Planning a wedding party on a small budget doesn’t suggest everything has to be boring nor should it mean it has to be unsophisticated. In reality, there is no proof that hurling large piles of cash at your wedding party will make it any more interesting than not doing so. With that being said, don’t let the notion of planning your wedding on a small budget get you down — there are lots of ways to spend less while still ensuring an unforgettable & fulfilling experience for you and your guests.
1. Put a Lock on That Invite List. More people means far more food, much more drinks, much more space (a lot more decorations as a result), more cake, a lot more tables, additional chairs, much more servers, and more of EVERYTHING ELSE. Invite only whom you need to invite; not the entire list of folks the two of you have ever had a conversation with. Don’t forget, your planning a wedding on a strict budget — I.E. small budget, small invite list.
2. Consider other choices before going directly to a caterer. Despite the fact that they’re easy & hassle-free, catering services are astonishingly pricey and shall take a gargantuan piece out of your small budget. If possible, prepare the food yourself or have a friend — who is a decent cook — do it for you as his or her gift. If preparing the food by yourself is simply out of the question when planning your small budget wedding, then you can always save money by choosing the buffet route instead. With a self serve buffet, you are able to offer delicious, yet inexpensive food at a small fraction of the price of a sit-down dinner accompanied by servers.
3. Leave Your Ego At the Door to Save on Decor. Ice statues, chocolate water fountains, chandeliers, customized & engraved cutlery, as well as antique vases and paintings DO NOT make wedding receptions more fun. All these things do is blow up your budget thereby making it more difficult for you to pay for the things that actually matter. Stay with simple and cheap wedding party accessories if you want to succeed with planning a wedding on a low budget. Candles, ribbons, theme colored balloons, theme colored table cloths & napkins, pictures & picture frames, inexpensive cut flowers, and whatever else you can obtain cheap from a wholesale supplier or party supply store. This stuff usually won’t damage the budget and you can get a whole heck of a lot for very, very little.
4. Don’t put money into cut flowers (specifically those not in season). Yes, they are indeed beautiful and make everything appear a bit more energetic. However, their cost ALONE is tremendous. Instead, think about using flowering potted plants. With ribbons and raffia tied to them, you will save lots of money and still have lovely flowers for the wedding party.
5. Shut the Open Bar. Buy (in large quantities) beer, champagne, wines, and nonalcoholic beverages and serve them yourself. (This is a big help when planning a wedding on a small budget)
For more information about wedding decorations ideas and also to find more money saving strategies, visit Dream-Weddings-on-a-Budget.com, a popular web site devoted to helping men and women plan their dream wedding on the cheap.