Archive for November, 2009

You are getting married, and you couldn’t be happier! As you think ahead to your special day, you realize that the budget you have for your wedding is much smaller than a shoestring- it is more like a piece of dental floss! Instead of panicking, realize that you are not the first couple to get married on a very small budget. Don’t let money worries put a dent in your wedding preparations. Here are some tips for how to manage when your budget is more minuscule than you wish!

There are expensive wedding gowns that are beautiful, but then there are also second hand wedding gowns that are just as lovely. There is nothing wrong with buying a gown that has been worn by another bride. No one has to know! If that is not to your liking, then consider renting a wedding gown for your special day or wearing your mother’s or another family member’s. It is not uncommon for men to rent tuxedos as opposed to buying them, so why not wedding gowns?

Flowers are generally seasonal, and some are pricier than others. One option is to choose a lower cost flower that closely resembles your number one choice that is out of your budget. Another option is to see if anyone in your neighborhood or community grows flowers. You might be able to buy flowers for your wedding at a fraction of the cost. Friendly neighbors tend to charge much less than flower shops, and their flowers are just as beautiful!

Hiring a photographer and/or videographer can be expensive. If you know someone who takes pictures for weddings or if there is someone you know who is good with a camera, then hire him for your wedding day. You might want to hire more than one person to take photographs at different angles simultaneously. Your pictures will turn out gorgeous, and your wallet will not be hurting!

Unless you have a family member or close friend who is a hair stylist you probably will have to go to a salon to get your hair done professionally. However, you could enlist the help of someone close to you to do your makeup and your nails.

Have someone make your cake instead of ordering it from a bakery. This should cut costs tremendously.

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The best man in a wedding is generally the brother of the groom. If the groom does not have a brother or stepbrother, then he may choose either a close friend of his or the brother of the bride, if she has one and if the two men are close.

It is the job of the best man to be the groom’s right hand man. He is the person who takes care of the groom’s needs and must be a responsible individual who is good at organizing. The role of best man is one that must be taken seriously.

It is the best man who throws the bachelor party for the groom. He can accept input and help from other people involved, but the crux of the responsibility falls on his shoulders. The best man must buy or rent his own tuxedo and shoes for the wedding, and in most cases he must pay for his own travel and accommodations if he is coming from afar.

He also is expected to act as a guide or leader for the groomsmen in making sure that everything to do with the tuxedo fittings goes as smoothly as possible, including making sure each one knows the date, time and place.

If the groomsmen are acting as ushers in the wedding, then the best man needs to be able to organize the gentlemen and coach them on their jobs where he sees fit. The best man and maid of honor traditionally are supposed to work together in organizing any special dinners being held for the bride and groom and/or the wedding party. It is their task to decide on a location and a date and time, as well as any extras that are needed for the occasion. The best man and maid of honor typically pay for the meals of the bride and groom while each member of the wedding party pays for his/her own meal.

In some weddings the best man escorts the maid of honor down the aisle. It is also the best man who gives a speech at the reception and makes a toast to the newlyweds. Of course, the most important job of the best man’s is to be a friend and confidant to the groom!

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There are many reasons to host your wedding at home (or perhaps at the house that belongs to your parents, relatives, or a close friend). For one thing, you will save quite a bit if you don’t have to pay extra for the ceremony and/or  reception locations. Another reason may be you want a rather small and intimate reception at home. Whatever the reason for your at-home wedding, there are some basic things to know that will help make planning this special day easier.

1- Make Sure Your House Is Ready
Other than the obvious like cleaning, make sure that there will be enough space for all your guests to move around and have a good time. If you know children will be attending, make sure that your home is child-friendly and take extra precautions for their safety. As always, make sure that there are at least several clean bathrooms and make sure that the guests know about them. If you don’t, see if you can rent a few extra portable bathrooms.

2- Enlist A Wedding Planner
If you’re planning to hold your nupitals at home, it would not hurt to hire a wedding planner to help assist you and to guide you through this process.

3- Check The Laws
Depending on where you live, it would be a smart idea to check with local ordinances to see if your house or yard need safety or fire inspections. Don’t forget to find out about your local laws on noise regulations. You might need to apply for a permit at least 6 to 9 months in advance.

4- Plan For The Inevitable
It happens. You finalize all the fine details and then something goes wrong either the day before or on the day of. While you cannot predict the future, it’s a good idea to come up with backup plans should such occasions arrive. Discuss various scenarios (like a rainstorm on the day of your backyard wedding) and come up with alternative plans. In the end, it is best to be prepared no matter what situations arrive.

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Part three (the final conclusion to my Wedding Budget Series)  will show you how to save money for and during your honeymoon. After the long awaited celebration called a wedding, you and your spouse want and need a little R and R. But like everything else wedding related, you have to budget for this. Luckily you’ve got plenty of options and tools to help you plan and book your dream honeymoon, and I am here to share some great tips for budgeting your dream honeymoon. Here they are.

1- Go all-inclusive and pay a package price for the airfare, hotel, meals, and entertainment.  Best off all, many of these resorts have it all in one location, which means you won’t have to rent a car (unless, of course, you want to do some sightseeing or shopping). Some packages even throw extras like free wine, dinner, or massages. Ask before you book.

2- Stay close to home. If you live in the northeast, consider New York City, Martha’s Vineyard, Philadelphia, or Boston. If you live in the west, maybe you should vacation in the Grand Canyon, Los Angeles or Las Vegas.  Not only will you save on airfare, you also will save yourself from having to renew or obtain a passport.

3- Consider a honeymoon registry where your friends and family can chip in to pay for your honeymoon. This is an extraordinary idea if you want to stay in the Caribbean, Pacific Islands, or Europe. Check out TheBigDay.com or Honeymoon Wishes to get started.

4- Seek a travel agent that specializes in the area you want to stay. Sure you have to pay, but a smart agent will not only save you money, they often will give savvy tips on how to snag perks and freebies during your honeymoon. Who couldn’t use that?

5- Use these two little words that can save you money, “We’re newlyweds!”. Now this is no guarantee to anything, but you could receive a few discounts or freebies by just mentioning these two words.

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