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Wedding Money Saving Tips - Events - Nairaland

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Wedding Money Saving Tips by Itulah(m): 1:21pm On Jul 04, 2014
You can have your dream wedding without breaking the
bank or sacrificing style. All that is required is creativity,
and focus on your long term goals (beyond the
ceremony itself). From reserving a low-cost wedding
ceremony site, to getting creative with décor, you can
create your dream wedding and still stay within your
budget.
One thing you have to get straight up front is that
nothing in the wedding ceremony is compulsory or cast
in concrete. From wedding gown to your vows, cakes to
decor, you name it. You can customize it. You can wed
in church/mosque or in court. You can wear the
traditional white, choose your colour, wear a skirt suit or
Aso Oke depending on the venue. It is your call. You
can bring your personality into your wedding.
It is not a do or die affair, or something to go broke
over. Your wedding is not an investment (although
some folks believe you may get cash gifts over and
above what you spent, but you may be surprised).
The first thing to do is to determine your budget, and
stick to it.
Wedding Date
Getting married on a working day can save you a lot of
money, from cheaper hall rental to reduced crowd to
feed at reception. It will also give you more leverage for
negotiation with vendors, as business is slow on week
days. It also works out cheaper for guests flying in.
Bridal Gown
This is a very emotional topic. An average bride wants a
designer wedding gown, event it means punching giant
holes in the wedding budget. You have 3 options - rent,
sew or buy (from a designer or order from abroad). If
you are serious about saving money, renting is the way
to go. For a dress you will only wear for a few hours,
buying one when you cannot afford it is an emotional
decision.
Groom's Suits
Same as the bride, you can use what you have, sew or
buy a designer suit. Unlike the case of the bride, you
can use the suit after the wedding, if you bought a
normal suit and nothing outlandish. Again, there is no
law that says the groom and the best man must wear
the same thing. If you cannot afford a new suit or see
no reason why you must get a new one, do your thing.
Invitation Cards and Program
Here too, you have options. You can produce yours on a
PC (if you are good with computer graphics), get a
friend to help or give it to a printer. Doing it yourself
gives you more control and peace of mind, if you know
what you are doing.
Reception Venue
You have different options when it comes to the venue,
depending on your budget. You can use a church or
school hall, an events centre, a field or a friend's or
family member's garden. Again, it depends on your
budget (and number of invitees). If you want to save
money, if you have a free option, why shell out so much
money?
Decoration
You can shop for an inexpensive decorator (getting
contacts from recently married friends or
acquaintances), or if you have a close friend who is
good at it, do it for you. You only get to buy the
materials. Just make sure it is something they have
done before, and not using your event to learn.
Food and Drinks
You will want to outsource this one to avoid the stress
involved. If you have an army of dependable helpers,
then you can take the risk of going the do-it-yourself
route. However, if you want to hire a vendor to handle
this, you can tap into your network, and get quotes
from 3 - 4 vendors, to get a good deal. Note also that
cheap can bite, and end up being more expensive.
Whoever you decide on should come highly
recommended. Also you can keep costs down by
choosing a simple menu and reducing the number of
invitees. There is no point trying to outdo the last
wedding you attended.
Video and Photography
You will want to leave this to the professionals, unless
you have a close friend or family who will handle it free
or at cost, as a gift to you. Since this is a memory you
will enjoy for the rest of your life, you will want this
professionally done, as you cannot rewind to capture it
again.
Honeymoon
Many couples are ready to splash on the wedding, and
skip the honeymoon altogether. This is not a good idea.
Although a honeymoon is not compulsory, this period is
pays off in starting off your marriage on a sound
footing - a time to let out the stress of the past months
and time to bond properly before rushing into the next
phase of your lives. It serves as a time to set the tone
for your marriage by revisiting your rules of engagement
and modus operandi as a couple. It is a moment to
cherish and enjoy, before screaming kids arrive on the
scene. It does not have to be expensive. There are
many resorts in Nigeria that fit the bill.
Reduce Number of Vendors
The fewer vendors you have to pay, the cheaper for you
do to economy of scale. For example, having the same
person do your hair and make-up is cheaper that using
different people, same with catering and decoration,
cake etc. Package deals work out cheaper if you
negotiate well. However, be sure the vendor can deliver
on all counts. Avoid being penny wise, pound foolish.
Consult widely.
Stick to Your Guns
After you have made your initial decision, stick to it.
Don't keep upgrading and increasing the budget as the
day draws nearer, and as you witness more weddings.
You are not in a competition, and there are no prizes at
stake. Keep your eye on the big picture - life after your
wedding.
Whatever you decide, remember that the main focus of
the wedding ceremony is you and your groom, and what
you really want – not how much money you spent. As
much as it is nice to whao the crowd momentarily, what
happens thereafter matters more than the public show.
Rather than keep delaying your wedding because of
money, cut your plans to size, do it and move on with
the much anticipated phase of your life.

2 Likes

Re: Wedding Money Saving Tips by whao: 7:31pm On Jul 04, 2014
Itulah:
You can have your dream wedding without breaking the
bank or sacrificing style. All that is required is creativity,
and focus on your long term goals (beyond the
ceremony itself). From reserving a low-cost wedding
ceremony site, to getting creative with décor, you can
create your dream wedding and still stay within your
budget.
One thing you have to get straight up front is that
nothing in the wedding ceremony is compulsory or cast
in concrete. From wedding gown to your vows, cakes to
decor, you name it. You can customize it. You can wed
in church/mosque or in court. You can wear the
traditional white, choose your colour, wear a skirt suit or
Aso Oke depending on the venue. It is your call. You
can bring your personality into your wedding.
It is not a do or die affair, or something to go broke
over. Your wedding is not an investment (although
some folks believe you may get cash gifts over and
above what you spent, but you may be surprised).
The first thing to do is to determine your budget, and
stick to it.
Wedding Date
Getting married on a working day can save you a lot of
money, from cheaper hall rental to reduced crowd to
feed at reception. It will also give you more leverage for
negotiation with vendors, as business is slow on week
days. It also works out cheaper for guests flying in.
Bridal Gown
This is a very emotional topic. An average bride wants a
designer wedding gown, event it means punching giant
holes in the wedding budget. You have 3 options - rent,
sew or buy (from a designer or order from abroad). If
you are serious about saving money, renting is the way
to go. For a dress you will only wear for a few hours,
buying one when you cannot afford it is an emotional
decision.
Groom's Suits
Same as the bride, you can use what you have, sew or
buy a designer suit. Unlike the case of the bride, you
can use the suit after the wedding, if you bought a
normal suit and nothing outlandish. Again, there is no
law that says the groom and the best man must wear
the same thing. If you cannot afford a new suit or see
no reason why you must get a new one, do your thing.
Invitation Cards and Program
Here too, you have options. You can produce yours on a
PC (if you are good with computer graphics), get a
friend to help or give it to a printer. Doing it yourself
gives you more control and peace of mind, if you know
what you are doing.
Reception Venue
You have different options when it comes to the venue,
depending on your budget. You can use a church or
school hall, an events centre, a field or a friend's or
family member's garden. Again, it depends on your
budget (and number of invitees). If you want to save
money, if you have a free option, why shell out so much
money?
Decoration
You can shop for an inexpensive decorator (getting
contacts from recently married friends or
acquaintances), or if you have a close friend who is
good at it, do it for you. You only get to buy the
materials. Just make sure it is something they have
done before, and not using your event to learn.

Whao!!!! This is self explanatory, thanks a lot for such breakdown. I think I have learn from your write up even do I might not do as you describe.

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Whadup My Naija Bride!!! / Please What Did The Following Colours Connotes In An Event???? / A Friend Wedding I Attended Today Saturday 13 august, 2016.

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