From the mouth of Martha Stewart…

This month in Martha Stewart Weddings, there is a long article with 50 tips on how to save money for your wedding. Here are a few of the highlights:

*Rank your priorities.
*Think out-of-the-banquet-hall.
*Say YES to all-inclusive.
*Think monochromatic (all one color).
*Supersize your flowers — choose larger buds so that you will need less flowers.
*Give a newbie a break.
*Eat family style.
*Limit your bar — perhaps beer, wine and a signature cocktail.
*Cut the cake — serve other less costly desserts.
*Lose the limo.
*Hire an expert — a wedding planner/coordinator.

The last one is one our favorites! It might seem crazy but hiring a planner or coordinator can actually SAVE you $$. How you ask? By using their connections with vendors, by negotiating on your behalf for lower rates and because they have worked with brides on a budget before, they know how to help you! Let us put our expertise to work for you, I know you won’t be sorry .

Other suggestions we especially like:

Give a newbie a break! Just because a company is new, doesn’t mean they don’t know what they’re doing! Check out their work, have a meeting with them, you could be pleasantly surprised!

Say YES to all inclusive! Find a venue with a package. For instance Historic Kinloch offers an all inclusive package which offers you the venue, food, flowers, cake, etc, for one low price. With most deals like this, you can pay a bit extra and upgrade the elements that you care about most. Also look for vendors who offer packages as well. For instance flowers and cake.

Cut the cake! Consider cupcakes or a dessert bar. This could prove to be less expensive than a multi-tiered cake with intricate details.

When all else fails, talk to your vendors about your budget up front. If you find that what you want initially is too expensive, ask them what they can do for the money you have! Ask about substitions, etc.

And if we can help at all, let us know!