Comments on: I want to get married but I have not saved a dime, How do I have a beautiful wedding without being broke?

By: Heidi@TrulyEngaging

Heidi@TrulyEngaging — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:02:59 +0000

You've certainly been given some great suggestions here. While I do believe in using professionals, there are still plenty of things you can do to minimize costs:
1. DIY~ (decorations, wholesale flowers…) even if you're not creative, you know someone who is.
2. Barter for your professionals~ I'm interviewing a bride right now who is bartering her ENTIRE wedding!
3. Costs are inevitable but that doesn't mean you have to have extravagance. Simple can always be beautiful and elegant.
4. Comparison shop and ask to negotiate the quotes you're given.
Best of luck to you!
Heidi
References :
http://www.TrulyEngaging.com

By: dBK

dBK — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:13:59 +0000

Plan your Big Day with ease!
If you have some time then try Caribbean Destination Weddings,

Destination Wedding means a Wedding that takes place in a location other than the bride and grooms home, typically a popular
tourist destination

if you are in search for this kind of destination wedding you can go to isledo.com,
it will give you best information about Caribbean destination weddings,
you can plan your wedding destination and also enjoy many good features like free wedding planer, wedding websites.
References :
http://isledo.com/

By: Allie

Allie — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:24:59 +0000

Get some money!!!! You cannot get married if you don't have any money. Put the wedding off until you can save enough. That's what all of us did.
References :

By: shihtzulover123

shihtzulover123 — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:04:59 +0000

You didn't say when you plan to get married. However, we are having a wedding with 150 guests and a full dinner buffet for less than 4000(inc 3 day ski honeymoon) it is very elegant and beautiful.. It would not be that much if we were using silk flowers but we're not , instead having live flowers, 8 doz roses, 4 doz lilies, 2 doz gladiolas, daisies and million star for bouquets, ceremony,and reception buffet table bouquets along with 3 stand candelabras with candles,greenery, flowers and ribbon for the church and 4 bridesmaids and groomsmen. We have done DIY for most of ours. Flowers, decor and reception foods. Many things bought from orientaltrading.com or the dollar store.
We have made many of our own decorations, are doing our own flowers and our own food and marrying at the church we go to as a couple.
You can't do away with all the expense anyway you go, even a courthouse wedding has some cost.
Here is a very low cost wedding though, but not very beautiful and certainly not even close to ours. Ours is 12/05/09 and we have been at it for 5 months now.
The cheapest non courthouse wedding possible…..
1) Hold wedding at home, limit guests to 20-30 according to house size.
2) Get invites from Walmart and write them your self by hand.
3) rent your dress much cheaper than purchasing, Brides maids do the same they pay for that. Limit them to no more than 1 or 2
He rents tux and so do his 1-2 groomsmen.
4) use silk flowers see csilkc.com 65 or 90 depending on what you choose for attendants 1 or 2 with flower girl and toss see link .
5) reception at home punch and cupcakes on a tiered stand. Top of stand has a 6 in cake for you both to cut (Make this yourself 3 boxes of mix and maybe 4 cans of frosting), Maybe ice cream, coffee/punch
cost this way should not exceed 250. Otherwise courthouse with the cake/coffee/punch thing. Less than 200 Same thing with DIY live roses but about 325- 350 Or Put it off a year and plan and pay as you go DIY. Should run 3500 to 5000. I would personally do the latter. If you want you can e-mail me and I will send you some ideas and links that are DIY if you give me the date you're planning for. Let me know if you want more details on ours. I will be happy to share. I did put the menu below.
References :
Rosesource.com has roses 4 doz boxed for 70 - 2 colors.

Appetizers: (Waiting for pictures to finish)

* Assorted Cheeses
* Fresh Veggie Trays
@ Marinated Mushrooms ( 2-2 1/2 days- in advance)
* Canapés
# Coffee

Entrees:
@ Seafood Salad on lettuce leaf (mini dishes at the place setting) (2-3 days ahead. Add mayo at last minute place on dishes with lettuce and garnish)
*# Baked Spiral Sliced Ham (Sam’s club) (glaze and heat)
* # Fried Chicken Strips with dipping sauces ( Sam’s Club) ( heat)
Honey mustard, BBQ, Ranch, Cranberry/apple conserve @ make 1-2 weeks in advance and freeze.
*# Swedish Meatballs (Sam’s Club) add cream sauce and heat

Vegetables:
@ Sweet Potato Souffle’ {*# in pastry cups (Sams club for cups)} Souffle” (1-2 weeks in advance)
# Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes/ Cream Gravy @
# Greenbeans
# Corn with butter sauce
@ Mac n Cheese with Bacon Casserole- (1-2 weeks ahead)
@ Peas/asparagus bake (1-2 weeks ahead)

Salads:
^ Broccoli/ Cashew Salad ( 24 hrs ahead add cashews at last minute)
^ Waldorf Salad ( soak apples in fruit fresh add pecans day of)
# Chopped fresh spinach and bacon salad

Breads:
@ Assorted mini yeast rolls /Yogurt Biscuits (store frozen)( 1-2 weeks ahead)
@ butter molds ( freeze) (3 weeks ahead)

Viennese Table:
# Mini Cream puffs and E’Clairs @ (Custard for eclairs made in advance, 24 hr ahead)
brownies/cookies
Assorted flavor mini petite fours/
@ Rum Almond Pound Cake (1 week)
@ Chocolate Peppermint Petite Fours ( 1 week for cake ice 24 hr ahead)
@ Pecan and fruit tarts/ cream Cheese pastries (1-2 weeks ahead)
@ Cheese cakes , brownies (1 week ahead)
# Fruit Picks and Chocolate Fountain

@ Wedding Cake (3 days)
@ Grooms Cake (3 days)

Drinks:

# Coffee with International Creamers
# Iced and Hot tea
@ Punch ( 1 week ahead and freeze ice ring, add gingerale last minute)

Children’s Buffet:

Chicken Nuggets
Mac n Cheese Green Beans
Brownies, cookies, cup cakes
Assorted milks and fruit juices

Legend
 Purchased finished just heat or put out as is. *
 Heat and serve or prepare at last minute #
 Prepare in advance @- freeze when possible up to 2 weeks in container add garnishes when heating
 Up to 24 hrs in advance with maybe a last minute additive ^ $1350

By: Pesh

Pesh — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:30:59 +0000

-Use a kit from the stationary store to make your own invitations on your computer, they're inexpensive, easy to do, quick and come out looking great

-Make your bridesmaids bouquets double as your centerpieces. After the ceremony, the bridesmaids bouquets aren't used anymore. Have an empty vase set up on each table at the reception site. After the ceremony, gather up the bridesmaids bouquets and have someone place them in the empty vases - voila, instant centerpiece.

-Research venues. Maybe a friend has a lovely backyard or there's a pretty park you can use instead of a reception hall. Another benefit with these types of locations is you can decide where the food comes from. You can comparison shop what caterer to bring in, or hire someone to make it for you for much, much cheaper than a reception hall's in house caterer would charge.

Best of luck!
References :

By: Nora

Nora — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:42:59 +0000

rent a hall that lets you do your own food. do not mention that is is for a wedding that jacks up the price . keep it to under 100 people have family bring dishes. buy a few things at the deli like fruit plates and veggie plates. Get a cake at a grocery store bakery. also have cup cakes.. Get an inexpensive dress. have only one attendant. Have only a bouquet for the bride and bride maid. have a friend do cd's no band. Have instant cameras on the tables and collect all the pictures. Have 2 different people make a video. have the official come to the place. good luck
References :

By: dd

dd — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:11:59 +0000

well i did nt save for my wedding but i took a small loan out and got what i need and also i did tn ask for gift s i asked everyone when they asked me what i did want is asked for money and i got most of the money for the wedding adn try to keep number s down and shop around i had lovely wedding and would nt change a thing about it about my wedding mine my wedding was wonderful i had a round 90 guests i do tn have much family there was more Friend s there good luck with ur wedding u can do it if u look and shop around
References :

By: Jimmy's Wife

Jimmy's Wife — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:58:59 +0000

Of course you can have a beautiful wedding on a budget. Plenty of people do. There are plenty of website dedicated to this, as well as books (you can get them from the library).

A lot of this has to do with how much you are willing and able to do yourself…and what things you are willing to splurge or save on. Whenever you rely on a vendor to provide a service, location, or product for you, you would be paying significantly more. In addition, your budget is also tied into how many guests you are having, and whether you have family members or friends to assist you.

Ideas on saving money:
1. Find a venue that is free. Try backyard of a nice home, public park, beach, lake, ranch….etc. Having the venue and ceremony at the same place can help limit transportation fees too.

2. Do your own cake. A bakery will charge an arm an a leg. If you or a friend can do this, it can be done under $150…supplies and all.

3. Do your own flowers and centerpieces. You can go to floral markets and sometimes farmer's markets to get flowers much cheaper than you would at a florist. It also helps to chose flowers that are not as expensive. For instance, gerber daisies and carnations are significantly cheaper than roses, lilies, and exotic orchids. You can find ribbon and accesories from stores like 99 cent stores.

4. Have a friend get ordained online and be your officiant for the day. This can be accomplished for about $75 or less.

5. Limit your bridal party. The larger the bridal party, the greater the expense for their gifts and any accessories you need for them.

6. Bride's gown. This is where it can get tricky. Do you want to get a second hand gown (i.e., ebay, craigslist, second hand shop), or do you want a brand new one? Are you looking for designer, a specific kind of design, or up for anything? A friend borrowed a dress from a family member, so hers was free. Another friend purchased a designer gown, and it was $3500.

7. Have family and friends help you prepare food for the reception. Purchase meats and necessities at a price club (Costco, Sams Club…) . You an get more for your money. You can easily afford a couple of meats, pastas, potatoes, veggies, salads, and rolls.

8. Shop around for favors (for best price) or eliminate it entirely.

9. Print your own wedding invites. You can purchase ready kits from places like Target for about $25-30. Or if you are crafty, you can design and do them yourself.

10. Hand deliver invites to people you see all the time. This way it saves you on postage. Encourage people to RSVP via phone or email/internet…this way you save money on return postage too!

11. Considering doing your own makeup and hair (or have someone you really trust do it for you).

There are a couple things that I don't recommend you scimping on. These things are worth the money to get a professional.
–A photographer. A photographer can capture those really special moments, and put it onto print and digital photographs that you can have the rest of your life. They can change a very ordinary picture into spectacular by playing with lighting and shadows.

–A good DJ. This person can totally set a partying atmosphere at your reception…ensuring your guests will have a wonderful time.
References :

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:33:59 +0000

Consider holding your wedding outdoors. If a relative or friend has a pretty area of land you can use, that's a plus! This will save you lots of money on a chapel rental. Hope that helps!

~Laura
Relationship Specialist
http://www.partywithlaura.com
References :

By: pamela m

pamela m — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:20:59 +0000

I used coupons out of the paper and tried to purchase everything on sale. I also bought my decorations on clearance. I had a large wedding and it cost me maybe $3,000. My dress was $400 and it was gorgeous we had 20 attendants and it was outdoors you just have to be pricey.
References :