'Tis the season....
Looking for affordable bridesmaid dresses?
Try shopping for them during the holiday
season - but not in expensive bridal
salons. Department stores such Sears, for
example, generally carry an excellent selection
of glamorous cocktail and evening dresses as the
season for parties approaches - but at much lower
prices than what you'd pay for similar
"bridesmaid dresses" in a bridal
boutique. With just a quick look though a local
department store before firing off this tip, I
was able to find an array of gorgeous styles
priced at a mere $49! An entire world of fabulous
finds can definitely be found for well under
$100. So now that the season is upon us, it's
time to grab your girls and hit the mall! If rock
bottom prices are what you have in mind,
here's an even better suggestion: Scour the
stores towards the end of the holiday
season when prices are being heavily marked down
and cash in on the clearance sales for even
greater savings!
Making your own
invitations? Save money by using reply postcards
instead of the usual reply cards with envelopes.
Postage rates for postcards are about 13 cents
less than the rate for stamping envelopes
(remember - you must pre-stamp the reply cards
for your guests!) Plus, by using postcards you
also save the expense of envelopes. Simply print
the response information on one side of the card,
and your address on the other side.
Want a discount when
buying supplies for your wedding? ASK for one!
What so many brides don't realize is that almost
everything really IS negotiable, but you do have
to ask for what you want. So for example,
if buying craft supplies, candles, candle
holders, rose bowls or what-have-you in large
quantities, ask the store manager if you can get
a quantity discount. This won't often work in
wedding specialty shops where almost all of their
customers are purchasing in bulk, but it does
work in craft stores, decor stores, and other
such stores where you may be picking up items for
decorating at your wedding. Major department
stores are less likely to be open to discount
negotiations.
Ask your caterer
about the availability of children's plates. You
may not be aware that you can usually save about
50% by ordering these special meals for the
little people on your guest list who are 12 years
and under. The child's plate is usually a smaller
portion than the adult meals and often consists
of something, which will have more appeal to the
younger guests. Menus such as cheese burgers or
chicken fingers and fries instead of the more
fussy food you and your adult guests will likely
be dining on. Many caterers will not mention the
option of children's plates unless they are
specifically asked because they make a larger
profit by selling adult plates. So, if you have a
number of kids on your guest list, take this tip
to cash in on the savings.
Holding your wedding
on a day other than a Saturday can often save you
money. Many halls, caterers, and other wedding
service providers will often give you a discount
if you hold your wedding on an
"off-day", such as a Friday or Sunday.
Ask them about discounts for "off-day"
weddings. If they don't currently have such a
policy, try to negotiate one with them.
Having your wedding
during the less popular months of October through
April - the so called "off season" -
can often save you money. Many halls, caterers,
and other wedding service providers will often
give you a discount if you hold your wedding
during their slow season when they have far fewer
bookings. Ask them about discounts for "off
season" weddings. If they don't currently
have such a policy, try to negotiate one with
them.
If the prices on
wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses are giving
you a bad case of sticker shock, consider having
the dress custom made. An experienced seamstress
can often create a design from a magazine picture
at a savings of about 50% of what you would pay
for an almost identical brand label dress in a
bridal boutique. When hiring a dressmaker,
designer or seamstress, look for someone well
established or well known with a good reputation.
At the very minimum, find someone who can provide
you with at least 4 references of previous bridal
clients and CHECK those references. Also ask to
see pictures of work she has done in the past. Be
sure that your designer/ seamstress has
experience specifically in bridal wear
because there are many specialized techniques
involved in designing and sewing bridal apparel
that someone who rarely works with bridal may not
be skilled with.
Purchase a very
plain, inexpensive wedding gown instead of
something more elaborate and costly. Then add
your own embellishments to the dress for a
customized, one of a kind "couture"
look using wedding sewing notions such as ribbon
roses or organza flowers and opalescent sequins
to create the kind of enhancement found on
gorgeous designer gowns. You'll save a small
fortune and feel like a star in a lavish,
original gown on your wedding day! No one will
imagine how inexpensive it really was!
If you aren't
particularly sentimental about your wedding
dress, consider renting a wedding gown.
Most cities have wedding gown rental shops that
offer a nice selection of current wedding gown
styles and designs in a variety of sizes. You'll
pay far less to rent than you could ever purchase
the very same gown for.
