A good photographer can tell a good story from even the lowest budget wedding. In my (biased) opinion, it’s a worthy splurge.

But the reception venue is really where I think we’ve saved the most money. We’re holding the ceremony at the community park and the reception at the community hall. I know some brides out there just shuddered but hear me out and I hope this doesn’t offend anyone; go to the upscale side of town. Every city has one and I guaruntee the parks in the upscale side are 20 times more beautiful and the comunity halls rival most hotel ballrooms and “event sites”. You might pay a little bit more if you’re not a resident but that savings will be tremendous. Added bonus: most community halls let you choose your own caterer which gives you much more bargaining room when you’re shopping around for a caterer.
Also, a word on alcohol. Find someplace that does not require you to buy your alcohol through them, only that you use a licensed bar-tender. You can go to a state liquor store, buy the alcohol you want and you know you’re getting the best price and also, at the end of the night, you keep any alcohol that isn’t consumed.

I bought my dress off the rack saving nearly half. Also, don’t waste your money on a veil from the bridal shop. They are often way over priced. If you’re so inclined or know someone who is crafty, have them make your veil. Seriously, they’re super easy. If a veil isn’t your thing and you’re more a tiara kinda girl, check out costume shops. I’m not talking about Halloween Express, but the theatre costume shops (ours is downtown). They sell beautiful tiaras that are much less.

For bridesmaid’s gifts, if you’re feeling jewelry (I’m giving my girls pearl necklaces with matching pearl earrings), check places out around the time of traditional jewelry giving holdiays (Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, etc.) and look for sale fliers. You can get great (real) jewelry at a much reduced prices.

Make-up: If you don’t know an Avon or Mary-Kay lady, try going to Sephora or MAC several months out. Tell them you’re shopping around for wedding day make-up and either tell them what your after or bring in pictures to show them. People don’t work there unless they like make-up and if they like it, chances are they know a thing or two about applying it and will gladly teach you. They may even give you free samples of a few make-up colors which you can then practice with at home. If you’re doing your own make-up keep in mind that you will want stuff that is a little different than everyday wear. Make Up Forever is a brand that recently came out with a foundation specifically formulated for being photographed. And it does make a difference.

And lastly, even if you find what you think is the perfect place at the perfect price, be prepared to walk away until you have *thoroughly* read the contract, and the pricing is the same as what you discussed and bring a calculator with you when you’re reviewing the contract before signing. It doesn’t happen often and most wedding professionals are just that, professional, but some aren’t. One place we looked at was fabulous and the price was what were looking for, we had the contract drafted and were ready to put down a deposit. But when we read through the contract, there were many hidden charges (truly, hidden. As in, buried in legalese with numbers written out so as not to drawn attention). When we calculated what was actually in the contract, it came out to almost 30% more than what we had discussed. Needless to say, I was upset and we left.

Just a few thoughts. : )

Here are some real tips, for those of us who just barely make it to lower-middle class…

1. Do a cocktail receptions instead of sit down meal–savings: nearly half. And serve buffet style-it might not make sense, but most people do eat less…and waste less. Very few people gorge themselves on a buffet. We are doing a night wedding, well past dinner time. No one should be starving when they get there.
2. Provide bottles of wine on the table and champagne for toasting, but do a cash bar for everything else.
3. Hold your wedding and reception at the same place. Preferably your own church, or a family/friend’s home. Outdoor weddings are really beautiful, and nature does most of the decorating for you.
4. You don’t need a wedding planner or coordinator. Save your money. Use the internet to get ideas, timelines, budgets, etc. Talk to other brides to be and recently married ones. Pool your resources. Share your talents. Take classes at Michael’s of Jo Ann or other craft stores. Have your attendants help create things for your wedding–just be sure you thank them for their hard work.
5. Get your Mary Kay or Avon consultant to do your make-up. No, you don’t need to change make-up halfway through. Pick basics and nudes that are tastefully applied. Even if you change clothes, your foundation and blush should remain the same unless you want to look like 2 different people in your pictures. Don’t go heavy on the eye make-up. (And who wants someone following them around all day fixing their “look.” The only one following you should be your darling. Your maid of honor can do the touch ups if necessary.
6. Buy your dress. If you don’t want to keep it, resell it later on. Mine was gorgeous and on sale it came in at under $400. Keep in mind what looks good in a catalog or magazine might look totally different on you. Try on lots of looks before you set your heart on a style. No one but you and maybe some snobs will know who designed your dress. If you are even more thrifty, buy it second hand. Just give yourself lots of time to look for one.
7. Make your wedding a reflection of you and your husband to be. If you have tons of friends, throw a huge bash–if not keep it small and intimate. Remember, each person you invite adds to your total bill. You don’t have to invite EVERYONE.

BTW: my wedding costs less than $4,000, honeymoon included.

For more great ideas check out Martha Stewarts wedding website. Millions of ideas, for very cheap. Use the ‘net to find ideas and keep it simple. Unless you are a millionaire, in which case, go ahead and refer to the original article.

(ugh, rich people make me sick…what a waste of money..)