You don't have to be rich if you want to get hitched
Looking for ways to save on wedding expenses is an increasingly common scenario for young couples, faced with hefty student loans, credit-card debt, a tough job market and ever-increasing living expenses.
Looking for ways to save on wedding expenses is an increasingly common scenario for young couples, faced with hefty student loans, credit-card debt, a tough job market and ever-increasing living expenses.
The average cost of a wedding is just under $29,000, according to the Wedding Report Inc., which tracks trends in the industry.
But these days, wedding consultant Teddy Lenderman says, couples are more likely to haggle with wedding vendors. Still others are buying wedding supplies from online discount merchants and other wholesalers. And couples are doing a lot more of the work themselves, with the help of family members and friends.
Here are a few tips for saving money on a wedding, some offered by Lenderman, some from a few couples who've recently married:
Set a budget and stick to it. To do that, make a list of the items that are most important to you. If photos are really important and flowers aren't, hire a professional photographer and have a single rose or a simple arrangement for the bride to carry.
Schedule the wedding on a Friday or Sunday. Venues often cost less to rent when your wedding is not on a Saturday. You also could have your wedding and reception at the same place.
Ask the wedding vendors you're dealing with for discounts. The worst they can say is "no."
If there is another wedding at your location that weekend, ask the other couple if they'd share costs for the ceremony flowers. Or use your ceremony flowers at the reception.
Use disposable dinnerware instead of china and glass. There are biodegradable options out there, though they're a bit more expensive.
Have a mid-afternoon wedding and serve cake and punch or champagne, instead of having a meal.
Check resale shops for gowns and tuxedos that have never been worn, or with minimal wear. Or consider less-traditional attire that may be cheaper. Formal wear stores also often offer deals on multiple tux rentals.
Borrow items like cake knife or toast goblets, the ring-bearer pillow or flower-girl basket, if you're interested in having these traditional components. If the bride wears a veil, borrow it or use your mother's. Many of these items also can be purchased online at wholesale prices.
Instead of spending money on individual favors for guests, make a donation to your favorite charity and place a nicely written note on each table, telling them, "In your honor, a donation has been made to . . . "
Make use of talented friends who might be musicians, photographers, chefs or dress designers. Or hire high-school music students to play for the ceremony and/or the reception meal (violin or piano, for instance). But make sure you listen to them before you book. *