The average wedding in the United States costs $20,398. That is a good amount of money for a couple starting out together. No matter how much cash you have available to spend on your wedding, stretching your budget is a good habit to get into not just for your first big day as a couple, but for the rest of your lives. Here are some easy strategies anyone can use to make their dollars go as further.
A wedding planning website can be a great resource for saving you money. The importance of wedding planning tools cannot be underestimated for a successfully organized wedding. Look for sites that include tools such as a budget spreadsheet, a calendar to keep track of deadlines, a RSVP manager, a seating chart, a gift registry manager, and a vendor manager. Having everything you need all arranged in one location will not only lower your stress level, it will also keep you from overspending.
Having a friend or two that already own video cameras to tape your day can be a great cost-saving measure. Make sure to give them a list of events that you would like footage of so they know what is important to you. For example, the immediate family arriving, the cake cutting, the bride and groom dancing. Some people consider a video to be a waste of money. After all they have the pictures, right? The decision to tape the wedding or not is big one, but don’t make the mistake of thinking you will remember the day for the rest of your life. As Frugal Bride puts it, “You won’t, you can’t, there are too many things going on and you’re on cloud 9. Keep this in mind.”
The food is a huge portion of most people’s wedding budget. This is also an area where you can save significantly. For instance, picking fruits and vegetables that are in season or serving simple food everyone is familiar with are two ways to lessen your costs. Buffets are another choice that usually cost less and give your guests the variety of choosing exactly what they would like. If your wedding is very small, consider having your reception at your favorite restaurant. For a larger wedding, a hotel has a lot of advantages. They cater well to big groups; usually can decorate for you, and sometimes even offer professional services such as a DJ or band. Plus, the honeymoon suite or discounted rooms for out-of-town guests might be included.
Another option to consider is making a donation to a charity instead of buying wedding favors. Choosing a cause that means something to you can make the gesture even more appropriate. Having a section in your program or an announcement from the MC explaining the donation is perfectly sufficient for informing your guests. An example of this might be if the groom’s grandmother died of breast cancer, making a donation to the National Cancer Institute.

See what we can offer you, for your special day. visit us at www.jointhewedding.com