Wedding Money Saving Tips

You can have your dream wedding without breaking the bank or sacrificing style. All that is required is creativity, and focus on your long term goals (beyond the ceremony itself). From reserving a low-cost wedding ceremony site, to getting creative with décor, you can create your dream wedding and still stay within your budget.

One thing you have to get straight up front is that nothing in the wedding ceremony is compulsory or cast in concrete. From wedding gown to your vows, cakes to decor, you name it. You can customize it. You can wed in church/mosque or in court. You can wear the traditional white, choose your colour, wear a skirt suit or Aso Oke depending on the venue. It is your call. You can bring your personality into your wedding.

It is not a do or die affair, or something to go broke over. Your wedding is not an investment (although some folks believe you may get cash gifts over and above what you spent, but you may be surprised).

The first thing to do is to determine your budget, and stick to it.

Wedding Date
Getting married on a working day can save you a lot of money, from cheaper hall rental to reduced crowd to feed at reception. It will also give you more leverage for negotiation with vendors, as business is slow on week days. It also works out cheaper for guests flying in.

Bridal Gown
This is a very emotional topic. An average bride wants a designer wedding gown, event it means punching giant holes in the wedding budget. You have 3 options - rent, sew or buy (from a designer or order from abroad). If you are serious about saving money, renting is the way to go. For a dress you will only wear for a few hours, buying one when you cannot afford it is an emotional decision.

Groom's Suits
Same as the bride, you can use what you have, sew or buy a designer suit. Unlike the case of the bride, you can use the suit after the wedding, if you bought a normal suit and nothing outlandish. Again, there is no law that says the groom and the best man must wear the same thing. If you cannot afford a new suit or see no reason why you must get a new one, do your thing.

Invitation Cards and Program
Here too, you have options. You can produce yours on a PC (if you are good with computer graphics), get a friend to help or give it to a printer. Doing it yourself gives you more control and peace of mind, if you know what you are doing.

Reception Venue
You have different options when it comes to the venue, depending on your budget. You can use a church or school hall, an events centre, a field or a friend's or family member's garden. Again, it depends on your budget (and number of invitees). If you want to save money, if you have a free option, why shell out so much money?

Decoration
You can shop for an inexpensive decorator (getting contacts from recently married friends or acquaintances), or if you have a close friend who is good at it, do it for you. You only get to buy the materials. Just make sure it is something they have done before, and not using your event to learn.

Food and Drinks
You will want to outsource this one to avoid the stress involved. If you have an army of dependable helpers, then you can take the risk of going the do-it-yourself route. However, if you want to hire a vendor to handle this, you can tap into your network, and get quotes from 3 - 4 vendors, to get a good deal. Note also that cheap can bite, and end up being more expensive. Whoever you decide on should come highly recommended. Also you can keep costs down by choosing a simple menu and reducing the number of invitees. There is no point trying to outdo the last wedding you attended.

Video and Photography
You will want to leave this to the professionals, unless you have a close friend or family who will handle it free or at cost, as a gift to you. Since this is a memory you will enjoy for the rest of your life, you will want this professionally done, as you cannot rewind to capture it again.

Honeymoon
Many couples are ready to splash on the wedding, and skip the honeymoon altogether. This is not a good idea. Although a honeymoon is not compulsory, this period is pays off in starting off your marriage on a sound footing - a time to let out the stress of the past months and time to bond properly before rushing into the next phase of your lives. It serves as a time to set the tone for your marriage by revisiting your rules of engagement and modus operandi as a couple. It is a moment to cherish and enjoy, before screaming kids arrive on the scene. It does not have to be expensive. There are many resorts in Nigeria that fit the bill.

Reduce Number of Vendors
The fewer vendors you have to pay, the cheaper for you do to economy of scale. For example, having the same person do your hair and make-up is cheaper that using different people, same with catering and decoration, cake etc. Package deals work out cheaper if you negotiate well. However, be sure the vendor can deliver on all counts. Avoid being penny wise, pound foolish. Consult widely.

Stick to Your Guns
After you have made your initial decision, stick to it. Don't keep upgrading and increasing the budget as the day draws nearer, and as you witness more weddings. You are not in a competition, and there are no prizes at stake. Keep your eye on the big picture - life after your wedding.

Whatever you decide, remember that the main focus of the wedding ceremony is you and your groom, and what you really want – not how much money you spent. As much as it is nice to whao the crowd momentarily, what happens thereafter matters more than the public show.

Rather than keep delaying your wedding because of money, cut your plans to size, do it and move on with the much anticipated phase of your life.

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