frugal underground

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Everyone wants their wedding day to be special. Unfortunately, most people can’t afford the fairy tale wedding that celebrities have. You can get into serious debt if you don’t know how to get the best deals. Here are some simple, and practical money saving tips for planning a wedding. (This is a subject that’s near and dear to me, since my youngest sister, Leanna, got married last weekend. She followed most of these tips.)

Keep the guest list as small as possible. Invite immediate family and close friends only. If you don’t want a tiny wedding, a guest list of 50-75 is just intimate enough for a brief and personal greeting with each guest.

Make the wedding favors yourself. This doesn’t have to be super labor-intensive. My sister got wedding-themed conversation hearts and some little bags with drawstrings; they cost a tiny bit more than circles of netting with ribbons, but she assembled all the favors in less than an hour.

If possible, have the food set up buffet style instead of served. Leanna got some “sandwich trays” from the local supermarket and it was very easy to arrange them in a buffet line.

Instead of having a special cake designed, you can make it yourself. You can also have a non traditional cake. One idea is to have a couple different cakes prepared, with one special cake with the bride and groom’s names, or something special, so you know which one to cut.

Keep the bridal party small. Just have a best man and maid of honor.

If you can, buy your wedding dress during the $99 gown sale at David’s Bridal or consider Target. Leanna didn’t find anything she loved in those cases, but she did get a gorgeous and fairly inexpensive non-sale dress at David’s Bridal.

Get your shoes from a department store, not a specialty shoe shop. My bridesmaid shoes were on sale for $20.

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I’m a little behind-the-times on this, but I had to smile when I saw that Target is now selling wedding dresses (see the press release).

The prices range from $89.99 to $159.99 (as of this writing), which actually is pretty close to what I paid for my dress if I remember correctly. They’re generally nice looking dresses, though obviously you have a much smaller selection than if you are looking in a more traditional budget.

Many folks are questioning whether or not people will buy wedding dresses from a big box store like Target, but to me, the bigger question is the online aspect. Current reviews suggest that some brides absolutely love their dresses (though I’m sure this appeals more to the pragmatic type than the princess type), while others are disappointed. To me, that suggests a lack of accurate expectations.

More buyer reviews will help somewhat, but I think Target would do well to use one of the virtual model services, or at least provide much more detailed information and photos that brides could look at before ordering. Some of the complaints have been size-related, and that’s totally avoidable just by offering fit info in excruciating detail.

I’m not planning on ever buying another wedding dress, but my personality is a great match for these dresses: I hate going and trying on dresses endlessly, I’m frugal, and I’m pragmatic. I expect that the dresses will sell well if Target makes them just a little easier to commit to.

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Yesterday I came across a relatively new (December ‘05) blog devoted to the art of frugality. I was looking at the Relevant book store and my eye was drawn (of course!) to “Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot” by Cara Davis (I should clarify: I’m not getting married, I’m just cheap). As I read through the description, I was delighted to find a web address (not linked, go figure) to Cara’s blog, Cheap Ways To …

This is good stuff, folks. Cara has a unique set of topics, and every one of her titles and exerpts made me want to read the whole post (so maybe this isn’t a great thing if you have stuff to get done right now). Every blogger has their own kind of posts, and Cara’s are interesting and practical. I found the post “Coupon Fraud” somewhat surprising, as I had no idea this was going on. I also appreciated Cara’s reflection on ethics. Frugality doesn’t exist in a vaccuum, so it’s good to see a holistic approach.

I’ve added Cara’s blog to my sidebar, and I encourage you all to check it out. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

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CiN Weekly has a short article on “Frugal & fresh” weddings. Frankly, I think they have a different idea of frugal than I do (they highlight a dress by a “lesser-known designer” for $875 retail; that’s a large chunk of the entire cost of my wedding). But they have some ideas that might be helpful, especially those who think that a wedding has to be expensive. I think the best aspect of the article is that it will hopefully inspire some creative, out-of-the-box kind of thinking—the kind of thinking that can save a bundle.

Related Link: wedding invitation, ribbon, satin ribbon, organza ribbon, sheer ribbon, grosgrain ribbon, tulle, wedding tulle, all on Sale! Huge Selection. Wholesale Price Available after registration.

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