Spring has arrived and love is in the air. And with spring comes our favourite season of all — wedding season! Experts estimate that today, the average wedding costs more than $20,000. This is a number that used to shock and appall us. That was until we were faced with planning some of our own weddings. Today, we speak from experience and we did find some simple ways to save without compromising style.
Less Is More
Have you ever heard the complaint from a bride that her wedding day flew by without nearly enough time to visit with important friends and family? The number of people attending your reception has a major impact on your overall wedding costs.
Not only are intimate weddings chic and exclusive, if you limit your list to just 100 people, instead of 200, you could save as much as $12,000 on food and alcohol.
Picture This
Wedding photography can range from $2,000 to more than $4,000. And while sourcing out an artistic friend for photos is always an inexpensive alternative, there is a way to cut costs with the professionals.
Consider hiring a freelance photographer whose work you admire. This will allow you to skip the pricey wedding packages and save at least $1,000.
Hey Mr. DJ
If you want a really safe bet to ensure that your wedding will be chicken-dance-free, try asking a friend to act as your DJ. Of course, you’ll be involved in making the playlist with your favourite songs.
If you have questions for the Smart Cookies or want to share confessions, e-mail smartcookies
@metronews.ca.
The Smart Cookies show you their way to financial freedom. Tune in Wednesday night at 9 p.m. EST/PST on the W Network. Be sure to visit smartcookies.com to get new money tips and sign up for our newsletter.
