A Few Wedding Planning Tips

This week has kind of a wedding theme going in my mind since Gone With the Groom was our first book for review for our book giveaway. I've already shared my wedding and now I'll throw out some money saving tips. I know most everyone who reads here is already married, but many of us know someone, sibling, friend, relative...or could it be a child (??) with an upcoming wedding.

There have been some great tips in the comment sections by readers too!! And some rather humorous anecdotes.

My suggestions:

Base your budget on reality. Our wedding was planned and paid for mostly by us. We did recieve a few thoughtful gifts from friends and a surprise gift from my parents—they paid for the catering—we had planned for it, but it was a total blessing.

While it is your “special day” remember it is only one day and the marriage lasts (hopefully) forever—thousands and thousands of days. Keep perspective.

Give yourselves plenty of time to plan. Three months was pushing it a bit. But we did it!!

Think about five years, ten years, twenty years down the road. Ask yourself how important certain details will be to you then. Do you need fifteen different cake flavors? Do you need the photo package with 300 photos? What will you do with a $20,000 dollar dress the day after?

Do as much work as you can yourselves.

Get as many recommendations for the things you cannot do from others who have recently used services.

Look for a florist who is more about the flowers than the overhead. My florist was recommended by a friend. She was based out of a grocery store. I have a friend now who is an amazing florist and she works out of her house.

Beautiful invitations are lovely, but aside from a few saved and scrapbooked most will be tossed aside after awhile. This is a good place to be thrifty.

Ask friends for help. My friend allowing me to use her home was a gracious gift. And I did not expect anything else from her.

Can you have your dress made? What about the veil? My sister made my dress and the bridesmaid dresses. I made my veil. All three dresses and veil totaled less than $150.

Can you limit attendance? Or have a light buffet in the middle of the day vs. a sit down dinner?

Do you really want 20 attendants?

When in doubt laugh. This is a once in a lifetime event.

Don't forget to check out the other books this week for review. At the end of the week the five books will be given away to one lucky winner. Here are the rules.