Hello, I've been married a year and did my wedding around 10k. Here were things that helped me:
1. Lots of time to plan = lots of time to shop around. Craft stores (michael's and joanne fabrics) issue a 40% off coupon weekly. You can find these online or in the paper usually. I used these often to buy decorations like vases and other odds
and ends.
2. Martha Stewart has tons of low-budget decoration ideas. I used her directions to make different sized paper balls to hang in the tent we had our reception in. I bought the tissue paper online. I think all the paper balls probably cost about
$20 and they were tons cheaper than buying paper lanterns. The internet is your friend!
3. You don't need one cake to feed everyone. We had a small two tier cake to cut for pictures that we decorated with flowers ourselves. Very simple. Then we had costco sheet cakes waiting in the wings that were way cheaper and tasted just as
delicious when the tier cake ran out. Nobody was sad to get costco cake.
4. Instead of renting tux's, my husband bought a nice suit at JC Penny (around $120). All our groomsmen bought a pair of black slacks ($25) and a shirt in our wedding color ($25). I bought them each a different tie in our wedding color at macy's
using the discount from our credit card and endless amounts of coupons as well as cruising the clearance rack every time I had to make a trip to the mall. I believe 8 ties ended up being around $100. So not only was it cheaper, now they all have a
nice set of dress clothes that they can wear again - and believe me, some of them needed it.
5. Recruit your friends! Our photographer was a friend that does photography as a hobby. iPhoto took her pictures to a professional level. We made a book for $80, and have all of the digital copies. We also have pictures from the other 5 or so
people that showed up with fancy cameras. I was able to spend a few hours editing photos and creating an album that was perfect. Just make sure that your friend has a list of exactly what pictures you want, and make sure they have it with them the
entire day. If they can't be assertive and make sure that you get all your pictures, have someone be with them that can be. This was my only regret in not hiring a photographer.
I bought all bare-minerals makeup for myself and my bridesmaids (about $60). I had them bring their own foundation. A friend of mine does fantastic makeup - again not a professional but may as well be. She did my makeup and it was perfect all
day. She also did a few bridesmaids. Another friend of my sister's did my hair. A friend played guitar for the precessional. Two of my friends (also bridesmaids) sang the flower duet. One bridesmaids boyfriend is a piano player so he accompanied. My
mom and her friends assembled all the tissue paper balls for me. Another bridesmaids boyfriend djayed the reception.
Find out what your friends can do and use them! Find out what your friends friends can do and use them! Often you will get better than you expected. I certainly did!
