5 ways to cut your wedding budget

Weddings are expensive!
If your budget is becoming a nightmare, there are a few ways to trim the costs without sacrificing your dreams or the comfort of your guest.  

Trim your wedding guest list
Everytime you add a name to your guest list, you are increasing your budget significantly. Its not just the catering costs (i.e. hotel, restaurant, venue) but also the extra favors, centerpiece, invitations, cake, etc. Don't invite anyone you haven’t talked to in five years. Don't feel obligated to let single people bring a date unless it's a long-term partner or a fiancé and avoid feeling pressured to invite all your work colleagues. You can also decide to eliminate categories like “relatives more distant than first cousins” or casual friends, by not inviting anyone from these groups, you’ll help avoid hurt feelings.

 Have your cake and eat it
Wedding cakes can be a luxury, especially for a large guest list and if you have heart set on serving it as a dessert. Using the venue’s mock cake and dressing up the table or the cake with fresh flowers would be an option or think about having a smaller cake in your design and ordering less costly sheet cakes for serving.  

THE Dress 
Your wedding gown is often the easiest place to overspend – but also on the easiest area to trim costs. Take the time to shop around, look at bridal sales, rent from bridal shops or think about tailor making a simpler dress and use accessories and flowers to dress it up.  

Get Crafty- Do It Yourself
Throw a “pitch-in party” where you enlist the help of your bridal party and family to help you assemble favors; make invitations, centerpieces and other homemade inexpensive touches. From designing your own email save-the dates to self printed thank you cards, from hand written addresses to tying ribbons to your program booklets, the sky’s the limit to your D-I-Y session. Be sure to put out delicious snacks and inspiring tunes so that your friends feel like they’re at a party, not just part of an assembly line!  

Streamline your bar 
Instead of having a fully stocked bar, be imaginative and create a signature cocktail and serve 1-2 other alcoholic options for the dinner. This will drastically reduce alcohol cost and look chic at the same time. Negotiate with the venue for free corkage and opt to bring your own liquor, beer or wine from a supplier that would offer a consignment option. If you and your fiancé don't drink, consider having a dry wedding!

Don't ever forget the purpose of your wedding day: To Get Married! 

If you spend RM 5,000, you will be just as married as the couple that has spent RM 500,000. With the help of your wedding planner, you'll be surprised how planners can help you trim off the "fat" and keep you in-check with your budget.