Wed Like a Celeb—for Less

There isn’t a day that goes by where I'm not thinking of ways to save a bride a few bucks here and there. But with the economy the way it is, I often find myself going from working with a client’s large budget to reaching deep down to create the same vision for less money. Fortunately, there are many ways to save without sacrificing style. As a veteran planner, I want you to have it all so I’m going to share a few cost-saving methods with you. Ready? Let’s start!

Your wedding décor can eat up a pretty substantial portion of your budget—more specifically, your wedding flowers. Why not use the flower arrangements for the ceremony at the reception? Say you have floral pomanders hanging off the chairs or pews—these can be easily recycled by cutting the ribbon that holds them onto the chair and placing the sphere of blooms on top of a cylinder vase. Surround it with different-sized vases and add floating candles. Or place some votives around the base and sprinkle some rose petals for a TOTALLY different look. This could easily save you half of your flower budget! Does this sound so bad? Reuse as much of your floral décor as you can. A florist can make just about anything recyclable—you just have to ask. No one is going to look at you differently because you’re concerned with saving the earth and want to be eco-friendly!

Another way you can save is by renting your wedding dress. Before you shake your head and say no, hear me out on this one. After you say, “I do,” it’s only a matter of hours before the day is over, the dress comes off, and it’s time put it into a box never to be seen again. So what’s wrong with wearing a wedding dress and giving it back to a rental shop for another bride to enjoy? Some of you may be nodding your heads saying it’s bad luck, you should be able to have your own gown, etc. I get it, but think of it this way, it could potentially save you thousands and allows you to wear that designer gown you’ve always wanted but couldn’t afford to purchase. Who would ever know? I won’t tell!

You know what else your guests won’t notice? That your fabulous wedding cake isn’t really a cake. You can cut costs by displaying a fake one and serving your guests the secret sheet cake in the kitchen. Cake is cake, gals—sometimes the most beautiful creation can taste like, well, I’m not going to say it here, but you get my point. With a sheet cake you can have more variety (tiramisu, carrot, red velvet, etc.) and not have to pay an arm and leg for it.

Next up…the honeymoon. By doing a bit of research and not going to a destination during its peak season, you can save 30%–50%. Is there a rule that states you have to go away immediately after the wedding? No, which may actually be a good thing. Rather than stressing about getting ready for your wedding and honeymoon, you can take your time packing and make sure you have everything you need. Even better—you can use this time to relax instead of wasting two or three days of your honeymoon trying to recuperate from your big event.

While America goes through this recession, you may notice that your wedding plans might need to change. I just want you to know that there’s always a way to make it work. Just start small and work your way up. You won’t be as stressed, and if you have $$$ left over, who says you can't enhance?

I’m sending vibes for a happy and stress-free planning PERIOD to each and every one of you fabulous brides this season!

Xoxo,
Sam

Posted by Samantha at 4:56 p.m.