Ways to cut costs for wedding

Save money in other ways-long

I agree with everything so far, and just wanted to add a few:

I found that I saved $30/wk just taking my lunch to work.

Shop the internet for the best deals. There are literally hundreds of sites for wedding stuff...favors, etc. Some have no tax and free shipping. Get on the mailing lists so you know when they have their monthly sales. I picked up the table cameras at a good savings this way, not to mention other deals.

When you have bookmarked all the wedding sites you can find, get catalogs! Choose things you need then want for your wedding. Make a simple chart to compare prices of different vendors. Note the tax rate and shipping costs. I found something as simple as the Designer Wedding Rice was priced at anywhere from $12.95-$21.00!

Find a reception site that includes the cake and a centerpiece. Ours included these, plus the napkins and matchbooks.

Consider a Saturday afternoon, Friday night or Sunday wedding to get a price break. In addition to off-peak months. A coworker just got married in Feb. to get the price savings, and he said they were big savings, too!

Get a good wedding planning list off the internet or in a bridal magazine and decide what you really, really want and highlight it in yellow. Then highlight what you think would be nice to have in a different color, and cross off what is not necessary to you.

I bought fewer work clothes and shoes since we got engaged. It adds up. We eat out less.

We are doing our wedding on a budget, and I can't think of anything I feel I am depriving myself of. I just try and get the very best deal I can find.

DianaL...i agree

bringing lunch (i work in midtown and lunch can be very pricey) and eating out less is saving us $ and is much healthier, hopefully I'll lose a few lbs by doing this too :)
these are good habits for the future as well.

Some more ideas (long)

Here are some things that I have done or my friends have done that might help you:
-Bring your lunch to work (I do) and it saves a ton of money. You would be shocked at how much those coffee breaks also costs.
-Go to matinee movies instead of PM ones. And bring your own snacks and soda.
-Cut down on the $$ spent on Birthday gifts, and holidays this year. people understand and it is the thought that counts.
-I stopped my weekly manicures. I hate it but I do them myself and have them done only about once every six weeks now.
-Don't eat dinner out a lot. It costs a fortune. Entertain at home.
-Put an 'extra' money into savings right away such as tax refund checks, expense checks from work, send in all refund coupons on purchases, gift money. it adds up quick!
Wedding savings tips:
-Do simple centerpieces, such as vases with fresh flowers or floating candles.
I have not a big fan of do it yourself flowers for your wedding because it could get very stressful. Also, if you look around and are smart about it it will not cost you a fortune to have a good florist do them. I booked Burton's and got a great deal.
-Look on eBay for lots of stuff. Pew bows, ring pillows/flower baskets, headpieces, veils, jewerly etc.. You would be shocked at what you can find and the great prices.
-Ask for a price range BEFORE meeting with a vendor. If someone will not give you one, hang up. It is very hard to fall in love with a vendor's work and then not be able to afford it. Everyone else will not compare so don't put yourself in that position.
-Get a DJ, not a band. And don't worry about light shows, blow-up instruments or dancers. You don't need them to have a good time and neither should your DJ.
-Take the weekly Pre-Cana classes (if you are Catholic) instead of the weekend. We saved over $300 this way.
-Don't worry about engraved napkins or matchbooks. People throw them away anyway.
-Do a small favor such as a bookmark or choclate lollipops (you can do the choclate yourself for cheap).
- get simple invites. Purchase them on the Internet and save a ton too.
-Your dress: Stay out of stores that do not carry your price range. Don't go to Carle Place Bridal Reflections if your budget is $1000. Go to a store in a less weathly area. My parents are buying my dress (their contribution to my wedding) and I knew that I had a $2000 limit so I did not go to stores that I would see $3000 dress +up mostly. That would have been really hard for me. I went to Bridal Suite in Centereach and Debbie was great to deal with.
-Photographer: Don't rely on friends or family for this one. Photos are the only thing you have forever from your wedding. Just get a simple package and speak to them about payment terms. Also only send photo thankyou cards to close friends and family. Most people chuck those photos in a draw somewhere anyway.
-Lastly, Guest List. Since Scott and I are paying for 99.9% of the wedding WE made up the guest list. We did NOT ask our parents for input. Afterwards I told my parents that anyone NOT on our list that they want invited they have to pay for. I mean, I know who I want at my wedding. I cut out people that I barely know or have not seen in a 20 years. I did not worry about 'they will be insulted if they are not invited'. Bascially, I said 'Fine. I have not seen them in 20 years. I guess now they won't talk to me for the next 20.' My parents agreed that I was being fair with my proposal. And we are only inviting co-workers who we are close with and socialize outside of work. No group-invites just because someone sits in a cube next to me.

I hope this helps. It can get stressful but just remember to take time out for yourself once in a while and enjoy your planning.

Colleen

I do remember speaking to someone about the center pieces before but I couldn't recall if it was you.
I actually found a website that had images of I think something along the lines of what you were speaking about and they looked really nice! Even FH liked it! I am sure in color it would look 10x better than in b/w print out.

When you have a chance to forward me yours that would be great. Thanks for the help!

Nina, Michele31 and others...long

Nina-You're reception is at the Chateau Briand? Which room? I saw the Norwegian and the Leonard Davinci and we both love the Davinci room.
Now my main concern is the guest list. We are trying to pay this wedding and save for a place on our own and we are realizing that its impossible without our parents help.
My mother knows practically every Hispanic person in this state but most of her friends I have never met. Michele31 I agree with you that if parents want to invite friends they need to pay up for them. This is where I begin to get a headache!
My dad will understand our dilemma and mention to do the wedding at my house, make the cake... He is a handy man so he thinks you can do anything! But I don't want that and I would rather settle on the little things like the flowers and invitations than the reception.
My mother wants the glamour and huge wedding that she has been imagining in her head all this time. But $$ is the issue here.
To top it off we got a really good deal from the Chateau Briand and I know I can lower it down. My parents and FH's parents love that place and so do we. Between our families and close friends, we are already at 195! I have already eliminated the co-workers and friends I haven't seen in 4 years. But family I can't cut out, I don't have the heart to do that.

My question to all is: Bridal party family members who do you invite and not? FH's best friend's family has 5 brothers and sisters (older) and the parents. FH was close to all in his younger years but he barely sees any of them now. I don't want to offend him or hurt his feelings by telling him that ALL of them don't need to be there. This family alone is one table. I am seeing $$$$ signs running through my forhead when I think of this family, the expense we have to accomodate all these people. And I have the issue with a couple of the girl's families too. Although I am willing to cut someone if I have to, non-family of course. Does anyone else have this problem?

Michele 31-Pre Cana

You have to pay for that too on top of the service fee for the church? I never knew. What parish are you in? Is there a standard fee or every church handles there own fees?
Thanks for letting me know about this-something else to add into the budget!

Nina, Michele31 and others...long

Bridal party family question: invite only the parents if the guest count is an issue.

Bridal Party Family Attending..

That is what I thought parents only. But I know it will become an issue for the guest list.

cw0904

We booked the Watermill (same family that owns CB) in Smithtown.
I am also having problems w/ the guest list. Originally it was supposed to be 50-60, but now we are inviting 80, and are hoping no more than 75 show up. I don't know how likely this is. The # went up b/c of family that we weren't going to invite, but then wanted them to be there. Like other brides, since our parents are not helping pay, they are not adding anyone on the guest list. My father said he would have a party for people he wanted later. Also, I don't have a bridal party.
The only thing I can suggest about the family situation, is really try to make limits, I know it's hard. For example, no 2nd cousins unless YOU talk to them, etc.

cw0904- your answers

Hi, Sorry it took me so long to get back to you
All of the Churches have different ceremony and Pre-Cana fees. My ceremony fee is $500, which includes $150 for the organist. Since I hired a harpist they will deduct that fee. Some Churches make you pay the full amount regardless whether you use the organist or not. Pre-Cana for (4) weeks was a total of $30.00. My Church, Parish of the Holy Cross in Ronkonkoma, does not make a profit on pre-cana. The money is used for the hosting couples to provide refreshments and the cost of materials.

The weekend Pre-Cana varies depending on which Church is hosting it. You should call your parish and ask them about the costs for each and then decide.

About the guest list- My advise is to sit down and calmly explain the situation to your parents. Very simply state that the reception cost is $XX per person + tax/grat = XX. You and your FH can pay for XX amount of people, and that you have already decided the guest list. Show it to them. Tell them that anyone not on your list can only be invited if they are willing to pick up the cost for that guest. If your Dad offers to 'fix up the house' just tell him that at home weddings can actually cost more money because you have to rent everything you need, tents/tables/chairs/bathrooms plus cater, plus wait staff, plus the cost of drinks etc, plus parking is a major problem. Where would 200 people even park? And if it rains, what a mess you could have on your hands. Once he sees how much $$ and work that is, I think he will see your point.

Good Luck!!!

Re: Ways to cut costs for wedding

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Re: Ways to cut costs for wedding

WOW I can't believe this was bumped. And not by me!
SOOO much has changed since my starting this thread. What was a tight budget wedding then, has now become this huge spending affair. We prioritized on all the items we need and worked from there. Since we are getting married in 2004 we booked the big vendors this year to save a bit on the increase in price of 2003. For our engagement party instead of holding it at a hall, we have decided to do it either at my folks house or at a VFW.
I just took the Cyber Brides book out from the library this afternoon. It is filled with websites for wedding planning. It unfortunately does not mention LIWeddings. The book should since this is the best site!

Re: cw0904

I still don't think there's anyway to cut costs on a Long Island Wedding

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Re: cw0904

CW0904, Quick question: What's a VFW?

Also, I havent done a good job at cutting costs at all, mainly b/c of me. I want what I want, and I realize I don't settle for much less.
So FH and I JUST decided to cut our guest list from 200 down to 150.
This way we'llb e saving almost $5000 on 50 ppl.

Re: cw0904

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Re: Ways to cut costs for wedding

My advice...EVERYTHING is negotiable! Photography, video, flowers, even your per person price! Ask for better pricing than what they originally offer. I'm saving about $1000..all you have to do is ask!!!!