So, you have a wedding coming up, eh? Are you excited? You definitely have every right to be. Weddings are like one huge party to celebrate the love that two people have for one another while being surrounded by all of the ones they love the most.
Due to the fact that this kind of “party” can tend to be a bit on the expensive side, while you’re in the midst of putting your special day together, we just wanted to make sure that we could do what we can to make sure that you are able to keep as much money in your pocket as possible. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of five things that we consider to be major wedding money wasters; things that may be nice to have but at the end of the day, just really aren’t super necessary:
A limo or luxury car. If you have your heart set on this, we understand and be all means, “enjoy”. Our point in bringing this up is that most people won’t even see you in it and so you spent a couple hundred dollars (if not more) for a few minutes going to and from the venue. Borrowing a friend’s (really) nice ride works basically just as well, but if you must go this route, at least make sure to rent one just for you and your spouse; not the entire wedding party.
A big wedding cake. It’s pretty standard for the wedding photographer to take pictures of you and yours feeding one another wedding cake and so if you want to purchase a small elaborate one, that’s fine. But to pay tons of money so that everyone else can get a bite is a bit expensive. If you know someone who is a good baker, ask them to bake a couple of sheet cakes or arrange some homemade cupcakes in an elaborate fashion. Cupcakes are always a hit and they cost much less.
Wedding favors. Wedding favors are a lot like wedding invitations: beautiful to look at but rarely kept by most. If the reception is lively enough, most people won’t even notice that they left without a wedding favor in hand, but if you really want to do something nice and inexpensive, Real Simple has some ideas that are homemade and extremely cute. Just go to the site and put “creative wedding favors” in the search field.
Expensive bridesmaids dresses. Whether you’re looking at bridesmaids dresses from David’s Bridal or bridesmaids dresses from WeddingtonWay, you’re probably eyeing ones that cost a couple of hundred dollars a piece (at least). There aren’t too many women who don’t have a few bridesmaid dresses that are collecting dust in their closets and that can really add up over time. It’s much smarter to get a dress that’s on sale (even if it’s basic) and dress it up with accessories. Besides, there’s a better chance that your wedding party will wear the jewelry again than the dresses, anyway.
Expensive wedding party gifts. Some of the best gifts are not expensive ones, but the kind that hold sentimental value. It can save you a lot of money and warm the heart of your wedding party if you customize each gift to fit a memory you have with each individual. A one of a kind present, even if it’s made by hand, is priceless.