Weddings can be very expensive and before you know it the wedding budget you had initially decided upon has doubled (or tripled!). Professional Wedding Planners can offer advice to help you cut corners and save you tons of money. Here are seven simple tips that can help you save money on your wedding.
1. Hire a Wedding Planner Early. Let him or her negotiate with your vendors to get you the best prices. They have inside connections to the cheapest (and best) caterers, deejays, venues, etc. Tell your wedding planner your budget and watch how they can help you stick to it.
2. Monitor your Guest List. Invite only your closest friends and family. A simple rule to follow is to only give +1's to your single friends who have been dating their significant other for at least a year, and whom you have met.
3. Don't allow children. Although this may not be for every couple, a simple way to cut costs is to have an "adult only" wedding. Often children can account for 25-30 percent of the guest list and cutting them out can be a huge savings! This may also allow for your friends who have kids to finally get a sitter and have a fun night out without the kids.
4. Linens. Ever consider ordering your table linens on E-Bay or Amazon? Wedding linens can be very expensive to rent. Most of us don't realize that rental prices can range from $15 - $80 per table! Often you can find great deals for large quantities of table linens and napkins online, tablecloths starting at just $7 a tablecloth. What a savings!
5. Do-It-Yourself. There are tons of DIY wedding blogs. Check a few of them out and start creating one of a kind decorations early. You can save a lot of money creating your own centerpieces, name tags and menus. Plus, your guests will be so impressed at how personalized your wedding is.
6. Get Stuff for Free. You'd be surprised how many things you can get for free. Try posting an ad on Craigslist for a videographer or photographer. There are lots of college students majoring in film or photography who need experience and would be willing to do your shoot for free in order to build their portfolio. Journalists are another great contact for free or cheap photo shoots.
7. Do Your Research. Spend a lot of time researching vendors. Compare your local vendors with ordering items on the internet. Choose the cheapest options. Saving $10 here and $100 there will add up.
There are tons of other ways to keep the budget down. Don't buy the first things you see and make sure to take the time to shop around. There is always someone willing to do it for cheaper. Remember this is just one day, and though it is the one day you've been looking forward to your whole live, you don't want to go broke over it. Come up with a budget and stick to it. You don't want to be paying off this wedding for years to come. Your guests are there to celebrate the two of you and trust me, they won't know the difference if your tablecloths are floor length or only 15 inches.
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