Best places to save on budget?

angelstar975

As I said in the Monday post, our budget is coming up a little short of what we'd like. I'm hoping I can still make it work without having to start our venue search over again, so I need some suggestions on where we can cut corners! We're already looking at a Friday wedding in an off season.. if anyone has other suggestions, that would be great! We're probably having 150 guests and cutting the guest list won't work because of venue minimums. Thanks ladies!

Teep

We aren't having a florist. I'm a member at BJ's, they sell flowers in bulk on their website. I'm going to order roses (125 for $90) from there and arrange the centerpieces myself. I made my BMs pearl and crystal bouqets that cost me about $6 each to make.

angelstar975

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_best-places-to-save-on-budget?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:105Discussion:376d2267-2b04-4bd3-b2e8-7d0a45a3d687Post:c82af8c5-3322-4a57-a871-ad726eb463ec">Re: Best places to save on budget?</a>:
[QUOTE]We aren't having a florist. I'm a member at BJ's, they sell flowers in bulk on their website. I'm going to order roses (125 for $90) from there and arrange the centerpieces myself. I made my BMs pearl and crystal bouqets that cost me about $6 each to make.
Posted by Teep[/QUOTE]

Could you send me a picure of those bouquets? They sound really pretty and lke something that would totally be up my alley!

Teep

I don't have any pictures saved on this computer, but I posted a picture of one in a previous thread, http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_lets-chat-monday
It's one of the last posts. They were a little time consuming but I actually really enjoyed making them. That was a quick pic with my phone so it's not the most flattering shot of it hah
ETA: http://ohdearphotography.com/2010/03/26/diy-bridal-pearl-crystal-bouquet-boutonnieres/ Link to the website I got the idea from!

BlissPhilly

We plan to save on "paper"..no menu cards and no place cards...I'm crossing my fingers on the no seating chart thing..I don't have the patience to make one and I don't care where my guests sit as long as they don't sit at the "reserved" tables that will be near our sweetheart table, for our immediate family. I know my wedding planner is going to roll her eyes at me when I tell her that I don't care to do a seating chart LOL.
We will be doing just beer and wine, "maybe" a signature drink. OR just have  a couple of bottles of wine at each table. We are saving money on reply card postage by giving our guests the options to reply via email or by phone. 

lauren123455

I'd consider looking for venues that make your budget comfortable.  We splurged a bit on venue with the assumption that I'd save in other places, and that hasn't worked out too well (for me at least). 

Places to save: flowers --- if you do non-floral centerpieces that you can easily DIY, that will save a ton.  Or just do very simple arrangements.  Dress - try to find sample sales, etc, and once you find "the dress" keep shopping around to see where you can get that dress at the right price (possibly in NJ or DE, since there's no tax.  Mine is from Irmas in Cherry Hill NJ, and I wound up spending 1/2 of what I had budgeted for dress).  Consider whether you want all of the "extras" - videographer, photo booths and the like.  Use Vistaprint for as much of your printing as possible, and take advantage of their sales and Groupons. 

Teep

Another place we saved a lot was the cake. FI had his heart set on a Stock's wedding cake. I wasn't even sure if they made wedding cakes but I called anyway. I got a quote for a  35 lb, 3 tier wedding cake (feeds about 175 they said) for $300. That was a lot less than anywhere else I had looked.

saturninus

Each of you write a list of the top 3 things that are most important.  Everything else you can cut the budget on.  We picked:
1. photographer
2. venue
3. caterer

We cut our budget on flowers (his cousin is doing them), invitations (non-letterpress, ordering online), officiant (using a friend), party favors (skipping them), dress (i bought mine from an independing designer for under $1,000)...

Basically once you know where you want to spend use the Knot tool to determine your budget.  KNOW YOUR BUDGET BEFORE YOU BOOK ANYTHING and also know who is paying for what.  Don't book a wedding you can't afford and make sure you have money in the bank when it is over because weddings are not a profit making event, you will lose money, but that isn't why are you getting married anyway.

kiskra

I agree to skip the flowers. I went with feathers. The nice thing about a non-floral bouts? Afterwards you can put the groom's bout

 in a shadowbox frame with your wedding invitation and hang it on your wall. I did feather bouquets as well.

I also had non-floral DIY centerpieces. I used submersible LED floralights to highlight the colorful glass stones and floating candles.

[Deleted User]

This really depends on you.  

Doing less flowers and more candles on tables for example or other non floral will save you money.  Sticking with in season flowers.  

Having a smaller BP.  

Looking at sample gowns, the Sample Rack, Sabrina Ann's.  

Borrow as much as you can, veil, accessories, shoes, etc.

Keep tabs on Groupon, Living Social etc for nail deals, photobooths, 

When you see something on sale that a BM might like for a gift buy it then.  I bought my girls their gifts over a year.

MiLadyK

Figure out what about your wedding you want to rock, and do it well. Then realize that very few people care about the rest of it.

We're not doing flowers, and that seems like a popular one to save on. 

Pay attention to what you are getting that is single use and cut corners on it. "Its for the wedding" is a crazy reason to spend crazy amounts of money.

I really love my fancy custom invitations, but I freely admit that they're a splurge whose sole purpose is to make me happy. 

Favors - again, if you aren't going to go all out for something awesome and useful, skipping them won't even be noticed.

Alcohol - if you are in a position where you can just do beer and wine, by all means go for it. 

bridetobe71412

I agree with the PPs that you should choose a few things that are really important to you and then pare down the rest of it. For us, it was venue, food and band. The rest of it we're being really strict with our budget and although we're still over budget, we're hoping it's not TOO much over...

BethtoWed

Do a small wedding cake for show and then have a sheet cake in the back that your caterer can cut up for your guests.  No one will know the difference and it saves money.

jelybeancg

I am not doing any flowers at church, I borrowed a veil, made all my own paper products, shopped sales and asked for discounts whenever possible. Don't be afraid to ask for a discount! All they can say is no, but most vendors will throw you a little something!

bluebfalo

I'm planning to do some DIY and some dollartree shopping... I also will be stalking sales, freecycle, recycled bride, and thrift stores.

DIY projects
1) Wedding dress and tux favors/placecards (available at dollartree it's like 36 dollars for 360 assorted dress/tux)

2) Cupcake in a Jar thank you favors (I'm going to wait for sales for the cake mix, icing, and the bell wide mouth pint jars or buy the jars in bulk), then I am just going to cover the lids with color paper, a thank you sticker, and a ribbon (going to buy in bulk or clearance sales).
3) I just read a DIY bride magazine article for a pomerander ball, which I'm going to use for the flower girls (it's basically a ribbon tacked on to a florist foamy ball and then covered with flowers)
4) Buy vases from the dollartree (12 for $12) and stick bulk flowers in

adrienne0925

Borrow what you can!  I saved at least a couple hundred bucks by borrowing accesories.  Veil, shoes, hairpiece etc.  Also, photography.  I saved another couple hundred by removing items from the "package" that I did not feel were necessary.  My sister also saved a lot by doing that.  All she did was purchase the "rights" to her photos and got one album and it cost her under 2k.  Flowers...if you are doing centerpieces, limit yourself to a price per centerpiece.  I told my florist I did not want to go over $20 a centerpiece and she was able to come up with something small but elegant!   I only spent $340 for 18 centerpieces!

bluebfalo

Also don't forget the charity sale that recoveringactor posted

The Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition is having a gown sale March at the Sheraton Wilmington South March 2 to 4.  They have over 850 gowns that were donated to them, all designer brands, and all of the proceeds benefit the DBCC. 

Also, there's a brides for breast cancer event in philadelphia (March 30-April 1) at the Ramada Philadelphia Airport in Essington PA. Gowns are $99-799 (including new brand name and designer gowns valued up to $8000) with a selection of exclusive designer and couture gowns valued up to $20,000 at 25-75% savings. 

http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/index.php/charity-wedding-gown-sales/mar-30-apr-1-philadelphia/

ellekay82

We saved ourselves an easy $400 by skipping the officient.  We're getting a judge to marry us for $40 but you can do it comepletely free (well, there's the $45 marriage license fee) because in PA you can get a self-uniting marriage license!  Just make sure to tell the clerk at the court that you are getting that type of license before they start the paperwork.  Personally, I think personal flowers are a must for a wedding even on a tight budget but skip the flower centerpieces and save at least $50/table.  GL!

nancyr

http://signaturedrinks.blogspot.com/2011/02/unforgettable-champagne-cocktail-with.html makes a nice combo signature drink and champagne

consider cutting out hot hors d'oevres (ok am sure i spelled it wrong but...)

use Vista Print or other lower price printer or print your own invites; try to avoid postage when possible

have flowers at your ceremony that will move to reception or use flowers provided by venue.

borrow a big car from a friend of your parents instead of a limo