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I do ... not want to go broke

Tie the knot without breaking the bank

By Anna Sowa / The Bulletin

Published: January 21. 2009 4:00AM PST

No matter which way you cut it, matrimony is a financial commitment even without a wedding that costs tens of thousands of dollars.

More than 2 million couples will marry in 2009, according to the wedding statistics and market research company The Wedding Report. The average amount a couple will spend on their nuptials and reception: $29,614.

Ultimately, anyone can hold a great wedding at any price, especially if they shrug off the traditional wedding themes. The same goes for honeymoons.

But for the many couples who will tie the knot in a traditional way, event planners and recent brides offer tips to cutting the often overwhelming costs.

“The single best way to streamline a wedding and significantly cut costs is to reduce the size of the guest list,” says Sara Goodrich, co-owner of Events by Mint, a Bend event coordinator. “Look at your overall wedding budget as a per-person price, and then ask yourself if you are willing to spend that amount for ‘John Doe’ to attend.”

Friday and Sunday mornings are usually going to be your cheapest days to book a venue, wedding planners say. A brunch reception would cost less because people tend to eat and drink less during the day than night.

You also might consider having the reception at a friend or relative’s house. The cost of a tent, tables and seating will be less than a whole venue, which usually has a food-and-beverage minimum included. Search the classified ads to buy slightly used items from other weddings, such as plates and glasses. You also may rent these pieces.

Holding a wedding at a city-owned location, like Bend’s Aspen Hall, will typically be more affordable than other venues, including resorts. But again, many venues have requirements for food and beverage, and some don’t allow alcohol, so take this into account.

Do not spend a lot on party favors. Give guests a personalized CD, a lottery ticket purchased on the day of the wedding, or something small and edible, like a cookie or a bag of candy that matches the wedding colors.

For music, more couples are opting to create their own music lists on portable music devices and then hooking them up to speakers for the wedding. If you still want a disc jockey, shop around for quotes from local talent. Often, DJs who are new to the business will be less expensive than those with more experience.

The same idea goes for photography. Do you have a friend who is skilled behind a lens? Ask him or her to take your photos as a wedding gift to you. Otherwise, shop around and call a photographer’s references; sometimes word-of-mouth is the best advice.

Dress up

For the wedding dresses, check sample sales and resale stores or search online. Remember that many non-bridal dresses cost a fraction of the price of wedding dresses and can often be made in white. Ask the retailer for color options if you find one that fits your style.

For hair and makeup, if you won’t do it yourself, check out the local beauty school or makeup counter at the department store. Just make sure you have them do a trial run a week in advance.

Invitations

Design your own invitations, or have someone else design them, but print them elsewhere. You can often take them to a printing service or craft store at a low cost.

When sending the invitation, make sure they aren’t oversized, which will cost you extra in postage.

Flowers

Wedding planners and brides offer loads of advice on these expensive pieces of a wedding. Even if you plan on arranging flowers yourself, the floras will cost a pretty penny. Buy flowers in season and buy wholesale, if you can.

Carrie Denny, author of “The Bride’s Instruction Manual,” suggests ordering calla lilies wholesale, bunching them and tying them with a ribbon to create a simple, beautiful centerpiece.

Think outside the flower’s box, Denny says. Brides should seek non-floral items like curly willow branches, kale and fruits and vegetables, including artichokes, plums, acorns, apples and bright citrus fruits that will look gorgeous on tabletops.

Along those lines, Wedding Solutions.com suggests using feathers, pods, pepper berries, pomegranates, lace and stones in bouquets, centerpieces and at the altar. They also suggest using ivy, eucalyptus, lavender and other herbal plants, which smell nice in addition to looking pretty.

Stefanie Gutierrez, lead stylist for the wardrobe styling company Urban Darling, suggests using several different flowers on the tables, but all in the same color scheme.

“This, surprisingly, cut costs,” she said, referring to her own wedding in June 2008. “As well, using greenery instead of flowers cut costs and gives the table a vibrant color and fresh look.”

For her rose-petal walk down the aisle, Gutierrez pre-ordered roses from Costco Wholesale, and the morning of the wedding, she and her family broke off the petals and stored them in plastic bags over ice. Half an hour before the ceremony, they scattered them along the path.

You might also consider using full-blossomed flowers like hydrangea, which cost a little more, but you’ll need fewer of them. Add green carnations to the base of the arrangement, so the colorful flowers on top pop.

Brandi Horton, of Vanguard Communications ,said that at her recent wedding, she saved money on flowers by buying potted plants from a local greenhouse and getting in-season cut flowers from a local farm. This saved hundreds of dollars, she said.

The cake

There are many ways to cut costs here. For instance, serve sheet cakes for the guests and have the bride and groom cut a small decorated cake for photos.

You may also make cupcakes decorated with candies or edible flowers. This could be an area to call on the help of a friend or family member who is talented in the kitchen.

Food and drink

Some weddings are a potluck theme, but this may not go over well with the attendees. Even having a few heavy appetizers is an affordable alternative to a sit-down dinner. And consider serving less-expensive meats, like chicken or fish, instead of steak.

Also, ask the caterer if you can bring your own liquor, then buy it in bulk at a lower cost.

To save money on an open bar, offer beer and wine, or a signature cocktail, according to Wedding Solutions. Make the drink something special for you — a drink from the first date? Something from a family tradition? You can take this a step further by including the cocktail’s recipe as a party favor.

If you want to cut a huge expense, eliminate alcohol. Instead, create a custom nonalcoholic spritzer with a little fizz to it. But what’s a wedding without spirits?

Anna Sowa can be reached at 541-383-0304 or asowa@bendbulletin.com.