Staying on a budget just doesn’t sound romantic to some brides-to-be, but making cheap look chic pays off after the last person stumbles out of the reception hall and the caterers throw away the last tier of wedding cake.
Most couples want to purchase a home together after their extravagant wedding is nothing more than framed photographs in a tiny apartment where you can’t fit all of his and her stuff. And you thought you would have trouble squeezing into that wedding dress? It’s much better to have plenty of money for a 20 percent down payment on a spacious home than thousands of dollars in debt over one day – albeit a special day.
Unless you are young and just out of school, don’t depend on relatives to foot the bill for your fairy-tale wedding fantasies. Save money and create a budget together for a frugal fantasy wedding. Whether it’s a recession or a booming economy, dream your dreams but live within your means.
Everyone wants a wedding day they can remember. I pulled off a cheap wedding that my family and friends will remember, I believe, with fondness. And we did not break the bank to do it.
Here are 10 secrets from my cheap wedding (including reception) which cost less than $500 total.
No. 1: I did not use the word “wedding” when ordering my wedding cake. I simply told the bakery I needed to special order a cake for a party. I saved hundreds of dollars simply by not telling them my cake was for a wedding. Since I wanted a garden theme for my wedding, I asked that the flowers on my cake encircle it, but some “white space” be left on top in the center. That was for my bride and groom topper which I purchased from a crafts store for less than 15 bucks. I loved the topper so much I keep it on display in a doll case at the entrance to my home to this day!
No. 2: I considered “renting” a wedding dress, but ended up finding the cheapest wedding dress known to man at a department store. I happened to be shopping when prom dresses were on clearance. I could not believe my eyes when I found a prom dress that looked like a wedding dress perfect for a garden wedding. Not only did it fit my theme, but it literally fit me. Like all brides, I did not eat for 48 hours before my wedding, but that only saved me more money! I paid just about 20 bucks for my prom dress/wedding dress. And I’m not making this up!
No. 3: I had family and friends take photographs and video of the ceremony and reception. Photography, therefore, was free.
No. 4: I invited only a small group of people to the actual wedding ceremony, and explained to other loved ones of our small budget. We never received any hate mail from anyone. In fact, everyone else still wished us well.
No. 5: I chose a venue that would be an ideal setting for photographs and for the romantic mood of the event. I walked from a gingerbread cottage home down a path shaded by live oak trees to a gazebo. The person who owned the property used it for hosting wedding ceremonies. The cost of the venue was extremely reasonable costing about $150 including the cost of the minister and paperwork.
No. 6: I had the reception in our home. Cost: Free
No. 7: I encouraged family members to bring some food items (sort of like a pot luck) but also provided food. When planning the menu, I took special care to decide what I could make and what I would purchase. I spent more money to buy baked goods from a French pastry artist who actually delivered the items fresh. Mixing homemade items with specialty items that I purchased really jazzed up the spread.
No. 8: I made my own flower bouquet for carrying down the aisle. I guess it helped that I was a 4-Her growing up and took a lot of flower arranging classes.
No. 9: I let my older sister do my hair and makeup. She did a beautiful job.
No. 10: I made my own wedding scrapbook after the ceremony. We took digital photos and made prints only of the ones we wanted to keep. We e-mailed wedding photos to others to save money.
After our wedding we did not have too long to wait before moving into a new home together. We were able to put down a full 20 percent down payment on a new home – which was our goal. I don’t think we could have accomplished that goal without a cheap wedding.
I should point out that anyone can do this. My older sister – who is extremely talented and creative — made her own wedding dress. I remember helping her make some of the delicious homemade items for her outdoor wedding in Tucson, Az. I’m not anywhere near as “crafty” as my sister; yet, I was able to pull off a frugal wedding with style.
Bottom line: When it comes to weddings, cheap can also be chic. It’s all about seeking out good deals, being creative and real. It may sound cliché, but my best memories of my wedding are spending time with our family. Oh, and that wedding cake was pretty darn delicious as well!
