Having a green wedding is trendy; green weddings are fabulous... and according to many people green weddings are expensive.
This isn't always true.
Sure if you go out and buy all brand new green items made from eco-friendly materials you may spend more than if you purchased conventional not so green goods.But there are many ways to be green without spending more- in fact there are some ways to green your wedding that can actually save you money.
Here are five ways to green your wedding while being budget friendly.
1. Find gently used or pre-owned wedding items. There are many places where you can find gently used or pre-purchased but never used wedding items- like CraigsList.org, RecycledBride.com, and eBay.com. Some people buy too much for the wedding, others may have decided not to get married while other items may have been overstock from a retail store. Whatever the reason it's to your advantage because you can find anything and everything from wedding gowns to jewelry to guest books and cake toppers for a fraction of the retail price-and you'll be saving money and resources.
Keep reading here.
Showing posts with label save money on your wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label save money on your wedding. Show all posts
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Budget Wedding Tips
To tighten your wedding budget, hold your wedding on a day other than Saturday.
Most wedding vendors (chapels, reception halls, caterers, sometimes even photographers and others) will offer cheaper rates for a Friday or Sunday wedding and even cheaper for a day in the middle of the week. Always ask what rates are offered for different days of the week.
Get married in an off month instead of a peak wedding month
May through September are peak months, October through April are off-peak months and prices are often cheaper because services during those months are in less demand.
If you are sending out invitations with reply cards, use postcards instead. Postage for postcards is cheaper than cards with envelopes.
Shop at department stores instead of Bridal shops for your bridesmaids' attire and flower-girl dress.
Check out clearance racks and shop during or right after holiday seasons. During the Christmas holidays you can find nice cocktail and semi-formal dresses for your bridesmaids cheaper than at a bridal shop. You can also find these dresses on clearance right after the holidays. Another good time to shop for dresses is during and right after prom season and homecoming. During Easter and right after you can find pretty little dresses that would work nicely as flower-girl dresses. If you are having a summer wedding, look for sundresses in soft, shimmery or sheer fabrics. Your bridesmaids will love you because they'll spend less money and have a dress they can wear again.
Always ask for discounts.
Most brides don’t ask or try to negotiate. A lot of vendors will work with you on prices, especially if you are in an area that has many competitors for the same services.
Borrow anything you can instead of buying or renting.
Borrow decorations like garden trellises and arches, vases and bowls to use for centerpieces for flowers or floating candles and mirrored tiles for centerpieces. Borrow anything you can. Instead of renting a limo, maybe a family member or friend has a nice ride like a classic car or muscle car that you can borrow.
Barter and trade services or products if you can.
When you deal with smaller, privately owned companies you can sometimes trade services. Say you are a seamstress or accountant. See if they’ll trade with you or at least give you a big discount if you provide them with something they want or need.
Enlist the help of friends and family.
Perhaps you have some talented relatives or friends: a floral designer, a computer expert, a budding DJ or photographer, someone who is crafty and creative. Enlist their help and services. Have someone crafty make your centerpieces and bouquets. Have the computer whiz design and print your invitations or make custom music CD’s for favors. Just see what they have to offer that can help you out.
Most wedding vendors (chapels, reception halls, caterers, sometimes even photographers and others) will offer cheaper rates for a Friday or Sunday wedding and even cheaper for a day in the middle of the week. Always ask what rates are offered for different days of the week.
Get married in an off month instead of a peak wedding month
May through September are peak months, October through April are off-peak months and prices are often cheaper because services during those months are in less demand.
If you are sending out invitations with reply cards, use postcards instead. Postage for postcards is cheaper than cards with envelopes.
Shop at department stores instead of Bridal shops for your bridesmaids' attire and flower-girl dress.
Check out clearance racks and shop during or right after holiday seasons. During the Christmas holidays you can find nice cocktail and semi-formal dresses for your bridesmaids cheaper than at a bridal shop. You can also find these dresses on clearance right after the holidays. Another good time to shop for dresses is during and right after prom season and homecoming. During Easter and right after you can find pretty little dresses that would work nicely as flower-girl dresses. If you are having a summer wedding, look for sundresses in soft, shimmery or sheer fabrics. Your bridesmaids will love you because they'll spend less money and have a dress they can wear again.
Always ask for discounts.
Most brides don’t ask or try to negotiate. A lot of vendors will work with you on prices, especially if you are in an area that has many competitors for the same services.
Borrow anything you can instead of buying or renting.
Borrow decorations like garden trellises and arches, vases and bowls to use for centerpieces for flowers or floating candles and mirrored tiles for centerpieces. Borrow anything you can. Instead of renting a limo, maybe a family member or friend has a nice ride like a classic car or muscle car that you can borrow.
Barter and trade services or products if you can.
When you deal with smaller, privately owned companies you can sometimes trade services. Say you are a seamstress or accountant. See if they’ll trade with you or at least give you a big discount if you provide them with something they want or need.
Enlist the help of friends and family.
Perhaps you have some talented relatives or friends: a floral designer, a computer expert, a budding DJ or photographer, someone who is crafty and creative. Enlist their help and services. Have someone crafty make your centerpieces and bouquets. Have the computer whiz design and print your invitations or make custom music CD’s for favors. Just see what they have to offer that can help you out.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Spend Less On Your Wedding Dress: Budget Bridal Tips
Your wedding dress is one of the most important aspects of your wedding, but you don’t want it to be one of the most costly. A savvy bride can save a lot of money on a dress and still look like a princess.
The first thing you will want to do is start looking for a dress as soon as you can, like right after you get engaged. It might take awhile to find the perfect dress at a reasonable price. The next thing is to do a lot of research and compare prices.
Do not buy the first dress at the first place you found it. Comparison shop and you can probably find the same dress or one very similar cheaper somewhere else.
You can even use a discount bridal service if you know the designer and style number of the gown you want. A discount bridal service will search for the cheapest price on the gown you want. You can usually save between 10 and 30% off the retail price of the gown. You can also find out when bridal shops are having trunk shows, a specific designer will have dresses available at discount prices. Be sure to check your area for bridal outlets too.
The best time to shop at bridal stores is between January and March. Last year's dresses are in clearance. The stores are trying to get rid of them to make room for the new season’s dresses. Another option is buying a display dress or buying off the rack. These dresses can save you hundreds of dollars off regular retail prices. You can also check to see if a store has any discontinued dresses at low prices.
If you are not concerned about wearing a used dress you could borrow a dress from a friend or family member. Wearing an heirloom dress from your mother or grandmother can add a sentimental touch to your wedding.
Check your area for consignment stores and resale shops. Many carry wedding dresses. Some have never been worn, they were purchased and then the wedding might have been called off. Some resale stores get brand new dresses that were discontinued or have slight defects, like a small rip or tear or maybe a small stain somewhere. Some thrift stores also receive new clothing. I have found many wedding dresses at Goodwill with the price tags still attached.
Many online retailers offer great deals on wedding dresses. Amazon and eBay both have wedding dresses. I found the dress of my dreams on eBay for $99.00 brand new. A similar dress I had been pining for was over $1000 in the bridal stores.
Shopping online is a great way to compare prices and styles. I still recommend going to stores and trying on dresses though. A style that looks great on a model might not look great on you, or you might not like how it feels. I saw a dress in a bridal magazine that I just adored. When I tried it on, it looked horrible on me and it was very uncomfortable and itchy.
Trying on dresses will also give you a feel for what size you will wear. Just because you wear a size 8 in normal clothes does not mean a size 8 wedding dress will fit. Plus all designers’ sizes vary.
Other options for cheap wedding dresses include shopping for a dress not labeled as a wedding dress. At homecoming and prom times (usually September and October for homecoming and April and May for prom) you can find semi formal to formal dresses in white or ivory that would work great as a wedding dress at half the cost.
Hit the clearance racks right after homecoming and prom season and you can find them even cheaper.
If you are having a casual wedding any nice dress will do. You can find semi formal dresses at many department stores for under $100. Some are very nice. It all depends on your taste and what you are looking for. If you are having a beach wedding or outdoor summer wedding a thin, filmy white or ivory sundress would be perfect and a very low cost option.
Having a dress made for you is another option if you know someone that can do it or if you have a great seamstress in the family. Just make sure they have experience sewing wedding dresses. Fabric for a wedding dress can be a lot different and harder to sew than regular fabric, especially if you are adding beads or other fancy accessories. You don’t want to spend a fortune on a seamstress or fabric. I have seen a few women try that route and ending up spending more than if they had just bought a dress from a store.
Just remember to start shopping early, do your homework and always comparison shop.
Don’t be afraid to ask for deals or discounts either. Try to be flexible and open minded and you can find the dress of your dreams at a price you can afford.
The first thing you will want to do is start looking for a dress as soon as you can, like right after you get engaged. It might take awhile to find the perfect dress at a reasonable price. The next thing is to do a lot of research and compare prices.
Do not buy the first dress at the first place you found it. Comparison shop and you can probably find the same dress or one very similar cheaper somewhere else.
You can even use a discount bridal service if you know the designer and style number of the gown you want. A discount bridal service will search for the cheapest price on the gown you want. You can usually save between 10 and 30% off the retail price of the gown. You can also find out when bridal shops are having trunk shows, a specific designer will have dresses available at discount prices. Be sure to check your area for bridal outlets too.
The best time to shop at bridal stores is between January and March. Last year's dresses are in clearance. The stores are trying to get rid of them to make room for the new season’s dresses. Another option is buying a display dress or buying off the rack. These dresses can save you hundreds of dollars off regular retail prices. You can also check to see if a store has any discontinued dresses at low prices.
If you are not concerned about wearing a used dress you could borrow a dress from a friend or family member. Wearing an heirloom dress from your mother or grandmother can add a sentimental touch to your wedding.
Check your area for consignment stores and resale shops. Many carry wedding dresses. Some have never been worn, they were purchased and then the wedding might have been called off. Some resale stores get brand new dresses that were discontinued or have slight defects, like a small rip or tear or maybe a small stain somewhere. Some thrift stores also receive new clothing. I have found many wedding dresses at Goodwill with the price tags still attached.
Many online retailers offer great deals on wedding dresses. Amazon and eBay both have wedding dresses. I found the dress of my dreams on eBay for $99.00 brand new. A similar dress I had been pining for was over $1000 in the bridal stores.
Shopping online is a great way to compare prices and styles. I still recommend going to stores and trying on dresses though. A style that looks great on a model might not look great on you, or you might not like how it feels. I saw a dress in a bridal magazine that I just adored. When I tried it on, it looked horrible on me and it was very uncomfortable and itchy.
Trying on dresses will also give you a feel for what size you will wear. Just because you wear a size 8 in normal clothes does not mean a size 8 wedding dress will fit. Plus all designers’ sizes vary.
Other options for cheap wedding dresses include shopping for a dress not labeled as a wedding dress. At homecoming and prom times (usually September and October for homecoming and April and May for prom) you can find semi formal to formal dresses in white or ivory that would work great as a wedding dress at half the cost.
Hit the clearance racks right after homecoming and prom season and you can find them even cheaper.
If you are having a casual wedding any nice dress will do. You can find semi formal dresses at many department stores for under $100. Some are very nice. It all depends on your taste and what you are looking for. If you are having a beach wedding or outdoor summer wedding a thin, filmy white or ivory sundress would be perfect and a very low cost option.
Having a dress made for you is another option if you know someone that can do it or if you have a great seamstress in the family. Just make sure they have experience sewing wedding dresses. Fabric for a wedding dress can be a lot different and harder to sew than regular fabric, especially if you are adding beads or other fancy accessories. You don’t want to spend a fortune on a seamstress or fabric. I have seen a few women try that route and ending up spending more than if they had just bought a dress from a store.
Just remember to start shopping early, do your homework and always comparison shop.
Don’t be afraid to ask for deals or discounts either. Try to be flexible and open minded and you can find the dress of your dreams at a price you can afford.
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