Economic Wedding Ideas

Learning how to plan your wedding on a budget is a great thing, but learning the common mistakes that brides make that cost them unnecessarily is also important.  Knowing what’s right is only half the battle - avoiding what’s wrong is the other half!

Here are 10 common mistakes that many brides make that usually add up to big bucks on their wedding day, along with some helpful tips and pointers for how to avoid these same mistakes.

#1 - Not making that list, or any list for that matter!

Not taking the time to sit down and write out everything you need for your wedding and all the details involved is a sure recipe for disaster.  You’ll forget things, overspend at the last minute, or just make up things as you go along, all of which will probably wind up costing you big bucks.

Why do some women hesitate to make up this list?  After all, it’s part of planning your wedding and planning a wedding is supposed to be fun, isn’t it?

Make that list and stick to it!

Maybe part of the problem is that many women feel incredibly confident without lists and have learned how to do without them.  You go to the grocery store with a few important items in mind and pretty much know what else you need to buy for the week.  At work you know your job inside and out and don’t need to write out every detail of what you’ll be doing that day or week.

Relying on your memory or creative thinking or just routine is great for when you’re grocery shopping or are at work, but your wedding is something very different than these other events.  You probably don’t have as much experience shopping for wedding items as you do items in a grocery store!  So it’s very important that you make those lists and write out those plans for your wedding from start to finish.

#2 - Being stubborn.

We’ve all heard of “bridezillas,” the women that demand that their wedding happen a certain way and who get completely out of control when anything goes wrong, or who just turn into completely unpleasant people when planning their wedding.

You might not think of yourself as a bridezilla and hopefully you aren’t.  Just the fact that you’re trying to find out some ideas for saving money on your wedding shows that you no doubt do really care about being reasonable and modest with your plans rather than stubbornly insisting on anything and everything you want.

But sometimes it’s possible to get a little stubborn even with the best of intentions.  That beautiful dress, those beautiful invitations, that gorgeous country club - they are all so tempting!  You might also have your heart set on something for sentimental value - the same church where your parents got married, or the country club where so many of your friends are members, etc.

Stubbornness is the number one enemy to a budget-friendly wedding.  Being reasonable and modest and willing to adjust your plans is the best course of action for sticking to a budget.  And of course you never know what you’re going to find that you love just as much as that dress you had your heart set on or that reception hall or those stretch limousines.  You might find another dress just as gorgeous or find that having the wedding on a beach or rented boat is more than you ever dreamed!  So be flexible and open to the possibilities that will fit your budget.

#3 - Forgetting to shop around.

You might immediately head to the nearest bridal salon not just because you want the best and most expensive of all the items there but just because it’s easiest as well.  Whatever you need by way of clothing, accessories, and all those other little items are all under one roof.

Shopping around is one very important way to save money on anything and everything for your wedding and of course with internet access you can now do this from the comfort of your own home.  A bride should never just accept the first price she sees on anything but should take time to compare prices as much as possible.

Discount stores, dollar stores, craft supply shops, flea markets.

Part of shopping around is going to mean getting out of your comfort zone and shopping at stores that you might normally turn your nose up at.  This means dollar stores, discount stores, and places like this.

Of course you can also shop at craft supply stores and sewing supply stores as well.  They usually have a wealth of options and ideas for centerpieces, decorations, jewelry you can make yourself, and so many other small items that really add up in the long run.

#4 - Getting overwhelmed with doing it herself.

There are some things that you can do yourself in order to save money on your wedding, and this might include making centerpieces, decorating the home where you’ll have the reception, and making or assembling wedding favors.  By purchasing items you can easily transform on your own then you’ll save probably thousands of dollars on your wedding overall.

But getting overwhelmed with doing things at home is a quick way to get frustrated and throw in the towel or to get exhausted when the big day approaches.

This is one area where making that list is going to be very important.  You need to write out all the things you need to do yourself and make sure you have everything you need for each chore (assembling your own wedding favors means the favor boxes, the candy or nuts to fill them, wrapping paper, ribbon, and tape).

Ask for help in this regard as well.  Your future mother-in-law or sister-in-law, your bridesmaids, flower girls, your own friends and relatives, and yes, even your groom can be asked to pitch in for certain chores.  As a matter of fact, ask your groom to ask his friends to help as well - who says it’s only the women that need to do all the preparation work?

#5 - Inviting too many, and putting out too much.

It’s great that you see your wedding and reception as a way of graciously hosting a nice gathering for friends and of course you don’t want to become unbalanced so that you no longer care if they eat hot dogs and drink warm soda at your reception, but feeling obligated to invite everyone and serve them the best of everything is a budget killer.

Think seriously about your friends and family.  How many of them will be offended if they don’t get lobster and prime rib at your wedding?  How many will never speak to you again if you limit your reception time to just a few hours?  How many will think it odd if you have your wedding in a private home or on a beach?

Your friends probably will understand your need to trim costs as will your family.  Remember, just about everyone is watching their budget these days so most understand the difficulty of having a large and lavish wedding reception.  They’ll probably be very happy with a simple meal served in a modest banquet hall or restaurant, or will appreciate the work you put into making that private home very special and elegant.

And when it comes to trimming the guest list, you do need to use some discretion and not just cut out anyone and everyone that you’re not sure of, and of course your fiancée needs to be taken into consideration as well, but inviting people you haven’t spoken with in years or everyone you have a casual acquaintance with is just going to put you over the budget.

Use discretion and be balanced.

#6 - Planning during peak times.

Did you know that over the Christmas and U.S. Thanksgiving holidays that airfare is increased by 50% or even more?  Think about this for a moment - why would the price go up like that?  Fuel still costs the same, the pilots’ salaries haven’t changed, there’s nothing special about the flights being offered at those times.  So why the increase?

Peak times like this see price increases because industries know they can increase those prices and still get people to pay them.  It’s almost as if they’re offering a ticket to the highest bidder - they’ll raise the rates and those who can afford them are the ones that will get the tickets.  There are enough people vying for them so they know they can do it and still have sales.

When it comes to weddings the same applies to those peak months of May, June and September.  There are enough weddings and other events (graduations in May and June) being planned at those time that rental companies and banquet halls can raise their rates and know that they’ll still get someone to pay those inflated fees.

Planning your wedding for any of these months is dangerous and more expensive than if you choose some off-peak times such as October, November, April, and July or August.  Of course you may need to make adjustments to your other plans - that beach wedding isn’t going to work out well in November - but if you can make adjustments then you’re going to save money.

#7 - Hiring too much professional help.

As we’ve discussed there are many options available to you when it comes to professionals at your wedding.  A caterer can make the main dishes only and drop them off; friends and family can pitch in with other items and with serving, or you can hire some college kids or kids from the neighborhood to help with these things.  A professional photographer can capture the important moments of the wedding but friends with good cameras can probably get everything else.  You might want a limousine or taxi service after the reception since you’ll probably be drinking but do you really need a limousine to get you to the ceremony site?  And if you do want limos, must you have four or five or six?  Can’t you do with one for the bride’s party and one for the groom’s?

Do you really need limos to get you to and from the site? And if so, how many limos do you think you reasonably need?

A wedding coordinator or planner is great if you’re having a huge occasion with hundreds of guests but this usually can’t happen on a budget.  Planning out the details and setting aside some time each week to make calls and do some shopping will accomplish everything you need.  You can also ask friends and family to help find items online for you or to get price quotes on certain items.

If you can afford to hire professionals to take care of every details then that’s all well and good, but cutting out the unnecessary help is the first thing you need to do when planning a wedding on a budget.

#8 - Having too many details.

Go to any online wedding accessory shop and count how many items they have for sale.  Can’t do it?  That’s because there is just no end to the number of things that a bride can buy for her wedding, from the details of her outfit to specialty items for the rehearsal dinner to all those little decorative items for the reception.

Sometimes the details of a wedding make all the difference in the world but sometimes you can have too many details that aren’t always appreciated anyway.  Really, will your guests notice even care if your chairs are only draped with tulle netting and down have a big bow or flower on the back?  Will they care if the napkins aren’t stamped with your name and date?  Won’t the smokers come with their own matches and lighters?

When shopping for wedding items and details it’s so easy to get caught up in how pretty everything is and just want it all for yourself!  You might need to exercise a lot of self-control in this regard but think of how all those details will add up and completely destroy your budget.

And remember too that there’s nothing to say that you can’t use all those beautiful items at a later time.  Did you come across beautiful little favors you wish you could use?  Plan a first anniversary party where you hand them out.  If there are too many decorating ideas from which to choose, have a party some time down the road and decorate with one of the ideas you turned down for your wedding.

Remember that your wedding is a day but your marriage is a lifetime, and you have that long to host anniversary parties, baby showers, and bridal showers for your friends so you’ll have a chance to use those beautiful items.

#9 - Not following the budget as time goes on.

How often have you been absolutely certain that you had more of something in the cupboard or pantry - shampoo, bath tissue, salt, paper towels - only to find that indeed you had run out and now you’re stuck without?  Thinking that you have more of something than you really do is a common mistake that many people make, and it happens with the budget as often as it happens with those items you think are still in the cupboard or pantry.

If you don’t follow your budget as you shop then you’re just setting yourself up for disaster.  You’re sure that you have another thousand dollars left and forgot that you spend a couple of hundred on the invitations already, and you’re overdrawn or short of cash when you need it.

Many couples find that it’s easiest to open a separate bank account with their wedding funds so they can keep track of what they have and what they’ve spent.  If you don’t keep track of this online as many people do, you can have a separate checkbook or ledger and make notes as you go along.  It’s vitally important however that you do continue to note everything you spend regardless of how much or how little so that you’re not overdrawn or short of cash when you least expect it.  When this happens you might miss a great deal or sale or find that you need to purchase something at the last minute which of course is going to cost you that much more.

#10 - Waiting until the last minute.

This might be the worst thing a bride can do for wedding planning.  If you wait until the last minute for anything you won’t have time to shop for deals and bargains and do some price comparisons as well.  You also won’t have time to do things yourself, such as assembling wedding favors or thinking of creative but affordable ideas for centerpieces.

If you have a set date in mind for your wedding that’s perfectly understandable - there are usually many factors that determine a wedding date such as available time off from work or even your favorite season.  But putting your wedding off for as long as possible means that you can do that comparison shopping and that you can continue to save money as you earn paychecks between then and now.  This doesn’t mean you should put your wedding off for years and years but it does give you an added reason to not rush into anything and to really take your time and enjoy the process of planning it as well.

Remember, you’ll (hopefully) not plan another wedding for yourself after this one so don’t hurry through it just to get to the big day.  Slow down, take your time, relax, and enjoy all the steps needed to plan it properly.