Seattle -
Planning a wedding on a tight budget is stressing out many brides right now.
For some, the tough economy means no elaborate ceremonies or receptions, but there's a lot you can do to plan a frugal yet fabulous wedding.
Angela Alanis got married on May 30, 2009 in Seattle and says she was stressed for months about paying the bill.
"It was a shock when the venue and catering bill was going to be the entire budget! We really had to prioritize," says Alanis.
Seattle wedding planner Wendi Hroncich of Ethereal Events says she saw a slight decline in wedding planning budgets in 2008, but in 2009, it's a demand among most brides. In fact, a recent survey shows 40% of brides have cut their budgets this year because of the economy.
So where do you start when it comes to cutting costs? One easy way is decor, and skipping elaborate centerpieces. If you have a wedding of 200 guests at 20 tables of 10, having a large elaborate centerpiece at each table could cost you 200 dollars on the high end per centerpiece. That's a total of $4,000! If you choose to use colored linens at about $15 dollars a piece, and a smaller arrangement like floating flowers and candles, you could be paying about $600 dollars for your centerpieces. That is a savings of $3,400.
Some other ideas include bringing your own alcohol and caterer to your reception, assembling your own invitations and using an iPod for dinner and cocktail hour, and only hiring a DJ or band for dancing afterwards.
For some, the tough economy means no elaborate ceremonies or receptions, but there's a lot you can do to plan a frugal yet fabulous wedding.
Angela Alanis got married on May 30, 2009 in Seattle and says she was stressed for months about paying the bill.
"It was a shock when the venue and catering bill was going to be the entire budget! We really had to prioritize," says Alanis.
Seattle wedding planner Wendi Hroncich of Ethereal Events says she saw a slight decline in wedding planning budgets in 2008, but in 2009, it's a demand among most brides. In fact, a recent survey shows 40% of brides have cut their budgets this year because of the economy.
So where do you start when it comes to cutting costs? One easy way is decor, and skipping elaborate centerpieces. If you have a wedding of 200 guests at 20 tables of 10, having a large elaborate centerpiece at each table could cost you 200 dollars on the high end per centerpiece. That's a total of $4,000! If you choose to use colored linens at about $15 dollars a piece, and a smaller arrangement like floating flowers and candles, you could be paying about $600 dollars for your centerpieces. That is a savings of $3,400.
Some other ideas include bringing your own alcohol and caterer to your reception, assembling your own invitations and using an iPod for dinner and cocktail hour, and only hiring a DJ or band for dancing afterwards.
