"Oh my gosh, I have to have that at my wedding." That's what wedding planner, Karen Clark with Something Borrowed, Something Blue, says she hears from many of her brides when they start planning their big day. She says you can get that look in a more budget friendly way.
For example, a guest table all decked out with a fabulous look that includes custom linens, along with chargers, flat wear, colored glasses, satin napkins and beautiful flowers costs $550 a table.
Classic Party Rentals and Amazing Floral Events designed two great looks. Compare the tables. The second table is a similar look to the first table, with the same color scheme and design but in a more budget friendly effective way.
Clark says, "Still great arrangement just not spending as much money on flowers, glassware, and linens." Just in flowers alone you'll save $295 per guest table.
How about saving when it comes to invitations?
Clark showed us a top design from The Green Kangaroo, "You can get 100 for $1,700."
What bride wouldn't love to send the beautiful invites out, but not all can afford the price tag?
The good news is that it can be scaled down to something which costs $1,160 for 100. Clark adds, "Same feel as far as color and beach concept." If that's still too pricey for your budget, you can get close to the same look from what started at $1,700. Even with 100 invites, the a price tag is just $590. That's a savings of more than $1,100.
Clark says, "So we don't need to lose the concept of what your found in magazine. Just find a way to be creative way with it."
How about saving on the cake? We have two over the top fabulous looks from The Art of Cake that will cost you. One is complete with handmade sugar flowers that comes along with a price tag of $3,000. The other is also beautiful and has a lot of attention to detail and runs $2,000.
How do you cut the cost to below $900?
Clark says, "Take [the] base of [a] cake and make all real cake and then have the florist do the florals for the topiary portion, which would bring the cost down dramatically."
There's another way to get the look but for less.
Clark adds, "Do a smaller cake and then have a sheet cake or what a lot of people call kitchen cake in the back. So, they actually wheel [a] smaller cake into [the] back and then cut everything in [the] back and bring out [the] cake to guests and [they] never know."
Want some more Super Saver ideas? Stay away from the traditional Saturday evening wedding and reception. Clark says you can save by having it on a Friday or Sunday, and save even more if you switch to a lunch or brunch wedding.
Clark says one of the ways to save the most money is by taking a look at your guest list. While it would be great to invite all your family, friends and co-workers, cutting your list by 20, 10 even 5 people could save you hundreds even thousands. Remember each invite typically means two people.
The one thing Clark says no bride should cut costs on is the photographer. She says because the wedding day goes so fast and is such a blur, you want to make sure a good photographer captures those special moments and details so you'll have those memories forever.
Thanks to the vendors that helped show budget friendly ways to save on your wedding.
Something Borrowed, Something Blue
www.somethingborrowedsomethingblue.com
Classic Party Rentals
www.classicpartyrentals.com
Amazing Floral Events
www.amazingfloralevents.net
The Art of Cake
www.theartofcake.com
The Green Kangaroo
www.tgkdesigns.com
For more money saving ideas, check out Troubleshooter Diane Wilson's Blog at www.abc11.com/troubleshooterblog.
