Home
>
Marriage & Wedding
>
How to Have a Dream Wedding on a Budget

How to Have a Dream Wedding on a Budget

No one wants to pay more than they have to for anything, especially something as costly as a wedding. And if you're like me, and you had to foot your own bill, then you certainly want to keep costs down. I was afraid it couldn't be done, especially since my husband and I live in one of the most expensive regions of the country. But my wedding is proof that it can be done, and here's how:

Reception Venue

Look for non-profit organizations that host wedding receptions, since their rental fees are extremely reasonable. And many of them - the American Legion is one example - have gorgeous, well-maintained facilities. If you prefer an outdoor wedding, then skip the country club and go to a state or national park, where you can get beautiful landscapes at a fraction of the cost.

Catering

Many rental halls offer full-service catering, which includes linens and tableware, wait staff, all food prep and cleanup, etc. But unless you're at a non-profit (which hopefully you are, if you followed step #1), then this can be extremely expensive. Try to find a smaller catering company that typically does at-home meal service, since they know how to do things on a budget. And they are sure to give you excellent customer service.

Alcohol

You must, must, must buy your own alcohol. If you purchase it through your rental hall at retail price, you will be paying through the nose. If you have followed step #1, then you have most likely found a place that will allow you to bring your own alcohol, or will give it to you at a non-profit price. This is the only way to go.

Flowers & Decorations

Eliminate additional expense by keeping everything simple. There really is no need to have little party favors at each table, since hardly anyone remembers or appreciates those items anyway. And go easy on the flowers ? having a few simple arrangements strategically placed can be very sophisticated and elegant.

Music

With the abundance of music available for (legal) download via the internet, it's easier than ever to create your own CDs to play at the wedding. It's great to have creative control over the music,and it gives you and your future spouse a project you can work on together. A lot of rental halls will have equipment available for you to play your CDs, but you can also rent this equipment fairly inexpensively.

Invitations

Save on invitations by only ordering paper invitations for family members. Everyone else, including your friends and extended family, can be invited via email. You may think it's tacky, but it'sreally the best way to get an accurate headcount. It's much easier for people to respond to an email than to have to mail back a response via snail mail. But still use the paper invitations for your family, since this is the more traditional route. You can get very inexpensive invitations these days through various printing websites.

In addition to the recommendations I have listed above, there are many other little ways you can save. For example, going to discount bridal stores for your dress, getting a friend to make the wedding cake, etc. - but I have found that trying to micro-manage every little item on your checklist will make you crazy. So just keep it simple with the big items that I listed above, and you will have the ultimate dream wedding ? a beautiful venue, excellent food, plenty of beverages, your favorite music, all on a budget!

Rachel Greenberg has a background in business and finance, and she received her MBA from Duke University in 1999. She writes fun and informative pieces for her website http://www.bargainfamily.com - which she created with her husband Lee. The website provides advice and recommendations for families on various products and services for their homes, lives, and businesses.

pet-friendly home cleaners Morton Grove ..

In The News:

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

How to Have a Dream Wedding on a Budget

Marriage & Wedding