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Bride$hare is a social networking site designed to help brides save money by sharing wedding-related resources and goods. Decor, apparel, rentals, and even vendors can be shared, swapped, or sold through Bride$hare connections.
I know what it's like to plan the wedding of your dreams on a dime, so I hope this helps! Here are a few photos from our wedding and some strategies we used to keep our costs down:
1. Keep the ceremony decor to a minimum. Your guests are there to see you exchange your vows, not to hear a symphony orchestra or admire billions of flowers.
2. Decorate the reception simply. We chose a reception location that was naturally beautiful, which saved us a lot of money or decor. A few small centerpieces - which we made ourselves using dollar-store vases and flowers we grew (hydrangea) or ordered in bulk (roses) - and a few floral swags from Michael's were all we needed to personalize the space.
3. Choose flowers that are in-season and keep your bouquets small. This will significantly reduce the florist's price.
4. Keep your gown simple and classic. You will be sure to still love your dress when you look back at your album in 25 years, and you won't pay extra for all the beads and lace.
5. Prioritize. What is most important to you? One thing that was high on our list was photography - the day goes by so fast, we wanted beautiful lasting memories of our day. This is one area where we felt it was worth it to spend a little more money. Decide what is most important to you and concentrate the majority of your funds there.
6. Try to find a reception location that allows you to choose your own caterer and bring your own alcohol. This is one of the most significant areas that cut costs for us. Buying alcohol at store prices is much more affordable than a hotel/restaurant mark-up. Our food was fantastic and we had drinks to spare.
7. DIY Details can add a personal touch and save you a lot of dough. I created my own pomanders, floral letters, coloring books for kids, and guest book. Guests remembered these details and I saved a lot by creating them myself.
8. Keep the cake to three layers or less and have a sheet cake in the back to supplement it. Guests won't know the difference and it will save a ton of dough!
9. Create your own playlist, at least for the dinner music. An iPod and some rented or borrowed speakers can save a ton of money on a D.J. or band, who usually charge by the hour.
10. The biggest money-saver for us was to have our wedding on a Friday. We know this isn't for everyone, but 150 our of our 175 guests attended the wedding and had a blast! The price for the reception location was literally less than half of what it would have been on a Saturday, and we had all day Thursday and Friday to set up in addition to all of Friday evening for the event. If we would have chosen a Saturday we would have had 1-2 hours to set up and 4 hours at the location, or paid triple the cost to secure both Saturday time spaces.
So create a realistic budget, prioritize, and plan the wedding that is right for you - no matter your budget, you can plan a fun and fabulous celebration for you and your guests.
Do you have any money saving tips for brides-to-be? We'd love to hear them!
