The Wedding Budget: There Are Ways To Cut Costs

Planning a wedding is a slow waltz between your money and your time. The more time you have, the more money you can save by doing things yourself instead of hiring someone to do them for you. On the other hand, if time is limited, you might need to turn to the professionals - for a fee - to get all the loose ends tied up.

Bride’s magazine, the authority on walks down the aisle, reports that weddings are a $32 billion-a-year industry nationwide. The average wedding has a guest list of 170 and costs $15,900, not including the honeymoon.

“What costs brides the most is mistakes,” says Lynn Dennison of Accent Bridal, a bridal coordinating service in Sacramento. “Careful planning saves money.”

If time is limited, the best course might be to hire a coordinator to do the leg work and help you cut corners. Most coordinators charge between $800 and $1,000 for the average wedding, Dennison says. That sounds like a lot, but many consultants work with photographers, florists, caterers and other wedding vendors who give the consultant’s clients discounts on services. In the long run, hiring a coordinator will save you time and quite possibly money. “Once you’ve set a date, the next step is to work on the budget,” Dennison says. She recommends listing items in their order of importance and budgeting for those items first.

Once the budget is set, begin working on a realistic timetable, not only for working with vendors to place orders for such things as clothing and flowers, but also for the ceremony and reception itself.

Here are some tips from the experts for trimming the bridal budget:

The invitations

Keep the guest list tight.

Skip the reception card and print reception information on the invitation.

Don’t skip the RSVP card. It is critical in planning expenses.

Figure the cost of at least two stamps for each invitation (one to mail the invitation and one for the RSVP card) into your budget.

Consider printing invitations on your home computer.

Skip colored ink and tissue inserts.

Reception

Consider an afternoon wedding so you won’t need to serve a meal.

Ask friends to help make and serve the food. But be aware that this may take a lot of coordination on the bride’s part, and friends who are not accustomed to cooking in large quantities often have trouble figuring out how much food to prepare.

Many reception halls have discount rental rates for days other than Saturdays.

Sometimes having a reception in a private home is more expensive than going to a hotel or restaurant, because you’ll need to rent a lot of extras like linens, tables and chairs. Check rental prices carefully and be sure to ask about delivery.

Limit the time the bar is open, or serve punch instead of liquor or Champagne.

Photographs

Make a list of specific photographs you want taken. For example, one with the bride and her grandparents, one with the bride dancing with her father, one of the groom dancing with his mother, and the like.

Flowers

If cost is a problem, consider renting silk flowers.

Use single-flower corsages and boutonnieres.

Use bridesmaids’ bouquets on the reception tables instead of ordering separate arrangements.

If another couple is having a wedding in the church on the same day, ask about coordinating your floral arrangements and sharing the cost.

Skip the aisle runner.

Clothing

At your tuxedo rental shop, ask about discounts for larger wedding parties.

Shop for used wedding gowns at discount and consignment shops.

Read the classified ads for deals on new gowns that were bought for weddings that were canceled.

Make your own headpiece and veil. Fabric stores sell all of the materials needed and it’s easy to do.