6 Ways To Save On Wedding Costs (And 3 Items To Splurge On)

We're all trying to cut costs these days, and while everyone wants their wedding day to be picture perfect, it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Using only one or two of these cost-saving strategies will save you at least a little bit.

I know some of these suggestions might not be everyone's cup of tea, but give them a chance. We incorporated most of these at our wedding, and we had a fabulous time (and a party that lasted for 12 hours!).

DIY Save The Date, Invitations & Thank You Cards With "everyone" using computers both at work and at home, it's not surprising that making your own invites etc. is becoming more and more common. Not only do we have access to the equipment needed, everyone is getting more and more savvy at using it too. Plus there is an endless supply of advice, help and free downloads available online. If you don't want to bother with the printing, you can always just design your own stationery and then upload it to an online printing site.

Email RSVPs While the snail mail paper version is still the most common way to send RSVPs, asking your guests to respond by email is becoming more and more popular. Not only is it easier, it's also a greener choice, AND it saves you a bit of money.

DIY Centerpieces Centerpieces can cost a pretty penny and only last for a few days. If you don't have time to put something together yourself, ask your bridesmaids and/or family members if they would mind helping out. People usually love the opportunity to add their creative touch to an event, and you will have unique centerpieces with a very personal touch.

Gifts For Your Wedding Party Jewelry is the traditional gift for your bridesmaids, and it's very easy to put together a cute necklace, earrings or bracelet on your own. If you prefer something different, put together a basket with a few bottles of your favorite wine and some nice wine accessories (like a wine aerator, cooler, and preserver).

Music At our wedding, we decided that the easiest way to get to hear everything we liked and wanted to dance to was to mix a bunch of tapes ourselves (this was before the days of burning CDs and mp3 players). The place we rented had a great sound system, and we just put all our tapes by the cassette player, started one, and let anyone who wanted change the tape when needed. It was a bit hit, everyone was dancing all night and the party ended up lasting for 12 hours. These days it's even easier to do something like that, since mp3 players can hold tens of thousands of songs, and you can set up different playlists - mellower music for the dining part of the evening and more dance-friendly stuff as the night goes on.

Back Yard Reception If you, like me, prefer a more informal reception where people feel comfortable taking their shoes off, then your own (or a friend's) back yard is a perfect setting for the reception. Rent a few tents and set up tables and chairs, a sound system, a dance floor, and a buffet and bar. To help with food and drinks, hire a caterer, or perhaps students from your local cooking school - ask the community at Chowhound for recommendations.

What To Splurge On I'm all for cutting costs and not going overboard with weddings, but having said that, you don't want to skimp on everything. Here are a few things where I think spending a bit more is justified:

Photography I was going to shoot my own wedding (well, the parts I was able to do) and have a friend do the rest, but my Mom insisted on hiring a professional wedding photographer. I've been thankful for that ever since. The photos are gorgeous (one even ended up on the cover of our local newspaper), and I certainly couldn't have taken such great pictures of the two of us and the wedding party. Even with a self-timer, you need someone else behind the camera, and that someone should be a professional. You'll be looking at these pictures for the rest of your life.

Dress If you find a really inexpensive dress you love, that's fabulous! But if you truly fall in love with one that's a bit over your budget, get it anyway (if you cut back on some of the other expenses, you can afford it). You'll never wear something like that again, and if your dress makes you feel gorgeous and confident, that's worth a lot. Plus, you'll have tons of photos of yourself in that particular dress (probably on your wall for decades to come) - you want to look your best. When I got married, I decided I was going to get a simple evening dress, not even a wedding gown. And what did I end up with? A Vera Wang it was stunning, I felt fantastic, and my friend's little 3-year old boy shyly told me I looked like a princess. Worth every penny.

Wedding Rings If you're going to be wearing it every day for the rest of your life, it better be something you love. Unique and unusual rings are fine, but think about how you'll feel about them later on too.

Article Source: http://www.imarry.org/wedding-article

Shezzi Kensington loves designing stationery. On her blog, she teaches you how to make your own wedding invites and shares her different design ideas

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