How to Have a Wedding For Under $5000
Going into this project, it is important to prioritize. What you absolutely must have for a wedding is a bride, a groom, an officiant, and a couple of witnesses. Everything else is really gravy. So the first step in pulling off a wedding for less than $5000 is to accept that you will not be able to have all of the little extras that you see in the bridal magazines. This is okay! The main rules to remember are: shop smart, DIY what you can, borrow or barter when possible, hire students or young professionals, and accept all offers of help.
A great way to have an affordable wedding is to have the ceremony in a free location. Some state parks will waive the rental fee if you do not bring things like chair and arbors. Keep your ceremony short and sweet, since guests will be standing for it. If you live in a state which allows individuals to become ordained online, you can even have a close friend act as your officiant instead of hiring a justice of the peace. Music can be quite simple. It would be lovely for the bride to walk to her groom accompanied by the sounds of classical guitar. Ask a talented friend to play or hire someone from a music college. The total cost for your ceremony will be next to nothing.
Some brides spend more than $5000 on just their wedding gowns! For the bride on a budget, the custom designer gown is not the most practical idea…unless you happen to score big at a bridal clearance sale (think Running of the Brides) or find one being sold on Craig’s List. But you can still look every bit the beautiful bride in an elegant gown with sparkling wedding jewelry without spending thousands. Consider a long white or ivory formal dress from a department store instead of a traditional wedding gown. You can find something gorgeous and chic at a place like Nordstrom for under $200. Definitely use the Internet to shop for wedding jewelry and veils at the best price, as well. Rather than buy white bridal shoes that you will never wear again, get a great pair of silver evening sandals that you can use again and again.
Wedding decorations are another area where you can save big. Plan on ordering your flowers online and arranging them yourself. The most affordable option is to decorate primarily around candles, and use the fresh flowers as accents. You can get 100 stems of roses for under $200 from an Internet floral wholesaler, which will go a long way if you are using them for bouquets and with candles for the centerpieces. Another idea is to spring for a more costly blossom like dendrobium orchids. It only takes one or two stems of these exotic flowers to create a stunning submerged centerpiece. For the rest of your wedding decorations, shop at craft stores at the end of the season clearance sales. Also check out wedding chat boards for newlyweds selling off their extra wedding supplies so you can create a gorgeous look without having to pay retail.
Filed under Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: $5000 wedding, budget wedding, Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Comment (1)What to Do If You Run Short on Wedding Cash
It happens to many couples: you are about halfway through planning your wedding, and come to realize that there is no way you have enough cash to pull off what you had planned! It is distressing, to be sure, but there are some things you can do to make your wedding come together beautifully, even if funds run low. Here is what to do if you run short on wedding cash.
Buy a white bridesmaid dress. Bridesmaid dresses come in a wide array of fashionable styles and beautiful materials these days. Even the most expensive bridesmaid dress is going to be a major savings over a traditional bridal gown, so this can be a great way to save money while still looking fabulous. Don’t be afraid to shop for accessories which are geared towards bridesmaids, either. In many cases, bridesmaid jewelry and shoes are sold at a lower price than the equivalent styles which are marketed to brides. While you’re at it, pick up some great bridesmaid jewelry to thank your attendants.
Have a morning wedding. Why? Because hosting a brunch reception will cost a fraction of an evening affair. The menu can be much smaller, the bar bill will drop by a huge amount, and as the reception will likely run shorter, you can also hire the band for a shorter time or skip dancing altogether, and just play background music on your ipod. The only caveat to having a morning wedding is that you will want to plan for an early end to your rehearsal dinner so that everyone can get to bed early the night before.
Skip the extras. What do you really need to get married? A bride, a groom, an officiant, and a witness. Technically, everything else is extra. Start with the bare essentials, like a bouquet for the bride and a wedding cake, and build from there. Omit all the stuff that is really not necessary, like custom cocktail napkins, printed menus and programs, and flowers for the ladies’ room. One place that you should never skimp, however, is on the food and drink for your guests. Reasonable refreshments are not extras, they are the basis of good hospitality.
With all these money saving strategies in mind, you will be able to create a wedding that is memorable without starting off your marriage mired in debt, which will make for a much happier beginning.
Tips on Finding a Budget Wedding Gown
Believe it or not, there are some truly breathtaking wedding gowns available for under $1000, even under $500. In general, it is far better to go with a simpler wedding gown which is well made from a high quality fabric like silk than a heavily embellished one which is cheaply made from poor quality synthetics. The first will look chic and modern, the second will look, well, cheap.
If you have your heart set on a very traditional full wedding gown, but your budget is tight, your best bet is to search creatively for a quality gown, rather than settle for one which is not well made. Sample sales and blow out sales can be a great way for brides to find a dreamy designer wedding gown at an incredible discount. Search the Internet for both local sales at bridal shops and huge discount gown events like the traveling Filene’s Basement “Running of the Brides” sale.
For brides who seek budget wedding gowns with a modern chic sensibility, a great place to shop is J Crew. In their bridal collection, they feature gowns in luxe fabrics like silk chiffon, taffeta, jacquard, and silk tricotine for under $1000 and in some cases under $500. The gowns tend to have slimmer skirts, either column or a small A-line, and are perfect for a beach wedding, a garden wedding, or a city chic affair. The wedding gowns at J Crew include many fashionable designs and details, from the popular goddess look to the asymmetrical style which is in vogue this year.
Many brides will select an ivory or white dress from a bridesmaid line. When choosing an ivory “bridesmaid” dress to wear as a wedding gown, the right accessories will help to make sure that you look like a bride. A long veil, elegant bridal jewelry, and a pretty headpiece will make sure that no one mistakes you for a bridesmaid in an ivory dress. In fact, choosing distinctive and unique accessories like bridal jewelry is one of the fun things about wearing a more simple wedding gown. It allows you to express your personal style, look gorgeous, and find a fabulous wedding gown on a budget – you can’t do much better than that!
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridal Jewelry, budget wedding, budget wedding gown, J Crew wedding, Running of the Brides, wedding gowns | Comment (0)