Classy but cheap weddings

Planning a wedding is not easy if you are on a budget and it will take a lot longer than usual but it can be done and you will have the wedding of your dreams!

The first step to a budget wedding is knowing exactly what you want and planning ahead.

Budgeting is about being realistic and if you really want to have a fantastic dress with an expensive venue, you need to see which one you would prefer. This means that you will have to make some tough decisions about certain things and swap one great item for another.

It doesn't mean that your wedding will be terrible it just means that you have to have intelligent thinking.

Planning is important and in order to plan you need to know exactly what it is that you are wanting. Once you have an idea of what you would like, you can then start with the plans.

Budgeting means that you need to price check everything and if need be, take away certain items and replace them with cheaper ones. This does not mean that you have to make it look cheap as classy does not always mean expensive.

I have done so many budget weddings and at the end of it all, everyone has had fun, the bride has had her dream come true and the only people that get to know how much everything is and where it was bought, is the bride and immediate family.

Planning is very important and you need to know exaclty what you want before you go out and just buy.

Budget weddings are a challenge as you need to shop around and this will take time.

Your wedding can be classy on a budget as long as you take the time to plan and search for the best prices.

Function planners can help you with this but they do charge a fee which you could use on something else....like the honeymoon!

In some ways it is easier for you to hire a function planner as they get discounts on certain venues, items and know of people who can get it done on your budget.

Doing it yourself could cost you more than what it would do to hire a function planner as you will not be able to get the prices as low as they do.

For a classy but budget wedding, you need to know a few things before you start shopping.

The first thing on your mind is the dress, so decide what type and style you would like.

Hiring one can be done and the unfortunate thing with this is that you will not be able to keep it for your daughter one day, in saying this, times change and the dress that you wear on your wedding day, will not be your daughter's style when she gets married.

Finding a good dressmaker is also an option as they can work around your budget, you can alter and change the dress and it belongs to you, your special dress for your special day.

I would go with a dressmaker as she can get materials on a budget and you can get her to design and make the bridesmaids dresses too.

The materials will also be cheaper and if you get a good dressmaker, they can make up a dress according to a picture that you have.

Wedding dresses can also be bought on line but this is risky as it might not fit you with the different countries sizing.

It is a risk but if you do it way in advance then you do have time to change something if it is wrong.

A guest list can be tricky as for many, the more people you have the better the wedding! This is not the case at all and to avoid heavy expenses you need to check your list and ensure that the people you are inviting are people you truly want there to share your special day.

For a big wedding you can invite everyone but then you need to consider that the venue will have to seat everyone and each person has to eat.

You also have to get a thank you gift and card for everyone that has attended and to cut costs buffet food would be a good option.

Narrow down your list and invite only the people that you really know well.

There are many venues that you could choose but having it in a hotel is not one of them. They charge for the venue, you have to have their caterers and décor is poor here, which means that you will have to have more décor added to the already expensive total.

Look for venues that have chairs and tables with partial décor already in place and in many of these you can provide your own catering and bar services.

Many exclusive restaurants and sports clubs have a venue hire service and the fee is not crazy. Sports clubs give you the venue for a good rate but you have to use their bar service.

The venue is not important it is how you decorate it that makes it look good.

If you have a big yard, then a home wedding can also look classy if you decorate it properly.

A marquee can be placed in the backyard and you can go all out with the décor too.

Just remember that you will also have to hire chairs and tables with table cloths which will add to your total.

A beach wedding is also a great way to have a budget wedding without anyone thinking that you have gone cheap.

You can get a marquee for the wedding service and hire the chairs for half the day, which will be a little cheaper than keeping it overnight.

There are venues that have wedding function facilities which just gives you the marquee and they provide tables and chairs, the rest is up to you to get and this could give you the opportunity to save some money.

Plan what you want for your wedding

Set out how much you can afford to spend

Work around your budget by shopping carefully and investigating all options before you buy

Shorten the guest list if you can

Get family to cook

Look for venues that have tables, chairs and that are partially decorated

Cut out things that you do not need to spend on; guest gifts can be simple and traditional

Don't buy cheap, keep it quality just use less rather than more, with the exception of candles as this creates a beautiful atmosphere.

For this you have got to be careful because you need a plan on what you would like the room to look like before you go shopping for the décor.

If you do not have an idea of what you want, then you will find purchases that will be of no use to you.

Set out a theme or colour scheme for your wedding and take it from there.

Think carefully about what you would like the room to look like and keep it simple.

Elegance and class means simplicity and it doesn't mean the more you have on each table, the better or more expensive it will look.

As long as you have candles placed everywhere, your wedding will look beautiful and this will create a fantastic atmosphere.

Décor can be bought on line or you can find it through a function hire company. This is cheaper than buying it yourself as they have bulk items which they can afford to make cheaper than the stores.

You also do not need to keep all of these items unless you plan to have another wedding, so hire rather than buy.

Buffet food is the cheapest for a big wedding with lots of people and you can make it look good by adding fruit displays, candles or flowers onto the serving tables.

Keep the food simple and if you have patient and great cooks in your family, ask them to make the food for you.

All you have to do is hire the hot trays and baine Marie's from a function hire company and the rest is up to you. This will save you money buy you need to buy the food from a catering supplier which can sometimes be difficult. Find a friend that can buy it for you as the suppliers are cheaper than the grocery stores.

A la carte menu's are expensive and your guests could end up starving if you are working with a budget.

Recommended catering for a buffet wedding would be to have a selection of salads to start, potatoes, vegetable dishes, chicken, lasagne and a cheese platter. A dessert section can be expensive so you can make tarts and if you want cakes then buy them as they work out cheaper in the long run.

Tea and coffee is not necessary at a wedding so leave that for last and if you have extra money left in your budget than use it for the little things you didn't get.

Bar services works out cheaper for you if you have it supplied by the venue as you will end up buying booze that will cost you a fortune.

Most weddings allow for a cash bar so all you need to do is provide a bottle of wine on each table and your guests can buy their own drinks at the wedding.

Save the date can be done by email and all you have to do is get someone to edit a photo of the future bride and groom with the date on it.

This is just to give people notice and to let them know that you have chosen a date for your special day.

The invitations can be made by you with the help of your bridesmaids or family members. It is time consuming but it can be fun!

Shop around for the materials or take a look on line for cheap and classy looking invites that will cost you less than having them made by someone.

Thank you cards you can do the same as the wedding invitations.

Gifts for your wedding guests is simple: Traditionally a piece of the wedding cake was used and wrapped up with a thank you note on it, this works well and is all that you need.

If you want to impress your guests, remember that it will cost you for this and perhaps just spend money on the bridal party gifts, rather than each guest.

For guest gifts a great idea is to have a photo frame with a picture of the bride and groom. It is in expensive, they will remember where this comes from and they can choose to use the frame for themselves at a later stage.

Wedding gifts are always kept somewhere and guests do not really appreciate how much you have spent on it. The talk of the town is great but it costs you unnecessarily.

If you really want to add gifts save this thought for last and if you have enough in your budget left over, than buy the gifts.

You can also get ideas on line and there are many discount places to search for.