Budget Friendly Tips to save money on your Wedding.

1.  Save money on the flower girl dress by purchasing a pretty dress from a department store instead of a dress from a wedding boutique. You can also find a nice suit for the ring bearer on sale at a department store sometimes for less than the cost of a tux rental.  This helps the parents of the children (who generally pay for the attire unless you offer to pick up the bill) save some money and an added bonus is they have a nice, usable dress/suit after the wedding.

2.  Save money overall by choosing your wedding date carefully.  Weddings during "off peak" times generally cost less.  Having your wedding on a Friday (or other weekday) leaves you negotiating room with your vendors because they aren't in high-demand during the week.  Often venues will waive the additional fee for renting the location for the rehearsal if it is held on a Thursday rather than a Friday or Saturday.  Spring weddings will cost you more.  Having your wedding during the winter or late summer can often leave you a little negotiating room with your vendors because wedding business is slow during these times of the year.

3.  Save money on food by choosing the time of day very carefully.  Weddings/receptions that occur during a meal time will cost you more because you are obligated to feed your guests either a sit-down meal or substantial finger foods (enough for each guest to make a meal out of).  Having your wedding at 10:00am, 2:00pm, 4:00pm or 7:00pm can save on your food bill because you can serve cheese and crackers platters, fruit trays, nuts and punch.  Choose a 10:00am or 4:00pm start time if you are planning on a very short, simple service followed by a short reception to allow your guests to leave to get lunch/dinner.  Choosing 2:00pm gives you the ability to have more time for your ceremony and reception without having to feed your guests dinner.  A 7:00pm wedding technically occurs after traditional dinner time but this may vary in different regions.

4.   Consider your wedding party.  You are responsible for their flowers, transportation and lodging if necessary, and a gift.  Do you really need 9 bridesmaids?  If possible, keep your wedding party down to 3 or 4 on each side.  It will cut your expenses.

5.   Save on flowers by using silk flowers.  Either for all the arrangements or just some.  You may choose use silks for the altar (which guests only see from a distance) and use real for the reception.  You may choose to use silk for the wedding party bouquets and boutonierres and use real for the bride and groom's flowers.  Or you could save more by using silk flowers for it all.  It could cut your flower bill in half.  Another tip: scatter a few strongly scented blooms throughout your silk arrangements.  This will still give you the smell of fresh flowers but the savings of silk.

6.   Dreaming of a large wedding cake on a small budget?  Truth is, if you only have 100 guests you don't need a cake that feeds 250.  But large wedding cakes a beautiful.  If you want a 5-tier cake on a 2-tier budget or you just have your heart set on a certain cake that is more than you need, ask your baker to use "dummy tiers".  They can be decorated just like regular take tiers but cost much less and your not left with a ton of leftover cake.  Under all the icing and decorations, your guest will not be able to tell that the extra tiers aren't real cake!

I hope these tips help you save money on your special day!

Happy Planning!
Tabitha Hanner
Wedding Planner
www.eventsbytabitha.com

taken from www.wedalert.com

WEDDING CONSULTANTS:
WHAT THEY DO & HOW MUCH THEY COST?

Planning a wedding is a challenge for the uninitiated. It takes top notch organizational skills, business flair, and strong negotiation techniques. That's where wedding consultants come in. They offer a range of services, from full wedding planning, to a more limited, supportive role, to wedding-day coordination. They recognize that some brides like to keep maximum control over the preparations, in which case they're more than willing to take the backseat and offer advice or assistance as needed. In other cases, brides start out without a wedding planner only to find themselves overwhelmed as time goes on. That's why many wedding consultants are willing to step in a few weeks or months before the big day. Some also offer to serve as coordinators only on the wedding day itself.

Wedding consultants can do some or all of the following:

-Help you plan your wedding from A to Z. They can handle all planning aspects, help find creative solutions to your problems and come up with cost-effective alternatives to your most expensive tastes. They can help you get the best value for your money and make sure you don't exceed your budget. And they're there to ensure that your vision of your wedding day becomes reality, from securing the perfect ceremony and reception locations, to booking vendors who deliver on their promises, to making sure everything and everyone is at the right place at the right time on the big day.

-Negotiate with wedding vendors. Through years of experience, wedding consultants get to know hosts of vendors. They're familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. They know vendors who consistently deliver quality services. And they can help match your needs with the vendors who can meet them. Wedding consultants are also skilled negotiators. Because they know the wedding industry well, vendors are less likely to dupe them into higher prices or sales gimmicks.

-Get discounts or perks. Over the years, wedding consultants establish close working relationships with vendors their clients have found most reliable. Due to the volume of business consultants help generate, vendors are often willing to offer them special discounts or perks. You can get more bang for your buck by hiring vendors referred by
a wedding consultant.

-Schedule meetings and review contracts. Wedding consultants can provide basic organizational and administrative support. They can schedule and keep track of your appointments with vendors. They can accompany you to all your meetings and help you make final decisions before booking vendors. And they can review written contracts before you sign them to make sure they clearly spell out the vendors' obligations and protect you from poor service or fraud.

-Act as a go-between with vendors and family members. Wedding consultants can be masterful coordinators, peacemakers, and etiquette experts. They can communicate with various vendors on your behalf, and even
difficult guests or family members. They can work out compromises to keep everyone happy, all the while sparing you the stress of dealing with conflicts or misunderstandings.

-Coordinate your wedding day. The big day is here and you have to get your hair and makeup done, get into your wedding gown, take photos with your family, and make sure everything is on schedule for the ceremony and reception. The pressure can fray the calmest of nerves. Your wedding consultant can take care of all the details for you. Armed with a cellular phone and pager, the consultant can keep track of events on multiple fronts and handle unforeseen delays or problems with flair and composure.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost of hiring a wedding consultant depends on the services you want. Expect to spend about 10 to 15 percent of your total budget for full wedding planning. However, you can also request hourly consultations if you only want advice and referrals for a specific aspect of your wedding. Or you can hire a consultant only to coordinate the actual wedding day.

Stay away from consultants who claim their services are "free." They usually get kickbacks or commissions from vendors, which means they'll pressure you into hiring those vendors they stand to benefit from the most. Also beware of consultants who charge a percentage of your total budget for their services. The more you're willing to spend on your wedding, the more money they make. Your best bet is to go with a consultant who offers fixed-rate packages or a flat fee based on the services you want.