The wedding is an anticipated event of your life. Most people want to make it very memorable. But a memorable wedding can be so expensive- you have to allocate a minimum of $25,000 for a US wedding. With the current global economic crisis you would probably prefer to spend less on a one-day wedding event. Creating a wedding plan helps to allow flexibility and give you enough time to attain your goal of an inexpensive wedding budget. The first thing you should do before anything else is to discuss it with your partner. Remember that this is a special day for the both of you and the decisions should show consent of the both of you. The important parts of your wedding list are the ceremony, reception, flowers, the entourage dresses and accessories, the videography and photography, wedding cakes, wedding cake toppers, the wedding music, the wedding ring, wedding centerpieces, souvenirs/gifts, unique wedding invitations, and the transportation.

Wedding Ceremony

Most wedding ceremonies are done in the church but some prefer a different venue. If you are bound by your religion and are required to follow church wedding only, your expenses may include; decorations of the altar, the fee for the officiant and the fee for the wedding singer. You can save on the altar decorations depending on the season. You can opt to using simple decorations like white laces for bows and put only few on the front rows just enough to reserve the seats for your important guests. Seasonal flowers are more affordable instead of buying expensive ones. You may also do the arrangement on your own to save some money instead of buying arranged flowers. As for your officiant, some states allow almost anyone to apply for just a minimal fee. You can ask your friend or relatives to marry you to save for the fees. Pre-recorded music can be used instead of hiring live wedding singer.

Reception

Remember that the biggest share of your budget is the wedding food. A good reception serves the variety of foods that are healthy and fits the guests’ palate. You wouldn’t want to serve exotic food that only you can eat. Simple foods are less expensive and are less risky to serve. The best way to trim down your cost is to limit your guests to close relatives and friends. Next, decide on the time of the reception, normally the weektimes, winter, Friday and Sunday are the cheapest to book. You should avoid peak holiday periods to get the most reasonable prices. Consider also a late breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or cocktail party reception because they are shorter in length and the fare is lighter - which means lighter also on your budget.

Wedding Flowers

The flower accentuates your wedding event. You can choose to use fresh cut flowers which are in season and choose arrangements accordingly or you can also do it on your own. Let the bridesmaids carry simple or even single flowers If you would like a larger bouquet. You can use candles, glass bowls with stones, or silk flowers and arrange your centerpieces ahead of time. You can trim your floral budget in half or more if you do a little planning in advance.

Wedding Dresses and Accessories

Your wedding gown should not cost you a lot even if you want to wear gold wedding shoes. If your wedding is a little informal consider buying evening gowns and cocktail dresses. You can also look for sample sales, vintage and rental shops, using your mother’s gown or consignment. Also, allocate a budget for alterations which can cost several hundred dollars depending on the needs to alter. For your entourage, you can consider renting in bulk, this way you can get a big discount. Your wedding accessories can be borrowed from a relative or a close friend. There are several sites that provide information on creating your own wedding ring which could save you a big budget and makes a personalize effect at the same time.

Wedding Music

When you inquire about the reception you can also check on the sound system and if it can hook up to stereo or MP3 player. You can measure the length of each parts of your wedding will be and create a playlist to play the right music accompaniment. Also, consider hiring a DJ instead of a band. They are more affordable and can adapt to a variety of musical types.

Bridal Car

If you know a friend with a nice car, you can ask them a favor of driving you to your wedding day. If you intend to rent a limousine, search for a best price offer and their offered wedding packages. Never hire it for the whole day because you will just be spending money on the driver who will just wait around.

Wedding Photography and Videography

Several ways can be done to reduce high costs of photography and videography service. You can hire students majoring in Photography or reduce the time you hire a photographer or create the wedding album yourself. You can even ask a relative or friend to video your wedding.

Wedding Invitations

The best way to save on invitation is to print your own. You can shop for invitation kits that are affordable and presentable at the same time. Just prepare content ahead of time and run some samples before printing it on your stationary.

Wedding Souvenirs

The souvenirs you give to your gusts serve as your way of thanking them and they are not supposed to be expensive. Cookies or cakes can be your option and you can print your pictures and attach it to your favors. Bridal gifts should be something that is useful and can be kept like picture frames, decors and display items. If you are in a tight budget, you can consider skipping out this area.

Finally, whether your budget is large or small remember that wedding planning is stressful. Find time to relax and breathe, enjoy every moment and never forget that whatever happens, it is not the material things that matter in your wedding but the people in the event who shares with you.

Many wedding events bring inspirations to the guest. Most single individuals wish they will have the same wedding events same with the one they attended. They are somehow secretly jotting down on their minds the details of their “would-be” wedding day. The preparation to wed starts with the basic, writing down your wills.

Basic Preparation

You and your partner are the main accessories to your wedding day event your wishes are the ones to come true and not the parents, friends or other guests. If you are thinking of marriage you have to start writing down how you want your wedding day to come true. You should have a notebook to write down all the basics of your wedding plans. You can use a simple notebook or a wedding planner which shows the step-by-step guide to planning a wedding and tips that help big deal.

Start Planning

1. The wedding concept

Start with the concept of the wedding. Do you want a church wedding, a beach, a unique wedding or a civil wedding? What wedding motif do you prefer? When you choose the wedding motif always remember to choose only the color motif that will make you stand out when you are surrounded with that color motif. It is also best to use light colors on a daytime wedding and dark color motif on night weddings. Never use too bright colors because they distract too much attention to the eyes leaving low interest to the wearer or to the bride.

2. The Budget

When you have decided on what type of wedding you want then decide on the budget. How much are you willing to spend for your wedding day celebration? How much savings you have that you want spent on just a one-day wedding event? If you do not have an idea about the price of a wedding based on your concept, this will help if you do a survey on the price of a wedding event. You may ask your friend who had recently married, or ask a quotation from a wedding specialist.  Whether you decide to set your budget after listing all the allocations or before that, it depends on your available funding. Just remember that your main goal is to be able to hold a wedding event.

3. The Guest List

After deciding how much do you want to spend on your wedding day event decide on the number of people who will form part of your special day celebration. Remember to multiply each guest to two when you count the final number list.

4. Making the Wedding Memorable

There are varied ways in making your wedding day a special one. The most common ways include parlor games, the newly wed’s paper money dance, selling keepsakes to the guest to raise fund for the newly-wed, a presentation video, and many others. If you want to be unique you can think of your own special ways to do it like designing your own wedding ring instead of usual gold wedding rings, or other accessories, having a unique bridal dress, ivory bridal shoes, colorful wedding invitations, and so on.

5. Making the Wedding Memory Lasts

Indeed your wedding day is celebrated in a one-day event but you can make it last by choosing the right photography and videography services. The quality of your pictures and videos will determine the years of time you can make your wedding memories last. Look your best with wedding and bridal makeup.

Implement your Plans as Scheduled

The purpose of having a plan is to avoid forgetting any important details of your wedding day. You have to follow a strict deadlines for you to ensure that everything is in the right order and are handled very well according to plans.