Scrimping That Was Worth It
Last week I listed some of the things from my wedding that I didn’t mind spending extra money on. This week, I’m going to give Broke-Ass Nation what it REALLY wants: reassurance that you’ll have no regrets about taking the cheap route.
I can honestly say that there isn’t a single thing I wish I had spent MORE money on for my wedding. I’d bet a dollar that’s true for the vast majority of wedding veterans, so that’s something to keep in mind whenever you’re debating whether to scrimp or splurge.
But of all the ways I saved money for my wedding, I think the best was not having any flowers.
Brooch bouquets can get expensive, but I made mine as cheaply as possibly by designing them to have fewer pins and recycling wire from my sister-in-laws wedding and jewelry from my mother-in-law’s stash. They definitely cost less than professionally-arranged flowers, but they’re still as beautiful as they were on my wedding day and will be for years to come (mine is in a box right now, but I fantasize that someday I will have it displayed on my dressing table. You know, when I’m a grown-up and I have a dressing table instead of just an overstuffed closet. But I digress).
[Photo by Louis Stein]
We scrimped even more when it came to our non-floral centerpieces. We had 30 tables of many different sizes, because we got married in a restaurant. We used simple, minimalist centerpieces: ivory candles inside spherical glass bowls lined with spirals of silver and copper wire. These did all centerpieces really need to do: they filled the empty table space without detracting from the overall look of the room. And they cost less than $10 a table. We bought the materials on the cheap at a wholesale retailer for florists, and my mother-in-law and I assembled them all in one afternoon. If there’s anything better than cheap, it’s cheap & easy.
[Photo by Mike Rubino]
Do you think I’m right that there’s hardly ever something you wish you spent more money on in your wedding budget? What are some of the ways you’ve scrimped on your wedding that you’re most proud of?
-Robin.
I'm planning simple, non-floral center pieces too and love the idea of the silver and copper wire. Do you have any more pictures and/or some instructions for someone like me, who doesn't have a crafty bone in her body? Thanks!
I'm planning simple, non-floral center pieces too and love the idea of the silver and copper wire. Do you have any more pictures and/or some instructions for someone like me, who doesn't have a crafty bone in her body? Thanks!
I haven't actually gotten married yet so I can't say I didn't regret it…but I was wavering about getting lanterns for my bridesmaids instead of bouquets because I was afraid it would look too plain and cheap (they're around $5). Then I went to church Sunday (I've gotten into this horrible habit of drifting off during church into fantasies about how my wedding will look there!) and remembered that the whole church is gorgeous and not plain, so even the two white candles on the altar looked beautiful because they were simple, and my friends carrying plain candle lanterns would actually fit really wonderfully. (It's not going to be completely flower free because the church requests either a piece for the altar or a donation to the flower fund, but we'll definitely do minimal.)
Also, we're providing our own wine and beer instead of a full bar through the caterer, and we're already having a great time "taste testing" wines!
I also haven't gotten married yet, but I'm so excited about all the money we are not spending. My mom is an awesome cook, and she is helping me to prepare all the side dishes the day before the wedding. That way, the only food we have to pay someone else to make is the main dish. There is a fab BBQ joint in town that is going to provide those. I couldn't give up flowers altogether, but I'm only using a single hydrangea bloom on each table (floating in a bowl). SO simple, and we're getting married in July so hydrangeas will be super cheap.
The day after our wedding, my husband commented 'There's nothing else we could have done to make that day ANY BETTER." And you know what? He was SO right. Would renting chair covers have made our wedding any better or fun? nope. Would having a floral budget have made our ceremony any more special? Nope. It was AWESOME because the people we love are awesome and there's nothing you can spend that will enhance that fact. All the scrimping was totally worth it. (You know, except for paying the extra $4 per plate to rent a venue that cleaned up everything for us and packed up the lefover cake. THAT was worth the cost)
The day after our wedding, my husband commented 'There's nothing else we could have done to make that day ANY BETTER." And you know what? He was SO right. Would renting chair covers have made our wedding any better or fun? nope. Would having a floral budget have made our ceremony any more special? Nope. It was AWESOME because the people we love are awesome and there's nothing you can spend that will enhance that fact. All the scrimping was totally worth it. (You know, except for paying the extra $4 per plate to rent a venue that cleaned up everything for us and packed up the lefover cake. THAT was worth the cost)
I got my non-floral faux topiary centerpieces off craigslist for $2/ea. They look fantastic! Haven't gotten married yet, but I can't wait to see people's faces when they find out I spent about $2 to decorate each table
Also, my dad lives in wine country in New York state and contacted a nearby vineyard to ask for grape vines after this harvest season is over. We will get a ton of grape vines for free and they will look amazeballs decorating the tables and everything else. A little imagination and asking around goes a long way!
I've been entering wedding contests like mad and have been pretty lucky! It's going to end up saving us hundreds!
I have read that changing the date of your wedding can save you plenty in your budget. If you plan it for November or January through March (except Valentine’s Day) it can save you a lot of cash! You can save between 20 – 30 percent compared to a date between May and September. Also, you don’t have to share an anniversary with someone you know! This allows you to have the special day without guests having to choose between your wedding and another couple’s wedding.