Loading ...Leah Andrew
Editor’s Note: Last month, Prospere Magazine gave you the first five points of saving money on your wedding. Below are the second five:
- Accessories. If you are working in a budget and your dress has already gobbled up most of it, consider some inexpensive sources for jewelry that can still complement your dress. Just like the best fashion trends out there, mixing and matching vintage and new, designer and budget, you can do the same with your wedding accessories and no one will be the wiser. The Bay and Aldo (aldoshoes.com) are often good choices, or for a special touch, borrow a family heirloom. This gives you something old and borrowed all in one!
- Photos. Photos are an important part of the big day, one of the only lasting visuals you will have for years to come. However, hiring a professional photographer is not cheap! To save some money, look for a photographer that will give you your negatives. This allows you to develop your photos and can be a huge cost savings. Christina Gapic (christinagapic.com) took some beautiful pictures at our wedding, plus provided all negatives.
- Music. Although a DJ is often great at reading the crowd and keeping everyone on the dance floor, consider using your Ipod to make a playlist – for a portion, or all of the evening. For some extra fun, include your friends and family by asking them to suggest the songs guaranteed to get them dancing! If you’ve got your heart set on live music, such as a string quartet or jazz band, put up a sign at your local university’s faculty of music. Often, these groups are looking for some extra spending money and a chance to perform in public.
- Guest List. If you still want to do it all – live music, great photographer, special food and one of a kind dress – within a budget, one quick way to reduce costs is to reduce guest numbers. An excellent exercise to help this process is to make a list with 3 columns: Have to Have, Want to Have, Nice to Have. This exercise will really make you think about who you want to share in your special day and why. Keeping numbers small also allows you to talk with everyone, creating a warm and intimate vibe. One of the best weddings I’ve been to had a 50 person guest list!
- Don’t be afraid to Negotiate! In this climate, wedding suppliers may be more willing to negotiate, so it’s always worth a try. Another way to minimize your end costs is to offer to pay cash. Some suppliers will accept cash and as a result, won’t charge you the taxes. Remember, it never hurts to ask!
BIO: Leah Andrew is a partner in SmartBrideBoutique.ca, a FREE, local, online wedding classifieds site, where you can buy and sell almost anything wedding related. We help recent brides recoup some money from their big day, and Brides-to-Be save on their upcoming weddings. Visit Smartbride Boutique for more information.
Image © Amanda Rohde/iStockphoto
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