MONEY SAVING TIPS

1. Use the Media & Web

Always borrow/buy magazines and attend wedding fairs for ideas. BUT then check  Staffordshire suppliers on the web and smaller local companies, visit the free to enter fairs, ask questions then compare ALL quotes, you will be amazed at the price variations.

 Larger wedding fairs can restrict exhibitors keeping prices artificially high whilst charging exhibitors upwards of £400+VAT per stand. Then have the cheek to charge you an entry fee too.

Who pays for all this…    YOU DO!

2. Reduce The Wedding Guest List

Every time you add a name to your invitation list, you're increasing your budget. It's not just catering costs, but also the extra table decorations, rentals, etc. Don't invite anyone you haven't talked to in four years & don’t feel obligated to let single people bring a date. Avoid feeling pressured to invite all work colleagues & don’t allow friends to bring children. Also eliminate categories like "distant relatives”.

 3.Use E-Bay

 Everything from second-hand dresses to wedding favors, cake toppers, balloons and more. Be sure to allow ample time for postage. Look for trusted sellers whose feedback indicates they have correctly represented what they have sold.

 4. Wedding Food and Drink

Be honest with your caterer about your need to save money. Ask them which are the least expensive options and whether the buffet is cheaper than a seated dinner. See if they'll let you provide your own drinks, or if  wine and beer only will be cheaper than a full bar. Also consider having the bar open during for an hour, then serving an inexpensive wine with dinner.

 5. Wedding Cars

Shop around as the transport is a crucial part of your day. Don’t assume all companies charge the same or that a cheaper quote is for an inferior car. Ask if one car can make two trips (cheaper for you), chances are they will try to sell you two cars View the cars and ask questions, some companies have lower running costs or fewer bookings and will be keen to offer discounts.

 6. Change the Day/Time

Have your wedding on a weekday or a Sunday. There is less demand for these dates, so companies will often be willing to give you a better deal. Also if you get married earlier in the day wedding car companies will offer a discount.

 7. Flowers

Ask friends to take the flowers from the church to the reception as they can be used again.

 8. Wedding Cake

Have the top tier made of fruit and the rest sponge, also do you know anyone who is a genius in the kitchen? Plain white cakes are available in the supermarkets, why not decorate your own or add minimal decoration and a fresh flower display using a rented cake stand available from most cake décor suppliers

 9.Wedding Planners

What’s this all about? You know what you want and the budget involved. Half the fun is planning and arranging your big day, unless you are a film star / lazy. At the end of the day you are paying for their services and the amount you spend has nothing to do with how long you will stay together!

i.e. Nearly all  Pop, T.V.& Film Stars

 10. How Many Bridesmaids is Too Many?

Some brides dream of a huge wedding, thinking that with so many friends to help, wedding planning will be easy, the Hen & Stag night a riot and that they won't offend that second cousin who made them a bridesmaid. (even though they made you wear an awful shade of pink .)

So before you grab the telephone to ask everyone in your address book to your wedding day, think about the ramifications of having a small army beside altar with you. Costs for each attendant will add up. Everyone will need a bouquet or buttonhole, an attendants gift, and to be included in the rehearsal dinner.

More intimate…

Very few brides have 8 “best-friends-forever”, odds are you don't either. Thus, a big wedding party will probably include people that you don't know very well or aren't close to you. Some of the most amazing parts of planning a wedding are daydreaming with your closest friends, and that intimate conversation that can only happen in small groups of people who've known each other for a long time. Also, think about how you'd feel being asked to be one of three bridesmaids versus being asked to be one of ten. The first is far more meaningful.

Herding sheep

For most of the wedding bridesmaids will be helping you, but also for a great deal of time, you'll actually be telling them where to stand, how to dress, and when to be on a photo without a cigarette or screaming child in hand. With a large group of people, this can be a little like herding sheep – unruly and annoying. A relaxed bride knows three magic words: Simplify, simplify, and simplify. This rule is very important when choosing bridesmaids.

REMEMBER IT’S YOUR SPECIAL DAY…      ENJOY IT!

WEDDING CAR HIRE IN STAFFORDSHIRE AND STOKE ON TRENT