Comments for Free Bridal Tips

Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by mrs

mrs — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:08:59 +0000

1) if you personally know a priest, they may do it for free

2) have a friend/family member that's good at taking photos? ask them to shoot your wedding as your wedding gift.

3) ask the wedding party to each bring a dish as your wedding gift.

4) there are usually videographers that are just starting out that will shoot your wedding for free if you allow the to use your video in their portfolio and they just want experience.

5) i made my invitations out of cardstock (50 for $18). email me if you want me to tell you how to make them. they're really cute, and can't tell they're home-made.

6) do without the favors. no one ever remembers them.

7) download a free music program (such as limewire) and make a playlist of all the music you want to play. when there are times when you need to speak (toasts, intro of bride/groom), appoint a groomsman to pause the music.

shop at non-traditional places for your dress, such as sale racks in the formal gown section of a department store. i bought mine for $40 at dillard's, and it's beautiful. it was on sale b/c the zipper was broken, but it will only cost about $20 to fix.

9) get your cake from a local grocery store deli. publix makes beautiful cakes for really cheap. or if you or a friend is good at baking, make it yourselves.

congrats and good luck!
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by kill_yr_television

kill_yr_television — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:48:59 +0000

Keep the guest list under control. Of course you must invited couples as couples, but singles should come as singles and not bring a casual date to treat to a champagne luncheon at your expense.

Remember that is it just a party. If you manage to have a birthday party without getting special cake plates and cake cutters, you can have a wedding party without a lot of special "bridal" gadgets. You also manage to have birthday parties without programs, response cards, favors, guest books, save the dates, and lots and lots of other optional stuff that The Wedding Industry insists are needed. If you can do without it, then do without it.

Buy or borrow a Miss Manners guide to weddings and she will save you a ton with her down to earth advice. For example did you know that handwritten invitations on plain stationery are even more correct that printed ones? Miss Manners rules.
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by dreamweaver5521

dreamweaver5521 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:13:59 +0000

Low budget. Punch, homemade cake, don't need party favors, get some ribbon, tulle, and flowers to make it pretty-make the wedding party help (that's their job, actually) Have FUN most of all
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by danibaby81

danibaby81 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:38:59 +0000

The easiest way to have a low-budget wedding is to have a small guest list. Ask friends and family to help with the food (my mom's book club catered my wedding and it was fabulous!), and for my sister's first wedding she and my mom asked all of our family friends and relatives to grow flowers in their gardens. It was a wonderful way to get people involved and also save money.

One thing, don't skimp on the photographer. Thanks to digital photography some photographers have "do it yourself" packages that don't cost an arm and a leg and give you a lot of time with your photographer on the day of.

The fee for our officiant was $200, which is standard where I live.

I had a whole bunch of friends over one Saturday morning and we made my wedding favors, it was great fun. We had snacks and mimosas…perfect!

Anyway, hope that gives you some ideas. Good luck and have fun!
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by iloveweddings

iloveweddings — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:17:59 +0000

Hi. You can have a low budget wedding and still have it be very nice. It's simply a matter of making good choices.

You are already off to a good start with your venue….free, I'm assuming.

Yes, it's a great idea to have friends help with the food. If you want them to help with the flowers too, that is a great idea! Do you have a Walmart near where you live? You can special order flowers at Walmart (Costco too) and make your own bouquets and boutonnieres. It takes a little work, but it can be done!

My best advice for a budget friendly wedding:

~ Keep things as simple as you can. Simple IS elegant as far as I am concerned.

~ Don't worry about things that you absolutely do NOT need, such as a unity candle, wedding favors, a guest book, a videographer (unless a family member is willing to do this), an aisle runner, engraved champagne flutes, etc.

~ Keep any decorations to a minimum. A small bowl with a few floating candles is elegant and simple for centerpieces. You can also do a bowl with 1 flower in it and then a few floating candles. Look at these pictures:

http://image.orientaltrading.com/otcimg/25_5359.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/114/290892542_b53cb7e5b3.jpg?v=0
http://i.ivillage.com/HH/slideshows/SpringCrafts/HF_CandleCtrpce_325.jpg
http://www.bittersweetweddingdesigns.com/022.jpg

Other low budget ideas:
~ look at a large grocery store that has a bakery for your wedding cake. They will be much cheaper than a regular bakery.

~ IF someone offers to help…..let them! If someone offers to arrange flowers….let them. If someone offers to make the cake….let them!

YES, a judge or justice of the peace will probably be the best bet for price. BUT, there may also be some non-denominational pastors that would be willing to come to your location. It just depends on when you are getting married and how far someone will have to travel to your location. Call a few people and ask them what their fee would be.

Good luck!
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by SJSTYLES

SJSTYLES — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:49:59 +0000

Anyone you want can marry the two of you with a quick online application. My fiances brother will be marrying us. I told my fiance I was not willing to dump more than $5,000.00 into a one day party, so she has really put in the research to get what she wants with what she has to work with. I believe Costco had the best deal on bulk flowers you can put together your self, center pieces don't have to be flowers, she incorporated the center pieces with the favors buy purchasing crystal garnish platters and filling them with jellybeans that match her colors centered with candles. Our DJ is an Ipod set up in order with the time schedule. Keep in mind someone always knows someone else as far as DJ, photographer, videographer, florists, something. Good Luck and Congratulations
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by Shannon-soon-to-be-mrs

Shannon-soon-to-be-mrs — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:23:59 +0000

Don't worry about small things like favors - your guests can do with out them. Use simple things such as candles for centerpieces. A lot of cost will be in flowers, so the further you can stay from using a whole lot of them, the better. For decorations, I find pictures of beautiful decorations that I want, and instead of just renting them, I figure out a way to make them. Be creative! Your friends and family will want to be there for you anyway, and everything else won't matter so much. =)
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by MICHAEL

MICHAEL — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:41:59 +0000

KFC, for the catering, just make sure you have clipped those coupons, doll.
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by Rachel G.

Rachel G. — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:32:59 +0000

Maybe you have a family member that makes a hobby of arranging flowers? If so, they may make your floral arrangements for you, and there is a great possibility that they will do this for the bragging rights alone. Family members are honored to be included in the preparation for your wedding.This can work for saving money with many other areas too. You can employ this method with your decorations, wedding cake, entertainment, catering and photography. Remember, if you have some talented people in your family ask them to volunteer, or offer them small compensation for their time and effort.
For your invitations, you can make them yourself on coarse paper, in a fancy font, just make sure you have plenty of ink.
Also, candles are a great decoration for a cheap wedding, you can usually find a box of a dozen tea lights for about a dollar, and with low lighting they can make a room look magical! Or, if you are worried about fires, Christmas lights have the same effect.
The best way to save money in this category is by wearing a hand-me-down gown from your mother or grandmother (bringing a tear to their eyes, by the way). If that’s not an option, consider going to a department store and buying a fancy white cocktail dress that is about $100 or less.
Another option is creating a fun theme for a wedding. If a couple loves the outdoors, why not have a casual wedding at a mountain getaway where the couple does not have to wear expensive clothing. Or if the wedding is held on the beach, forget about tuxedos and wear Hawaiian shirts and shorts.
That’s not being tacky, that’s being creative.
Having the reception in a large restaurant’s banquet area is the best idea for a small-budget wedding. The couple must pay a moderate fee to secure the room, but at least the food does not have to be catered. You don’t have to hire people to feed your guests. The restaurant workers will do that. If your guests want alcohol, they can order on their own straight from the restaurant’s bar.
If you want more of a private reception, try to book a local club’s lounge. Have a buffet-style dinner with food made by family members, or catered from an inexpensive restaurant. Many of these lounges also offer a bar with a bartender and the prices are not extravagant.
Another smart and fun idea is to leave inexpensive disposable cameras at each table for the guests to take photos. They simply return the cameras to the couple, who print them later and enjoy parts of their wedding they did not experience on their special night.
I hope you have a long and happy marriage!
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Comment on Have any tips to help us plan a low budget wedding? by irishlady

irishlady — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:46:59 +0000

U could go tCraft store Michaels' or Hobbie Hobbys & get alot of ideas there they have a section for weddings & good sale items U can get ribbon etc & if U have a 2nd hand store or a consignment store near U U can get great buys there too U'd be surprised even the dollar store U can get plastic table cloths any color & put bows around the corners using scotch tape simple but pretty U can also get small baskets & buy potpourri & put it inside the baskets with a small candle Good Luck to U
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love crafts