Stinkerpants

Tips from “Budget Brides”

June 15, 2007 in Blog • Tutorials & Tips • Personal Projects • Our Wedding • Wedding Inspiration

Tips from Budget Brides

• If you decide to book a professional, be honest about your budget with them. They want your business, so many will likely be willing to slash their prices a bit to get it, or give you a scaled-down package. For example, if you’re booking a photographer, say, “I only have one thousand dollars to spend. What can you offer me in my price range?”
• A good approach is to visit traditional bridal salons first, where you can take your time, get assistance/opinions from professionals and try on a number of dresses to see what you like and what suits you best (halter-top, mermaid cut, ivory or diamond white, etc.) Then, once you have a specific dress or a basic style in mind, start looking for bargains. If you want a particular designer gown, but can’t afford it, do an Internet search and see if you can find a sample, a used gown or a knockoff of the style you want. Or take some photos to a local seamstress and see if she can duplicate it for you. Also, post the dress you want on The Knot’s “The Dress” board, and ask if the girls know where to get it for less, or if there’s a similar but less expensive style out there somewhere.
• You might not think a bit of tulle or fabric is that expensive, but veils are surprisingly pricey in bridal salons – often over $200 or more! The price depends on the length and number of layers in the veil (see here for a listing of veil lengths) and what, if anything, it’s embellished with – rhinestones, pearls, ribbon, etc.
• BlueNile.com has pretty and inexpensive wedding bands in a variety of styles, as well as nice engagement rings and other jewelry. (“If you request the free ring sizer, it comes with a coupon for $ off wedding bands. In total, we saved $125 on our pair of bands” – thanks ndbride07). Maybe do a wedding band with blue topaz instead of diamonds.
• Use a room in a close hotel as the bridal suite. Use another room in the same hotel for a babysitter to watch the kids.
• Table runners also add a nice touch to your reception room. Again, table runners can be rented, or you can make them from fabric if you know how. Another option is to buy tablecloths in your desired color and cut/sew them to your desired size. If you must rent them, ask the rental company about their prices for table runners and for chair sashes … chair sashes are often big enough to use as table runners.
• In addition to the dinner tables, you might want to decorate other “extra” tables – the gift table, sweetheart or head table, guestbook table, cake table, etc.
• If your reception site provides chairs, but you’re not happy with the way they look, keep in mind that they won’t even be noticed – once everyone is sitting in their seat, the whole setup will look great.
• If you plan to having any of your invites printed, take this tip from Knottie stierwaescherin: ALWAYS print out hard copies of your designs, along with the CD/floppy disk to give to the place that prints your invites. They may use different publishing programs or a different computer system (PC/Mac) than you used to design the stationery – this can significantly alter the way the alignment, font, spacing, etc. turns out.
• Many reception sites already have centerpieces that you can use for free or a small fee. Check to see if your site offers this option. Dress them up with candles or flower petals if you want. Some locations may offer things like mirrors, vases, etc., for free – use those as part of your centerpiece and use your imagination to figure out what else to do with them if it’s not enough.
• Look in a home furnishings store like Ikea or a thrift store for nice vases and flower pots.
• To find up-and-coming photographers in your area, check out CraigsList.org. Many new businesses advertise on CraigsList because it’s free. Click on your state, find the nearest city/region, and do a search in the Services section for “photographer” or “wedding.” Check out the photographers’ Web sites, and schedule an interview so you can talk to them and check out their portfolios.
• Videography is a tricky question for many brides and grooms-to-be. Many people don’t anticipate watching their wedding video more than once or twice after their wedding day, so they don’t get a video – only to regret it afterwards. The general consensus seems to be that couples should have some kind of video taken of their wedding day. Maybe have one of the younger cousins use our camera to videotape the reception, and set up a tripod during the ceremony. Or, if you hire a professional, opt for a simple package that doesn’t include a lot of special effects or editing. Hire them for the ceremony, and maybe for a bit of the reception – many places will also send two or three people to tape your wedding, so see if you can scale it back to just one. The majority of a videographer’s price comes from editing, so just get the “raw footage” from him/her.
• Many brides and grooms prefer signature mats to guestbooks, because they can be hung on the wall to be enjoyed every day. Many brides suggest leaving the frame flat on a table so it’s easier for guests to sign. It’s also recommended to leave the frame (but not the glass) on the mat, because then people won’t sign in a place that will be covered by the frame. You can also trace the outline of the frame or line it with paper so guests (hopefully) know not to sign there.

I like that this mat is different; it has three photos instead of just one.

• Look into a classic car club in your area and see if you can hire one of their members to drive you and your parents or FI (check OldRide.com for a listing of classic car clubs throughout the country).
• For favors, donate to a charity organization that means a lot to you. Some organizations may provide you with small cards and/or keepsakes (pins, key chains, magnets) that you can give your guests.
• For Out of Town bags, go to your town’s Chamber of Commerce or City Hall (or Tourism Office for a big city like New York or Los Angeles) and pick up some free brochures of local attractions. Call your county’s Tourism Office as well for free brochures or guidebooks. You can also print up a list of local museums, restaurants or points of interest on your home computer and write a nice welcome letter (which can be plenty on its own). If you want, you can include some candy, water bottles, mints/gum or snack-sized bags of chips/pretzels. Also include postcards of the area.

These are great Out of Town Boxes:

• Remember that the word “wedding” will automatically jack up the price on nearly every aspect of your planning. Ask what the price will be if you want to host and/or cater a “party” for 150 people (not a lie), and see if you can get those rates set in stone before you even mention that it’ll be a wedding. If your reception hall is going to cater the party, ask to see their “banquet menu” rather than their “wedding reception menu.” Often, the food on the banquet menu is very similar (if not identical) to the wedding menu, and is likely a lot cheaper.
• In some cases, you may be able to bring in drinks you’ve purchased yourself from an outside location, like a liquor warehouse or wholesale store (see Hudson Valley Weddings Guide or evite.com for a guide to how much liquor to buy for your guests). You may also be able to return unopened cases to the store and get your money back, or you can just take it home afterwards to enjoy yourselves. Try getting beer from an area brewery to add a local touch to your reception.
• Find out if your caterer includes a dessert in your package. You can either talk them out of it by explaining that you’re only serving the wedding cake, or just serve what they’re offering. Just be sure to check, so you’re not paying for something that won’t be eaten.
• See if you can hire a trusted, responsible babysitter to watch the kids in an adjoining room – the parents can eat, drink and relax while their kids are entertained by someone else nearby. The kids can color, watch a DVD or take naps, and their parents can check on them at will and still go back to enjoying the party. This especially works if your reception is held at a hotel or a location with a few extra rooms.
  If you’re booking a hotel for OOT guests with kids, look into hotels that lets kids stay or eat for free (or for a discount). The parents will appreciate it.
• When you visit vendors, don’t wear fancy clothes or accessories, or carry an expensive-looking handbag. If you look like you’ve got money to burn, some vendors may take that as a sign that they can con you into paying more for their services. It’s going to be hard to convince your DJ that you only have $200 to spend if you’re carrying a Marc Jacobs handbag and wearing Jimmy Choo heels. You can still dress nicely, but be smart about it. And you also might want to leave your engagement ring at home in a safe place, so that vendors aren’t judging your budget by the size of your diamond (thanks Knottie k&m06).
• Use promo codes or discount club whenever possible. Ask for Internet ordering codes on The Knot boards, or try CurrentCodes.com, NaughtyCodes.com and Wow-Coupons.com for possible Internet discount codes. Sign up on Web sites for mailing lists and newsletters – use a free e-mail account from Yahoo or Hotmail if you want. And check your Sunday paper for circulars, coupons and sale announcements.
  Join discount clubs at supermarkets, wholesale stores, home furnishing stores, etc. Teachers usually get discounts at craft stores like Rag Shop … if you’re a teacher, ask if there’s a discount club you can join. If any of your family/friends are teachers, ask them to join the discount club and either borrow their membership card or give them money and ask them to purchase the supplies for you.
• When you’re making your budget, don’t forget to factor in tips and gratuities for your vendors. Read your contracts carefully, because some people may already have gratuity included, in which case you don’t need to pay them extra. If the vendor owns his/her company and is pocketing all of your payment, there’s really no need to tip them unless you feel they went above-and-beyond for you. But keep in mind that some people (waiters, valets, etc.) may only work weddings, so their income may rely on tips. You can be frugal when planning your wedding, but don’t forget to be nice to the people who helped you pull it off!