How To Get Better "Deals" For Your Wedding

Wanting to save some money on your wedding but not sure where to begin. Here are some helpful tips from us at Sharp Weddings on how get some deals for your big day.

1) Save on Vendors & Hire a Planner
Lets see there are the flowers, cake, photographer, videographer, lighting, food, etc. and you are worried about the cost of all of this. Well there are some ways of saving money when hiring vendors. First, talk to your planner. This is a very simple thing to do, and you planner most likely knows the best vendors and can get you a good deal. Most retail vendors will charge you more if you go it alone; after all, this is a business. Many times your planner can get you a better deal than you can because of their relationships with the vendors and their future business together. We always recommend the best vendors who charge fairly. Believe it or not hiring a planner will probably end up saving you some money in the end, not to mention the stress, it is well worth it.

2) Research
Talk to other people you know who have had weddings and ask them who they used. Shop around to find competitve rates. It's good to know this info when speaking with vendors about pricing, but don't try and "haggle" to much or your service can suffer in the end.

3) Follow your Budget
Don't break the bank. Make a budget with a small cushion for incidentals and stick to it. If you know your budget you can tell your vendors how high you can go and they can work with you to stay in it. A good planner will also keep up with your budget and work with your vendors to keep it in line.

4) Don't plan an Extravagant Honeymoon.
Search around for deals on the honey moon or stay closer to home. This can save you cash to put toward the wedding. You can also do your honeymoon as you gift registry. This way people can put money toward your honeymoon as your gift.

In the end this is your big day and it can be stressful, but try to relax. These are just a few tips on saving some money, but there are a lot of ways. Remember BUDGET!

Picture from Wedding Clip Art.

Flowers: Buds on a Budget

There are several beautiful flowers out there that are inexpensive to use for a wedding. Below are a few budget friendly flowers that can help keep costs down. Some of these you may know, some not, but keep an open mind when working on a tight budget.

1) Daisy
Daisies come in a variety of colors and styles:  Gerbera come in white, yellow, orange, pinks and red. These are hearty flowers that tend to hold up well and are very reasonably priced.

2) Chrysanthemum
 These tend to come in bold colors such as white, yellow, green, orange, pinks, red, burgundy, and russet. They are accessible year round.

3)  Dahlia
Dahlia's come in pretty shades of pinks, purples, red, white, and yellow. "They have a spicy scent"(The Knot). These are very pretty a have an interesting shape.

4) Carnation
We all know the carnation! These flowers come in a wide array of colors and many times you can find them dyed to match. They are versatile and inexpensive.

5) Cosmos
Cosmos come in pops of color: pinks, purples, yellow, orange, and white. They are bright, beautiful, and budget friendly.

Of course there are other flowers priced moderately that can be peppered into the arrangements or bouquets such as iris, lisianthus, tulips and more. Talk to your planner to find the best florist. We have many great ones we work with. Once you have settled on a florist, talk to them about keeping your budget down and using more expensive flowers sparingly. You can still add the roses and lilies in your wedding but at a minimum.
Always remember, a good planner will keep you on budget and work with you to find ways to be creative.  We work with great florists who can work within your budget.

Floral facts from The Knot, Spring/Summer 09, pg111
Dahlia- Gaye Johnson
Cosmos- mooseyscountrygarden.com 
Chrysanthemum- thevisualrecord.com

Tips on Saving Money for your Wedding

We all know the economy has taken a hit, and planning a wedding in this economic climate can be stressful. Here are 5 helpful tips from us at Sharp Weddings on how to stretch your dollar and still have a great wedding day.

Tip 1: Resources
Going it on your own in this economy may seem like a good idea, but in reality it can cost you money. Consider investing in a good Wedding Planner who has resources to get you the best deals on everything from your flowers, cake, invitations, and lighting. What we do is work with you to create a budget and help you stay on it. A good planner will help you find a venue within your budget and get you great deals with amazing vendors. You want your wedding look like it cost more than it actually did. Good resources can save you money and a good planner has access to vendors you might not.

Tip 2: Location, Location, Location
Where you have your wedding and reception can save you money. For example, many times having your wedding ceremony and reception in one location can be a better deal. It is important to know your budget before you look at venues so you don't look at something you can't afford.

Tip 3: Size Matters
If you are worried about cost, consider downsizing your guest list. This can save you money on everything from venue cost to catering cost. Downsizing the wedding party can also save you money on bouquets, and wedding party gifts.

Tip 4: Atmosphere
Most brides don't realize how important lighting can be to a reception. It sets the tone of the party and creates mood and enhances decor. Staging companies that do lighting cost more money than most can afford. We do our own lighting and we cost much less than a staging company. It's important to also make your decor look like it is more expensive than it really is. Looking around for deals and using helpful resources can save money on decor.

Tip 5: Food and Drinks
Worried about that open bar? Consider shortening the open bar time, and serve a less expensive drink for the rest of the party. Make sure you have a good caterer who offers a good deal and good quality. Talk to them about perhaps doing a buffet instead of a plated dinner to save money.

Remember, this is your day and you want to save money on your wedding but not have it show. We can work with you to make your day spectacular and affordable! Use good resources brides. Too many brides have told us that they tried to do it all on their own and they regretted it. You don't want to stress yourself out more than you already are, let someone else carry the burden while saving you money and making your day great-