The uber-fabulous Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings, offers 10 Ways to Trim Your Wedding Budget.
When you prioritize, plan, and adopt some of the money-saving steps below, it will be the beauty and joy of your wedding day you hold onto forever, not the bills.
Food and Drinks
1. Serve a signature drink, such as a punch or favorite cocktail, instead of providing a full bar and limit other alcoholic beverages to wine and beer, choices that will satisfy most of your guests.
2. Have your caterer use local fruits and vegetables that are in season. Not only will these items be more economical, they’ll taste fresher.
3. Order a moderately priced, plainly decorated cake, and make the focal point the cake topper. Vintage bride-and-groom figurines, wedding bells, horseshoes, a basket filled with fruit, or a pair of doves (from an antiques shop or handmade) are classic symbols that can make a cake memorable.
Flowers and Decorations
4. While most popular bridal flowers are available year-round, some traditional ones — peonies and lily-of-the-valley, for example — can be difficult to find and expensive out of season. Seek your florist’s advice before deciding on your flowers.
5. Use favors as seating or place cards to save a bit on stationery costs. For seating cards, write guests’ names and table numbers on strips of paper, affix them to the favors, and set in order on a table near the entrance. For place cards, put favors with names attached at guests’ places.
General Budgeting Tips
6. When it comes to invitations – save money and the environment by choosing digital options like http://www.pingg.com for save the dates. For the wedding, you can use a more formal, printed invitation. We offer a number of gorgeous designs at pingg –http://www.pingg.com/info/designer_series?artist=martha_stewart.
7. Fridays and Sundays are generally less expensive than Saturdays for renting a venue.
8. To minimize the guest list, include your friends’ significant others but not casual dates.
9. For your reception, remember that a deejay can be less costly than a live band.
10. The most important thing about a wedding is making sure it is personal and reflects you. Prioritize aspects of the wedding that are most important to you. By compromising in some areas, you can afford to splurge on others.
Visit www.marthastewartweddings.com for even more tips and inspiration.
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