Weddings can be costly and thus budgeting for the occasion is important. There is no need for unnecessary cost cutting, but planning wisely will help you to stay within your means. After all, it is your Big Day and you want everything to be perfect.

Avoid unnecessary travel expenses by choosing local wedding services and suppliers. Saturday is one of the most expensive days to have weddings. Choose a Sunday or a weekday and you might even avail of some discounts from the photographer, video-grapher and hotels. If you do not want a traditional wedding meal, which can prove to be quite costly, have the wedding later in the day followed by a buffet or a barbeque in the summer. You could even have an early wedding with a cocktail reception for the guests and then leave for a quiet meal with close friends and family. Choose Pimms or Sangria as the welcoming drink and a good sparkling wine instead of Champagne for the toast. Provide a sufficient number of canapés or appetizers as a first course, or if its winter, serve a wholesome hot soup. The wedding cake or assorted cakes can serve as dessert as well. You can negotiate with the caterer to give you reduced rates on the food. Order one meal between two to reduce costs as well as eliminate wastage. Pedestal floral arrangements instead of individual table flowers at the reception might work out cheaper. Floating candles in beautiful glass bowls make an elegant alternative to flower arrangements on tables. If it is a church wedding, you could share the cost of the flowers with other couples getting married on the day. Sprinkle glitter or rose petals to decorate your tables. Use the table decoration as gifts for your guests. The flowers on the table could be made into smaller sprays and given to the women. If your reception venue caters for more than one wedding on your day, consider sharing the evening's entertainment with the other wedding parties to enable you to book something quite expensive and share the cost. Consider having a double wedding with a relative. It will help to bring down costs. Cocktail and evening dresses can be a classy alternative to wedding gowns and can even be worn again at later occasions. If you have adults as bridesmaids, make them your attendants. This way they buy their own outfits and all you have to do is buy them their matching bouquets. Tiaras and other such accessories can be borrowed from a close friend or relative. Hire all the menswear outfits from one supplier to avail of discounts. Keep the guests list to a minimum; there is no need to invite partners of work friends if you do not know them too well. Avoid calling children of family and friends. Ask family members or friends to contribute to the wedding cost and treat that as your wedding gift. Buy your wedding rings from the same supplier as your engagement ring and jeweller. He is likely to do all alterations or engraving for free. Choose one salon or beauty treatment parlor and make a group booking for some of your close friends and relatives. You might benefit from group discounts. Start collecting miles for your honeymoon. You are likely to get an upgrade and some preferential treatment from both, airlines and the hotel if you say you are just married and on your honeymoon.

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William Brister - http://www.tietheknot.tv - Spend Less get much More.