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Body, Mind, & Spirit Books
Relationships & Family Books
Weddings Books
Meg Schneider
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Published:
October 12, 2009

Budget Weddings For Dummies

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Overview

Don’t let ‘white blindness’ drive you into debt! Make your wedding everything you want it to be on the budget you determine.

Are you planning a wedding, but worried about how much money you'll have to spend? In today's tough economic times, planning a budget wedding is more important than ever. This fun, money-saving guide is packed with tips for planning the wedding of your dreams without breaking your bank account!

Inside you'll find tons of tips and advice for planning a budget-friendly celebration while still remaining true to your personality, values, and tastes. You'll see how to make and keep your wedding budget; select the most economical time to get married; scope out wedding locations that fit the bill; and incorporate everything from economical to green ideas that emphasize style and elegance. Plus, you get tips and pointers

for negotiating with vendors and avoiding hidden expenses and add-ons.

  • Hands-on information for planning a stylish wedding while sticking to your budget
  • How to get deals on gowns, tuxes, cakes, invitations, photography, food, and more
  • Use your creativity (and friends and family) to save money on decorations, food, favors, and wedding attire
  • Cut corners where no one will notice
  • Set your own priorities for your big day
  • Make your celebration unique

You don't have to settle for less on your wedding day. Author, Meg Schneider is an award-winning journalist who planned her own wedding for less than $5,000 Budget Weddings For Dummies is the only guide you need to save yourself money, time, and stress while you plan a beautiful, memorable ceremony!

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About The Author

Lawrence S.B. Goldstein, PhD, one of the world's foremost experts in stem cell research, is Director of the Stem Cell Initiative at the University of California, San Diego. Meg Schneider is the author or coauthor of several books, including COPD For Dummies.

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CHEAT SHEET

Planning a wedding shouldn’t break the bank — it should be fun, exciting, and worry-free. To plan a budget wedding that looks anything but cheap, make a priority list, cut back on food (the biggest wedding expense), and consider adding some wallet-friendly touches that are also good for the environment.Save money on the wedding of your dreamsWhen you’re planning a wedding on a budget, you want to get the best value for your dollar.
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Food and alcohol represent the biggest expense for most weddings. So it makes sense to cut back on that expense if you’re planning a budget wedding. Broaden your idea of what a stylish and elegant wedding reception looks like and prepare to save. Your guests will eat to their heart’s content, but you won’t break the bank when you host one of these receptions: Brunch: Brunch fare can cost less than half — even as little as a third — of a full dinner menu.
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Planning a wedding shouldn’t break the bank — it should be fun, exciting, and worry-free. To plan a budget wedding that looks anything but cheap, make a priority list, cut back on food (the biggest wedding expense), and consider adding some wallet-friendly touches that are also good for the environment.Save money on the wedding of your dreamsWhen you’re planning a wedding on a budget, you want to get the best value for your dollar.
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The cost of renting some outdoor sites for a wedding can rival a fancy reception hall. But there are certainly budget options for outdoor weddings, too. Because rates, restrictions, and policies differ greatly from site to site, do some research to find out whether a location suits your needs. Public parks usually offer the lowest rental rates — sometimes as low as $25, which may be refundable if you clean up afterward.
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Most budget-minded couples don’t hire independent wedding planners, but you may decide that the expense of a wedding planner is worth the aggravation you’ll avoid. For example, if you and your spouse-to-be are pressed for time or overwhelmed by the thought of finding and interviewing individual vendors, you may want to consider hiring a wedding planner.
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The site you choose for your wedding ceremony affects the kinds of decorations you may need. Some venues may not need any wedding ceremony decorations. For instance, you may choose to have your ceremony in the atrium of a hotel that already has trees and shrubs decked out with clear miniature lights — perfect for an evening wedding.
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If you're a bride-to-be searching for a wedding dress on a budget, you don’t have to deal with traditional bridal shops. You can purchase a formal gown or dress from a department store or clothing chain and still look great. Even if you want a traditional wedding gown, you have lots of options for saving money.
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The members of your wedding party provide support throughout your wedding planning process, so you probably want to give them an affordable thank-you gift to show your appreciation for their friendship and to commemorate the occasion. This gift, like any other that you give, should reflect your knowledge of and affection for the recipient.
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Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to cut your wedding flower costs if you're on a budget. You can save money by purchasing only locally grown flowers that are in season. You can buy flowers in bulk and make your own bouquets and centerpieces. Or you can forgo fresh flowers altogether and use either artificial ones or creative (and low-cost) alternatives.
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To most people, having a destination wedding means going to Mexico or the Caribbean. These are certainly popular wedding destinations, and they can be cost-effective. But you can have a destination wedding virtually anywhere. Consider a Great Camp in the Adirondacks, a ski lodge in Aspen, a golf resort in Arizona, or even a glitzy Vegas wedding.
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If you’re planning your wedding on a budget, prioritizing is a must. Without a priority list, you’re likely to overspend — often before you even realize you’re going over your budget. To keep your wedding finances on track, sit down with your fiancé(e) and compare your lists of priorities for the big day. If you aren’t sure how to come up with a priority list, start by jotting down what you liked and disliked about other weddings you’ve attended.
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Preparing a wedding guest list that matches your wedding budget can be a challenge. Choosing whether to set your guest list or your wedding budget first is sort of like deciding whether the chicken or the egg came first. Neither method is better than the other; it depends on your circumstances and priorities. If you set your budget first, you can figure out the per-guest cost, which gives you your guest list limit.
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Green is the new white — at least when it comes to eco-friendly weddings. Even better, going green can save you money. That’s always a plus if you’re planning a budget wedding. Even though some green wedding products and services are pricier than the traditional ones, others cost far less than you’d expect. The following list tells you how to save some green on your green wedding: Eliminate paper.
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When you’re planning a wedding on a budget, you want to get the best value for your dollar. You aren’t interested in anything that looks cheap; you want your fairytale wedding for less. If you follow these tips, your guests will never imagine that they’ve been invited to a budget wedding: Choose a budget-friendly wedding date and time: Getting married on a weekday, on a Sunday, in the morning, or on a Saturday in November or January will save money on everything from the ceremony and reception venues to the band or DJ you hire.
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Actual wedding costs depend mainly on size, scale, and location. Keeping this in mind while planning for a budget wedding is critical to keeping costs down. A formal wedding with 250 guests obviously costs more than a backyard fete with 60 guests. And a wedding in New York City costs more than the same function in Iowa City.
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Your wedding date and the time of your reception can affect wedding costs for everything from the catering to the photography bill by 30% or more. Vendors charge their highest prices when their services are most in demand, such as for a June wedding on a Saturday. Evening weddings are the most popular and usually the most expensive.
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