Sticking to a Wedding Budget...

Every girl dreams of having the perfect wedding when she grows up. What she doesn’t dream of is starting a new life with her husband and a huge wedding debt!

However, throwing your wedding on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t have a beautiful new dress and three eight seater limos as there are some clever ways to cut costs without anyone being the wiser.

If you aren’t confident doing your own hair and makeup and don’t want to pay a professional, visit your local department store cosmetics counter as they will usually offer free makeovers and show you how to recreate the look yourself with some clever techniques and help with colour choices.

Also, try alternatives to flowers where you can. You should keep the bridal bouquet, but try picking fresh flowers yourself from fields or your friends’ gardens and then bundle them loosely together as an arm bouquet for your bridesmaids. For the centrepieces, place the fresh flowers you have picked yourself in a bowl on each table tied with a ribbon draped over the side of the bowl. Or use candles to create a romantic atmosphere, or use potted flowers or flowers grown in moss; you may even be able to grow them yourself.

Also, if you schedule your wedding after a day like Valentine’s or Mother’s Day many florists will have left over flowers to get rid of. Florists can also provide you with bags of petals very cheaply to use as an alternative to confetti.

It may be a tough choice but limiting the number of attendants you each have can cut the costs of your wedding considerably. You will need to buy less bridesmaids’ dresses and bouquets and there will be less people you have to cater for at pre-wedding functions like the rehearsal dinner. Also, for the guys, get them to wear their own dress shoes instead of hiring them with their suits. It will save money and add comfort.

Cutting down on these things may seem like a tough decision at the time, but remember, you and your partner don’t just want a stunning wedding, you want a long and happy marriage too.