Planning a Wedding on a Budget

In these times of recession, some of the first things to go are what most people consider excessive, or luxurious. But what do you do when called upon to handle one of life’s greatest celebrations – a wedding? The average cost of a wedding is around 20k and half of that is usually spent on the reception. However, there is good news! It far from impossible to cater a wedding on a budget, and it is important to do so when the chips are down. Gone are the days of cases of Dom Perignon and Caviar passing trays. Today, people need to use their noggins and consider cost. There are, luckily, a few tips you can use to throw a devastatingly cheap wedding celebration without the in laws rolling their eyes and looking for the exit.

There are two types of wedding mindsets; drinking and fun or romance and beauty. The following tips on entertaining cover both of these because the ideal wedding has a little of everything. No one wants the best man puking on the dance floor, nor do they want every article of food shaped like a heart. What’s important is spending your money on the right things and saving in ways that people won’t question, or notice for that matter.

Here are some cost conscious tips for having a big wedding on a small budget.

Venue

The first thing to consider is where to hold your wedding celebration. Rather than renting out your local Ritz Carlton and running the risk of having your celebration melt into the collective memories of your guests, think outside the box. While it may be fancy, it will destroy any pleasure you took in online banking. Besides, the cost of renting out ball rooms, which can range from $2500 to $10,000 and up , makes you consider buying a boat instead of getting hitched – they’re about the same price. Even if you must rent space, steer clear of places typically more expensive such as Long Island, NY and Catalina, CA.

Instead, consider who you know. Got an uncle or cousin who killed on Wallstreet, hit them up for their yard and house. It’ll be free and no one likes a house party more than rowdy wedding guests. Just make sure you’ve party proofed the premises.

Less People

While you may want to share your special day with everyone you’ve ever met, think about the number of guests and then look in your wallet. One of the biggest contributors to debt-tied weddings is the number of attendees. While the average number of wedding guests is 157, do you really want to spend $100 bucks on the copy intern? He didn’t get you anything for Christmas. Instead think of this – if you have 200 people and only have 15k, consider how much better the party and wedding will be when you cut that number in half. Twice the grandeur, with a more personal, intimate and exclusive crowd.

Consider an Afternoon Wedding

Who doesn’t like getting plastered during the day? Most excuses are met with a shake of the head. However, no one can turn down a wedding. Lunch food is always cheaper than dinner food and there is no lighting required. While you’ve seriously considered your second cousin’s idea for a laser show, think again and use the natural, and all importantly free, lighting of the sun. Simple common sense ideas like these will save you from being tied to half of all weddings that go over budget.

Bar

Any wedding worth its weight in garters will surely not disappoint when it comes to the bar. However, there are ways to get your crowd effectively tipsy without pretending to be Puff Daddy. Consider wines and champagnes outside of public familiarity. This is key because you can buy by the case and the cost is checked.You can effectively purchase a fine wine no one has heard of and save literally hundreds of percent versus buying name brand wines most people don’t even order at intimate dinners.

The same holds true for champagne, a yardstick many guests will use to sadly judge your catered celebration. Use the same technique of essentially pulling the wool over your guests’ eyes and buy tasty champagne no one is likely to be familiar with. Hotels do this all the time. Take for instance their cheapest bottle, which depending where you frequent, might be in the $45 range. Then realize that there’s a reason you’ve never heard of it – because it costs the hotel $8 and it comes from Canada. You may feel like you’re cheating, but your wallet, and your pseudo drunken guests will thank you for it because you won’t have to be stingy with the champagne toasts. Let the bubbly times roll!

Self Planning

While a wedding planner or consultant can save you time, they certainly aren’t in the business of saving you money. Sure you might find an individual who recognizes that your wedding is unique, and that you and your soon to be spouse are the best folks on the planet, but at 15% of the average wedding cost, planners hit your pocket book hard. Instead, consider planning ahead and doing as much as you can to figure out what you need and want. No one knows this better than you do.

Pitfalls

And lastly, don’t get talked into big ticket expenses like a carved ice fountain shaped like a heart that drools melted chocolate. It may sound cool, but that’s the last thing you’ll be when the bill arrives. Keep things simple and classic, choose a pleasant but cheap venue, cut down on the guest list, consider a daytime celebration, consider planning it yourself and drink according to your bank statement. By following these simple ideas, you can enjoy your big day without having honeymoon money issues interrupting your other afternoon activities – wink wink.