6 Big Ways to Slash the Wedding Budget

Did you know the cost of full service wedding planner is usually about 10-15% of the total wedding budget? For a $15,000 wedding, that equals about $1500 - $2250. That may not seem like a lot but when the money is tight and you are looking for a way to stretch the budget, then that extra two thousand dollars suddenly seems a lot larger. With that in mind, many brides are opting not to use a full service wedding planner.

However, that doesn't mean the wedding planners are going to end up on the unemployment line. It does mean that they will have to be a little more creative in the services that they offer. For example, there are some wedding planers who have created a "do-it-yourself bridal planning package." For a much smaller than normal fee, brides will meet with a consultant and have a conversation about budgeting and expectations. The wedding consultant will then create a custom package for the bride that will serve as her road map as she plans the wedding herself. The package typically includes a preliminary budget worksheet and recommended vendors that will fit within the confines of her wedding budget. Brides are finding these bridal planning packages are extremely valuable and easy to use while saving them some serious money.

Wedding invitations are one of those necessary items that you just can't eliminate. For an average sized wedding of 150 guests, the total cost for wedding invitations including the postage will run approximately $700. For the higher quality invitations you can expect the cost to rise well over $1200!

Despite its necessity, the area of wedding invitations is one of the easiest areas to trim the budget. For example, you can purchase do-it-yourself wedding invtiation kits. Using your computer you can create beautiful invitations for as little as $300! That's about a 57% savings on your average invitation cost and a 75% savings for the more expensive sets.

Another way to further reduce the cost and help save the planet is by creating electronic invitations. Everyone seems to have access to email and its use is incredibly widespread. With desktop publishing software, you can create your own invitation and email it to all your guests.

For about $30, you can team up with companies like Evite and Sendomatic to help develop and manage the guest list. One of the great things about using these companies are ability to receive RSVPs via email,cell phone, or PDA. Having the help of managing the guest list for you will save you both time and stress.

Couples are finding that one way to keep costs down is to do-it-themselves. There are so many areas where you can save some serious cash. For example, contracting with a florist to create aisle markers, chair tie backs, church door decorations, and table centerpieces for the reception can easily run about $ 2000. But with a little creativity, couples can save a bundle.

Start by omitting the church door decoration. Although this is a nice touch, it is also a luxury. At the end of the day, is anyone really going to notice they aren't there?

Next, couples can easily go into Michaels or any other craft store and find a wide array of supplies that are reasonable priced to help create a variety of projects. For about $20, you can purchase a bow maker which with a little practice can help you create large, ornate bows. These large bows that are lovingly made will look lovely and be a lot cheaper than flowers.

While at Michaels, buy lots of ribbon. Again with a little practice you can learn how to create sashes for your chairs for a fraction of the cost. Once you learn how to create the bows and cut the necessary lengths, then you can find a couple of friends who are willing to learn how to tie the ribbons will do so the day of the wedding.

Couples have many different alternatives when it comes to centerpieces for the tables. You can buy clear, glass bowls and then fill them with water and place a couple of floating candles in it. Another option is to buy small potted plants which guests can take home after the wedding to plant and remember your day for a long time.

While on the subject of flowers, another big way to save a lot of money is to buy flowers that are from local farmers and are in season versus importing them from different parts of the world. Also the size of the bouquet has shrunk. In years past, many brides carried gorgeous, flowing cascading bouquets while today, many brides are opting for smaller bouquets. The size of the bridesmaids' bouquets has also shrunk and in many cases they carry just a few flowers wrapped in ribbon (which can be a DIY project, too).

When times get tough, couples realize that they are going to have to find ways to compromise. Even though every bride wants her wedding recorded visually, today's couples tend to view videography as a luxury rather than a necessity. In fact, if something needed to be cut then this is definitely the area.

In regards to the photographer, couples are now looking for alternatives to expensive photography. Did you know that the average cost for a photographer is about $2500? Luckily, for this price you will see some photographs but maybe not as many as you would like and the cost of reprints can be pricey.

Today's price savvy couples are now finding themselves scouring sites like Craigslist for someone who may not be as experienced but who will help them save thousands of dollars in the area of photography. In fact, I have seen several photographers that charge only about $1000 for their services! That is a huge savings!

Also it is important to note that with today's technology, couples are also opting for their pictures to be placed on a CD where they can print pictures off themselves versus having the photographer do it.

The area where couples spend the most money is on the wedding reception . In fact, this area tends to eat up anywhere from 40-60% of the total budget. Couples may be unsure how to cut costs without compromising on style.

First, consider the day of the wedding. One of the biggest wedding trends tends to be with the day and of the event. Traditionally, the preferred wedding date is Saturday afternoon or evening; however, now more brides are opting for a Sunday morning or Friday evening wedding because they can typically catch a financial break on catering costs.

It will definitely be worth talking to potential venues about these savings. Like other businesses, they too are hurting financially and they want your business. A lot of venues will reduce or eliminate parking costs and cake cutting costs right off the top. While this doesn't sound like a lot these two simple things can reduce your budget by $6 a person or more.

Additionally, when you book your reception on an off day the venue will also discount the cost of the meal as well, which can reduce the cost by $3-5 more per person.

Another thing to consider is the time of day in which your wedding will take place. Obviously, dinner receptions will cost more. With that in mind, consider having a lunch or brunch reception. You can get the same meal but at a cheaper price. Also, the earlier in the day, the less people tend to drink. This may mean that you won't need to have a full bar but maybe just serve beer and wine. Cutting the alcohol will definitely help trim the budget.

Like many other areas in our current economy, the wedding industry is not immune to rising costs and less affordability. Couples may be faced with less available money for their event but that doesn't mean the wedding can't go on; it just means everyone has to compromise a little and get a lot more creative.