When planning your wedding lets face it most of will be money conscience and will need to stick to some sort of budget. Here at OIP we have put together a list of must haves and the items that could do with a little less cash spent on them.
The 1st step is to initiate your budget. Find out what you can afford and what your families will be contributing (if they are contributing anything at all)
Surveys say that the average Australian wedding costs $40,000. You don't need to spend that much! Couples can have a beautiful simple weddings for much less, you just need to work out the important factors and where to spend your money.
Spend the money on: The venue, food, drinks, photographer and music.
Venue selection and guest list size will determine how much spend you will need to do. Some locations are more expensive than others, for example a wedding in New York compared to having a wedding in Country Victoria will have a price difference.
Remember your guests will only will remember a few things: 'Was the food good? Were the drinks flowing and did they have a good time?' They wont remember what kind of flowers were on the table, what the groom was wearing or how the Bridesmaids had their hair.
Music/entertainment: Is worth it! You want your guests to be feeling the good vibes of your wedding and who doesn't like music. Depending on the look your trying to create will depend on either booking a band or DJ.
Photographer: Do your research! At the end of your Wedding you will have not only the life time memories to look back on but your photos. However you can save money on not having a wedding album. If your photographer provides these at an additional costs they can be expensive. If you have your heart set on an album there are plenty of companies that can provide a cost effective keepsake wedding album.
Nice to have but not essential: Flowers, decor items, favors, wardrobe, expensive stationery, cake/desserts and videographer.
Videograhers: These are not a necessity. They are a gorgeous addition but can work out to be even more than your photographer.
Flowers and floral designers: Can be crazy expensive. They do look beautiful but the fact is they end up in the rubbish. You can opt for small posys on the table or no flowers at all. Foliage only arrangements are a good cost saving way if you love the look of having something natural on the table but without the price tag. If you are having no flowers at all then decor items such as candles and candle holders look great.
Stationery: This can be a great cost saving area. Choose a digital print on nice cardstock. Foiling, letterpress and special materials can get costly. If you aren't computer savvy or know anyone who is there are plenty of places online that can create wedding invitation templates for you. You could even have them printed locally.
Wedding cake: Can be a big waste of money if chosen incorrectly. While a large impressive cake looks great in photos there can be a lot of wastage. The cake is usually served at the end of the night when all your guests have their bellys full. Opt for a smaller cake or even a dessert table. These can look gorgeous served on decorative plates with a selection of matching desserts.
The dress: You don't need to spend a lot of money on a dress. It is an important factor as you want to feel like a million bucks on your wedding day and be proud of how you looked. We don't recommend trying to save costs by purchasing your dress on line, you will regret it. The likely chances of receiving the dress in exactly your size is slim and to have a wedding dress tailored can cost more than the dress itself. Shop around, know what suits your body type and stick to your budget.
Grooms outfit: You don't need to spend a lot of money here either. You can purchase the grooms outfit online. Tailoring costs on these types of clothing is minimal.
Tips: Try to DIY as much as you can. Get the girls together (Brideslaves) and make a night of it! Get them to tie tags on favors, fill cones with petals, cut, stick and create those little design elements.
Bridal party: Yes its nice to have all 4 of your besties strutting their stuff down the isle but the more contenders you have can add to your already stretched budget. Just a thought, why not just have you and your hubby to be, keep things simple.
Favors: Tie your wedding favors into your dessert. This could be a cute cookie bar that your guests take home. Why not try your hand at baking your own?
