Their wedding can be one of the most expensive single days a couple will ever spend together. With a venue, clothing, healthy and beauty, accessories, and finer details to consider, the costs soon add up. There is a positive aspect to this menacing cloud though, in the form of the Wedding Hack. Whether a couple decides to get married out of season, chooses to host its nuptials and reception at the same venue, or finds a location that needs very little in the way of dressing or lighting, such as an aquarium, zoo, or heritage site, a wedding need not cost a fortune.
Shopping for a bridal bargain
First thing’s first; the place a bride chooses to shop, and how savvy she’s prepared to be, can often determine the budget for her. The dress is often one of the most expensive single aspects of any wedding, but be prepared to buy off the rack, cheekily asking for discounts, and shopping at a high street store rather than a bridal boutique can all cut costs dramatically.
Online stores and discount sites, such as Groupon, should never be ignored by anybody planning a wedding, and often there are some amazing bargains to be found, particularly on bulk or wholesale items, including table decorations.
Budgeting is now considered cool, and a bride should never be concerned about looking for bargains. Make up, jewelry, accessories, and venue dressings often work out much cheaper when they’re bought online, and it can pay for couples to buy their own materials and indulge in a little DIY – that will add a little personal touch, too. Recycling old items to be used at a wedding is a great way of creating a vintage theme, as well as cutting costs. Birdcages, small items of furniture, and vases, for example, look exceptional when shown a little love.
In order to get the perfect wedding day on a budget a bride should think about what she would really like to have, and what she could do without. Chair covers and huge centerpieces, for example, aren’t always necessary, as simple bows and candles to light guests’ meals will create an intimate, yet stylish affair. Similarly, an expensive, bespoke guestbook could be replaced with plain postcards that are stuck in a scrapbook by hand, while friends’ talents could become really useful, and table decorations could double as favors; small vases and candle holders would be widely appreciated, and adored.
A photographer is one element of a wedding that shouldn’t be economized on too much. Although couples should conduct their research, get to know the person who will be capturing their big day on film, and ask for discounts, engagement shoots, and added extras before finalizing any booking. Regardless of what they’re booking a couple needs to be aware of hidden costs; an informed bride knows all of the fine print before she signs, and won’t be caught unawares by a sudden leap in fees, or the introduction of a new charge.
Health and beauty on a budget
Of course, health and beauty play a huge part in the lead up to any wedding, and they can be an expensive business; after all, once a bride has paid for any number of gym sessions or classes to tone areas she is not happy with, sampled make up and booked a stylist, and shopped for accessories, there can be very little left in the pot. Well, that’s the story sold by plenty of vendors, anyway. The truth is that getting ready for their wedding needn’t be the most stressful, or expensive, thing a future bride ever encounters, and there really isn’t any need for expensive diet plans, or fancy gym equipment that will never see the light of day again.
Take Spanx for example, or the Genie Hourglass body shaper, which is sold by online retailers, including ‘As Seen on TV’. Such garments are designed to mold around a woman’s curves, accentuate her shape, and nip her so-called problem areas into shape, without the need for the aforementioned diets and lifestyle changes. There’s so much to remember in the lead up to a wedding, and a bride should feel comfortable and, most importantly, at home in her own skin. Sure, she could lose a few pounds, tone up, or aim to feel a little brighter in herself, but only if that’s what she really wants; the only person a bride is in competition with is herself. Besides, cheating a little is often the least-stressful, and most cost-effective way of preparing for marriage – ergo, completely fine AND within budget.
When it comes to hair and make-up, brides should think along the same lines; is a fancy up-do and a face covered in orange foundation really them? A simple, yet elegant look can be created using a few basic, yet magical ingredients, and many brides find that a friend or family member is just as happy to pamper them on the morning of their wedding as a paid stylist would be – plus they’ll save themselves a tidy sum. The sort of hairstyle a bride chooses will depend upon her gown, the type of veil she’d like to wear, and the theme of the wedding but, again, not all styles are dependent upon a professional. It is possible to look amazing, and for very little, these days.
So, there they are. Just a few of the ways that a bride (and her groom) can have the perfect wedding day on a budget, and without many of the stressful extras that couples often feel obliged to have. Sometimes, the most perfect wedding days are the simplest.