Online Resource ToolOnline resource tool article database

With the costs of arranging a wedding ever spiraling upwards, it is very easy to spend more than you can afford. The reception, the dress, flowers, limousines and all the other paraphernalia that goes into making the day memorable come at a significant price. A wedding is a very special occasion and one that, you hope, is never repeated, so you really want to push the boat out with the best of



everything. Although understandable, if there is not a limitless supply of money, do you really need to start your married life with a huge debt? This is why many couples are opting for a budget wedding, so below there are some ways where you can economise and still have a great wedding day.

One of the items which are never thought of in terms of budgeting, are the costs associated with a hand made wedding dress, which many brides sell anyway, soon after they are married. It is easy to buy a wedding dress that has only been worn once for less than half the price and the beauty of this is that providing you don’t have any accidents, you can probably sell on at almost the same price that you bought it for. Another option available is to hire a dress from one of the many stores that specialise in dress hire.

Possibly the biggest savings can be made with the reception, planning is crucial but with some clever re-thinking, this is where your budget wedding will save the most. First is the number of guests, don’t just invite everyone you know and don’t be pressured to invite every relative you have. By keeping the numbers to an absolute minimum, you can get a smaller reception venue. You could then hold the reception at a restaurant, club or village hall where you could save even more money by doing the catering yourself or with friends. Then you can buy the drink wholesale and save even more money.

Professional photographers can be expensive to hire for the whole day, so one idea is to book them for just the wedding ceremony so that you get great traditional shots of the service and the relatives. Then rely on friends and family to supply the photos of the wedding reception. If you have a really gifted friend, they may be willing to take all the photographs for you.

Other areas where you can be assured of saving money, are wedding invitations and other stationery. With today’s home computers and printers you are able to provide near professional results. There are a range of inexpensive and sometimes free software so that you’ll be able to enter your own text and graphics. Don’t forget to preview it before you print so as not to make any costly mistakes.

Florists and flower arranging can be very expensive, especially when they know it’s for a wedding, so why not buy them direct and arrange them yourself or get a friend to help out. If you have a college or adult education centre nearby, you could check to see if they run flower arrangement classes and ask a couple of students if they would be willing to do yours.

Wedding cakes are another costly item which can easily be made by a talented friend. The traditional three tiered fruit cake is often ignored for a funkier sponge cake which can have many layers and fillings. Another way is to buy three ordinary fruit cakes, then ice them yourself and buy the cake pillars and cake toppers separately.

It is probably every girls dream to arrive at the church in a Rolls Royce or other limousine but this is another expense that could be easily shaved off the budget. Ask around your friends if they have a decent car or if they know somebody who has and would be willing to give up a couple of hours to drive you. You may be having a budget wedding, but as long as everybody has a good time, they will not care that lavish amounts of money have not been spent, only that you will be happy for the rest of your life.