Your Big Day on a Dime
(ARA) - A wedding to treasure doesn't have
to break the bank. In fact, with smart
planning and a little research, you can have
a beautiful and memorable wedding with money
left over for the honeymoon.
According to experts at The Art Institutes,
the best way to begin planning your wedding
is to start with a ballpark budget in mind.
Determine your high and low price and then
head online to do research. By using the
Internet, experts say , you can find prices
for everything from wedding gowns to
photography to reception halls. This gives
you a great starting point.
Once you know what you can spend, Suzanne
Morrison-Williams, Academic Department
director of interactive media design at The
Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, suggests
involving friends and family to help offset
costs. For example, she says , you may have
friends who are DJs or amateur photographers
and are willing to donate their talents for
your big day.
"Friends can also help with decorations and
flowers," she says. "Flowers bouquets can
take up a big part of your budget. While
roses are beautiful, they can be expensive.
Instead, look for flowers that are in season
and usually cost less." If your heart is set
on expensive blooms, she says, use fewer for
more dramatic impact. You can also save on
the wedding budget using silk flower
bouquets.
Experts all agree, though, the biggest cost
of almost any wedding is the reception,
including the location and food. But with a
little imagination, there are inexpensive
and creative alternatives to the traditional
reception hall. Alison Paster, academic
director of the Fashion Merchandising/Visual
Merchandising programs at The Art Institute
of Philadelphia, recently attended a lovely
and quaint wedding on the beach.
"The venue was free, and it was a stunning
backdrop," she says. The bride purchased a
dress on sale from David's Bridal for $99,
and the reception included simple covered
dishes and grills for barbecue.
Other ideas to borrow from a simple
beach wedding, says Paster, include table
centerpieces of beach glass in fish bowls,
white M&Ms in netting with a silver bow for
favors, and wedding invites and programs
done on the computer using decorative paper
and hand-made accents. Paster recommends
finding inspiration from your setting, and
shopping at local craft stores for table
setting and wedding
favor ideas.
If a beach wedding isn't your style, you can
still find a bargain. As the Academic
Department director, Culinary & Pastry Arts
for The Art Institute of New York City,
Robynne Maii wanted a restaurant wedding
reception, and with a little negotiation,
she got just what she wanted, at a good
price. "When we originally started asking
about renting a restaurant for our
reception, the prices were very high," says
Maii. "However, when you speak directly with
the owners, prices go down significantly
especially if you want a lunch or brunch."
More tips for weddings on a budget from
experts at The Art Institutes include:
* If you have your heart set on the $1,200
dress, find a dressmaker and you can get it
made for $500.
* For elegant food, simpler is better.
Guests do not need a large variety of hors
d'oeuvres or entrée choices. It is better to
be specific with what the couple wants and
have it executed well. Don't try to please
everyone. You always have better quality
with less quantity.
* For the location, try something offbeat
like a park with a ballroom or a school
gymnasium. Some apartment or condo complexes
have clubhouses that they allow residents to
use for a few hundred dollars.
* Consider booking your wedding on a Friday
night or Sunday morning or afternoon. Since
these are not popular days, you may get a
discount for using that non-premium time.
* If you don't have a crowd that drinks a
lot of alcohol and you are using a location
that includes alcohol in the per head cost,
then simply remove premium alcohol and serve
only wine and beer. That will lower the cost
by about $8 per person. Then reserve about
$200 for those few persons who might want
whisky, etc.
* Go to your local college, art or music
school to find out about hiring students to
play music or take photographs. These
schools may be able to refer you to students
who are often willing to work for less in
exchange for the experience and building
their portfolio. Be sure to ask for samples
and references, but be flexible. Generally,
students are not professionals.
Courtesy of ARA Content
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Art
Institutes system of 31 education
institutions is located throughout North
America, providing an important source of
design, media arts, fashion and culinary
professionals. The Art Institutes system of
schools has provided career-oriented
education programs for over 40 years. For
more information, visit The Art Institutes
website at www.artinstitutes.edu/nz |
