Wedding Money Saving Ideas – Smart Or Tacky?

Saving money has become a national obsession. Conspicuous consumption is out and living a more sensible lifestyle is in. And yet, when you are planning a wedding, it can be difficult to know how to cut corners without cutting style. These are some of the common ways in which brides try to save money on their weddings; I will help you learn which ones are smart and which ideas will look tacky.

The key in planning a balanced wedding budget is knowing where to spend your money for the most impact. A wedding is one of the highlights of a woman’s life, so it is important that she is able to have some fun making it feel special. If everything is a save, it will just be drudgery, and you will lose the joy from the wedding. On the other hand, not every bridal indulgence can be justified by the excuse that it is your special day. In other words, you want to splurge smartly and save smartly.

Saving idea #1: Wedding invitations. Fine engraving and letterpress are extremely beautiful but also extremely expensive, so it is only natural that brides would look for ways to save on the wedding stationery. But your invitation is also the first impression that your guests will have of your wedding, so you want it to be a good one. Smart way to save: printing your own invitations on nice paper with a high quality printer. Tacky: hoping your guests will be fooled into thinking that thermographed invitations were engraved; they won’t be.

Saving idea #2: Wedding accessories. Once you have found your dream wedding gown, you will want to finish it off with some gorgeous accessories. Diamonds from Tiffany’s are not in everyone’s budget however; nonetheless you want to have some fabulous sparkle for your wedding day. Smart way to save: crystal bridal jewelry. With its dazzling sparkle, bridal jewelry created from Swarovski crystal will give you just the glamor you crave. Tacky: trying to pass off a child’s costume tiara as a real one. (I have actually seen this done; it was dreadful.)

Saving idea #3: Reception libations. The bar bill can add up quickly at a wedding reception, especially if you have a fun loving crowd. It can be difficult to balance the desire to throw a great party with the need to keep expenses manageable. Smart way to save: offer a signature cocktail or hold a brunch reception. A signature cocktail will add style to your reception, but it can also keep the alcohol costs down as compared to a full open bar. To save even more, have an early morning ceremony followed by a brunch reception, when most people will order very few alcoholic drinks. Tacky: cash bar. It is far better to serve what you can afford graciously than to demand that your guests pay for their own refreshments. Unless your reception is being held at a frat party, just don’t do it.

Saving idea #4: Trim the guest list. It should be fairly obvious that the fewer guests you invite, the less it will cost to feed and entertain them. The trick is figuring out how to pare down the guest list without offending anybody. Smart way to save: have a destination wedding. This is an easy way to get away with inviting only your closest family and friends, and it can be a lot of fun for the bride and groom too. Tacky: inviting all guests to the wedding ceremony, but only a select group to the reception to follow. People have been known to do this, but there is simply no way that the people who are expected to go home after the ceremony can feel anything but insulted. The only exception to this is when the bride and groom attend a church where it is customary for the entire congregation to show up for wedding services. You are not obligated to feed the whole parish. In these circumstances, the protocol is to issue written invitations to your special guests, with the assumption that anyone attending the ceremony without an invitation understands that the reception is for the close friends and family only.

So you see, it is possible to save money on your wedding while still maintaining the style and dignity of the event. It is just a matter of being smart on where you decide to save, and above all, about keeping the happiness of your guests in mind. With this list of tips in hand, you should be well on your way to planning a stylish and budget friendly wedding.

About the Author Bridget Mora

Ask Bridget for advice in areas of jewelry or weddings. She writes numerous articles providing information for the customers of Silverland Jewelry.com. Crystal bridal jewelry is both elegant and affordable.

Visit Green Wedding for tips on how to save money while saving the earth!

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