Wedding Day has reached out to leading area wedding planners for advice, answering your top questions and helping make your wedding "recession-proof," fabulous, and unforgettable, no matter your budget! Our wedding planners took on a myriad of issues from planning the size of your guest list to knowing what not to skimp on. As always, Wedding Day is here to help plan your perfect wedding-log on to weddingday-online.com to send us your questions.
Q: What are my options for low-cost but meaningful ceremonies?
A: One option is to consider getting married in the church you or a family member has a membership in. Usually, the church will only charge a small clean-up fee and your duties are to give the officiant a nice gift if they do not require payment. Sometimes you can even look through old decorations the church has kept and find some real treasures. Another option would be to get creative thinking of those potentially inexpensive places that are memorable or meaningful to you as a couple. Several parks in the area do not require a large fee for a ceremony. The only financial obligation you would have for the ceremony are the chairs, florals for yourself and your wedding party, and decorations that could be transported and used again at the reception, which is even more money-efficient. Many parks also feature large pavilions that you could move the ceremony under, should it rain.
Q: Is it ok to serve only wedding cake and punch at the reception-Should we expect guests to pay for thier own meals?
A: You can serve what you see fit if you are taking into consideration the time of day and the comfort of your guests-but you should never ask a guest to pay for anything at your wedding. Doing so is inhospitable and they will not appreciate it. Try to shed a few dollars off other items-trimming your guest list a bit might save enough to put towards small hors d'oeuvres and drinks. There are things you can scrimp on and things you just can't. The best way judge where you can shed dollars is to put yourself in your guests' shoes. It helps to ask yourself, how would I feel if I were in this situation?
Q: We couldn't afford a reception when we were married-Is it ok to schedule a wedding reception now that we're financially prepared?
A: If we are talking about just a few months...then by all means, celebrate in style! If it's been more than 6 months since you were married, you can plan a vow renewal, complete with ceremony and the party to follow. A few things may differ with a vow renewal, for those who are already married-for example, the vows spoken at the ceremony, the officiant, or the first dance at the reception. Ultimately everything is at your discretion-if you ask several guests how they feel about a postponed celebration and they agree you should host your reception-do it!
--For over eight years, with the help of a creative and open mind, Ashley Troyer's been producing events that some would think impossible. She enjoys the relationships she forms with her clients and helping bring their ideas to life. Design, details & industry trends are what Ashley brings to the table. No event is too big or too small, with Ashley's expertise it will definitely be chic, modern & distinctive!