Budget Weddings For Dummies E-Book

Meg Schneider

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 429

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

Don't let 'white blindness' drive you into debt! Make your wedding everything you want it to be on the budget you determine. Are you planning a wedding, but worried about how much money you'll have to spend? In today's tough economic times, planning a budget wedding is more important than ever. This fun, money-saving guide is packed with tips for planning the wedding of your dreams without breaking your bank account! Inside you'll find tons of tips and advice for planning a budget-friendly celebration while still remaining true to your personality, values, and tastes. You'll see how to make and keep your wedding budget; select the most economical time to get married; scope out wedding locations that fit the bill; and incorporate everything from economical to green ideas that emphasize style and elegance. Plus, you get tips and pointers for negotiating with vendors and avoiding hidden expenses and add-ons. * Hands-on information for planning a stylish wedding while sticking to your budget * How to get deals on gowns, tuxes, cakes, invitations, photography, food, and more * Use your creativity (and friends and family) to save money on decorations, food, favors, and wedding attire * Cut corners where no one will notice * Set your own priorities for your big day * Make your celebration unique You don't have to settle for less on your wedding day. Author, Meg Schneider is an award-winning journalist who planned her own wedding for less than $5,000 Budget Weddings For Dummies is the only guide you need to save yourself money, time, and stress while you plan a beautiful, memorable ceremony!

Leseprobe

Budget Weddings for Dummies®

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

What You’re Not to Read

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Coming Up with a Game Plan

Part II: Planning the Ceremony

Part III: Celebrating with Your Guests

Part IV: The Part of Tens

Part V: Appendixes

normals Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Coming Up with a Game Plan

Chapter 1: Bringing Your Wedding Dream to Life

Embracing the Real Magic of Weddings

Establishing Goals and Identifying Your Priorities

Setting goals together

Figuring out your priorities

Working out compromises

Estimating Your Budget

Staying Focused and in Control

Chapter 2: Working with a Wedding Budget

Figuring Out the Cash Flow

Establishing who’s paying for what

Calculating what you can afford

Calling for a Reality Check

Understanding average wedding costs

Agreeing on limits

Getting Others on Board with Your Budget

Dealing with pushy friends and family

Handling overzealous vendors

Matching Your Guest List to Your Budget

Looking at a Sample Budget

Chapter 3: Deciding When to Get Married and Organizing Your Timeline

Choosing a Date and Time to Suit Your Wallet

Understanding how dates and times affect prices

Avoiding expensive wedding dates

Starting (And Finalizing) Your Guest List

Reserving the Venue(s) Early to Cushion Your Budget

Locking in prices

Exploring early-bird extras

Wheeling and dealing: Negotiating your deposits

Set it in stone: Getting your contract in writing

Filling In Other Details on Your Planning Timeline

Building your wedding party

Enlisting the help of family and friends

Lining up vendors before all the good ones are booked

Deciding whether to hire a planner

Ordering wedding attire so you have plenty of time to spare

Make it legal: Taking care of your marriage license

Part II: Planning the Ceremony

Chapter 4: Deciding Where to Get Married

Beginning the Search for the Perfect Location

Choosing an Indoor Location

Going to the chapel

Saying “I do” in a reception hall

Exchanging Vows Outdoors

Reviewing some inexpensive outdoor options

Considering the climate

Backyard Nuptials: Getting Married at Home

Saving Money with Destination Weddings

Off the Beaten Path: Exploring Nontraditional Sites

Ahoy, mate: Finding deals onboard boats

Keeping costs down at castles

Holding to your budget at historic places and civic sites

Going Even Further From the Beaten Path

Chapter 5: Minimizing Wedding Party Costs

Choosing Members of Your Wedding Party

Calculating the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen

Deciding on a ring bearer and flower girl

Outfitting the Wedding Party

Dressing up your bridesmaids

Finding the best attire for the groom’s buddies

Helping the ring bearer and flower girl look as sweet as sugar

Accessorizing: It’s all about the bling

Pampering Your Wedding Party

Gifting Your Attendants

Chapter 6: Dressing for Your Big Day

Looking Like a Princess on a Pauper’s Budget

Understanding average wedding gown costs

Finding a bridal outfit that both you and your budget love

Shopping smarter by avoiding common sales tactics

Dapper and Debonair: Dressing the Groom

Picking out your penguin suit: Wearing a tux

Considering other clothing options

With This Ring: Selecting the Symbols of Your Love

Chapter 7: Hammering Out the Ceremony Details

Selecting an Officiant on a Budget

Getting the skinny on general costs

Breaking down the fees

Hearing the Music of Your Dreams — for Less

Opting for recorded music

Hiring musicians and singers

Decorating on a Dime

Chapter 8: Picking Flowers (Or Fun Alternatives)

Thinking About Your Floral Budget

Envisioning the flowers you’ll select

Selecting a style for the bridal bouquet

Choosing flowers for the wedding party

Arranging flowers for the ceremony venue

Deciding on reception flowers

Choosing a Florist

Knowing what questions to ask

Getting the details in writing

Keeping Your Floral Costs Down

Going seasonal

Creating your own arrangements

Considering alternatives to fresh flowers

Chapter 9: Capturing It for Posterity: Photography and Videography

Deciding What Kinds of Photos and Videos You Want

Selecting from the many photography styles

Considering video options

Choosing Photographers and Videographers You Can Afford

Beginning your search

Interviewing candidates

Negotiating a good deal

Getting Your Guests Involved

Chapter 10: Putting It in Print: Invitations, Programs, and Miscellany

Shopping for the Best Deals

Bricks-and-mortar print shops

Mail-order catalogs

Web sites

Choosing an Invitation Style to Fit Your Budget

Picking out paper

Comparing printing process costs

Including inserts (or not)

Adding postage

Creating Programs and Other Materials

Sending save-the-date cards

Getting your guests with the program

Showing guests to their seats

It’s a napkin! No, it’s a souvenir!

Saying thank you to your guests

DIY: Indulging Your Creativity (And Saving Money)

Part III: Celebrating with Your Guests

Chapter 11: Selecting the Reception Site

Matching Sites with Your Guest List

Finding the Best Venue for Your Reception

Church fellowship halls

Hotel ballrooms

Banquet halls

Clubs

Restaurants

Considering Transportation

Hiring a limousine service

Arranging bus transport for your guests

Exploring alternative options

Chapter 12: Feeding the Hordes

Setting a Food Budget

Adjusting the Formality Dial

Sophisticated and relaxed: Daytime receptions

A sweet affair: Dessert receptions

Cocktail receptions: A social alternative

Formality at its finest: Dinner receptions

Selecting a Caterer to Cook for the Crowd

Knowing what you’re paying for

Asking caterers the right questions

Managing Menu Choices

Answering the Alcohol Question

Understanding how you pay for alcohol

Slashing your booze bill

Keeping a lid on drunkenness

Considering liability issues

Making Your Cake the Star

Getting the skinny on average cake expenses

Selecting a baker

Cutting your cake costs

Looking at low-cost alternatives

Chapter 13: Arranging Entertainment and Preparing the Venue

Using Music to Set the Tone for the Reception

Enlisting a DJ

Hiring a band

Asking the right questions

Trimming Entertainment Costs

Choosing a budget-friendly wedding date and time

Saving a bundle with some helpful hints

Creating a Party Atmosphere with Reception Decorations

Deciding on centerpieces

Choosing other decorations

Chapter 14: Making the Most of Prewedding and Postwedding Events

Keeping Costs Down for the Rehearsal Dinner

Considering the guest list

Choosing a location

Planning the menu

Hosting Gatherings for Your Wedding Party

Bridal brunch

Groom get-together

Feting Out-of-Town Guests

Partying with Those Who Can’t Make the Wedding

Chapter 15: Honeymooning in Style — and in the Black

Thinking About the Kind of Honeymoon You Want

Saving money on cruises and resorts

Considering hotels, condos, and other alternatives

Budgeting for Your Postwedding Getaway

Covering all your travel expenses

Saving for the trip

Registering for your honeymoon

Researching Honeymoon Spots with Cost in Mind

Turning your Internet know-how into travel savings

Enlisting a travel agent

Tweaking Your Plans for Value

Hitting hot spots in the off-season

Choosing cheaper days of the week

Looking into other transportation options

The early bride gets the deal: Booking early

When being late pays off: Booking your trip at the last minute

Delaying your honeymoon

Part IV: The Part of Tens

Chapter 16: Ten Ways to Get the Most for Your Wedding Dollar

Shop Around and Get Several Different Quotes

Get Referrals from Trusted Sources

Hit the Suburbs

Search the Internet for Deals and Advice

Ask Vendors for Extras

Negotiate Discounts with Vendors

Use Your Social Network to Your Advantage

Opt for Services Instead of Gifts

Become a DIY Expert

Pay with a Rewards Credit Card

Chapter 17: Ten Inexpensive Wedding Favors

Bookmarks

Candles and Candle Holders

Candy

Coasters

Drink Mix Packets

Magnets

Photo Frames and Keychains

Plantable Favors

Soaps

Swizzle Sticks

Chapter 18: Ten Traditions to Reconsider When You’re on a Budget

A Traditional Location

Traditional Wedding Clothes

A Romantic Limo Ride

Professional Photography or Videography

The Tossing of the Bouquet (Or the Garter)

A Traditional Reception

A Traditional Tiered Cake

Professional Musicians

Monogrammed Napkins

Expensive Favors

Part V: Appendixes

Appendix A: Your Planning Calendar

Appendix B: Price Comparison Worksheets

Appendix C: Your Wedding Checklist

Appendix D: Your Wedding Budget

Budget Wedding For Dummies®

by Meg Schneider

Budget Weddings For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number:

ISBN: 978-0470567500

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Author

Meg Schneider is an award-winning writer with more than two decades of experience in journalism and public relations. She has authored or coauthored several books, including COPD For Dummies and Making Millions For Dummies (both published by Wiley). When she married in 1999, she and her fiancé had just closed a restaurant and had very little money to work with, so they looked for creative ways to keep wedding costs down while still having the kind of ceremony and reception they wanted. The final tally was less than $6,000 for a wedding with 100 guests that included professional musicians, butler-passed hors d’oeuvres, a three-course meal, professional photography, and a professionally baked cake.

Meg’s journalism honors include awards from the Iowa Associated Press Managing Editors, Women in Communications, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, Gannett, the New York State Associated Press, and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.

A native of Iowa, Meg now lives in upstate New York.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Mark Dixon, whose favorite saying comes from a Geico commercial: “I saved. I thought that meant something to you.”

Author’s Acknowledgments

No man is an island, and no book comes to market through the efforts of a single person. I gratefully acknowledge the support and contributions of:

Barb Doyen, my agent and ardent cheerleader, and a fierce proponent of saving money where you can.

Tracy Boggier and Sarah Faulkner, my editors. I thank Tracy for her skills in coming up with interesting projects, and Sarah for her ability to take reasonably good text and make it even better.

Copy editor Jessica Smith and technical reviewer Gloria Boyden. Jessica, thanks for keeping my voice active. Gloria, thanks for making sure my advice is sound.

Mark Dixon, who makes me laugh, and who has adapted remarkably well to the loopiness that so often accompanies life with a writer. (Plus, he buys me cheesecake when I finish writing a book.)

Jan and Dick Schneider, my parents, who, among other things, made planning my wedding as nearly stress-free as possible, and who have encouraged me to express my personality (even when that means breaking the rules) in every venture of life.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor:Sarah Faulkner

Acquisitions Editor: Tracy Boggier

Copy Editor: Jessica Smith

Assistant Editor: Erin Calligan Mooney

Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen

Technical Editor: Gloria Boyden

Editorial Manager:Christine Meloy Beck

Editorial Assistants: Jennette ElNaggar, David Lutton

Art Coordinator: Alicia B. South

Cover Photos: iStock

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Sheree Montgomery

Layout and Graphics:Claudia Bell, Joyce Haughey, Jennifer Mayberry

Illustrator: Elizabeth Kurtzman

Proofreaders:Cynthia Fields, John Greenough

Indexer: Sherry Massey

Special Help Todd Lothery, Elizabeth Staton

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel

Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Introduction

When I began planning my wedding in earnest, I bought a copy of a wedding planning guide for working women. I assumed, from the title, that it was aimed at women who didn’t have a lot of time or interest in planning a spectacularly formal and lavish wedding. Imagine my chagrin when I began flipping through it and came across a section on hand-rolled, personalized, individually written (in calligraphy, no less) thank-you-for-attending scrolls for each guest’s dinner setting. Appalled, I flipped some more, gaping at advice about fancy bridal party breakfasts, in-law cocktail receptions, and hot-house orchids for a winter wedding.

I immediately called my mother, demanding to know whether I was expected to do any of this blankety-blank nonsense for my wedding and who on earth was supposed to pay for it. My mother, who is a wonderful mother, said (this is a direct quote), “P’fft.”

“In the first place, you’re on a budget, so you have to set your priorities,” she continued. “But, even more important, your wedding should express your personality. Don’t do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.” I don’t know when I’ve loved her more.