Five Easy Ways to Save on Your Wedding

In times like these we are all cutting back. But when it comes to your wedding how can you save without looking cheap? Here are five great tips for brides with champagne tastes on a beer budget.

1. Schedule your wedding during an off peak season, day of the week, or time:

Many vendors (venues especially) will give discounts to brides willing to schedule during slower times. Think its a funny idea to have a wedding on a Sunday? Well, that is actually the traditional time to perform wedding ceremonies. So you're set on having a Saturday event...Look into having one in the afternoon instead of the evening; you'll also find major savings during this time and you can think about serving a brunch (even more savings). If you're willing to be flexible with your date and time, it just might make the difference in actually having your wedding at the perfect venue.

2. Select a city owned venue:

In Austin, we are fortunate to have MANY beautiful city owned parks and recreation centers. A lot of the times these venues are a great steal. One thing to watch out for is that these sites are usually bare bone packages. It might take you (or your coordinator) a little more work in the end, but, if done correctly, you can select all your own (perfect) vendors instead of the venue selecting them for you, save a lot of money, and have a great and memorable party that is uniquely yours. (BAE does have a comprehensive list of venues including city owned parks and recreational buildings.)

3. Pass on the traditional champagne toast:

So you spend all this money, pour all this champagne, and nine out of ten of the guests take two sips and then leave the rest. You would be astonished with how cost affective it is to just have the guests toast with what they are drinking. Not only do you save money on the bubbly, but your caterer can cut back on servers, saving you even more.

4. Skip the grooms cake:

Okay, so maybe my bakers don't like this idea, but did you know that having a groom's cake is totally a southern tradition? If you ask a bride in California what flavor her groom's cake is, she would look at you like you just sprouted antennas. If you're set on having two different flavored cakes, try having two different layers on your wedding cake.

5. Hire a wedding planner:

Many people know that a wedding planner will save you time, but did you know that a good wedding planner will also save you money. Many times other vendors will actually seek out a wedding planner and offer them savings to pass on to their brides. Recently, I was able to offer one bride a videography package for free. Not only did that eliminate the cost of my services, but it also left her with some extra money in her pocket.

Something that I tell my brides that they might not want to completely save on is music. Either your DJ or you band have complete control of the entire reception. I guarantee that your guest will not remember the flowers that you had, but they will remember if they had a blast. The best way to assure a good time is to have a professional in charge of your music.

For other great tips, schedule your free initial consultation (FREE- a word that is not heard too often in today's economy.)