How to Save Money on Wedding Ceremony Costs
A wedding is a landmark of gigantic proportions in anyone’s life and most of us look forward to that wonderful day with great anticipation. What needs to be realized is the amount of planning and organization needed for a wedding is extremely time consuming. The whole event can be quite a stressful one.
A wedding can be "break the bank" expensive or downright simple and low budget. It is really up to the couple to decide. Brides, of course ,dreaming of and longing for their special day would ideally like the works. In reality it is not always wise to splurge mega bucks on a wedding when you have to think about the honeymoon costs and the expenditure involved in setting up your new home.
The traditional wedding ceremony can cost quite a bit and if you are working off a tight budget, do what other couples are doing, forgo tradition. Here are a few tips you may want to consider to shave some money off the wedding ceremony costs.
If you are not too particular about having a church wedding, you can have a Justice of the Peace officiate. The obvious advantage here is you can marry at City Hall, in a courtroom or even in the JP’s office. You can find a JP online, call the county courthouse or District Magistrate’s office or just drive up there to finalize things. A simple, yet cheap solution! The cost is very nominal when compared to high fees you will pay for a traditional, full celebration. Expenses mount up when you consider the church fee, minister’s fee, decorations and choir’s cost.
Couples, who are not quite satisfied with the simplicity of a wedding ceremony in City Hall or the JP's office, have another cost effective option available to them. You can plan to have the wedding ceremony in your own backyard and follow it up with the reception. You will really save a very big chunk of your wedding budget if you have it at home.
You can even get a minister to officiate at your wedding ceremony to retain a bit of the traditional church ceremony. The garden can be decorated quite simply with flowers and other things depending on whether it is a day or evening wedding.
Depending on the number of guests you plan to invite, you can have a nice meal served or set up a buffet table with a bar at one end. Guests will be more relaxed and enjoy the ceremony and the reception a great deal.
Quite honestly the two most expensive items on the wedding checklist that will cause your bank account grief is the wedding reception and the clothes you wear. Apart from that the traditional church ceremony and the rehearsal dinner, the flowers, decorations, band and just about everything else has a large price tag on it! Weddings are a huge money spinner and a very big revenue generating industry. Now, it is understood that you want to make the day as memorable as possible, but don't throw caution to the winds and simply spend. Talk things through with your partner and come to firm decisions on what you want but can do without and what you want, period.
Most couples start out by wanting the works and then reality sets in and they are forced to take a step back to analyze costs. Here’s a good way to start out cutting cost on your wedding ceremony. Make a comprehensive checklist of everything that needs to be done – you will find some good ones online. Now start pricing each item on your list till you are done and you have a total If you have just collapsed in shock, pick yourself up – it’s time for a reality check. What items on your list can you omit entirely? Now you have a new list and a new total. From the second list identify the things you can do either by yourselves or with the help of family and friends. To make things a bit clearer, for example, don't have invitations printed if you can get someone with a good cursive script to do them for you. Cut the guest list down to people who are considered "must invite". There are many ways in which you can cut costs, get creative. What is left of the list will be your actual expenditure provided you stick to the plan!
Cut cost, enjoy yourselves and don't forget to apply for the marriage license!