Smart Bride Saves Money

On average most couples spend about $20,000 for their wedding. Ask yourself a question, Do I have $20,000 to spend? Making your dream wedding in reality doesn't have to cost you your life savings. There are ways to cut your budget, you just have to know where to shop and willing to replace some things that are less important. Here are some tips where you can save your money on:

Wedding Location
Locations such as public park and beaches usually doesn't cost you any money. In some cities, they may charge you a fee but is usually very minimal compared to hotels and private estates. For an indoor wedding, many restaurants don't usually charge for a rental fee when you spend a certain amount of money.

Wedding Guests
Both of you agreed to invite only 125, after listing the names you've realized that you have 250 people you want to invite. What can you do? A good rule of thumb would be to invite close relatives from both sides of the family and close friends only. That might not be an easy thing to do when you have a large family. Here are some tips to help filter out the names on your guests list:

• Have an adult only reception
• Don't feel obligated to invite people who invited you to their wedding.
• Don't invite friends whom you haven't had a meaningful conversation with within the last year.
• Address the invitation to only one person, if you're single friend isn't seeing anyone seriously.

Bridal Party Gifts

Bridesmaid Gifts
As a token of appreciation, you want to show your bridal party how thankful you are for being by your side during the wedding planning and on the wedding day. Your gifts don't have to be fancy, but it should be thoughtful. Think of what your each bridesmaids hobbies are or the color she likes. If she likes to travel, a travel toiletry bag or jewelry roll will be suitable for her. If she loves bags, get her a cute monogrammed tote bag. Based on our poll, most brides would spend around $25-$30 on gifts for bridesmaids and up to $50 on maid-of-honor gifts.

Groomsmen Gifts
Guys aren't as emotional as women. Think of the sports he likes, his hobbies and occupations, then find gifts that he could use. A golfer would love to receive a golf accessories such as utility knives or golf towel. A business man might appreciate a business card holder rather than a stainless steel liquor flask.

Food and Beverages
Opt for chicken instead of steak, this could save you a bundle. Serving sodas only at your wedding will also help you cut down some costs. Some couples serve sodas and cocktails only and/or have an open bar where the guests have to pay for their own drink. If you must have alcohol beverages at your reception, purchase it in bulk from Costco or other wholesaler store where you can return the unopened wines after the reception. Some wineries may give you 10%-15% discount when you buy the wine in bulk.

Bridal Gown
Each retailers might sell same styles / brands , but the prices they offer may vary. The best way is to decide on the gown you wanted, find out the designer's name and style number, then start calling around bridal stores around your area. You'll be surprised of how much money you can save. Another way to save money on your gown is to shop at Jessica McClintock Outlet or bridal store during a sample sale event. Don't be afraid to make an offer to the bridal store, most bridal stores are willing to give up to 20% off to beat their competitor's price.

Centerpieces
Wedding flowers can be costly especially if you have a many tables to decorate at your wedding. Finding an alternative for your table centerpiece could help save you some money. Opt for centerpieces such as floating candles, sands and seashell in a clear vase or 2 stacked carton boxes with colored ribbon to match with your wedding theme.

Bouquets and Boutonnieres
Little things could pile up your expenses. Flower bouquet arrangement may cost you $75 to $150 for bridesmaids and $125 up to $350 for brides. Why not buy your own flowers at the farmers market and put it together yourself? Together with your bridesmaids and family you can create your own bouquets and boutonnieres.

Rentals
It's cool to have a tented-wedding, it's not cool to spend for $1,500 - $2,000 just for the tent. When you're on a tight budget, little things count so try not to spend on things you don't need. Ask yourself a question, Do I need a tent? If you do need it due to the weather, it'll make sense to rent a tent. Renting chairs and linen can be costly, too. There are different chairs styles available to choose from . The plastic kind is usually the most inexpensive, the folding wood chair and the most expensive one, the chiafari chair. Chiafari chairs usually costs around $10-$12 each to rent. Ask yourself a question, Will my guests remember the look of the chairs they sit on after the reception? They probably don't, most likely they'd remember the food they ate more than the chairs they sit on.