More Tips to Save on Wedding Costs

In my post Great Comments on Saving on Wedding Costs, I listed several ways to save on wedding costs -- all submitted by Free Money Finance readers. Several people responded to that post with additional money saving comments and I wanted to share a few of those with you. Here's the first:

[We] made our own invitations, save the dates, programs, and wedding favors, and spent a bit on a DJ and cake. Making our own invites/favors et cetera was not easy or cheap, but it was much cheaper than buying something and much more personal. Especially the home brew and home made root beer; those were definitely not cheap to produce and were very time consuming. But both came out tasting really good, so we can't wait to give them away this weekend.

Yes, making your own invites/favors can save you a bunch of money -- not to mention making the event more unique and personal.

Friends of my mom had a potluck wedding for their daughter (the daughter was going through some rough financial times.) they had the wedding at their home, and rented chairs & equipment. Close friends of the parents brought treats, and the family provided party trays & etc. It was a really nice wedding, and people had a great time. I think it's the people who make the party, so low $$ doesn't have to mean a bad wedding.

I have to agree with the "it's the people who make the party" sentiment. I think many couples are simply trying to impress others -- many of whom they wouldn't really care whether or not they attended. Instead, I'd opt for having the right people there, the people you really care about, and doing something you all really enjoy (and which probably costs a bunch less). For example, if your style is more potluck than champagne, then why not go for it?

Finally, here's a great tip I hadn't thought of:

My biggest tip regarding wedding planning: Don't tell them it's for a wedding. I witnessed a caterer literally remove a price list from someone's hand and give them another (inflated) list for weddings. Call it a "gathering" or whatever you must, but don't settle for the wedding tax which many vendors charge.

Unbelievable! But I'm sure it's true -- it's part of the cost of a "special event" like a wedding!!!

Comments

[Blaine Moore (First Time Homeowner)]

Well, the beer and root beer were very popular. My nephews opened theirs on the spot and drank them down; the staff never put out a box of the root beer so we gave all of the neices and nephews a second bottle the next morning.