Honeymoon on a Budget

Everyone is looking for ways to cut their wedding costs these days, and the honeymoon is no exception. Happily, there are plenty of ideas that can help you have a memorable romantic getaway without spending a fortune. Here are some great ways to honeymoon on a budget.

First of all, consider the season. If you can visit a destination in its off-season, you will save a bundle over the peak prices. In addition, you will not have to battle crowds at every popular tourist spot. This strategy works better for certain locations than others. For instance, if you visit Italy in the winter, the weather will be cool, but all of the wonderful museums, shops, restaurants, and other attractions will still be as incredible as ever. On the other hand, if you are a serious sunbather, it won’t do you much good to book a trip to a beach that is likely to be cold or rainy.

Another money saving option is to vacation closer to home. It is all about your priorities. If you and your future spouse love fine cuisine, forget about a trip to a far-flung locale and book a hotel in a city within driving distance of your wedding. With the money you save on airfare, you can treat yourselves to dinner in a top-notch hotel. It is a great excuse to get all dressed up in a fancy dress and to wear your wedding jewelry again! Then for the rest of the trip, check out local and neighborhood favorites that might be less elegant, but where you can find affordable and delicious meals.

All-inclusive resorts can be another money-saving option for some couples. It really depends on your vacation style. These resorts will often be expensive up front, but if you plan to spend your trip celebrating with many tropical cocktails, an all-inclusive that includes alcohol may end up being a good deal. The types of amenities that are part of the package price will vary considerably from one resort to the next, so do some research into which activities and services are a part of the deal. Some resorts will include access to sailboats, jetskis, and the like for no additional fee, but others will charge extra for certain sports. If luxury is your top priority, and you want a hotel where you can dress for dinner in a gorgeous dress and your wedding jewelry every night, look into booking at a really fancy resort at a less glamorous island like Jamaica or Puerto Rico, which may be less costly than a similar resort in a place like Bermuda or Grand Cayman.

Finally, wherever you decide to go for your honeymoon, make sure to spread the news that you are newlyweds. People love honeymooners, and it can result in free upgrades for anything from your plane seats to hotel rooms to free Champagne or dessert at dinner. With these tips in mind, you will be able to plan your dream vacation at a price that gives you peace of mind.

Get the Most for Your Wedding Jewelry Budget

It seems like everyone is more budget conscious these days, even brides. When you are planning a wedding, it is important to find ways to get the most for your money. As you shop for your bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry gifts, keep these simple tips in mind to get the most for your money.

The first tip may seem obvious, but not all brides do it: shop around. You may see something absolutely beautiful at that big city bridal boutique where you purchased your gown, but it may also be much more expensive than it needs to be. Because the wedding gowns have suggested retail prices that keep the cost equal from one shop to the next, some bridal stores will try to make a little extra on the accessories. This is especially true in big metropolitan areas where the overhead is incredibly high. Your best bets are to shop for bridal jewelry in smaller cities or online.

When price is an issue, you can also substitute one type of gem for another to save money. If you love the classic look of pearls, shop for wedding jewelry sets created from freshwater pearls instead of akoya or South Sea pearls. Freshwater pearls have a beautiful luster and radiance, and these days can be just as round as traditional salt water pearls, but they cost considerably less. For your bridesmaid jewelry gifts, consider having pieces handcrafted with lovely Swarovski pearls, which are an exceptional value.

Swarovski crystals are another great option for a bride on a budget. You can get all the sparkle you could ever want without paying for diamonds. These dazzling crystals are also very popular for sets of bridesmaid jewelry, because they come in an astonishing array of colors. Many brides like to have necklaces and earrings created in their wedding colors to give as bridesmaid gifts. It is a great way to show your gratitude while also helping your bridesmaids to look even more lovely for your wedding.

Cutting Reception Costs

The wedding reception generally eats up at least half of your total wedding budget. Being the most costly part of your wedding also means that it is the reception that gives you the most opportunities to cut costs. These are some great tips that will help you save money without sacrificing on style.

1. Decorate with food. You are going to be serving food anyway; why not let it do double duty and help to beautify your tables as well? If you choose family style service over individually served plates, you will actually save in a few areas. You may be able to reduce the number of servers needed, and it can also be less expensive to serve large platters of passed favorites, rather than single plates of more expensive dishes. The best part is that if you choose pretty decorative platters, they will take up a lot of space on the tables, reducing the need for a lot of costly flowers.

2. Speaking of flowers, they don’t have to cost a fortune. One thing that you might not have considered is that by selecting vases with smaller openings, it will take fewer blooms to make them appear full and lush. Isn’t it funny to think that such a small change could make such a big difference? Another cost cutting measure is to use masses of inexpensive flowers over a just a few stems of very pricey ones. You will get a lot more impact for your budget, and the look is very chic and modern.

3. Speaking of the newlyweds’ grand entrance, don’t feel like you have to follow the hot trend of changing into a second bridal gown and party jewelry. The band or d.j. can make a big fuss over your entrance to the reception, and it really isn’t necessary to do anything more to make a big splash. If you want to make a subtle change to signal the transition from ceremony to reception, an easy thing to do is to choose a hairstyle that is designed to be worn up for the ceremony and down for the party. Switch out your studs for more festive bridal jewelry like chandelier earrings, and you will be ready to dance the night away.

4. Make your placecards do double duty as favors. The most popular favors are edible, and they can be very inexpensive. For instance, place one beautiful ripe pear at each guest’s seat. Tie a paper “leaf” to the stem with the name of the guest written in calligraphy. It will look pretty at the table, let each guest know where to sit, and serve as a favor all at the same time.

Affordable Destination Weddings

The most important thing to decide when you are having a destination wedding is the location. This is where a lot of couples can run into budget problems. However, if you keep an open mind, you can find alternatives that will have some of the features you like about a pricier destination, while remaining more affordable. For instance, let’s say that you love the excitement and glamour of Las Vegas, but live on the East Coast. Instead of incurring the expense of flying out to Vegas (not only for the bride and groom, but for everyone attending the wedding), look into booking a fabulous resort in Atlantic City instead.

Another way to keep your destination wedding affordable is to look for an area that has a range of hotel prices. In some regions, all of the resorts are incredibly expensive, but in similarly beautiful places, you can find resorts that are nice but not outrageous. You can even plan to have your wedding and honeymoon suite at the more exclusive resort, and then move to a less pricey hotel for the rest of your honeymoon. Your guests will also appreciate having a few options for hotel rooms.

When you are getting married at the beach, nature is so beautiful that you do not need to go crazy with a fancy gown or over-the-top decorations. Stick with locally grown flowers for the best prices. Rather than choosing a bridal gown that is heavy with fancy adornments, select one that is pretty, but simple. It will not only save you money, it will suit your location better. You can also cut costs on your accessories for an outdoor wedding. Instead of splurging on diamonds, look into custom bridal Swarovski necklaces.

There are plenty of ways to have the destination wedding of your dreams while working within a budget. All it takes is a little creativity and flexibility. Before you know it, you will be saying your vows in a beautiful location, just as you have always imagined.

Avoid this Wedding Argument!

Planning your wedding should be a happy and joyful time. There is one thing that can turn bridal bliss into one big headache, and that is fights about money. These are some tips on how to avoid this number one wedding argument, and to emerge from the wedding planning with your sanity and relationships intact.

The best way to avoid having disputes about money and finances is to have a frank discussion about it very soon after becoming engaged. This conversation needs to take place before a single vendor is booked, and it should first take place between the bride and groom. You need to decide between yourselves what your vision is for the perfect wedding, and then you can start to think about what kind of budget it will take to make it a reality.

When a couple is a bit older and more established in their careers, they will often decide to pay for the lion’s share of the wedding themselves. The reason for doing this is that money equals control. If you are paying for your own wedding, then you will have the freedom to have any type of event that suits you. Suggestions from your parents should be considered, but in the end, the final say will be yours. There are many, many brides and grooms who decide that having a scaled down wedding is well worth it to have the ultimate control of their nuptials.

Another approach is to take into account the size of the guest list that each family will have and to split the expenses accordingly. This can be a particularly fair way to do it when one family is much larger than the other. You will help to avoid tension between the bride and groom’s sides with this equitable version of wedding budgeting.

Keep in mind that there are certain expenses that are not really a part of the wedding itself that are going to fall to the bride’s side. These include the wedding gown, the bridal jewelry, and the bride’s hair and makeup. Talking about money and finances is never easy, but if you go into the wedding planning with a clear view of what you and your families can afford, it will ultimately make everything much more pleasant.

Allocating Your Wedding Budget

The first thing to know is the basic formula, in terms of what percentage of your wedding budget should be allotted to each category of expenditure. The second thing to know is that these guidelines are really only that – guidelines – and that the actual divisions of your resources will be based as much on your priorities as on a chart. The trick is to find a way to divide up your available funds so that you are not left without the money to pay for something in one of the categories that interests you less.

In general, the reception is going to take up the biggest chunk of your wedding budget, normally about half. Within that 50%, though, it is entirely up to you how you want to break it down. For instance, if your top priority is having a venue with breathtaking views or a well-known name, you may spend more of that 50% allocation on the venue, and compromise by having a less expensive menu. Or if having top notch food is your main concern, you might spend more on the caterer, and less on the decorations and flowers.

All of the wedding budgets advise allotting around 10% of your funds to go for attire and beauty. The wedding attire includes everything from the wedding gown to the bridal jewelry, the hair, the makeup, and so forth. Feel free to save in one area so that you can splurge in another. For instance, you can find beautiful crystal bridal jewelry online and put the savings towards a more elaborate gown or a great pair of designer wedding shoes.

The reality is that most couples end up going over their budget, so allow yourself a little extra cushion. If you make a list of your priorities in the beginning, it will be easier to shift your money around to stay within your wedding budget when all is said and done.

What to Do If You Blow Your Wedding Budget

Budgets are meant to be broken, right? This is the feeling of many brides, but not necessarily of their parents or fiances who are helping to pay for the wedding. If you are starting to add up all of your wedding expenses and are finding that you are coming in way over budget, it is time to take action!

If your budget is firm and you are way over it, then you will have to find some places to cut costs. Hopefully, you are not so far into the planning that you are locked into everything, especially the big expenses like the venue and the guest list. Assuming your invitations have not yet gone out, cutting down the guest list is by far the quickest way to slash expenses. You will save on almost everything, from food to cocktails to reception rentals to centerpieces. You might even be able to scale down the size of your reception site and even the size of the band. It can be painful, but if you think about what you could save by trimming your guest list by even 10 or 20%, it could be significant.

If it is too late to make major changes, there are still ways to get back to (or at least closer to) your original budget. You might not be able to switch vendors or venues, but you can at least cut back on some of the details. For example, you can ask your florist about substituting a less pricey flower like red carnations for costly red roses. A small change like that can make a huge difference in your bottom line.

Another idea for brides who have gone over budget is to skip the favors, or find ways to make your centerpieces or place cards double as wedding favors that guests can take home. If you have a lovely ceremony, followed by a beautiful reception, the last thing that your guests are going to be thinking is, “Where is my favor?!”. So don’t worry if you need to cut them to get your budget back on track.

One thing that you should not omit from your wedding is your bridesmaid gifts. Forgetting to give a special thank you to your friends who have spent a lot of their precious time and money on your wedding is just plain rude. However, you certainly do not need to break the bank on your bridesmaid gifts. With a little careful shopping, you will find that you can get some stunning gifts for a very affordable price. Bridesmaid jewelry, such as a Swarovksi pearl pendant, can be so reasonably priced that even the bride who has gone way over budget will be able to afford something very pretty.

Cutting Wedding Costs

It seems like these days everyone is looking for ways to cut costs. When it comes to planning a wedding, it is easy to feel torn between saving money and throwing the wedding of your dreams. Luckily, there are some ways to cut costs without cutting down on style.

The bulk of your wedding budget will end up going towards your reception, so this is the also place with the most potential to save. Sometimes couples think that they can save money by having the wedding at home instead of renting a venue. The truth is, though, that by the time you have dealt with renting everything from a tent to silverware to a porto-potty, having a wedding at your house is probably one of the least economical options.

The music is certainly one of the most important parts of the reception, especially if you prefer live music instead of a d.j. One great way to save on the entertainment is to look for musicians at a local college. For instance, if you live near New York, why not audition students from Julliard? With a little research, you can find a band or soloist that is very talented, but also quite affordable.

When trying to save on wedding flowers, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The first is that if you go with blossoms that are in season, you will save a bundle. Forget about flying tulips in from Holland for your autumn wedding; instead look for another option. Another way to save is to ask your florist to recommend flowers that are less expensive than the ones you see in the magazines, but that have a similar look.

Another way to cut costs for your wedding is to do much of your shopping online. You will often find much more reasonable prices on everything from invitations to bridesmaid jewelry gifts. When you purchase your gifts, like bridesmaid jewelry, over the internet, you will have the added bonus of a much better selection from which to choose.

Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event, and you never want to look back and wish that you had done things differently. When you know where to look, it is possible to have your dream wedding without overspending. This way you reflect back on your wedding, you will have fond memories as reminders, not outstanding debt!

Saving Money on Bridal Accessories

Many brides start shopping for a wedding gown with a firm budget in mind. Then they find the dress of their dreams, and the budget goes right out the window! When you have spent more than you intended on your wedding dress, you will definitely want to find ways to save money on your bridal accessories.

The first place to start is the internet. This can be a great resource for finding beautiful accessories at the best price. Let’s say that you love the look of diamonds, but just cannot justify the price. You can get a fabulous sparkle from custom bridal Swarovski necklaces at a very reasonable cost.

Another way to save money on your bridal accessories is by shopping the sales at the bridal shops. You may not be able to get the exact veil that you had envisioned, but you might end up finding a different style that works just as well. It helps to keep an open mind. Big city brides may also find that the mark-ups on veils are higher in places like New York than in the far suburbs, so it can pay to shop around.

There are some more subtle places that a bride can look to save money. One thing to keep in mind is that if you bought a designer gown, it will probably come with a petticoat already sewn in, so you can skip the expense of buying one separately. Another tip for saving on undergarments is to have the seamstress sew bust cups into your gown instead of wearing a bustier (do this only if you do not need a lot of support!).

A final way to save money on your bridal accessories is to see if you can borrow some from a friend or relative. It can be very meaningful to wear your sister’s veil or your best friend’s fur stole. The one thing that should probably not be shared is shoes, because you will really want your shoes to form to your own feet.

There are many creative ways that a bride can save on her accessories. If you look around, you will find that spending a little less on this or that can really add up in the end. It is quite possible to save money without sacrificing on style.