by Vanessa Cowley

Created on: November 24, 2008

Tips on Cutting Wedding Costs

A wedding is a magical time, but it is also loaded with expectations on the part of both families. In planning to make this day a special one, people often fall victim to the assumption that the more money you spend, the more memorable the day will be. Your first guideline to keeping the cost of your wedding down is to avoid being seduced by this assumption. Know that this day will be thrilling and memorable because of its significance to both of you, not because of the dress, the food or the hall. Hold on to that thought as you proceed with planning this most special of days.

First, sit down with whoever is paying for the wedding and agree on a reasonable budget. This will vary for each family and will depend on the amount of available funds as well as the cultural significance of the marriage to one or both families. Once a total sum has been agreed to, set aside one third to one half of your budget for your top three priorities.

Second, set your priorities. You can't afford top dollar for every detail of your wedding, so decide at the beginning which aspects of the day are the most important to you and your future spouse. Is it really important to have an amazing dress, the best photographer, the most beautiful flowers? This will be different for each couple, and it will sometimes mean making some difficult compromises, but once you have made these decisions, then saving money on your lower priority items will be easier.

Saving money on the dress

As this is not a dress you will ever wear again, and even if you own and keep your dress, you will probably only ever look at it in your wedding pictures, so this is a great place to look at reducing your costs. It is often possible to rent lovely wedding gowns. Take time to investigate different places, and make sure the cost includes alterations and dry cleaning. Otherwise, try to buy a used dress, or make plans to sell your dress once the wedding is over. Spend your money on a nice head piece or veil to keep.

Saving on the hall

While we all want to get married in a castle, the reality is you can have a wonderful wedding reception in a basic hall. Find out if you can get a reduced rate by having the reception on a weeknight or if there is an "off season" where rentals are cheaper. Consider having a summer wedding outside and renting a park shelter and a couple of large tents. Often, a church will have a basement hall that you can use at reduced cost if you have your wedding in the church

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