|
Smart
Brides Say...
 Just
like almost everyone else, my fiance and I are on a super-tight
budget. We decided to get our cake from our local grocery store to
save money. When we arrived, they just happed to have a very elegant
birthday cake (with white icing!) on display. We ended up ordering
three of them and decided to make our own display of the cakes on the
cake table. I'm going to add my own cake topper and flowers around
the bottom of the cakes. Since it's not REALLY a wedding cake, they
only charged us $25! No one will ever know the difference!
Sarah J.
Wedding March
22, 2002
Akron, OH
If
you require a tent for an outdoor wedding, ask a local car
dealership to rent one of their tents, instead of a place that
specializes in tent rental. We found one willing to donate it for the
day if we agreed to mention the dealership in our programs. The
cheapest rental stores were renting them for (in the twin City area)
was between $750 and $975, plus delivery, for the size we needed. We
got a bigger one for free!!
Kellie
Minnesota
If you can, buy a dress "off the rack," especially if your
wedding is nine months away or less. A friend of mine was called by
the bridal shop three weeks before her wedding and was told that the
manufacturer of the dress she had ordered from at the beginning of
May had decided to quit making that dress! Luckily, she found a dress
(at another shop!) that she liked and bought it. Unfortunately, it
was nearly twice the amount of the original dress, and right before
the wedding - that was tough. I'm getting married next month, and I
found my dress at a nice boutique that sold dresses both via special
order and off the rack. I love my dress! Even better, I know it is ready!
Ginny
Wedding
February 24, 2001
Click
for the
Top
100 Wedding Sites!!!
Skip the formal receiving line and plan to visit as many tables and
talk to as many people as possible before the dinner and
formalalities such as toasts, cake cutting, first dance, etc. That
way, you will have done your duty to your guests and still have
plenty of time to enjoy yourself at the reception. Also, schedule
your formal pictures as soon as you arrive, then you can insist on
informal, fun pictures of you and your guests enjoying the party.
Nancy
First
of all, never accept the first bid from any of the hired help. I was
able to get my caterer to go almost 1/2 price on the bar (when I
pointed out that 1/3 would not be drinking alcohol) and a pasta
station wasn't important. They will negotiate with you if you ask so
don't be afraid to do so.
Also, make sure
it's fun for everyone. Since my fiance and I were previously married,
had a mortgage, 3 children, and 2 car payments we were trying to save
money on the wedding - we decided against the big rehearsal dinner
and had it at an indoor go-kart racing track that had a "happy
days" type of restaurant instead - burgers, fries, and a whole
lot of laughs and fun. My nephews commented that they had the
"kewl-ist aunt". It was a rehearsal dinner that they will
talk about forever.
We also decided
that we didn't need to do the "hokie-pokie" or any of the
other have-to-do's at the wedding since we were paying for it - but
wanted something that said more about us (being Jimmy Buffett fans
known as Parrott heads) half way through the reception I handed
everyone a cheap plastic Lei and had a Limbo contest. Again, just
like the rehearsal dinner - it was a wedding that everyone will
remember for a lifetime.
Tina & Tom
Don't think you have to spend a bundle to have a nice wedding. I have
a friend who spent something like $12,000 on her wedding and of the
people who attended both, I was told that mine was much nicer and
more intimate. What did we spend on our wedding? $2,000. That was for
everthing except the rings! How did we get by on so little money?
Here are some tips:
1. Search high and
low for reception halls. I got very lucky and found a hall for only
$50. It wasn't a fancy place, but it was the perfect size and had a
huge deck out front.
2. Have your
rehearsal dinner in the church basement. My Mom and I prepared the
food ahead of time and while we were rehearsing my sister was in the
basement warming it up. It did cost $30 to rent the basement, but all
together (food included), we only spent $60. Compare that to a
restaurant dinner!
3. Cut down your
invitation list. You don't have to invite your whole extended family.
This cuts down on invitations and food costs. We only invited close
family and friends.
4. Don't hire a
caterer. We bought luncheon trays from a local grocery store and only
spent about $150. A family friend made the side dishes - potato
salad, cole slaw, spaghetti salad.
5. Check with the
people who will be attending the wedding and see if any of them are
into photography. My cousin took the pictures and they all turned out
really nice. And the best shot actually came from my husband's niece!
I know two people who spent a small fortune on photographers and were
very disappointed.
6. Don't buy a
huge wedding cake. This was one mistake I made. I bought a great big
cake and no one wanted any of it! We had over two-thirds of cake
left. We cut the cake right after everyone had eaten so I think
that's why no one wanted a piece.
7. You don't have
to have 10 bridesmaids. I only had the maid of honor and two
bridesmaids. I had their dresses made and, because I'd picked out a
simple pattern, each dress cost about $30. I also had my wedding
dress made.
Well, I hope these
tips help someone. Remember, your wedding is about commiting yourself
to a person for life. And you don't really have to spend anything to
do that!
Kimberly Hess
Married David
Hess on July 6, 1996
Dillsboro, Indiana
Buy
this
Book &
Get
Creative!
I
am not a bride-to-be but I thought this idea my save someone from
possible embarassment on their big day. Bring along in your
purse/bag, a needle, mini scissors & thread in the color of your
dress and your bridesmaid's dresses. When I got married 8 1/2 years
ago I did this and was so happy I did. One of my bridesmaids had been
dancing when the stitching on her zipper gave away. She and I
scrambled to the bathroom and did a "quick fix" on her
dress so she could enjoy the rest of the evening. Hope this helps someone.
Kim H.
Most veils that I've looked at were in the price range of $175.00 to
$200.00, and the thought of spending that much money on a headband
and tulle was painful. So I went to a craft store and bought the
supplies accessories to have a veil made for just $21.00. Then I took
it to a seamstress to have it assembled the way I wanted it. She was
able to create the veil I wanted for an additional $10.00, allowing
me to save money, and spend it somewhere else within the wedding.
Submitted by anonymous
Top100
Wedding
Sites
When choosing your bridal party make sure that everyone gets along.
Even though it's your day, there is nothing worse than a bridal party
that doesn't get along. If they are uncomfortable standing next to
one another it will end up affecting how comfortable you feel. I was
recently asked to be in my brothers wedding and was looking forward
to it until I found out that my fiancés ex-girlfriend is also
a bridesmaid. To top it off they also asked one of my ex-boyfriends!
My fiancé (the best man) and I joke that they should have them
walk down the isle together, but I know that secretly it bothers him
as well.
Anonymous
San
Diego, CA
I
work at a Print Shop. We get a lot of brides coming in to buy
napkins and accessories, and you wouldn't believe how happy they are.
Our invitations are cheaper than the ones they bought in the Bridal
Shops, and we get them faster - often in a week or less. Go to your
local printer and save!
Also, rent
your dress. You'll save a bundle. I don't know anyone who ever wore
her weddding dress again!
Sandra
Barkalow
Figure out a general budget early on in the planning. If family
offers to help financially, ask them what limitations and
expectations they have before you accept any money. If parents expect
to assist in the planning, find out to what extent. For example, if
the parents are wanting to host the reception, ask them beforehand if
YOU will be the decision maker. Many brides accept financial help
from family, then realize the parents feel they have the right to
choose the dinner, band, etc., despite what the couple wants. It's
your wedding, go for what YOU want. Don't get stuck having a wedding
the person paying for it wants. Find out before!! If they do feel
they will make the decisions, consider paying for the entire wedding yourselves.
Melissa
& Derek
Wedding November
26, 1999
Westfield,
MA
Ladies, check eBay for bridal gowns. Some are new, some have only
been worn once. I purchased a beautiful, stunning raw silk gown for
less than $100.00. You can't go wrong. It's worth a glance.
~
Anonymous
If
your engagement is over 8 months, wait a little while to choose your
attendants. Weddings seem to bring out the best and worst in people.
Over time, many things can happen in a friendship and in people's
personalities. Some for the better, some for the worse. You don't
want someone standing with you that is not really there for you.
If you sense a
person is just there to play the role, either don't ask them, or
kindly suggest they step down after discussing any
"problems". If not, you may regret it later on.
Melissa & Derek
Wedding
November 26, 1999
Westfield, MA
Regardless
of whether you are planning on buying your wedding gown or having
one made, go to the boutiques and try on TONS!! Try styles and colors
you wouldn't normally lean towards; you never know. Even if you have
one made for you, this will give you a big headstart.
Until you actually
start trying them on, you'll never know what really looks right.
Doing this saved me from making a MAJOR mistake with color. I am
making my gown as was dead set against white; I fell in love with a
champagne beige/pink I saw in a fabric store and planned to combine
it with off white. I took a swatch to the local salon, found a
bridesmaid dress in that color, (no bridal gowns in that shade) and
tried it on. I all but vanished...the color was horrible and totally
washed me out! After trying various shades, pure white was by far the
best and I love it now. Thank goodness I thought to try it out before
sewing up my whole gown!! So march over to the salon and try, try,
TRY! Good luck and have fun!
Janell and Mike
Married May 12, 2000
Los Angeles, California
We
have lots of little ones in my family, under five years of age. I
plan on having a small trailer next to banquet room for
naps/changing/feeding/etc. I'm checking into hire a baby-sitter for
the afternoon, will try to use one of the regular sitters that the
kids are familiar with. Also going to try to make little gift packs
for the toddlers to keep them busy and entertained and set up a play
area. We'll see if all of this works so the parents can enjoy the day also!
Crystal
A final word of wisdom...
I find a lot of these ideas enteraining, and I wish I would have
found this site when I was getting married! I married in just 6 short
weeks from the time I got engaged. Everything went off without a
problem. Don't get me wrong - this wasn't a little wedding. It
was a full blown church wedding and reception. I regret nothing. I
didn't have a lot of extra time to think about ways to spend more
money. Your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life,
and what could be better then standing beside and being united to the
man that you love? Nothing could be better than that. What I'm
getting at is that if you forget something, or if something doesn't
go quite right, take a minute and remember why you are doing this in
the first place. And as long as you and your husband are happy (and
stress-free) nothing else should matter.
Terry
----------
Big
Ideas: [
Page 1 ] [ Page
2 ] [ Page 3 ] [ Page
4 ]
[ Page
5 ] [ Page 6 ] [ Page
7 ] [ Page 8 ] [ Page
9 ]
|
