Monday, June 9, 2014

Money Saving Tips

Good afternoon Wed-heads!

I'm off to a very late start today. So let's get to work!

So the last few weeks, we have discussed creating a list of the MUST HAVE items that you absolutely have to have for your wedding; and creating a Theme around a color scheme, or a total experience for your guests. Today we're going to discuss how to incorporate everything you want, while staying on budget.

Now, you may be thinking that you already know how to save money; at the grocery store, at the mall. And I'm sure you are probably a couponing diva! But I'm going to give you some common sense money saving tips for your wedding, that is sure to make you have an "A-Ha Moment"!   Your MUST HAVE and Theme list will be checked off in no time, and your wallet will thank you for it.

Here's some ideas you can run with:



  • MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Ask vendors if they have any discounts or specials you can take advantage of. For example, reception halls charge less for Friday night weddings and Sunday events. Buffet style meals are cheaper than plated meals or butler service. And options like doing a three hour open bar package that turns into a cash bar the last 2 hours of the night, are always more wallet friendly.
  • A LITTLE EXTRAS GO A LONG WAY: Find a DJ or Band who offers extras like Uplighting, a Photobooth, or a Projector for your Monogram. It's cheaper to pay a small extra fee to one vendor, than it is to have to contract with two separate vendors.

    For example in the pictures above, I was hired as a Decorator for this wedding last Fall. For an additional fee, I rented my Uplights and positioned them as I was setting up the banquet hall. I created a simple monogram and then rented my Gobo Projector to project the image onto the floor. I worked with the DJ to make sure he knew how to turn the projector off after the couple's first dance. It saved the bride and groom tons of time and money; less people they had to pay and communicate with!
  • OUTDOOR VS INDOOR: Unless it’s a priority for you and your family, have an outdoor wedding. Usually having your ceremony at a church requires a ‘donation’ to be given. Also some churches do not allow you to decorate the way you want to. An outdoor wedding, depending on the site, maybe free or if your city requires you to have a permit for that park location, usually the cost is far less than a donation. But always have "plan B" in mind if the weather does not cooperate on your big day. :(
  • LIMO LIES: Have your ceremony and reception in one location. It will save you the cost of renting a limo. Standard limo rentals are based on a 4 hour minimum time slot and can be $700 and up. Why pay a limo for 4 hours, when you really only need it for 1 hour?! Most elegant banquet facilities have a smaller banquet room available, a gazebo, or even a lawn & flower garden, that you can make into a lovely ceremony site. The banquet hall may charge you a $2 per chair set up fee. But if you have 100 guests, that’s only $200 compared to $700+ for a limo to take you from the ceremony site to the reception site. So you’ll save $500+ up front. If you must have a limo, ask them if they offer a cheaper 1 hour pick up and drop off service, especially if your sites are not far from each other. If you need transportation because your sites are too far apart, rethink getting a limo, and rent a nice SUV from your local car rental place. And ask a family friend to drive you. Its far cheaper than a limo and you can keep the SUV over the weekend. It comes in handy for taking all your gifts and other leftovers home.
  • WE'RE BUNDLING BABY!: Choose a banquet hall that offers a package that includes your wedding cake. Usually the bakery they use have given them a discount upfront. Other banquet hall packages may include things like chair linens and DJs. Evaluate the prices of paying the banquet hall package vs paying for these things individually. I bet you'll find it's more cost effective using the hall's bundle package.
  • "IS IT LIVE OR IS IT MEMOREX?": Ok maybe only you 30somethings and up know what I mean by that...remember Cassette Tapes???? This was the slogan that Memorex, the largest manufacturer of cassette tapes back in the day, used to use to ask people to distinguish between live concert sound, or a quality recording on one of their tapes. Their point was, their tapes were so good, you couldn't tell the difference. In this case, I'm talking about  FLOWERS, FLOWERS, FLOWERS! Unless it’s a priority to you, consider Silk Flowers instead of real flowers; it could save you hundreds to thousands of dollars depending upon the flowers you have chosen. Different real flowers are only available at low costs during certain times of the year. If a florist has to import your Orchids or Calla Lillies from another country, you will pay an arm and a leg for them! Ask your florist if they work with silks. Or hire a Decorator who can work with high quality silks and create the same floral arrangements you fell in love with in that magazine, for a fraction of the cost! Your guests won't know the difference, and so what if they do!? You get to have all the beauty you've imagined, without going into debt. Silks are perfect! If by some chance Silk flowers are a dirty word to you, consider using something else as centerpieces. Ask the reception hall if they have candle holders or lanterns that you can use for free.
    Can you tell if these are real flowers or silk flowers?

  • WHY BUY WHEN YOU CAN RENT!: Renting your décor can save a few hundred dollars, and you won't have to worry about storing the items after the wedding is over. SIMPLE ELEGANCE EVENT PLANNING offers a vast array of Centerpiece Vases, Candle Holders, Lanterns, Ceremony Site Decor, and Chair Sashes to make your wedding day extra special.  Find a one stop shop vendor like me! It will save you time running from store to store looking for items. It will save you tons of money you can use towards something else on your MUST HAVE list. And it might even save your marriage! LOL I guarantee in 5 years, your partner will be happy when the basement/garage is not packed with leftover wedding stuff you never used again!!!!
  • LAY OVERS: When planning your honeymoon, traditionally couples leave the day after the wedding. Which is usually a Sunday. But keep in mind most airlines have cheaper departures on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  If you can, plan to wait a few days before you leave. You won't have to rush to leave and you can spend more time with out of town guests before they return home. You can't beat having more family time while saving money. Now that's a beautiful thing!

Hope some of these tips help you achieve all of your MUST HAVES while meeting your budget goals. If you have any questions about my Decorator Service or Wedding Rental packages, email me at: info@mysimpleelegance.com.

Next week, we tackle Do's and Don'ts...advice on possible mishaps you could encounter while planning your big day. Let's keep these pot holes from turning into gigantic sink holes!!!

Until then Wed-heads! Happy Monday!


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