Budget Weddings in a Time of Financial Uncertainty

In this terrible time of financial uncertainty, wheather you are directly influenced by this crisis or are still intact, you should be more careful about your cash flow from now on.

Since young people still have to get married, you have to give a good thought about how to save money and have a budget but still perfect wedding.

It starts from renting a wedding dress. Apparel cost is huge in a wedding. Renting is less expensive than buying. Men have been renting tuxedos for years, why not wedding dress rental for women? This isn't as far fetched as it may sound. In addition to buying a wedding dress, most brides have to contend with preserving and storing the wedding dress. With a wedding dress rental, all the bride has to do is choose the dress, wear it, and return in within the allotted time period. She doesn't even have to worry about the dry cleaning.

With careful planning, costs can be kept under control and a stylish wedding achieved for a fraction of this figure. Here are some more tips.

1. Rings
Ask yourself if you really need to spend thousands on something some people lose or which wears out and becomes unusable.

2. Food
Think about making the food yourself, or at least the puddings and starters. Ask at local catering colleges if they provide a service; you might still get quality but at half the price. Alternatively, ask everyone to bring a dish!
The wedding cake needn’t be expensive either. Think about making it yourself, or go for a simple sponge. A current trend is to serve small individual ‘cup-cakes’, which aren't expensive but still look nice.

3. Photography
If you do go for a professional photographer, ensure youÂ’re certain of the number and type of prints you want and ask yourself how many you really need.
Alternatively, ask a friend who has an interest in photography, but make sure they have a good camera.

4. Honeymoon
Do you really need a villa in the Seychelles with every conceivable luxury? Honeymoons can add thousands to wedding costs. Think of hiring a romantic cottage somewhere in the UK instead. Or take advantage of low-cost flights to a European city and try to negotiate a good hotel deal (especially if you intend to go out of high season).
Alternatively, ask around among friends and family and see if anyone has a second home you could borrow, or at least rent cheaply, in the UK or abroad.

Bargain, bargain, bargain. You can negotiate for everything, from flowers to the band to the venue. Katie says she got a deal on her dress and the bridesmaid dresses by purchasing them from the same shop. Cut back on things that guests won't notice. Carley suggests eliminating a couple of courses from the dinner, limiting the bar by featuring a special cocktail, or only buying flowers that are in season. Don't lose sight of the purpose. The wedding is to celebrate your relationship, so focus on creating a memorable time as opposed to simply a lavish one.