money saving tips

sduffy724

Does anyone have any good money saving tips for wedding planning?

sparkles2010

Don't pay your vendors until you absolutely have to. (Concept of present value:  $1 today is worth more than $1 in the future).   

AnnPH424

We honestly saved a lot more by living together first. I don't really know how we would have done it otherwise. His entire salary is basically paying for everything b/c I'm paying the other bills from mine.

mbcdefg

If you haven't already chosen your bridal party, keep it as small as possible. Fewer flowers, fewer gifts, smaller limo, fewer rehearsal dinner meals (remember that their dates also need to be included). Plus less of a headache to get formal photos done, and to figure out seating (we were able to include our 4 BP members and their dates at our head table, and we just needed a standard limo instead of a giant one or a bus). We had two bridesmaids and two groomsmen - no children.

You don't need a ton of extras. Even the little purchases add up. We didn't have a garter/bouquet toss, aisle runner, chuch pew decorations (my mom insisted on using leftover ribbons from my shower - fine, whatever), monogrammed napkins or drink stirrers. We also didn't have a videographer but that's personal preference. 

Keep in mind that your guests won't notice the stuff you don't have. They will notice the food, the drinks and they're looking for decent entertainment. They won't criticize you if your centerpieces aren't as lush or as tall as you like.

We didn't get a ton of flowers. The church already had Easter flowers on the altar so that saved us a lot of money. We got bridal party and parent/reader flowers, and a low centerpiece for each table, and that was it. The guestbook table doesn't need flowers, for example. It also helped that we weren't dead-set on certain kinds of flowers ... I just gave the florist a centerpiece budget and let him do what he wanted for that price, and it turned out fine.

Nobody will ever know who designed your dress or veil unless you tell them. They won't know if your jewelry isn't real. Nobody will really even see your shoes. Name brands don't matter, as long as you look and feel good.

Invitations and paper goods get thrown away, so don't spend a lot of money on paper. People just need the info ... they won't care much about the weight of the paper, or what stamps you use, or if the fonts/colors precisely match.

I was SO glad we didn't send out Save the Date cards. Not only to save money, but because we trimmed some people from our guest list as the months went on. Once you send them an STD, you're obligated to invite them to the wedding. You can use word of mouth, phone/text and e-mail to give VIP people the details if they need to make arrangements early on. If they need advance info to make their accommodations, they will ask you.

See what can be used twice. Instead of buying a basket for programs, you will probably get a basket at your bridal shower that you can use. Maybe the church decorations can be brought to your reception hall as a sweetheart table decoration.

People bought us our cake topper, cake cutting set and toasting flutes. Otherwise we would've used the reception hall's house sets, or borrowed something from loved ones.

Keep the guest list as low as you can. #1 way to save money.

Heather822

We are always looking for new & creative ways to save money. PSE&G's website has great tips to lower your energy bill.... and I'm really into coupons! There is an amazing magazine & website called All You that is basically just coupons & rebates (recipes too). We also sold a lot of stuff we didn't need on Ebay. I signed up for a bunch of online survey sites. You have to do A LOT of them to really see any money... but when I gave it my best I made like $100 a month doing that.
Really just a lot of little things that all add up!

Wedding related, we found lots of places to cut corners that didn't impact our guests having a good time. We used Shop Rite instead of a florist for example.... my flowers were beautiful and cost a tenth of what a florist would charge for the exact same thing. Plus we skipped a lot *un~necessaries* like STDs and I didn't have a hair or makeup trial.

Be creative! Make a challenge out of it! =P

demarcosjd

For us we always shopped around. Just because something seemed like a good deal didn't mean it was. We always went home and checked things online, ebay, theknot boards if anyone was selling something etc. When it came to paper products, menu cards, escort cards, programs, we always used coupons and did all of the printing on our computer on fancy paper or card stock. Little things like that your guests will read once and put aside. Don't go over board in areas that aren't needed (favors, over the top amount of food, tons of lighting etc). Also if your venue offers things like candles on the tables, little extras, use what they give you. What we learned is no one will notice what you don't bring to their attention.

akcrrr

I am still at the beginning stages of the planning and would love some additioanl cost saving ideas as well.

So far I have been able to save money by signing up for EVERYTHING online and using the coupons and discounts that they email you. I have gone to 2 bridal shows already for free and won some stuff there that I intend to use at the wedding.

I got my engagement announcements from VistaPrint for free (just paid $7 shipping) and will be getting invitations for my engagement party from them as well.

Try to just ask people for help/advice as well.

My parents are having an engagement party for us at their house which is saving a lot of $$ and is allowing us to invite people we normally would not have been able to.

You can also browse your local freecycle website and craigslist for free or really cheap items from wedding dresses to ribbon to rings.

Every little bit helps right!

vjt730

we did candle centerpieces and cut our florist bill from 8,000 to 1,000!

NJgurl19

vjt730 do you have a picture?

demarcosjd

Sorry I just re-read my post and realized it is a little confusing. I should have said your guests will not notice what isn't at your wedding unless you bring it to their attention.

kpotdevin

Try www.etsy.com. You can find really creative and customizable options for almost every aspect of the wedding and the prices are generally much cheaper than what you'd find in stores, depending on the seller.

sduffy724

Thank you so much for you input everyone. Heather 822 what are the survey site you signed up for?

We live out of state and are planning our wedding in NJ, so travel costs alone are gonna be alot.

Also im not sure if i should get my dress where i live and travel with it or go to NJ and get one?

Heather822

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_money-saving-tips?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:2013f89b-a6e3-4712-92a7-fa6db5ba814aPost:9a134314-b63f-4dd9-bf7d-8be6d3a8ad29">Re: money saving tips</a>:
[QUOTE]Thank you so much for you input everyone. <strong>Heather 822 what are the survey site you signed up for?</strong>We live out of state and are planning our wedding in NJ, so travel costs alone are gonna be alot. Also im not sure if i should get my dress where i live and travel with it or go to NJ and get one?
Posted by sduffy724[/QUOTE]

<font color="#008080">The best by far is surveysavvy, because not only do you get paid for surveys you take, but when you refer people and THEY take surveys, you get money for that too! Here is my referral link if you want to join:
<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.surveysavvy.com?id=1571678&action=join">https://www.surveysavvy.com?id=1571678&action=join</a>

There are a ton more.....
I belong to a ton on this directory:
</font><font color="#008080"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.onlinesurveyspaid.com/paid-online-surveys.html">http://www.onlinesurveyspaid.com/paid-online-surveys.html</a></font>
<font color="#008080">But you have to really check out each one and make sure they are not scams. If they want you to pay to join... KEEP GOING! And it helps to set up a separate Email account just for surveys because once you belong to a few, your Email address gets FLOODED!
I am lucky ~ I have a lot of downtime at work because the population I work with tends to 'no show' 95% of the time.... so I do a lot at work. Like I said, you really have to spend time doing it to see any kind of real money. Each survey usually only pays between .25 cents & $2 each... so you gotta do a lot.
Hope that helps! =)</font>

uppereastgirl

Two other non-wedding related saving tips...

Ebates (<-- that's clicky, don't know why it doesn't look that way) can be your best friend if you're a big internet shopper!!!  Since joining (a million years ago, but still), I've earned over $1200 from using Ebates. 

And I haven't tried it out yet, but on the Nest Money Matters board, people have been talking a lot about secret shopping.  You can make some nice extra money that way.  Beyond Hello (<-- also clicky) is a popular (and legitimate) company.

uppereastgirl

Oh, and for ease of alterations, I'd probably buy your dress near where you live (unless you plan on taking it to your own seamstress).  I had four fittings, so I didn't want to deal with traveling to all of them (so I bought my dress in NYC, where I live, and had it shipped to my parents' house in NJ which is near where the wedding was).  If you're using the dress in NJ though, remember that NJ has no sales tax on dresses -- so if it is shipped by the shop to NJ they should not charge you sales tax (assuming there's sales tax on clothes in TX).