I am getting married late 2017, and honestly still didn't start planning. I still have one year and a half but it's already starting to make me anxious because I don't even know where to start... also, I am really scared about the prices, which are outrageous. If anyone has tips on where and how to save some money planning let me know!
Well, the first thing I would suggest is not getting guilt-tripped into just inviting everybody. Only invite the people you truly want to share the day with to your wedding and reception. There are lots of sites with great ideas, including Pinterest, which can give you great ideas for making your own stuff from invitations and place cards and things to wedding favors and even wedding party gifts. If you can do a lot of the stuff yourself, you can save some money. I know a lot of people think of cheap, cheesy, craft projects when they hear this, but seriously, have a look around. There are some really nice things that you can make yourself with a little time and effort.
I was just about to make a post about this! You beat me to it. I am getting married this April and we spent a pretty penny, but that was our choice. If you are doing a venue and are not doing it at your house or a small church look for a place that provides stuff in the package, not just the venue. I.E. where I live I could have rented a venue for 5,000-10,000 with nothing included. I found one, beautiful place, that provides police and military discount with everything but flowers, preacher, and photographer included for the lower end of what I posted. Yes, it is still a lot, but is a better deal to me when a lot of people are invited. Another thing is DIY is your best friend. It will take time and practice, but is cheapest. We did our own invitations like medieval scrolls, (themed wedding), and it saved us a pretty penny and they turned out beautiful. Same with the wands and the favors. Many companies sell things for you to put together for a cheaper price. Don't let people push you into purchasing things, adding more people, or buying unnecessary things. It will happen, keep a firm foot on the ground. Also, set a budget for everything. SUPER IMPORTANT! Set a budget! Sometimes things will go over, have a "spill over fund of x amount" for a back up.
