This week’s guest blogger is Richard’s youngest daughter, Amanda, who just married her long-time beau in Austin, TX.  This is Part III of a series about wedding planning on a budget - read Part I here and Part II here.

Invitations

• Target and Michael’s have some very nice Do-It-Yourself sets, if you are somewhat computer savvy.
• We purchased our invitations from etsy.com for a great price. Etsy features all kinds of homemade goods from independent sellers, and is also a great place to find unique details for your wedding.
• Get your invitations in a standard size and thickness, which will save you on postage.
• Save even more by having your guests RSVP online. MyWedding.com lets you do this for free.

Attire

• For the groom, renting a tux is just as expensive as buying a nice, affordable suit. If he doesn’t have a simple, neutral suit already, buy one that he can wear again for interviews, formal events, etc.
• For the bride, check out the affordable options at David’s Bridal, J.Crew, or ebay.com.
• Avoid the dramatic blowout sales, where you may get caught up in the excitement of the sale and get something you regret later on.
• I am somewhat clothes-obsessed, so I splurged a little in this category, but I got something very simple and streamlined. The more fabric and embellishments, the more it’ll cost you.
• If you are not the sentimental type, buy a well-known designer and sell your dress afterwards on preownedweddingdresses.com to recoup some of your costs.

Venue

• Go for a place that boasts a lot of natural beauty, so you don’t have to spend a lot on decorations. This can be a botanical garden, art museum, whatever! We ended up choosing a place overlooking the water, and people raved about the views.
• Look for something that is all-inclusive so you don’t have to rent any necessities. Our venue provided chairs for the ceremony, and all of the linens and tableware for the reception.

Flowers

• Again, if your ceremony site is naturally beautiful, you won’t need to spend a lot on decorations.
• Ask the florist what will be in season on your date, which will always cost you less.

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Posted: 11|4|09 at 6:03 am. Filed under: budgeting.
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