Why not save money on your Wedding Day? 10 Tips that can help you.

1. Trim Your Wedding Guest List
Each time you add a name to your invitation list, you're increasing your budget significantly. It's not just the catering costs, but also the extra centerpieces, favors, rentals, etc. Don't invite anyone you haven't talked to in five years. Don't feel obligated to let single people bring a date. Avoid feeling pressured to invite all your work colleagues. And don't let your friends bring their children. You can also decide to eliminate categories like "relatives more distant than first cousins" or "friends from volunteer work." By not inviting anyone from that group, you'll help avoid hurt feelings.


2. Save Postage on Your Wedding Invitations
Forgo the inner envelope and blotter paper, which are leftover relics from times when ink needed time to dry, and people wanted a pristine envelope. Rather than having a reply card, ask guests to reply online or by the telephone. Not only will you save money from the printer bill, it should also reduce your postage expense.


3. Shop Sample Sales and the Internet for Cheap Wedding Dresses
If you wear a 6, 8, or 10, check out sample sales, which generally happen once a year. It's a great opportunity to get a designer dress at rock-bottom prices. You can also look on eBay, Craigslist and other websites for deals on used wedding dresses. Remember that cleaning the delicate fabric of a wedding dress may cost up to $250, so avoid the cheap dress with the filthy hem. And many towns have a shop where you can rent a wedding dress, saving you hundreds and hundreds of dollars.


4. Change the Day of the Week
Have your wedding on a weeknight or a Sunday. There is less demand for these dates, so vendors will often be willing to give you a better rate. Read more ways to save money on your wedding location.


5. Save Money on Church Decorations
For religious weddings, consider having your wedding near a major holiday. The church will already be decorated, saving you lots of money on flowers. On other days, look for simplicity. A candlelit ceremony can be romantic, gorgeous, and inexpensive. Not having your wedding in a church? Check out these tips on saving money on your wedding flowers


6. Learn to Ask for Help to Save Money
If you want to have a cheap wedding, pool your friends' and family's resources. Think of musicians you know, well-spoken friends who could be your officiant, and crafty people who can help you assemble things. They will generally be honored to be a special part of your big day. Also look for money-saving tips everywhere. Check websites such as wedfrugal.com and frugalbride.com, and ask friends and family members for what they did to save money on their big day.


7. Get Crafty - Do It Yourself
Throw a "pitch-in party," where you ask your friends to be a special part of your wedding by helping you assemble favors and make invitations, centerpieces, and other homemade inexpensive touches. Be sure to put out delicious snacks and have inspiring tunes on the stereo, so that your friends feel like they're at a party, not just part of an assembly line. Click the link below for DIY wedding projects.
More: DIY Wedding Projects


8. Look for Cheap Wedding Food and Drink
Be honest with your caterer about your need to save money. Ask them which are the least expensive entrees and whether a buffet is cheaper than a seated dinner. See if they'll let you provide your own liquor, or if serving only wine and beer will be cheaper than a full bar. Also consider only having the bar open during your cocktail hour, then serving an inexpensive wine with dinner. Especially if you and your fiancé don't drink, consider having a dry wedding.


9. Make the Most of eBay
eBay, eBay, eBay. It's a great source for everything from second-hand dresses to wedding favors, cake toppers, ring pillows and more. Be sure to allow ample time for the auction to end, and for shipping. Look for trusted sellers whose feedback indicates they have accurately represented what they have sold.
Top Picks


10. Consider Cheap Wedding Invitations
Don't go for engraving - regular printed invites work just as well. There are a variety of cheap wedding invitations available on the internet. For a casual wedding, consider printing your own invites from your home computer. Stationery stores now sell printed paper meant to use in a home printer as cheap wedding invitations. More tips on saving money on your wedding invitations

Wedding - Groomsmen Gifts

Hello Wedding Bargain Hunters,

I recently came across a great idea for groomsmen gifts. Buying something for the groomsmen can be challenging, but this option is sure to please:

Personalized Barbeque Cooler Kit

Read More...

www.nwweddingplace.com

Save Money - Hire a Wedding Planner

Is that possible, you say? How in the world could I hire a planner and save money? My answer is this; sometimes, you can't afford not to.

Let's face it; we are busy people, and usually have something better to do. For those of us with nothing better to do, a complete DIY wedding makes sense. For the rest of us...not so much!

If the following things do not sound feasible (or enjoyable) to you, consider hiring a consultant to help your wedding process out:

- Driving across the region, matching napkins to bridesmaid dresses, spending countless hours that could otherwise have been productive.
- Having guest favor "parties," where you rope all your friends and relatives in to tie tiny bows on tiny boxes for hours.
- Calling 8 wedding supply rental companies in your county, only to discover you've gotten quotes for the wrong thing.
- Spending your precious hours the morning of the wedding sorting and assembling reception table flowers instead of enjoying and relaxing.

You get the picture! OK, I was a bit extreme with those examples, but believe me they happen often. Remember, you can hire a planner to do certain portions of the wedding if you feel efficient with certain aspects.

Yes, this is not our normal post with DIY suggestions and cheap wedding tips. However, for some people (you know who you are) this recommendation of hiring a wedding planner will actually save you money...and stress...and time.

2009 Wedding Costs

Per The Wedding Report's wedding statistics, the average cost of a wedding in the US was $19,580 in 2009. That was a slight decrease from 2008, but I suspect 2010's numbers will be very similar to 2009's, if not a slight bit higher.

As the economy recovers, brides and grooms will return to including extra services in their weddings.

Are you searching for ways to appease your wedding budget? If you are looking for Dessy or Alfred-Sung bridesmaid dresses, contact us now for pricing! ordering@nwweddingplace.com

2009 Wedding Cost Trend

Hello Readers!

According to our source for wedding statistics, 2009 wedding costs dropped by more than 10% compared to 2008 weddings. The average spent on a wedding in 2009 was $19,581.

Many wedding budget items dropped, such as jewelry, gifts, invitations, and reception food.

Interestingly, spending increases still occurred in the photography, wedding dress and music categories.

How can you save money on your wedding budget? Get creative! Decide which categories are your top priorities, and which you can DIY. Ask friends and family with skills or resources to assist. Select a venue that is already beautiful, not needing extensive decor. Have an intimate ceremony at your honeymoon location, inviting only a small group of family and very close friends.

Those are just a few ideas!

Call us for Dessy bridesmaid and wedding gown prices - 360-951-6400 or email us at ordering@nwweddingshop.com.

http://www.nwweddingplace.com/

Live Wedding Music?

Are you considering having a live band or musicians play or sing at your wedding ceremony or reception? If so, are you wondering what some money saving ideas are? That answer depends on what exactly you are looking for.

Musicians - could be used for ceremony or reception

Soloists - normally used in the ceremony to sing a special song during communion or a sand or candle ceremony.

Ensemble - typically used for pre-ceremony and start of ceremony music

Live Band - reception dancing time!

Where do you see live music fitting in to your wedding? What kind of wedding budget do you have? For the most frugal weddings, usually having live music is out of the question. However, if your heart is set on it, here are a few ideas:

• Check with your local church. Bigger churches often have an abundance of great singers and musicians.
• Check with your local college or university's music departments.
• Ask talented friends, family members or friends of the family to use their talents.
• Scour MySpace to find local bands who are willing to work cheap. Try to attend one of their shows before you commit to hiring them!

Brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

3-Day Wedding Sale Coupon!

Yes! Here is an excellent coupon that just came in...This deal expires after this Sunday, October 25th, so shop quick!

Take $10 off $10+ at The Knot Wedding Shop this weekend only! Enter code BRIDECASH at checkout. Hurry – offer expires 10/25.

Click the link above and start your search for the perfect wedding accessories, guest favors and supplies! Enjoy...

Brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

Get Wedding Music

Hello Wedding Deal Hunters!

Did you know that you can create your own (DIY) wedding ceremony and wedding reception music CD's? That is just one more great way to save money on your wedding. Many couples want the option of dancing at their reception, but don't have the budget to rent a live DJ. Get the best of both worlds by making wedding CD's yourself!

Write down the must-haves for your song list. Then, you can individually choose your favorite tunes here:



Lastly, use your computer and CD burner to create your DIY wedding music CD's! DONE!

You will need approximately 90 minutes of reception music for dancing. If you'd like, you could create a CD to be played before the wedding party arrives at the reception as well. You may also want to consider making a CD dedicated to the special songs only, i.e., the first dance song, the cake cutting song, etc.

Have fun!
Just another great tip brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

Cheap Wedding Videography

Would you like to capture your wedding on video, but are reluctant to pay a video team thousands of dollars? Here are a couple of thoughts about ways to get video footage and not break your wedding budget!

Talk to your venue.

If you're getting married at a church, you may ask if they have video capability already. One of their tech team may be willing to run a camera for you to capture your wedding's ceremony. If so, be sure this is notated in your rental contract (if there is one).

Ask guests for help.

Have several wedding guests bring cameras to capture video from several different angles and perspectives. Set this up with them ahead of time, and be sure to tell them you want the tapes or files on DVD when it's done!

Assign the job.

Choose one trusted person and assign them the job of being the videographer. Maybe it could even be their wedding gift to you. Explain the shots you'd like to get, and give them a copy of the day's agenda so they can get familiar with it. Preferably, this person would be not involved in any other aspect of the wedding, and is not a parent, sibling or wedding party member.

We hope this information is helpful! To get more ideas, visit www.NWweddingplace.com and subscribe to this blog's RSS feed to be notified of new posts.

Wedding Supplies Sale

Looking for wedding chocolates, personalized guest favor matches, personalized napkins, candle favors, etc? We've found another wedding product sale for you!

Take 20% off any order over $100 or more...Plus also get free shipping on orders over $149!

Last day to use this coupon code - KSFFSEPT9 - is Thursday, September 24th.

Use this link to shop for your wedding now:

On Sale at The Knot Wedding Shop

brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

Back Yard Weddings

Hopefully you enjoy our blog's new look!

Today we're going to talk about back yard weddings. In fact, I'd like to share a real wedding story about a couple who got married in a 2-acre yard. In Western Washington, planning an outdoor wedding is always risky business. However, this outdoor September wedding thankfully turned out very well!

It was the groom's parents' home/property, and it needed some work. Rather than spend a lot of money on a wedding venue, the couple and the parents decided to spend the money on upgrading the yard in preparation for the wedding. Not a bad idea, considering it improved the value of the home at the same time, and it could be enjoyed for years to come. They installed a new half-circle shaped concrete patio (for dancing), planted flower beds, installed new grass, and built a large, beautiful pond with a waterfall. The pond and waterfall was the backdrop for the ceremony.

For the reception, they hired a catering company and rented a large tent which was set up in a different section of the yard. A sound system was brought in to play music. Guests danced on the patio after the food and cake-cutting was finished. Some of the flowers that they grew were used for table decorations.

Parking was the tricky part, but thankfully they alerted (and invited) all the neighbors beforehand. The owners of a nearby empty lot agreed to allow parking on the lot.

All in all, this was a great idea. One of the main reasons that this idea was successful, was that it was the parents' property. It was a win-win situation for the bride and groom and the parents.

Brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

Groomsman Gift Sale!

Hello Wedding Deal Lovers!

Here is what we've found for you this week. Some great sales on gifts for your groomsmen attendants. The sale is good through next Wednesday, so shop now! Click the link below to be taken to the shop online site:

On Sale at The Knot Wedding Shop

Happy Shopping!

brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

Cheap Wedding Bouquets

Did you know that (according to the The Wedding Report) a bride's wedding bouquet costs between $136-$154? How would YOU like to save money on your bridal bouquet and bridesmaids' flowers? If you're reading this blog, I suspect you would like to...

Our best piece of advice = Get grocery store or Costco flowers and DIY your wedding bouquets.

Why? They already package them in pretty bouquets. They're really inexpensive, usually less than $20. Even if you need to purchase 2 of their bouquets for a really full look, you've saved yourself some serious cash! Once you're purchased your flowers (should be the day of the wedding if possible), keep them in water as long as you can until you need to make the bouquet. Simply secure the trimmed stems in 2 places with floral wire, wrap the stems with ribbon then secure the ribbon with pins. Violla!

Another great idea is to grow your own flowers. Yes, you will need to be conscious of what blooms and when in your area, but you can grow exactly what you'd like and have some nice, organic wedding flowers!

Brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

Organic, Rose Wedding Flowers?

Yes! We have found just the deal you need if you're looking for organic roses for your bridal bouquet, ceremony flowers, wedding cake flowers, etc. Check out this sale, good through August 24th:

Happy Shopping!

To find more deals, visit http://www.nwweddingplace.com shop online section.

Sometimes people forget to consider or include shipping costs when budgeting for their wedding expenses. We've found a deal that may help to cut those costs!

Through August 31st, use this link to get free shipping from ShindigZ on all your wedding supplies, wedding accessories and ceremony and reception decorations!

Brought to you by http://www.nwweddingplace.com/!

Wedding Costs on the Downturn

Yes, that's right. Even though the economy is showing signs of improvement, couples are still on the hunt for wedding bargains, and choosing to have smaller wedding budgets. We can remember just 18 months ago when the average weddings in the Pacific Northwest were around $30,000! Now, in mid-2009, weddings are averaging around the $20,000 mark (according to wedding statistic sources).

How can you save money for your wedding? Here are a few simple thoughts:

DIY More

Are you crafty? If you have enough lead time, what could you (and your friends & family) do yourselves? Guest favors? Food? Gifts for attendants? Flowers? Veil?

Reduce the Guest List

A smaller ceremony and reception crowd almost automatically reduces costs in several major wedding categories, including venue, cake, favors, food, number of rental tables & chairs, etc.

Services as Gifts

If you know people with skills, such as hairstylists, bakers, photographers, seamstresses, etc., and they are close to you or your family, they may be willing to provide their service to you as their gift.

Brought to you by http://www.nwweddingplace.com/

Wedding Crystal Tank Top Deal

Greetings!
If you're looking for a "Bride", "Bridesmaid", "Just Married", or other tank top or t-shirt with crystal lettering... We've just found you a deal!

Check out this link: The Knot Wedding Shop (Sale ends on July 14th)

Maybe you're buying for a bride for a bachelorette party? Maybe you are the bride and need to get some fun bridesmaid/attendant gifts? These crystal wedding shirts are great. My sister had a "Bride" shirt for her bridal shower and also wore it on her honeymoon. She got many wonderful comments as she wore it!

Brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com

Wedding Savings Tip

Hello Readers!
Right now, I'm working with a bride with an August wedding date. We just ordered her bridesmaid dresses last week. To get them in time, we had to use the "rush" option. Unfortunately, when couples wait until the last minute to order their wedding items, they may end up paying more! So here's our latest wedding savings tip:

Plan ahead and order early to avoid paying extra fees!

Let's call these fees "last minute fees". Last minute fees come in all sorts of varieties, from rush fees tacked on to bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses, to increased shipping costs for supplies and personalized items. Here's what you can expect to pay more for if you order too late:

- Anything personalized (favors, attendant gifts, banners, sand ceremony vases, memorial items, etc).
- Bridal gown.
- Bridesmaid and flower girl dresses.
- Certain vendors may charge more for last minute bookings.

Hope this helps! Happy planning...
http://www.nwweddingplace.com/

Wedding Product Sales

Hello Friends! We've found a couple of places to get some great wedding deals. Thought you might want to know. Here goes:

From lingerie to wedding accessories, TJ Formal has a great selection to choose from for your special day!

There are some great deals to be found...if you know where to look! Keep checking back here so we can let you know what we've found! More soon...
www.NWweddingplace.com

Wedding Deal of the Day & Week

Hello wedding bargain hunters!
Here are a couple of my favorite online places to get great deals on wedding supplies. They have daily (ShinDigz) and weekly (The Knot) deals that you may want to check out. Who doesn't want to save money on their wedding ceremony and reception, right?!

and....

Good luck on finding just the right wedding products at just the right prices!
Brought to you by www.NWweddingplace.com