How about some free advice?  I think that helps with wedding savings, and it’s not coming from someone you don’t want to hear from like your future mother-in-law.

Platinum Events has provided a Wedding Rehearsal Check List.  Click here to see what you might be missing.

Mr. soon-t0-be-Heather and I are waiting to take our honeymoon.  First, after paying for the wedding, we will need to re-coop some of our finances.  Second, I need to take some time off for the wedding, unfortunately I’m not in a position to then take even more time off right away for a honeymoon.  But this post isn’t about honeymoon planning, it’s about honeymoon savings.

Two industries that are really hurting in this economy are hotels and cruises.  If you are flexible, you can probably get some really great deals last minute.  If you are not comfortable waiting, sign up for deal watchers on each of the travel websites: Kayak, Orbitz, Hotwire, Expedia, etc.  Or, if you know you want to take a cruise, sign-up to receive notifications from all of the big cruise lines.  If you sign up for them all, you can then compare what really is a good deal.

I wish the airlines would also drop their prices so that more people would be able to attend my wedding!

I’m an animal lover. My two cats are easily my best friends in the world (even if they can sometimes be a little… well… catty, but what best friend isn’t sometimes catty?). Still, would I ever include my cats in my wedding? No. Not a chance. Call me old fashioned, but I believe weddings are for people. So my wedding advice is to leave the critters at home (or in a kennel), and let the bipedals enjoy their day. Unless you’re a bride who want to enter in a horse-drawn carriage.  Then you can have a four-legged creature… that’s OK, I guess.

I actually didn’t always feel this way about including animals in weddings. I honestly didn’t think much about it. But then I read this article, and specifically, one line from the article, that made me change my mind:

“Muffin Top, a two-year-old Pomapoo, will be wearing a pink satin harness dress while the maid of honour leads her down the aisle on a tiny pink leash.”
Muffin Top? Pomapoo? Pink satin harness dress? Maid of Honour? I don’t know if any two of those phrases should ever be used in the same sentence… but all four? I simply can’t support it. Just trust me on this one, gals. This isn’t wedding savings advice I’m offering up here at Practically Ever After. This is advice for how to save your wedding. Just leave the fuzzy creatures at home!

I have been contemplating wedding gifts for our friends and family that are participating or helping with our wedding and I came to a realization: wedding savings can mean savings for others.

I’ve always been a “useful” gift giver; however, I didn’t think twice about what I wanted to buy my bridesmaids.  They have to get fancy for my wedding, so why don’t I purchase things that will go towards that: jewelry and shoes?  I will need their help with the shoes, but the jewelry I can get on my own.

I also have some close friends that will be acting as our ushers.  I’ve been thinking about what they might need.  So far, I like the idea of gift cards, particularly gift cards for gasoline.  The ushers have to drive the wedding, why not take the expense out of it.

I understand the concept that a gift should be something for someone to enjoy, and that practical gifts do not really fit into that genre.  But, do my bridesmaids need a tote with their initials on it?  Or, do our ushers need an engraved flask?  Probably not…

I will only have two bridesmaids.  When it came down to choosing my wedding party, I had a dangerous problem: too many close friends.  Sure, I could add more people to my wedding party, but suddenly there would be no one left sitting in the seats during the ceremony.  In addition, most of my wedding guests will be traveling across the country to come to our wedding.  It seemed cruel and unusual punishment to laden someone with all that extra debt.

As I am only having two bridesmaids, I decided to let them choose their own dress.  Yes, I partook in the shopping trips.  And yes, I did voice my opinion as to what would look good and what wouldn’t.  But, at the end of the day, both girls got dresses that they will wear again and for a really great price!  We were lucky enough to find two dresses on sale that didn’t look heinous.

I think letting your bridesmaid’s pick their own dresses is a great way to find a dress that is in their budgets and fits their bodies.  Happy bridesmaids make a happy bride.

It’s gotten to the time when Mr. soon-to-be-Heather and I are searching for our wedding bands.  We flipped through many websites and catalogs to look at different settings, but I think we had the best time making fun of the rings from a few decades ago.  People will probably make fun of our setting choices in ten years too.  Yellow gold used to be the only option for bridal jewelry, but now thanks to overwhelming advertising, everyone thinks they should buy platinum.

So, I walked into the jewelry store thinking that I was supposed to buy Mr. soon-to-be-Heather a platinum ring, but then we found out the price difference.  The platinum ring was three times the price of the white gold version.

From my extensive reading I have learned, white gold rings come in different karats which represent the ratio of gold to other metals.  As such, they are coated in rhodium to make them look shiny and more silver.  As the rhodium layer wears down, the ring will appear yellowish, but they can be re-coated periodically.  Platium rings are usually pure and do not require a rhodium layer to make them look shiny or silver.  Platinum also tends to be heavier and stronger than white gold.

If we go the wedding savings route, then the choice would be clear: purchase a white gold ring.  Sure, the layer of rhodium will wear down, but you will then have the option of plating your ring for $20-$60  every few years.

Beware of the green eyed monster: jealousy.  Brides are not only subjected to other friend’s or relative’s weddings, but they are also overwhelmed with wedding TV shows, magazines, blogs, etc.  Wedding envy can be very dangerous and damaging, here are some important things to remember while you are planning your budget affair:

1-  Your wedding is about marrying your soul-mate, and committing to one another.  Your commitment to one another should not be about throwing a platinum wedding.

2-  Your friends and family will come to your wedding because they love and support you, not because you will have string quartet, an all you can eat sushi buffet, or fireworks.

3-  Finance troubles and money arguments are one of the leading causes of divorce.  You’re getting married to start a life together, not hate each other.  Why spend an exorbitant amount of money on a wedding to start your your life together in debt?

4-  Many guests won’t actually admire frivolous details that just look like price tags, they will just think about how much money you wasted.

5-  Your wedding represents you and your soon-to-be-Mr.  Your wedding should not represent the latest bridal trend or the fancy thing that your friends did.

You don’t want to look back and regret your special day.  If you need to save money on your wedding, then that’s what you have to do.  Your day will still be special, perfect, and represent the right ideals.

Did you know that wedding hair, spa, nails and make-up appointments are often more expensive than non-wedding appointments?  I know you are probably really excited about your wedding and being a bride, but do some research before you call to set-up your appointment and drop the “w” word.  Is the stylist or artist not going to do as nice a job if it’s not for your wedding?  They will probably do the same quality work, and it will cost you half the price.  Granted, if you are having the stylist put in your veil or come to your venue it will be hard to hide your wedding, but if you’re just swinging by the salon perhaps you could be attending a formal or a family reunion instead.

Vendors love the “W” word, because it means huge mark-ups.  I’ve heard vendors rationalize these price increases because brides are more demanding than normal consumers.  I don’t think this is true.  I am much more demanding about an event for work than I am for my wedding.

In any case, wedding cakes can be very expensive, much more than normal cakes.   A dessert bar is a growing trend to replace wedding cakes.  Many guests don’t actually like wedding cake.  Why not give them a variety of yummy desserts to choose from?  If you want to partake in the cutting of the wedding cake tradition, you can always have a small cake just for you two.  Or, if having a wedding cake is important for pictures- rent a fake one.

I’ve not YET heard of a vendor marking up a wedding pie or a wedding brownie.  If the season was right, I would love an ice cream sundae bar at our wedding…

If you are early enough in your planning process, this post may actually help you!  Morning weddings are a great way to save on wedding costs and make your day less stressful.

First, there is less demand or competition for venues and vendors, so you should be able to negotiate for a better price.  Just think, how many DJs have morning gigs?  No, not too many!

Second, breakfast foods are less expensive.  Bless the incredible, edible egg because your caterer can give you great deals on brunch.

Third, your guests will consume significantly less alcohol, so your bar budget will shrivel.  Even the heaviest drinkers can’t drink THAT much before noon.  Well, they could but it’s even less wedding appropriate to be drunk at a daytime reception.

And finally, your wedding reception will be shorter, so your reservation costs will be less compared to those of an all-night affair.  There is only so much dancing people will do at 1:00 in the afternoon.

Mr. soon-to-be-Heather and I are getting married at 6:00 in the evening.  That’s a long time to have to wait to get married!  You will probably spring out of bed early on your wedding day.  Why not get the festivities started early as well?  Like I said, save money and save stress!