Brides USA

HOW TO

SAVE $500

QSkip the welcome bag

and give guests a hand-

written note instead.

QWho says tablecloths

are mandatory? Cut back

on linens if the tables are

presentable. Craft paper

can be just as pretty.

QGive up your love affair

with imported garden roses

and let your florist choose

local flowers based on your

color palette instead.

QDo digital save-the-dates.

QDitch programs and

menus. Instead, give guests

the info on a calligraphed

sign or chalkboard.

QAsk the photographer

to shoot only until the first

dance. (Your friends can

take great reception can-

dids with their iPhones.)

5

FIND WAYS

TO CUT

Over budget? Tr y these

(almost) painless ways to

shave your bottom line.

PRO TIP Raw spaces like

barns and lofts seem

like a steal, but they usu-

ally require you to bring

in your own caterers

and rentals. “The more

people you need to

hire, the less you can con-

trol costs,” says Xochitl

Gonzalez, of AaB Creates

in New York City. Before

you sign, research local

vendors’ rates and esti-

mate the total price of a

wedding at that space.

PRO TIP The most common budget busters? Catering, flowers, and rentals, says San Francisco wedding planner Alison Hotchkiss

Rinderknecht (who designed Seth Rogen’s I do’s), especially if your vendors have never worked at your venue. In each of

those categories, build in a 10 percent cushion just in case you end up needing extra meals or more glassware than you thought.

Making the Ask:

How to find out

if your parents

can help pay

Money conversations can

be awkward, so each of

you should schedule a face-

to-face with your parents

(he with his, you with yours—

no fiancés allowed!).

Try this script from Dana

LaRue, author of The Broke-

Ass Bride’s Wedding Guide:

“We’re excited to plan this

wedding. We would love

to start making a budget,

and we’re curious if you plan

to contribute financially.”

If they say no, keep calm

and use your own dollars.

If they say yes, give a million

thanks and make peace

with the fact that they just

bought a say in the planning

process. And if you don’t

want your parents taking

over the whole wedding,

ask them to help with one

aspect. They can weigh

in on the welcome bags to

their heart’s content!

HOW TO

SAVE $1,000

QCut out hard liquor

and serve beer, wine, and

a signature cocktail.

QEmail digital invitations.

QUse a playlist for

your ceremony in lieu

of live musicians.

QInstead of building a

ceremony structure, line

your aisle with flower petals.

Everyone will be focused

on the two of you and the

gorgeous venue anyway!

QHit trunk shows and

sample sales to find a

gown for half the cost of

a made-to-order version.

Or get a custom dress,

then resell it on a site like

tradesy.com.

QDon’t hire a videogra-

pher. A picture says a

thousand words, after all!

HOW TO

SAVE $2,000

QGet married on an

off-peak day, like Friday,

or at an off-peak time,

like the morning.

QTrim the guest list. For the

average $30,000 wedding,

shrinking a 150-person bash

by 16 will cut two grand.

QInclude a veggie dish,

which costs way less than

chicken, fish, or steak.

QHave the ceremony and

reception in one location

and save on transportation.

QForgo a live band, which

can cost $5,000 or more,

for a DJ, whose fees typi-

cally start around $800.

QFind an up-and-coming

photographer. Some of

the most original work is

turned out by new faces—

and it’s less pricey.

OF

COUPLES

GO OVER

BUDGET.

DETAILS ULTIMATE GUIDE

344 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

DAN SAELINGER/TRUNK ARCHIVE

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