Wedding Budget Tips

If you’re wedding budget is a bit tight, then check out these ideas for saving money and still getting the wedding you want. Your wedding dress can form a substantial part of your budget. Check out the samples at bridal stores, these are often reduced by 50% or more. Check them over carefully though, as some may have rips, marks or stains as they will have been tried on many times. Check the reputation of a bridal boutique before purchasing from them. Ask around locally and check to see if they are listed at the Better Business Bureau. It is an unfortunate practice for some boutiques to order gowns slightly larger than you need and then charge you extra for alterations. In other cases disorganized vendor’s have been slow to order the gown and it hasn’t arrived in time. Save money by buying a plain and inexpensive dress which you can then enhance yourself with some beaded appliques or simple ribbon belt. Just check that anything you add can be dry cleaned. Make your own headpiece and veil. This is easier than you think. Veils tend to be just circular in shape and folded in half to create tiers. Seek out paper patterns to help you with sizes. Check out craft book stores for books on making your own tiaras or headpieces. Making your own will save you a lot of money on ready made versions from the bridal store. Your bridesmaids would appreciate dresses that could be worn again for another occasion. So consider their perosnal financial circumstances if you are asking them to pay for their own outfits. Check out high street or department stores for simple occasion or evening dresses, which will cost less than purpose made bridesmaids dresses. If you order all your wedding attire - your gown, bridesmaid and flowegirl dresses, accessories and even mother of the bride outfit; ask about a discount. Flowers can also account for a substantial part of your budget. Consider alte atives to bouquets such as posies of garden flowers, sinlge flowers tied with ribbon, candles, pretty fans or baskets of flower petals. Instead of formal floral arrangements for your decorations, use balloons instead. Balloons filled with helium are cheaper than flowers and still look festive. You can get a wide range of colors and you can pretty them up with ribbon streamers. Custom made cake toppers can be expensive. Look in craft or kitchenware stores for alte atives. Also look online for cake decorating or wedding stores which often sell them cheaper than the high street. If you are creative you can easily make your own. If you have decorated your ceremony with pew markers, reuse them at your reception on the backs of chairs and on door handles.