Can You Plan A Wedding Even With Limited finds???

In light of the current recession you may find yourself wondering how you can create the perfect day without breaking the bank. There are many things that we need to have present and others that are a “wanted” item. As long as you have a plan in place, you are sure to maximize all funds to have the wedding of your dreams. When you begin planning, it’s very important to keep in mind that your venue should not take up more than 45% of your budget. The more flexible you are with date and time, the likely you are to get the best bang for your buck! Most venues have extraordinary specials to accommodate any budget right now. In fact, if you are considered a spontaneous planner, you may be able to plan your wedding in less than 6 months and save almost 50%! That means 50% more to spend on great photography, video and design! Venues are not the only area where you can save. Photography and video are the only tangible items that will last a lifetime. You never want to skimp on these. It’s a rarity to have all of your nearest and dearest in the same location so taking advantage of this is important and you need a professional. While we used to think registering was just for china and bedding, did you know that you can register with your photographer or videographer? This allows you to ask for financial assistance, but your guests will see that it’s going towards something that is most memorable. Another way to save is looking for a photographer who is willing to just give you the disk and allow you to make a book or copies of photos as you wish. This can save you almost 50%! Maybe after the wedding is over you can go back to the photographer and get a book you desire! You can also look into photography schools for new graduates who are just dying to build a portfolio and in return give you the negatives. You can afford a book this way for sure! The same applies with video. If you ask a professional to take straight footage and minimal editing you can save over 60%. You can have the video edited at a later date when you feel it’s OK to invest! Last but certainly not least is floral and entertainment. When you visit your florist ask about floral that is in season. Local floral is going to be a lot less expensive than having to ship from overseas. You also may want to ask if they can use floral stock. This basically means left over floral from another wedding or what they currently have in house at all times. You can save 20-40% this way! You may also want to alternate centerpieces, maybe lows and highs, or candles on tables and floral on another. Diversity keeps things exciting! Entertainment has always been known to make or break an event. DJ’s are absolutely the more affordable way to have music during your reception. There are many services that just have a DJ present who can play fantastic music to keep your guests on the dance floor and not at the table! If you are set on having live music try a cover band from your local hot spot…Did you know you can have live music for 4 hours under $3,000?? IPOD’s are becoming increasingly popular too. Make sure you hire someone to man the IPOD station to ensure you have no issues with delivery of music. There are so many great ways to have the perfect day without taking a loan or having to forgo things that you want. Remember planning ahead is always key. You’ll always know what to expect and won’t set such high expectations. You only have this one day to create something special! So keep in mind whatever you do will be all about you and that is what’s most important! Happy Planning!!!