How to Save Money

Save Money on Weddings

It has been recently reported that having a wedding can cost you and your family anywhere up to $50k and of course everyone wants their wedding day to be perfect and unforgettable. By take advantage of some great Wedding Saving Ideas listed below you will be able to save money on some of the important decisions such as which wedding photographer and wedding videographer to choose, which wedding venue to hire, what to serve at the wedding reception and what style of wedding dress to wear, without it affecting your special day.

Organising a wedding can be a very stressful time, but if you know what you want and prepare a proper wedding budget planner then this will help to negate outside influences such as pushy sales people and meddling parents. Hopefully by following some of the FREE tips and wedding saving ideas listed below you will not only be able to relax and enjoy this special time but will also be able to put some of the money saved towards your honeymoon travel or wedding night accommodation.

Pre Wedding Budget Planner

• Before you settle on the date for the wedding do a little simple budgeting. Decide roughly how much you want to spend on the wedding and honeymoon, work out how many weeks the date that you want is from now and then calculate how much money you will need to save each week to get to this amount. If you know that you can't save this much money each week then you may need to shift the wedding date back to give yourself more time.
• In order to help you with your wedding budget you may want to check out the helpful advice on balancing the household budget, which can help you and your partner to save for the big day.

Save Money on Wedding Videography and Videographer Checklist

• When it comes to remembering their special day years later some people choose to have a professional wedding videographer record it on either DVD or nowadays Blu-ray, instead of just having photographs taken. The choice is a personal one, however having both can be expensive unless you can find someone to do both, so that you don't have to pay 2 people for all their time spent at your wedding.
• When choosing between wedding videographers make sure that you know what format they will be recording your wedding video in. DVD will be cheaper, however the new Blu-ray format is much better quality and is specifically designed for playing a high definition screens and TVs.
• Before you approach a wedding videographers to give you a quote you should decide whether you want only the wedding ceremony, reception or both to be included in your wedding video. Remember the more that you include the longer the videographer has to spend at the wedding and the more expensive it will be.
• When selecting wedding videographers it is important to go through the following checklist:
    -Ask to see a selection of the videographers most recent wedding videos and DVDs.
    -Ask for references and call them to see if the couples where happy with their wedding videography.
    -Ensure that you know exactly what is included in the price (ie: travelling expenses, the number of hours spent on the day, number of copies, DVD or Blu-ray format).

• In order to save money on your wedding videography you can get a friend or family member who has a camcorder and is good with technology to video the day for you. The important thing to remember about doing this is that recording the ceremony and reception is easy and the really tricky part comes when you have to condense the many hours of video down into a professional looking wedding video. This requires good video editing software and knowledge on how to use it properly, so if this seems like too much for you or your friend to handle then it may be best to leave the creation of your wedding video to the professionals.

Save Money on Wedding Photography and Photographer Checklist

• When you are choosing a wedding photographer you may want to save money by getting a friend to do it for you or even an amateur photographer to take the photos. Be careful in doing this because in my experience you get the best quality photographs when the wedding photographer is not afraid to tell the wedding party what to do, where to stand and how to pose. A professional knows what works in wedding photographs and a friend or amateur may be to shy to essentially boss the wedding party around.
• When selecting wedding photographers make sure that you go through the following checklist:
    -Ask to see a portfolio of their recent work.
    -Request references and follow them up to see if the couples where happy with their wedding photographs.
    -Have a small photo shoot when them as a trial run, just to be sure.
    -Make sure that you know what you are getting for your money, ie: negatives, hours spent, wedding albums, travel.

• You can generally get the cost of the wedding photography reduced if you decide to have fewer pictures taken or your wedding is on a weekday instead of Saturday night, which is the peak wedding day.
• Another money saving idea is to take the all of your wedding photographs before the wedding and at the ceremony. This reduces the amount of time needed to be spent by the wedding photographer and also has the added benefit of eliminating that period between the ceremony and the reception when your wedding guests have to amuse themselves.
• To get a candid and realistic feel for the wedding reception have the guests take their own photos on cheap disposable wedding cameras that you have placed on each table.
• Always hire a wedding photographer that gives you the negatives for the wedding so you can make cheap copies of the photos for your friends and relatives without having to order expensive prints directly from the photographer.

Wedding Invitation Savings

• You can always make your own wedding invitations for a fraction of the price of buying them. Stationery stores and even newsagents sell a wide range of fancy paper and envelopes that you can easily turn into very professional looking wedding invitations.
• Use you computer to not only print your own wedding invitations, but you can also print other wedding stationery quite professionally, such as your own reception seating plan, table place cards and gift thank you cards.

Save Money on Wedding Flowers

• Some brides save money by opting for the convenience of having a fake, silk bouquet for their wedding flowers. This option has the added benefit of allowing you to get the wedding flowers months in advance and also will save you a lot of stress and running around on the day of the wedding.
• If you definitely want real wedding flowers then make sure that you go to a wedding florist and choose flowers that will be in season on the day of your wedding, as they will be much cheaper.
• The simple mention of the 'W' word will generally increase the cost of most things by 2 or 3 times the normal price. So where possible refrain from letting them know that it is for your wedding until after you get a written quote. We were able to save a lot of money on wedding flowers and bouquets by doing this.

Money Saving Wedding Reception Ideas

• The main way that you can save heaps of money is to not have you wedding on a Saturday, which the most expensive day on which to hold a wedding reception. Generally Friday night and Sunday are a bit cheaper for wedding venue hire and other weekday evenings are much cheaper still. Also if you wedding is during the winter months then the cost will be much less as you are avoiding the higher peak season rates.
• One of the best ways to save money on your wedding is to find out if any of your friends or relatives have special skills and ask them to provide you their services as a wedding favour or gift. For example someone who is a chef may be able to make you wedding cake, a hair dresser can do your hair or a photographer can take you wedding photographs.
• If you find a venue that has a wedding chapel then you can have the wedding ceremony and the reception at the same place and you will not require limousines or wedding car hire, as well as saving time and stress.
• If you don't want limousines or vintage cars for your wedding then you can either hire large luxury cars from a local car rental company or even ask friends and relatives for the use of their cars for your wedding transport.
• When you are researching which wedding venue to have you ceremony and/or reception at always talk to a manager, as they are the person who is in the best position to offer you a discount or maybe throw in some extras like pre-dinner drinks, use of their sound system, after dinner port or extra time for the wedding reception.
• If you are having your wedding reception at home then you will need to have drinks for your guests. Liquor outlets will generally buy back any unopened alcohol which will not only save you money buy also allow you to over order and avoid the embarrassing situation where you run out of alcohol at the wedding reception.
• Also if you are having your home as your wedding venue then you can get reliable relatives to bring along the h'ourderves and/or deserts to cut down on catering costs.
• Most importantly, don't worry or stress if things don't go perfect on the wedding day. Try to relax and enjoy the day for the things that have well.

Saving Money on Wedding Cakes

• Save money on your wedding cake by purchasing it from a local bakery.
• Dispensing with a separate dessert course and using the wedding cake as a dessert is a good money saving wedding idea.

Saving Money on Wedding Food

• If you are having a 3 course meal you can save money by choosing less expensive dishes like chicken and pasta instead of seafood or beef.
• A good money saving idea is to change the normal wedding catering arrangements and have a buffet style wedding meal. This way your guests will be able to choose what they want to eat and the food costs will be significantly reduced.
• If you have decided to do your own wedding catering and have a buffet dinner then some money saving food ideas are:
    -You can have your family create large trays of meat cold cuts and cheese cheese platters.
    -Buy several boneless leg hams when they come on special and have them thinly cut or shaved.
    -Place a selection of seasonal fruits onto wooden skewers to make delicious fruit kebabs. Preserve them and add flavour with a sprinkle of pineapple juice.
    -Create your own salad bar by using large bowls filled with chopped lettuce, tomato, cucumber, etc. Place a variety of bottled salad dressings at the salad bar for the guests to choose from.
    -Buy ready made cold salads in bulk from the supermarket or deli.
    -Buy an assortment of pre-cut breads in bulk from a local bakery.

Saving Money on Wedding DJ or Entertainment

• Instead of hiring a Wedding band for your big day consider hiring a wedding DJ which will cost you much less than a band and will play more variety.
• You can save even more money by using your own music and put a reliable person in charge of keeping the wedding music rolling. Just keep in mind that most guests at a wedding will remember the entertainment more than any other thing, so a few dollars extra spend on a good wedding dj may make the day more memorable.

Save Money on Wedding Dresses

• You can save money on your wedding dress if you buy it during the winter, which is the off season for weddings.
• Ask whether your mother or relatives have any wedding dresses that you can slightly alter and then use for your special day.
• From time to time wedding dress shops have an end of line sale where you can pick up a bargain for wedding dress styles that are to be discontinued.
• Some charity shops like Oxfam have a dedicated wedding section where you can save a fortune on dresses and gowns. Lots of these wedding dresses come from fashion shows or are display stock that have never been worn before.
• Brides can save a lot of money by choosing to hire their wedding dress or purchasing a second hand wedding gown. Some people believe that it is back luck to wear the wedding dress of someone else, however you can ward off the back luck by altering the dress to suit yourself by adding extra lace or changing the straps and/or buttons.

Bombonniere Wedding Gift Ideas

• Guests generally remember a wedding when they get a thoughtful, little gift or bombanarie that they can take home with them. Now you don't have to spend a lot of money on these presents as many of then you can get in bulk online or from a $2 discount shop. Alternatively you can save money by making your own wedding gifts or getting a friend or family member who is artistically inclined to make the bombonnieres or wedding centerpieces.
• When you are ordering your bomboniere make sure that you have enough for all of your guests, plus a few spares. This way you can ensure that everyone gets one to take home and you will also have some left over to keep for yourselves as mementos.
• Before you decide on a bomboniere wedding gift think about whether you want a tasty treat for your guests to enjoy, a practical present they they will be able to use or a special keepsake that they will treasure forever.
• Some ideas for bomboniere wedding presents which guests can enjoy on the night include:
    - The traditional 5 sugared almonds which represent health, wealth, happiness, long life & fertility.
    - If you want something more contemporary then try heart shaped chocolates or lollies.
    - Another great bomboniere is a small decorative cardboard box filled with fudge or cookies.

• Some bombonieres can have a double function and also be used a name place cards including:
    - Individual cupcakes with the guests' name printed in icing on the cupcake.
    - Personalised mugs or glasses with the guests' name on them.
    - Personalised coasters with the guests' name on them.
    - Small individual photo frames with the insert displaying the guests' name.

• Other practical bombonniere wedding gift ideas include:
    - Scented candles or candle holders.
    - Tiny teddy bears for the ladies and stubby holders for the gents.
    - Mini potted plants.
    - Small bottles of wine (you can even get creative labels made for the wine bottle).
    - Decorative wine bottle stoppers or corkscrews.
    - Bath salts or heart shaped scented soaps.
    - You can even make your own make wine glass bracelets or key rings.

• Make sure the MC or wedding host reminds everyone to take their bomboneires home with them at the end of the night, as there is nothing more disappointing than having lots of your thoughtful wedding gifts left behind.

Save Money on Wedding Honeymoon

• Whenever you check in for your honeymoon flights subtly make sure that the airline staff know that you've just been married and are on your honeymoon. You can do this by lots of hugging and kissing, calling each other 'my husband/wife' or even wearing part of your wedding veil or flowers. This will really increase you chance of being upgraded to business class by the airline, especially for shorter domestic flights. If all else fails, it doesn't hurt to ask.
• When you are looking to book your wedding honeymoon try and find a place that offers wedding package deals as they normally include accommodation in a special wedding suite and luxury extras such as chocolates, champagne, free activities, pampering and secluded romantic getaways.
• Before booking the flights and accommodation for your wedding honeymoon check out the list of free and useful travel tips and information found on this website.

After Wedding Money Savers

• After the wedding you will want to store your bridal dress properly so that it is safe and doesn't fade. Wrap it blue tissue paper or acid free jeweller's tissue paper, making sure that it is completely covered. Then cover it in a dry cleaner's plastic bag.