Planning celebrations on a budget!

It’s easy to entertain on a budget and I have blogged before on the many exciting ways you can save money.  However, celebrating a special event for those one of a kind situations is altogether a different affair.

Celebrations

Celebrations of special events such as anniversaries and weddings require a different kind of approach to ensuring that after the event, you are not left penniless. At those events it is unlikely that you can ask guests to bring their own refreshments but there are ways to cut cost that will not diminish the experience.

Weddings and Anniversaries

Certainly no new bride wants to look cheap on their special day. What can be done if you are planning a wedding but you have  limited funds?

The first thing to bear in mind is that despite what you may have been told you only truly need three things to have a successful wedding day: a bride, a groom, and an officiant. Everything else is optional. Remembering this will help you make some tough financial decisions during the planning process.

The single easiest way to slash your budget is by slashing your guest list. Whereas everyone can be invited to the church to witness your special day, not everyone has to be invited to the reception that is usually held afterward. If that is not what you envisioned on your day and you want everyone to be there at both venues, consider cutting down the list to include only intimate family and friends.

Some persons choose to rent their wedding dress instead of spending a lot of money on a wedding dress.  Wedding dresses can cost up to $50,000. That’s quite a lot to spend on a dress you will only wear once!

It is also an idea to skip giving guests expensive wedding favours, instead why not take the couples’ picture  and display an enlarged version in the reception area, invite guests to sign the picture so that you will always remember those involved on your special day.

Anniversaries

Anniversaries are less formal than weddings so there more wiggle room as it regards to planning how much to spend. Guests can be encouraged to bring the couple’s favourite foods in lieu of gifts. The couple can also be treated by playing songs from their wedding day and staging entertainment that uses the local talent (that is their children if they have any).

Decorations don’t have to break the bank. For both weddings and anniversaries, the key is to decorate the venue in an inviting and creative manner.  The traditional choice for decorations are to get flowers. The cost of flowers can run into thousands of dollars. However, if you use pepper lights that might be in storage or balloons instead they are a much cheaper alternative. Streamers and ribbons can also add flair to the occasion.

How do you plan those events and save money? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: budget, celebrations