by Johanna Osborne

Weddings are awesome, exciting, romantic, fun and – expensive. Yup. Just as the saying goes, the best things in life are either free or really expensive. But do they have to be? Personally, I’ve been to some incredible weddings, some which no doubt cost the earth, others which were creative, original and stylish, yet also planned with budget in mind. Yes it’s possible to have a stylish affair on a shoestring, it’s simply a matter of being open minded and not sacrificing good taste on the account of saving dollars. It’s possible. Let us show you how.

What facets of your wedding are most important to you? Focus on areas that make your heart go pitter-patter, and you won’t care so much about skimping on the rest. As for what guests tend to remember, of course it’s food, drink and entertainment – so don’t cut back on those if you don’t have to. Or simply get creative and use your budget wisely. But wait, we’ll get to that in a minute.

Think of your wedding as project that everyone can be part of and you can outsource some of the tasks to your groovy talented friends. Gather your inner circle, play to their strengths – anyone a good decorator and handy with the ole DIY? Why not gather a girly group, and together you can drink wine and make bunting. Giggles all the way baby!

The guest list is one thing that if you can cut back, it will save you oodles. Some options (only options and not for everyone!) – cut out children and colleagues. And making cuts like these in general is less likely to cause problems – ie no children or colleagues on either side at all. And when it comes to couples, you can invite spouses, fiances, and partners only. But bear in mind this can offend so tread carefully and be wise in your choices. Keeping the numbers low inside your wedding party is another cost saver – the fewer bridesmaids and groomsmen means less money spent on bouquets, buttonholes, suits and dresses. Not to mention hair and makeup.

Embrace the off season – why does it have to be sunny when you get married? In Wellington you can have an arctic day in January and a scorcher in September, so go with the most economical time of the year. You will more easily find suppliers, since they are not booked up to the eyeballs and most things will be somewhat cheaper.

When looking at venues, create a comparison spreadsheet to track what is part of the package. Some include a wedding planner, food, drink as well as table settings and decorations. Not to mention a ceremony location! The value of full packages is sometimes very good but it’s worth shopping around.

Everyone knows that most venues charge a premium for Saturday night. So perhaps you can try an afternoon wedding, or perhaps a Friday or Sunday-night event instead. It could be a Sunday brunch following a romantic morning ceremony, or a midday service with an early-afternoon meal afterwards. Or a country fair style wedding – sausages, ham on the bone, buns, cider, fairy floss and candy apples. Ensure there’s bunting galore, some checkered napkins, throw in a kissing booth and Bob’s your uncle! This is all a novelty, unique and very cool – and also likely to be much, much easier on the wallet. Other options that have proven popular are high tea, dessert or cocktail receptions which are very on trend right now, and can be much more cost effective than a full 3 course sit down dinner. You can also cut back by serving beer, wine and a signature cocktail in your wedding colours. If you pre-agree with the venue what you want and set a reduced price for the more limited selection, then you are bound to make a saving.

 
Some venues let you BYO – this is another way to save. If so, you can negotiate the corkage fee. Another cost effective mood enhancing tool are candles- usually fairly inexpensive, but when done in abundance they create a romantic ambiance and will make everyone feel like they are at a 5 star wedding!

 
With the electronic age upon us, some brides and grooms are opting to share wedding details on line. Some even create their own wedding website which is pretty darn cool and actually easier than it looks – all you need is a template. Whilst stationery and personalised invites are very, very nice, these are alternatives that can help save money and cut cost of paper, printing, and postage. The same can be said for printing an order of service for each guest – you could write it up on a large blackboard at the front of the church/ location of service and that will most likely suffice. No one will miss having one in their hand and your wedding kitty will be looking healthier by the minute.

Have a chocolate cart or candy bar instead of individual guest favours – these can also double as dessert if you have a stand up cocktail reception. Buy sweets in bulk and arrange in pretty glass jars. Not expensive but very tempting and attractive!

Band vs DJ – both are cool but a DJ will most likely save you about 50%. Another option to consider.

If you love the style, consider wearing your mother’s or grandmother’s dress. Some simple alternations might be all it takes to take it up that extra notch and bring it to your style. Vintage is in, taylors are aplenty and think of all the money you will save, not to mention all the happy smiles your walk down memory lane will evoke!

Borrow where you can! Whether it be gloves, earrings, necklace, shawl or purse. Your family and friends will love to help and voila – you’ve got your “something borrowed.”

Be creative with your choice in venue. The more unlikely and unique the venue, often the less expensive. Think big or small, weird or wonderful – nothing is off limits in this day and age!

Don’t sacrifice style for the sake of saving money. Things don’t have to look cheap to be cost effective. You can do so much yourself and you can make stylish choices with the help of a few experts that know all the right tricks. Remember it’s all a matter of choosing the best supplier you can afford, depending on what is important to you and save on the other things by doing it yourself or just not having them at all (people don’t miss what they don’t have!). Similarly it’s worth splurging on the things that are super important to you – you will never regret having paid a bit extra if it means that much to you. You don’t want to have regrets. Talk to your knowledgeable wedding suppliers, they have a wealth of experience to offer and will have some great ideas to help you… whether it be your clever dress designer, your lovely venue manager, your resourceful caterer or your creative photographer. They’ve all been in this industry for a long time and know their way around the wedding maze… they will have handy hints and no doubt a few VIP tips to share with you. Be open, communicate and the rest will follow! And remember, don’t forget to enjoy this exciting process, it’s a magical and fun time that goes much faster than you would ever expect. May the wind be at your back!