How to Organize a Wedding on Budget

Looking to get married but not got much money to spend?  Here are some top tips for saving money on your wedding.

• Venue: most venues have less weddings over the winter months and because of this they offer discounts for those months, phone and ask if they have any special offers on for a winter wedding.  I have saved 20% on my venue and catering by asking about a winter wedding.
• Invites: Why spend a fortune on your save the dates and invites when you can do them yourself just as well?  If you’re not the creative type and don’t feel comfortable making them from scratch then have a look at some of the companies that do the pre-designed invites that you print your own details on to, these can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of printed ones.
• Favours: Why spend a fortune on made up favours when you can achieve the same results for less by purchasing the almonds or chocolates yourself and wrapping them with your bridesmaids one night with a take-out and drink?  The organza wraps can be purchased online or at local hobby stores and you can purchase ribbon cheaply to tie them with.  If you like you can also make mini tags to put onto the ribbon as they are tied with the guests name on.
• Table Plans: Why spend more than £50 ($100) on a table plan when you can make your own for around £10 ($20)?  Check first that your table plan isn’t included in the cost of your venue as some do that for you and you don’t want to double up.  If not, find out what the layout of the tables will be and then arrange your guests according to family and friends that get on with each other.  You don’t want a table of people frowning on your wedding day.  Purchase a piece of A2 card, and several pieces of A4 card in contrasting colours that match your own colour scheme.  Mount the white card which has each table plan on top of the contrasting colour card before mounting onto the white A2 piece of card.  You can either print the details onto the card or if you can do calligraphy you can write the details on to it personally.
• Flowers: These can be very costly, one simple way to keep the prices down is to reuse the flowers from the ceremony on your tables as centre pieces in the evening.  This halves the cost of your flowers immediately.  Another way is to purchase so simple vases and buy your own flowers to dress the reception.
• Meal: Are you planning a late wedding?  If so, it is possible to skip the expensive wedding breakfast and have the receiving line at the reception with an early buffet.  You are not expected to pay for a meal for everyone there, so even if you do have a meal you can invite some people to the reception only and have just close family at the wedding breakfast.
• Drinks: It is customary for the bar to be open and some drinks paid for throughout the night.  However, you don’t have to have an open bar, if you are having a meal provide a drink for the toast and maybe one drink with the meal.  You know exactly how much you are spending then and won’t get hit with a costly bill the following day.
• Suits: Why buy a suit that is only going to be worn once?  Most outlets offer a for hire service that includes discount if there are more than five people needing a suit or the groom goes free, shop around to find the best offer.
• Dresses:  Shop around, you can get the perfect gown in a sale.  If not you will find that bridal stores closer together will offer competitive prices and you may be able to get extra discount if you  purchase your wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses from the same store.

So far I have brought the cost of my wedding down from nearly £10,000 to less than £3000 following these tips.  I hope they can help you as well.