June wedding at a good price!

by Lindsey
(Illinois)

We got married and had the reception at the same place. There was one total fee for having the room (actually got married outside on its patio), and we didn’t have to worry about driving from a church or other wedding site to a reception hall. It saved time in addition to money.

Another helpful tip is trimming your guest list. We had a fairly small wedding at around 60 people. Many people like throwing a big party and having lots of people share your special day, but it is a good idea to have only the most important people there if you want to cut cost. Then you can save money but still maybe have a few added extras.

We always wanted our event fairly private, as it is a big day, and we were able to afford an open bar at a reasonable price because we did not have so many guests. Later, if it’s really important to have all the people you want together, you could have a party at your house.

We also saved money by not using real flowers. We made our own flower center pieces, decorated the archway we married under (provided by our wedding venue), and my wedding bouquet was also fake. Only boutonnieres and corsages (husband, best man, maiden of honor) were real.

Now that may seem unromantic at first (I thought so), but I was able to put my actual wedding bouquet in a vase and will be able to look at it for the rest of my life. I used a small bouquet of a few red roses to toss at the ceremony.

Also, consider the less expensive food items. Taste test first, of course! For instance, we had chicken instead of beef. We also had a vegetarian option. Honestly, as long as the food is decent, nobody will hold it against you that you didn’t have the priciest steak.

Finally, network and compare prices! For instance, somebody my husband went to school with is a DJ. He worked our wedding for a much smaller price than a DJ we didn’t know would have and a dinner meal. Think of anyone you might already know that could help with your wedding for a better rate. He did a very good job, too, because it was personal.

We also compared prices to our photographer and received a better deal by showing us an over-priced package another photographer gave us. It really helps to shop around.