Hi, Frugalistas. I’ve just finished editing a huge cost-saving story for Bridal Guide’s November/December issue. ( I realize that seems a long way away, and for most people it is—but not in magazine land. ) Anyway, there were so many great tips that I had to chop some of them because I ran out of my allotted pages. So I thought I’d blog about them instead—cyberspace means never having to say you’ve run out of room!
Venue: Have your heart set on a high-priced wedding locale? Your best bet is to be flexible. Approach the management before you set the date and ask if there’s an off-season Saturday you could reserve at a reduced cost. Some outdoor locations slash their rates from October to April (but be sure to have a backup plan in case of inclement weather). Similarly, many sites will cut a deal with couples booking a nontraditional wedding day and time, like a Thursday or Friday night or a Sunday afternoon.
Stationery: Keeping your paperie simple saves on postage. Elaborate multi-part or oddly shaped custom creations require extra stamps. Day-of items can be scaled back too: Instead of a booklet program, opt for a folded card; you get four sides, but it doesn’t require ribbon.
Catering: Unless your guests are connoisseurs of wine and liquor, skip the top-shelf brands. Most people can’t tell the difference. Having cocktails premixed in pitchers reduces bartender fees, since all they have to do is pour. And if the drinks are passed on trays as guests enter the room, most won’t even realize the bar has been scaled back.
Flowers: Boost centerpieces with inexpensive greenery, like ferns and ivy. These add a leafy organic touch and volume, so your arrangements will never look skimpy.
Wedding cake: Cakes with square tiers yield more slices than traditional round tiered creations. Rich flavors like chocolate fill people up faster, so you can serve thinner slices. Fresh flowers are a good substitution for sugar paste, which cost more because they’re more labor-intensive.
Check out the November/December issue for our budget section. Lots more great tips are included!
- ssainato's blog
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