We absolutely LOVE saving money for our Couples and when we see them paying for things they don't really need when they're already on a tight budget - we have to step in. Here are some tips on what you can remove without compromising the day! 1. Menu Cards. While these are nice in theory and look amazing on the table - this is great way to save on costs since the servers will most likely tell you what is being served when they come around with your guests meals.
2. An Expensive Cake. While these look magnificent in photos - most of the time a large 5-6 tier cake is just too much and not everyone will eat it. If you are still wanting a cake on your day to cut for photos - try and opt for a smaller 1-2 tier cake to pose with and just have enough cake for the two of you and some cut up pieces on the dessert table if others want some. Likely, they will just head straight for the dance floor!
3. Two Limos. Sometimes this is absolutely necessary if there is a time crunch in the morning to get both you to the Ceremony. However, if you live within a 10 minute driving range of one another, having the Limo go grab the Groom and Groomsmen first to drop of at the Ceremony and then looping back around to grab the girls afterwards might be the perfect solution to savings on transportation costs as a whole.
4. Decorating your House/ Getting Ready Location. While this sounds cute in theory since you will be excited to get up and get ready for your big day. Most of this won't get documented. Your "Getting Ready" photos are mostly of a more narrowed in view of your shoes, your face and you getting ready as a whole so spending time decorating your house with little knick knacks might not pan out as you hope.
5. Wedding Favours. I love the idea of customizing your day and giving back to your guests in some way. However, wedding favours sadly more often than not - get left behind. Save the money and put these costs towards a really great musician during cocktail hour or an added element to the Late Night Food Stations that everyone will be talking about.
6. Formal Guest Book. Having a formal book that is written in can feel outdated and it is unlikely you are going to have this sitting out on your coffee table for years to come. Try and update this tradition with a photo station for your guests to leave you fun pictures from the day or even writing on something you can hang in your house after the big day.
7. Ceremony Programs. Now a days, Ceremonies can be so short and to the point and having a Ceremony Program can just be a bit redundant if the officiant is walking you through the whole event anyway. Our suggestion for this is to only have these if your Ceremony is in another language that some of your guests might not speak. Other than that, sit down, relax and enjoy the magic!
8. Extra Boutonnieres/ Corsages. Having these boutonnieres/ corsages for Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents etc. was a great indicator for guests to know who was apart of the Immediate Family. However, it seems that more and more couples are realizing that not everyone in the family needs a flower for the day since they tend to fall off quite easily and are hard to reattach. Not to mention they cost quite a bit of money for about 1-2 hours of wear. Save your money and put this towards adding more candles around the room or extra decorative pieces that will actually get photographed.
9. Dessert Table AND Late Night Food Station. If you are on a tight budget and wanting to save on costs, this is a great place to start as everyone knows that not all of this food gets eaten. With both of these options being so late in the evening when they get presented, most people have either left the venue already, didn't see it before they left or were just plain full from all the amazing food you served them. Our advice is to choose one or the other and be realistic with what and how much people will actually eat at this time of night.
10. Allotted Speech times for Everyone. Now you might be thinking "this doesn't cost money" but it actually does. If you are paying for open bar the entire night and your dinner service runs 3 hours because of long speeches - you're paying for a DJ to sit there, Photographers who aren't taking any new photos and an open bar with no one drinking. Just because you have three sisters and 2 Maids of Honour, doesn't mean that everyone needs to make a speech and take up all of the dancing time. Instead suggest that they write you a really beautiful letter to present to you on the Wedding day or they all come together to make a nice video for you instead. If your guests have to listen to more than 6 people speak throughout the dinner service, it will get really tiresome after a while especially if you have some talkers in your family.
All my love,
Charlie Rodgers.