Something Borrowed, Something Blue

The average American wedding these days costs a whopping $20,000! Unless you have won the lottery or have been really good about saving money, this price tag is likely going to take a big bite out of your credit cards. Luckily, there are easy ways to cut back on costs without sacrificing your wedding day dreams.

Smart Savings

There are a lot of places where you can cut costs without anyone taking notice. Make smart budget cuts where you can so you’ll have more to splurge on the things that are really important to you. These ten cost-cutting ideas can help you save as much as $10,000 on you wedding!

• Wedding date

  Throwing a wedding in the middle of June can cost you a lot more. Not only will the reception hall charge more but you’ll also have to compete for caterers, photographers, etc. Choosing a date in early spring or fall can save you a bundle.
  Amount saved: $500-$1,000

• Reception hall

  Get creative! Call your local Parks & Recreation department to see what facilities they have available and look for historic buildings that would be a good replacement for a deluxe hotel. Or, even better, have the reception at someone’s house.
  Amount saved: $300-$1,000

• Invitations

  Printing your wedding invitations using thermography (raised ink) or standard printing instead of engraving will save you a bundle, and the final results are almost identical. Engraving can cost you $5 to $20 per invitation while thermography or standard printing is as low as $1 to $5 each. For 150 printed invitations, this is a potential savings of $2,250.
  Amount saved: $500-$2,250

• Chairs

  Fancy gold chivari chairs can cost about $6 each to rent. Nice white folding chairs cost about $1 each to rent. If you are having 150 guests, switching to white folding chairs can save you $750. Do your guests really care if their chair is white instead of gold?
  Amount saved: $500-$800

• Guest list

  Reducing your guest list by even a few people can help you save hundreds. On average, each guest costs $80. If you can reduce your list by 20 people, you’ll save $1,600.
  Amount saved: $1,600

• Wedding dress

  Wear a family heirloom. Or buy a white dress that’s not technically a wedding dress. Even luxurious white formal wear can be a lot less expensive than a wedding gown. If you want to buy a wedding dress retail, wait until prices are lowest in June.
  Amount saved: $200-$2,000

• Food and drink

  Catered buffets are a lot less expensive than sit down dinners (and the food is usually better too). You can reduce your alcohol costs dramatically by only serving wine and beer instead of a full open bar.
  Amount saved: $1,000-$2,000

• Flowers

  You don’t have to forgo fresh flowers in order to stay on budget. Ordering flowers wholesale online is inexpensive, and it’s easy to make simple bouquets and table arrangements with the help of friends and family. Choose flowers that are easy to arrange and last a long time, such as roses or calla lilies.
  Amount saved: $300-$500

• Wedding cake

  Order one small decorated cake to show off and another huge sheet cake to actually serve. You’ll save hundreds, and the cake will get out to your guests faster. Plus, using fresh flowers to decorate a plain frosted cake is surprisingly cheaper than a having it decorated with fancy icing roses.
  Amount saved: $100-$300

• Little things

  Think about the last wedding you went to: do you remember the cake topper? The ice sculpture? The ring pillow? How about the monogrammed cocktail napkins? These little things don’t really add value to your wedding, but they certainly do add costs. Replace them with creative alternatives, or go without them entirely!
  Amount saved: $300-$500

Total savings: Around $10,000!

Stick with the plan

Now that you have reduced the cost of your wedding, you should create a detailed budget so you’ll stay on track. Avoid "budget creep:" if you’re not careful, you may find yourself adding small yet unnecessary costs to your wedding expenses.. Little charges can add up to major budget busters. Use an online budgeting tool (like the one available for free at www.theknot.com) to track your expenses from the ceremony through the honeymoon. If something ends up costing more than you thought, try to negotiate the price or find a way to cut costs somewhere else.

Putting it on plastic

If you are going to charge wedding expenses to your credit cards, there are few things you should do to prepare. First, you might want to open a credit card that has a 0% introductory rate for 6-12 months. Since you know you’ll be carrying a balance for a few months, this 0% rate can reduce your interest costs. Just be sure that you pay your bill on time each month (or your rate will skyrocket) and have a solid plan for paying the debt off before the end of the introductory term. Next, check to see that your credit limits are high enough for the charges you have planned. If your credit card balance goes over 35% of your limit, your credit scores could drop dramatically. You can call your creditors to request a credit limit increase if you think you may need one.

Honeymoon preparations

Most people are so preoccupied with planning the wedding that they forget to make a few key preparations before they head off on their honeymoon. Don’t forget to ask the Post Office to hold your mail while you are away; an identity thief could steal your mail if it starts to build up. Send in your bills early, or set up automatic bill payments online for bills that may be due while you are away. Also, make copies of your credit cards, ID cards, and passports to leave with a trusted relative back home. If your wallet is stolen while you are traveling, you’ll need this information to report the crime.

Have fun!

Most importantly: don’t forget to have fun! You only get one wedding (let’s hope!) so make sure that you have a good time. If sticking to an impossibly low budget is making you miserable, it may be worth upping your expenses a bit. Just try to keep your spending under control, and only indulge in things that really matter. Remember: a wedding is about love and commitment, not about gold chivari chairs and five-tier cakes.