With the costs of arranging a wedding ever spiraling upwards, it is very easy to spend more than you can afford. The reception, the dress, flowers, limousines and all the other paraphernalia that goes into making the day memorable come at a significant price. A wedding is a very special occasion and one that, you hope, is never repeated, so you really want to push the boat out with the best of everything. Although understandable, if there is not a limitless supply of money, do you really need to start your married life with a huge debt? This is why many couples are opting for a budget wedding, so below there are some ways where you can economize and still have a great wedding day.

One of the items which are never thought of in terms of budgeting, are the costs associated with a hand made wedding dress, which many brides sell anyway, soon after they are married. It is easy to buy a wedding dress that has only been worn once for less than half the price and the beauty of this is that providing you don’t have any accidents, you can probably sell on at almost the same price that you bought it for. Another option available is to hire a dress from one of the many stores that specialize in dress hire.

Possibly the biggest savings can be made with the reception, planning is crucial but with some clever re-thinking, this is where your budget wedding will save the most. First is the number of guests, don’t just invite everyone you know and don’t be pressured to invite every relative you have. By keeping the numbers to an absolute minimum, you can get a smaller reception venue. You could then hold the reception at a restaurant, club or village hall where you could save even more money by doing the catering yourself or with friends. Then you can buy the drink wholesale and save even more money.

Although most professional photographers are employed for the entire day, this isn’t really necessary as the majority of guests are more than happy to take photos on behalf of the couple, and they will be ‘natural’ shots as well! You could, if you are brave, dispense with the services of a photographer completely and ask a friend or relative who is a keen photographer who will be happy to do this for you!

If you have a computer and a reasonable printer, you can save money by designing and printing your own wedding stationery. Your word processing program should be quite adequate or you could find some free templates where you only have to change thee wording. Always print on good quality paper and card even if you are planning a budget wedding as these are items people often use as keepsakes.

Flowers will take up a considerable piece of the budget as they are used in many different ways. Doing the arrangements yourself or with friends is a classic budget wedding option, although it will have to be a last minute item as you do not want your flowers to wilt on the big day. If you can find out where there is a flower arranging class being held, you could ask for volunteers who will probably be willing to try out their new found skills.

You may be surprised at just how expensive a lavish wedding cake can be, so for the budget conscious a good alternative could be a large sponge or chocolate cake. Are any of your friends good in the kitchen? They may be honored if you asked them to prepare your wedding cake. Failing that, you could buy some ordinary fruit cakes and then ice them yourself, adding the pillars and toppers the night before.

As a last cost saving measure, ask a friend or relative who has a nice car, if they would be prepared to decorate it and use that instead of a limousine, they will be more than happy to play an important part in your big day. Yours may be an inexpensive wedding but it can still be enjoyed by everyone that attends and they won’t have noticed it was arranged on a very tight budget!

Tags: tips, Wedding