Cheap wedding tips
A friend in the newsroom mentioned she is trying to plan her wedding on a tight budget, which got me thinking. Who's not on a budget these days? Especially when it comes to parties that can quickly get out of hand, pricewise.
Cheap Chic Weddings has lots of tips for how to save on gowns (sew it yourself or check eBay*), flowers (buy from a wholesaler, arrange yourself), and invitations (use postcards to RSVP and save on postage, do them yourself, nix the outer envelope).
Another great way to save is to tap the manpower and talents of your friends and family. Our friend Benedetti learned a few songs from Amelie (one of my favorite movies) and played them on his accordian during our wedding ceremony. My cousin did our wedding invitations as her gift to us (and them some) and another cousin paid for the postage as her gift. My uncle married us while wearing red hi-top...
...converse. Somehow, nobody else got the memo about wearing red shoes! :)
About.com says to trim your guest list, host a "pitch-in" party where friends and family help you assemble favors, make invitations, and centerpieces. If you provide good food and music they will forget they are working and feel like they are contributing to your special day (which they are).
WeddingsAffordable.com suggests making a budget and sticking to it YOU WEAK WILLED PERSON (their sass, not mine). Open a bank account just for the wedding and only spend from that. Tighten your regular budget. Decide where you want to spend your money and skimp or eliminate everything else. Be ruthless. People really don't care about favors or how many flowers you had. They want to see you walk down the aisle, boogie a little, and be a part of your first day as a married couple.
*Confession: I purchased my wedding gown on eBay for $180. It just didn't seem worth even $500 to buy something I was going to wear for six hours. I loved it and don't regret buying it online for a minute, though I did spend $150 to tailor it to fit. Now it's hanging - dirty - in my Mom's attic. Why anybody cleans a dress they will never wear again baffles me.
