I have a Question… FAQ’S from the Wedding Professionals
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Everyone knows that one of the first things engaged couples start thinking about when it comes to their upcoming wedding is, “How much is this going to cost?” Wedding budgets help you determine exactly what kind of wedding you’re going to have and may end up being the difference between a lavish fairytale wedding or an intimate gathering at a park of your nearest and dearest relatives. But no matter what you budget is, I have some really basic wedding money saving ideas to share with you today that can help you spend more wisely and effectively.
1. Buy Table Linens
Table linens can be a really expensive item to rent through a rental company. SO if your venue does not include them and you’ve already done research on this you’ll know that the pricing to rent table linens is often times much more expensive than it would cost to actually buy the linens outright! Isn’t that crazy? And I know it seems counterintuitive to think that it would cost less money to purchase the table linens rather than rent them, but it’s true!
A bonus to this line of thinking is that if you purchase your table linens rather than rent them, guess what? You can then re-sell them after the wedding and recoup some of your investment, leading to even more money savings. It’s a win/win for anyone trying to save money on their wedding.
So if that’s something you’re interested in and you’re looking to save a huge chunk of cash, there are a ton of wedding resale sites on the internet like Bravo Bride, Tradesy, and even the Facebook Marketplace. You can also try going the traditional routes of using services like eBay and Craigslist.
2. Purchase gently used wedding items
Piggybacking off the previous wedding money saving tip, if you’re looking to save even more cash, you can purchase your table linens (among other items) from other couples who are re-selling their wedding table linens on those aforementioned sites. Anything from linens, chair covers, vases, you name it – you can find it used and for much less money! There’s no rule that states you need to buy everything brand new.
Also, the odds are that if the items were used for a wedding, they were taken care of more than something that may have been purchased for home use. Think about it, you’re purchasing items that were literally used once for a few hours. The average venue or caterer reuses their linens dozens of times until there is visible wear and tear. By purchasing gently used wedding items, you’re really spreading your wedding budget wisely and can splurge on other areas.
3. All Inclusive Venues save you time, but not money
Many engaged couples have expressed sticker shock when they see the price of an all-inclusive wedding venue. If you’re not sure what an all-inclusive wedding venue is, it typically means they will provide the tables, chairs, linens, place settings, on-site event coordinator, catering, food & drink, and any other bells and whistles they decide to throw in. Obviously, this price is a lot higher than you might expect if you were doing a DIY wedding venue where it’s kind of a blank slate, or if you choose to hire a wedding planner.
So as you’re shopping for venues, if you’re newly engaged, please keep In mind that with an all-inclusive venue, you should expect a higher price tag. However, if you’re short on time and you’re not a DIY kind of person and don’t want to dedicate hours upon hours of your time leading up to your wedding day, including doing the research and organizing every single aspect of your wedding, an all-inclusive wedding venue may be right for you.
Trust me that you would be spending a lot more of your time working on your wedding if you decide to go with a wedding venue that isn’t all-inclusive. Obviously, the other option you can go with if you’re looking for a more traditional wedding venue is to book with a wedding planner (like me:-) to handle all the details for you and you’ll still be saving a lot of money as compared to an all-inclusive wedding venue.
4. DIY will save you loads of cash for your wedding
If you’re going with a venue that requires you to bring in all the wedding components like the chairs, tables, a catering company, an onsite coordinator, servers, bartenders, alcohol, etc., then there’s an excellent resource that allows you to shop for individual contracted positions for day-of help. The site is thumbtack.com and they’re wonderful for if you’re looking to hire someone for a few hours to do a specific task. The rates are competitive as well.
Another website that often gets overlooked while wedding amazon.com! You can find all sorts of wedding essentials for low prices and get it shipped to your door in a matter of days. Below you’ll find a quick Amazon shopping list I’ve compiled to get you started on your DIY wedding, should you decide to go that route!
Metal Swirl Stick Card Holders
Vintage Skeleton Key Bottle Opener with Favor Tags
Outdoor Ceremony Trellis Frame