ARTICLE / WEDDING
information such as directions, and
where your registry is located.
4. Avoid Bridal Magazines &
Television Shows
best of all a small box
that when opened had a butterfly
that flew out and “kissed” her. That
invitation package clearly cost some
bucks. Of course, most invitations
aren’t that elaborate, but the point is
people are spending a lot of money
on something that will eventually end
up in the garbage. At least in Annie’s
case there was a pretty box to
save, and a candle to burn. Today’s
invitations not only set the tone for
the wedding, but allow couples to
show off their unique style. It should
be a fun process, but not one that
breaks the bank because no matter
how lovely, most of your guests will
eventually dispose of it. That’s good
money in the trash. Luckily, there are
so many options available that can
literally save you hundreds of rands.
From kits that can be purchased
at arts and crafts stores, to online
retailers, there’s something lovely for
every budget. Designed your own?
Keep costs down by using a discount
printing service. Want to design your
own, but don’t know where to go?
There are plenty of websites that
could help you to get your dream
design for less.
3. A Good Wedding Website
Can Help You Save Time and
Money
They can be super easy to set up
and personalized to reflect your
individual style. More importantly,
they can keep you organized by
storing everything in one place –
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which will be a real time saver.
Even better? There are a lot of FREE
options! A good site will allow you
to accept and track wedding RSVPs,
display a map to your ceremony site,
reception venue, and/or lodging,
store vendor information, create a
seating chart, maintain a ledger
of costs and payments, track gifts
and thank you notes, and provide
“PEOPLE WILL
REMEMBER
AND TALK
ABOUT
THE FOOD
AND HOW
THEY FELT
ATTENDING
YOUR EVENT”
a central location for contact. Sites
like Wedding Mapper provide this
for free. For couples who want
additional amenities, paid upgrades
are available. Having it all in one
place can save money on aspirin
too, because there will be fewer
headaches. You’ll both know where
everything is and you can review
it at a glance. You know the telling
of your story with pictures, videos,
stories and anecdotes. It’s cute,
but what people really want from
your wedding website is practical
The first time I actually looked at
a bridal magazine was after I
purchased my dress, shoes and
accessories. I was thrilled with my
choices as they were “me.” I hadn’t
decided on the hair 100% and
thought I might find inspiration in a
few magazines. All I can say is that
I was over the moon happy that I
had already purchased everything
because the magazines did what
they were designed to do – make
me ooh, ahh, salivate and desire,
regardless of the ridiculous prices.
There was even a moment, a tiny
one, but still, where I doubted my
dress and wished for one in the
magazine. Don’t go down that rabbit
hole. Magazines and shows about
dream weddings will clue you into
things that you would otherwise
never, EVER, have thought about
“needing” or wanting – promoting
a false idea of what a wedding is
supposed to be or should have.
5. Beautiful, Money Saving
Wedding Flowers are Possible
and Make a Lot of “Cents”
Someone please explain why so
much money is spent on wedding
flowers. To keep costs down while
still having beautiful flowers, consider
the following. Buy flowers that are
currently in bloom, otherwise you’ll
pay a premium for your dream flower
that’s out of season. If you’re using
a florist, don’t tell them that you’re
purchasing for a wedding, at least
until your final price is locked in. It’s
like roses on Valentine’s Day. The
price will go up. If you’re willing
to design the arrangement yourself,
consider using an online flower
wholesaler. Or you can do what we
did and showcase the flowers as
accents as opposed to the primary
décor or centrepiece. Not only did
we save a ton of money, we saved
time as well.
6. Weddin