Simple, Affordable Wedding Ideas for your Budget

You don’t have to mimic George Clooney’s wedding extravaganza in Italy to have a beautiful wedding that is a reflection of you and your fiancé. The experts you work with – caterers, planners, florists– are as cost conscious as you are and know the importance of the bottom line.

When planning my daughter’s wedding a few years ago, it became apparent that going over budget is one of the easier things in life. But with my daughter and son-in-law well versed in keeping theatrical productions on budget, it wasn’t that hard to stick to the figure we started out with and even make a few savings on the way. After all, isn’t compromise what marriage is all about?

The most important piece of advice that I got: have the bride and groom decide what means the most to them and concentrate on that area. For instance, my daughter and her husband wanted to make sure they hired a top-notch photographer who would help them remember the special moments long after the big day. Maybe flowers are your thing and you want to be surrounded by fragrant blooms all day. Go for it!

Just a few tips to achieve simple, affordable and beautiful:

-More and more brides are booking weddings on a day other than a Saturday in June (the busiest time of year in the bridal industry). Whether it is a Friday night buffet or a Sunday brunch, the possibilities are endless and the cost savings can be significant (in some cases by as much as 50 percent). Thursday nights are gaining in popularity.

-Plan a smaller wedding and avoid cutting something you love. Wouldn’t you rather have 100 people enjoying everything you envisioned rather than 400 eating hot dogs outdoors?

-Economize when you can. If your venue already has linens that coordinate with the room, you might use those and spend a little extra on something else such as some glittery, gorgeous, never-before-seen chair covers.

-If a beach wedding is your thing but the venues are booked for the summer consider a winery or have a winter/beach theme. How much time would you spend on the beach anyway? The view is still beautiful and there are plenty of open weekends to celebrate. December through March weddings can result in significant cost savings.

-Have your ceremony and reception at the same place. It’s easier for guests and you’ll save on rental fees. While you’re at it, schedule the ceremony and reception as close together as possible to save on rentals.

-Do you really need photographs of dancing during the waning hours of the reception? After having looked at thousands of these, they pretty much all look the same. And you might miss capturing that embarrassing fall that someone is bound to take.

-Think about a full bar for the cocktail hour and switch to wine and beer for the remainder of the reception. Or just serve beer and wine with possibly a signature cocktail.

-Be strategic about the flowers. If you’re having a buffet or food stations (rather than a sit-down dinner, arrangements could be placed in less but more strategic locations than the guest tables.

These cost-cutting measures can be decided at the beginning of the planning process so they are out of the way and you can move forward. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your vendors and trust your gut on the things that mean the most to you! Finally, we would like you to seek help from a professional for the wedding day management. This will take the burden off your shoulders and let you enjoy your wedding as a bride/groom should enjoy.