Some Money Saving Tips

I have a friend whose Facebook status recently stated that she’d started collecting bottles to earn extra money for her wedding. I’m not sure that she was joking or not.

Weddings, as everyone knows, are expensive, particularly if you’re getting married in the city. There’s an interesting thread over on the Canadian Bride Talkboards where brides-to-be are sharing their per person costs. Prices vary from $13 from $135. Guess where the $13 per person wedding isn’t taking place.

 

So how do you have a Toronto wedding that doesn’t put you in debt but at the same time is a memorable, special affair that you’ll look back on fondly, instead of with regret?  Well, here five ideas… 

1. Cut your guest list

One of the most efficient ways to trim your costs is to trim your guest lists. Now, I’m assuming that you’re paying for your wedding yourself, no parental money involved, so you can fully control your guest list. This means that you can say no, your mother’s entire book club won’t be attending the wedding or no, people under 18 aren’t invited.

Of course, this approach can result in some awkwardness, maybe even some arguments, but stay strong and remember that if you’re paying for it, it’s your call. Your bank account will thank you for it and you won’t find yourself annoyed on your wedding day at having to pay $120 to feed that old neighbour you always hated. 

2. Cheap out on the table wine

I’m not suggesting that you serve your guests Wild Vine but don’t feel that you have to serve the good stuff, even if Uncle Joe does consider himself a wannabe sommelier. There are plenty of good $10 wines out there and your caterer/venue should be willing to work with you to find something that compliments your meal while respecting your budget. Besides, if the bar’s been open for several hours before dinner, most people aren’t going to remember what wine you served at dinner. 

3. Shrink the cake

Repeat after me: you do not need a five-tier cake, you do not need a five-tier cake. Oh sure, they look pretty but they also cost plenty.  This chart shows how many people can be fed can certain size cakes but remember, many people won’t eat a piece of your cake, particularly if you’re offering other dessert options. And you’re that concerned that you might run short on cake, get a sheet cake as a back-up, it’s much cheaper than adding another couple of tier to your heart-shaped, icing-dripping cake-trosity.  

4. Set up a twoonie bar

I realize that this is a bit of a touchy issue. Some people find the idea of a cash bar just shocking and in incredibly poor taste. If you or your family is like this, skip this suggestion. You don’t want your wedding to be remembered as “the one where you had to pay for booze”.

But if this isn’t a sensitive topic, do consider having a twoonie bar. The nice thing about a twoonie bar is that it helps you out cost-wise but doesn’t make you look a total cheapass. It also helps countdown on wasteful drinking, something that could save you hundreds of dollars, depending on how your bar package is set up.

5. Ditch the extras

Do you ever watch “Rich Bride, Poor Bride”? Have you ever noticed how the “other” category is usually thousands and thousands of dollars? This is the category you have to watch out for, all the little stuff that adds up big time. Items that fall into this category that you can often get rid of or downscale on include programs (they’ll just end of in the recycling bin or worse, the trash); menu cards (let your meal be a surprise); transportation (no, you don’t need a limo bus); attendants’ gift (sure, get them something nice but be reasonable) and favours (again, be reasonable, no one’s coming to your wedding because they want stuff from you).

In fact, there's so many ways to cut down "extra" costs that I could write multiple entries on it.  I think I will in the future.