What are some good ideas to lower costs for a wedding?

XXX be creative, have it at the local soccer field near your home, Bleachers are already there and a few knick knacks from the dollar store will spouse it up nicely. Perfect place to have a BBQ and a pot luck. XXXXXXXXXXX

Find a hall that doesn't have a liquor license. It's much cheaper to bring in your own, typically they mark up liquor 100%. Also, to really save money, only serve beer and wine and soft drinks. A buffet is usually cheaper than a sit down dinner and it's nicer. Everyone can pick what they want to eat instead of getting whatever shows up on the plate. I usually starve at sit down dinners, because they're usually something I won't eat.

Don't let the florist talk you into $50 centerpieces. Not necessary, there are lots of centerpieces that can be done for less than $10. Go to your local arts and crafts store, buy a glass bowl, fill part way with water and float some blooms in the water. Much less than a typical florist arrangement. If the bowl is shallow enough you can also put a pillar candle in it. Check out the neat centerpieces they did on Design on a Dime wedding, link below.l

Don't buy a four figure wedding gown. I have seen a $5000 gown up close and personal and I'm here to tell you, it doesn't look that much better than a $500 gown from Davids. You can't tell the difference at all in the pictures or on the video.

Don't rent limos or any other kind of transport, they're a very expensive, waste of money. I went to my wedding in my dad's pickup (it looked nice, not a beater). We left the church in my mom's car, she has a nice Cadillac.

I will say that you should spend as much as you can on a photographer. This is the only part of your wedding that is permanent. Go with the best person you can afford.

Don't buy really expensive invitations, no one but you and maybe your mom, will keep them. I ordered mine from one of the companies that advertises in the wedding magazines. Send away for all those catalogs and order from one that you like.

Order a small tiered wedding cake to cut, instead of a cake that will serve everyone, and have sheet cakes in the back that the caterer can serve to guests. Also, a good place to get a cake that's not too expensive is a grocery store with a good bakery.

Skip favors all together or go with something simple and inexpensive. Wrap up some Hershey kisses in tulle and your good to go.

I hope this was helpful, have a good wedding. Another course of action you might want to consider is a destination wedding on a cruise or at an all inclusive resort. You get your wedding and honeymoon all in one, plus you can invite whoever you want but you don't have to pay for a reception because it's all inclusive. Friends of ours did this in December, it was fun and about 40 people were there. We got a 4 day vacation and a great wedding on a beautiful island. I don't remember how much it cost us, but it wasn't bad, since we got a vacation out of it. Not everyone will come if you do this, but I'll bet the people who would complain the most (parents and siblings) will come. Good luck

What a great idea. I have a few ideas to help you do it:

If you are on a VERY tight budget, there's always the outdoor/park option. For the slight cost of a permit, and perhaps an officiant, you could have a ceremony in a local park and then have a picnic/BBQ. Very casual, people could bring their kids, it'd be fun and laid back.

If you want a slightly more traditional affair and are going to be hiring a caterer, photographer, DJ or band, etc., the best advice I can give is to do it on a weekday evening. Wedding vendors all count on working Saturday and Sunday. Weeknight affairs are like free money to them -- so they will negotiate a lot more freely.

Other, smaller thoughts:

* Skip the froofy stuff. No one cares about wedding favors. HOWEVER, if you MUST have them, make them yourself. Get boxes, bottles or bags from a packaging store and fill with candy. DO NOT buy them all made... you'll be paying top dollar.

http://www.ebottles.com/

http://www.papermart.com/

http://www.usbox.com/

http://www.macpaper.com/

If you want to have alcohol, just have beer and wine. Bring your own and get the caterer (if there is one) to provide a bartender. This'll save a fortune.

Find a wedding photographer that's just getting a business going. Make sure that you get hi-res digital files of the photos as part of the package. That way you can print your pics on Shutterfly or Snapfish instead of paying $10 or more for prints.

http://www.shutterfly.com/

http://www.snapfish.com/

Make the invites yourself. Or go to an online discounter. Or, find an independent creative person to do them... you'll get something cost-effective AND unique.

http://www.mpressstudio.com/

http://www.concreteabstract.com/

If you're going to do a photo montage video, go with a company that has experience with small jobs -- not a full-on video production company. Like invite makers, they don't have to be in your city to work with you!

http://www.bigmomentfilms.com/

That's all I can think of now. Enjoy your (second) big day!

I know how you feel my hubby and I are planning a renewal as well, we went to Vegas 10 years ago, and need to keep the cost down. Here are some of our suggestions.

1. Keep your guest list down to a minimum remember you don't have to invite every person you ever knew.

2. Shop ahead, check the clearance section of your local Wal-mart, K-Mart, Target, and craft stores there are some beautiful ribbons and fabrics that are really handy for decorating.

3. Attire how about a really pretty sundress in white or cream and the guys in khakis and nice shirts?

4. If you have the wedding in the middle of the afternoon then you can limit the food to cake and punch or champagne.

Most of all remember to keep it simple and get lots of help from family and friends they will be honored to be asked and it will take lots of stress off of you. Good luck and have fun!!

Try a chapel that doesn't need to be decorated. Use the fellowship hall.

Have it outside. It doesn't have to be your backyard to be a backyard wedding.

Make your own cake.

How formal do you want to go? You can have a cook-out for food. You can also spend lots of $$ with catering.

Photography? Ask a friend.

Music? Burn a CD.

Dress? David's Bridal $99 sale.

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I'm planning a wedding, and we chose a place that doesn't need to be decorated. That way we are saving the $$.

One thing we did to lower our cost was to get all of our accessories...flower girl and ring bearer items, decor, favors, invitations from Ebay. I'm a big fan!! You can buy these items wholesale..they are all new items and they are SO MUCH cheaper!! I was able to save $3000.00 just by buying those items wholesale. For instance.. for our centerpieces we are using about 20 candle votives of different colors and heights scattering them on the table and sprinkling rose petals between them. We were able to buy packages of 144 candle votives for $39.00 whereas they are normally at least a dollar a piece. You can also buy favors like picture frames...or floating candles for really cheap!! Cutting out a lot of floral arangements and replacing them with candles and other things will also help lower the bill.

One more thing...if you are renewing your vows in a public place lots of companies will now sponsor weddings!! Use 1-800-flowers for instance and let them put their slogan up at your wedding site and you could get free flowers...etc. Ask local vendors if they would be interested in sponsoring your wedding!!!!

Hope this helps!

lol, sorry one more thing go here... www.invitationpaper.com you can buy invitations that are blank inside that you use your own printer to print the inside wording and they are around $29 per 100 including the envelopes!!! they look nice and you can't tell at all!!

Don't have a "re-run wedding"-- that is kind of tacky. People will think you are being foolish, or vain, or want attention from people, or are trolling for gifts. You get one wedding per marriage.

People will be more pelased if you simply have an anniversary celebration. Treat your closest friends and family to a nice dinner out on the occasion of your anniversary- get a restaurant with a private party room. A restaurant with dancing would be even better.

Have an outdoor wedding and cater in sandwiches from Jimmy John's or Subway with pasta salad and veggie and fruit trays along with chips. Soda's in two liter bottles, if you are going to have alcohol, get only for the toast and then a keg of beer. Don't skimp on the wedding cake and bridal/tux, but get a friend to take video and pictures for you for free with your own equipment or theirs. Get a friend to dj in exchange for food and cake. Go to craigslist.org for dj's or photographers that will take pictures for cheap as well. Don't waste money on wedding favors b/c people don't care about those; instead get some chocolates to put on the tables or picnic tables if you have your wedding in a park. Good luck and have fun!

We got married in a park and it was free of charge. Depending on where you live it might be the same for you hopefully. We only invited close family and friends but rented a hall for up to 250 people. That cost us about $350. I made my own invitations and hand delivered or second hand delivered most of the invitations to save on postage. cost was about $25. I got my dress on sale at a bridal shop for $99. (Everyone thought I'd spent a fortune on it) My husband's tux was free with the rental of the groomsmen tuxes. I had family and friends assigned a food to cook to go with the dinner I planned out, I bought most of the food at Sam's club and bought sternos (I think thats what their called) to keep food warm on the tables, family volunteers helped to serve the dinner which we did buffet style, to save avoid waste and give it a more comfortable, approachable setting. etc. cost was about $100.00. We spent a total of about $2500 for our wedding including a band and cake and decorations with flowers, drinks, photographer etc. It was a do it yourself or die wedding. But everything turned out sooooo well.

Don't worry about what other people will think regarding your being married one year already. LOTS of people do this for many reasons. If you have alot of strong supporters of your relationship then those people will admire and support your dreams of a wedding. They won't stand by and judge and criticize you.

My husband and I just got married this summer. We got married at a park. $80 for whole day compared to $100 for church and $450 plus $14 per plate at a hall. We made just about everything ourselves, family made food (almost picnic type), aunt made cake but I made the chocolate shells for it myself, etc. Was a beautiful wedding. Contact me and I can show you some ideas.

Do as much of the work that you can yourself, instead of hiring it out. You can make your own decorations, invitations, even the food if you're brave enough. The more work you wind up doing yourself, the less it will cost you, because you won't be paying someone else to do it.