Category: Budget Wedding Ideas

Did you see the article in the New York Times about pre-owned wedding dresses? I wouldn’t have either, if it wasn’t for my colleague Jennifer who forwarded the link to me. Anyway, the upshot is that while it’s still “all about the dress,” many brides are watching their budget and shopping for gently used or bought-but-never-used wedding gowns. Not only does this save money, but eco-conscious brides are doing their part in the “reuse, recycle…” mantra.

These challenging economic times have created a novel wedding trend: The mid-week wedding! While Wednesday-night knot-tying is never going to replace Saturday evening extravaganzas, we’re hearing about wedding couples that opt to celebrate on a non-traditional day of the week. And why not? Since it’s an off-time for wedding vendors, they’re more likely to discount their fees. Same goes for your wedding location—you’re sure to get more for less if you wed on an alternate day. Want to upgrade from community center to hotel ballroom? For sure.

Weddings are the ultimate planning challenge: Getting the wedding dress, making—and revising!—the invite list, securing a special reception location, booking the caterer, the photographer, floral designer…all while trying to squeeze in some time for a quick manicure and haircut before the big day so you look your best. Whew!

This morning while I was getting my daily dose of sanity from Divine Caroline, I stumbled across a piece that took me by surprise. A bride auctioned off a space in her wedding party to help pay for her wedding. And it worked! I must give this woman credit for thinking way outside the wedding budget box.

With soaring fuel and food costs, reining in your wedding budget is becoming increasingly important. In today’s Los Angeles Times, there’s a great article featuring ways to cure your own case of wedding sticker shock (check out the quotes from our own creative wedding diva, Jolene Rae Harrington!). Read on for some expert wedding tips.

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Europe next September, so I’ve been spending a lot of time at the travel magazine section of my local bookstore. While checking out an article on Italy in the July/August edition of Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine, I found an interesting little promo on budget resorts that I just had to share with you.

Americans certainly are not the only ones spending crazy money on weddings. The New York Times reports that in post-Taliban Afghanistan, lavish weddings are on the rise. Costs “can run a middle-class Afghan man on average $20,000,” but Afghans who make as little as $350 a year might spend $2000 on a wedding. Yikes! Would you spend five or six times your salary on your wedding?

The whole shopping experience really made me think that you don’t have to go to a bargain bridal shop to save money. In fact, you might not save money at all! Plus, I think every bride should have the experience of going to a high-end bridal salon and getting the star treatment. Having a consultant take the time to help you find the perfect dress—one that’s right for your bod y type and matches the style of your wedding—could actually save you lots of time and headache, and you’ll probably end up with a better dress for your big day.