engagement ring , ceremony and reception , and honeymoon combined, according to Wedding Wire. But my husband and I were already saddled with student debt, car loans, and a mortgage payment. We just couldnt stomach the idea of blowing that kind of cash on one day.
A little over $1,400 of our monthly income is dedicated to just our vehicle and education debts lets not even talk about the mortgage payment. So I think our desire to keep the purse strings tightened was justified. Ive been to some pretty amazing weddings but absolutely none that warrant that hefty price tag. Send me home with a puppy as a wedding favor, and maybe Ill change my tune.
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Also Check: Ways To Use Excel To Plan A Wedding
Travel Hack Your Honeymoon
People will often take a big honeymoon after the wedding. This often translates to high costs. While I certainly love to travel and encourage people to spend money on travel if its something they value, we have figured out ways to travel for cheap or free.
At the time of our honeymoon, we were finance newbies, and therefore, knew nothing of credit card rewards. We had a family member gift us the use of their timeshare as our wedding gift.
We got to spend a fun week at a beautiful resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Our only costs that week were flights, food, and activities.
On the way back, we offered to give up our seats on an overbooked flight. Usually, this means you get back later. To our surprise, we were put onto an earlier flight on a different airline in FIRST CLASS on top of being given $500 travel vouchers EACH.
Your Frugal Wedding Can Be Beautiful
When I reflect back and describe my wedding to people, they usually think that we were frugal to the extreme. They cant believe that we didnt serve alcohol or that we went to such lengths to save money.
At the time, this just felt normal to us.
Since we got married soon after graduating from college, we were used to living frugally and optimizing every purchase. Neither of us had a full-time job yet. In fact, we were about to move to Central America where we would teach English and get paid $60/month + room and board.
Therefore, every dollar we spent felt like a fortune.
We had a frugal wedding that was so us. It was beautiful and fun, and it allowed us to start our life together with a financial cushion that helped us combat stress about money from the very beginning.
Heres to many more years together!
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If Youre Getting Married In A Church Ask The Auxiliary For Help
If youre getting married in a church or in the hall of a civic organization, ask if the auxiliary club associated with that venue has suggestions or ideas. While they might not be able to directly provide a lot of savings, they may be able to offer ideas and small services that can save a little, and they sometimes can point you to something unexpected that can be a huge savings.
Strategy: Ask the auxiliary club associated with the church or other organization where your wedding is being held for help Savings: Small, but potentially big
Resell And Reuse Clothing
If you want to hold onto your wedding attire for sentimental reasons, we totally get it. That being said, you definitely don’t have to. Use Nearly Newlywed to resell your wedding dress, or consider sourcing a tuxedo from Rent the Runway. The same goes for all your wedding-related event outfits: there’s nothing wrong with borrowing or repurposing your piecesâsharing is caring, after all.
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% Percent: Venue Catering And Rental Costs
The biggest part of your wedding budget will go toward the big ticket items, which covers the cost of renting out your venue space, hiring caterers for food, alcohol and rentals, such as tables, chairs and dinnerware. Some couples also include the price of their cake in this 50% chunk of their budget.
Dont Mention The Word Wedding
A lot of the time the cost of a particular item will go up if the vendor knows that it is for a wedding. So when youre talking to florists, bakers, photographers, and DJs try not to mention the word wedding and see what prices you can get.
For example, it is widely known that wedding cakes can cost you more than a regular cake even if it is created and made the same. The best thing to do is to speak to many different vendors offering the same services so you can get the best price for your wedding.
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Do The Catering Yourself Or Hire A Family
While trimming the guest list saves quite a bit on catering, you can save more by finding a low-cost catering option. According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average cost per catered plate is $51, so if you have 50 guests, thats $2,550 in meal expenses even with a reduced guest list.
For our own wedding, catering was provided by family and friends, who prepared and served the meal in lieu of a wedding gift. This may work for you if you have someone who is interested in stepping up to that task.
Strategy: Have friends and family cater for you in lieu of a gift Savings: $2,550
If not, try asking a local family-owned restaurant to cater for you. They might be hesitant to cater a large event, but if your guest list is already relatively small, they may be willing to do this and work with you on a less expensive option. If a local family-owned restaurant can cater and save 25% per plate, thats still a nice savings.
Strategy: Ask a locally owned restaurant to cater the meal instead of a wedding catering service Savings: $638
Purchase An Elegant Wedding Dresscheap
Clearly, buying a new wedding dress wont work with a budget of $1000.
Borrow
Ask your friends and family if any of them have a wedding dress you can borrow for your big day. Its almost certain that youll find someone who knows someone who kept their dress. Then, you can have it tailored to fit you perfectly, and at the end of the day, bring it back in one piece.
Second hand
Second hand and vintage wedding dresses can cost around $200-$300. For example, did you know you could go dress shopping on Craigslist? And then, after the wedding, you can sell it to someone else, potentially making the total price of the wedding dress almost free.
Last Resort: Rent the Dress
If you cant find someone to lend you a dress, many wedding shops will rent you a wedding gown. While not the cheapest option, this will be the second-easiest way to get a cheap wedding dress after buying one. And the wedding shop will tailor it to your exact measurements.
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