Weddings haven’t halted with the economic slowdown, but couples have been reconsidering the budgets for their big day. Old tricks like hiring local music students to perform as an orchestra, opting for seasonal floral arrangements, and pouring wine but nixing the bar are becoming more common. The New York Times interviewed some budget-conscious brides and grooms that have a few other tricks up their sleeves.
- One couple posted an ad on Craigslist for a photographer and offered a flat $200 fee. In just a few hours they received 70 responses and chose one that was trying to build a career as a wedding photographer. They gave her $40 extra to buy a better lens to shoot their wedding — $240 total for a photographer is inexpensive and avoids having to ask family members to be responsible for taking pictures.
- A planner suggests that if the wedding needs to be indoors, consider a restaurant. Event spaces usually charge a venue fee but restaurants typically do not.
- If you need to rent tables and chairs through a rental company, do your research. Some companies require higher minimums than others.
haha) and think anyone that cheaps out on it is just asking for trouble.
Those are good and there are a million more. Here are a few we used:
-Get married on a Sunday afternoon...venues usually charge a lot less.
-Don't do dinner, go for snacks on a buffet line.
-Have a groomsman drive you in a nice car, instead of a limo.
-A well thought out playlist on an iPod and a groomsman as an MC can be just as good, if not better than a DJ.
-For the wedding night, tell the hotel its your wedding day when you reserve it! They will likely upgrade your room for that night or give you a deep discount.
The photographer idea above is great...we asked around and a friend had a waiter coworker that was a struggling artist. We paid $900 and our pics were the best part of our wedding! Totally artistic, not the typical wedding stuff. Best money spent, hands down!
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