Page 24 - LuxeFactorJuly21

This next tip may be the biggest, and possibly the hardest of them all. Cut down on the guest list. You could do this in a few ways, I once attended a wedding where they had quite a few people at the ceremony and only a few at dinner, but later opened it up to everyone again, for drinks and dancing. You could also have a very small, formal ceremony and reception dinner for very close family and friends and follow it with a very relaxed and informal pig roast and picnic the following day. Whatever suits you will be fine, but I have to admit through experience that this is the part that took the most discipline.
There are a few ways to save at the reception, you may consider finding a place to hold your reception that will allow you to bring your own liquor and then all you need to do is hire a few people to tend the bar. You may not wish to serve a three or four course meal. Buffets are very acceptable ways to keep your guests happy and still save a significant amount of money. Another nice thing to do is have a dessert only reception, or you could cater the whole thing yourself and have your families prepare their favorite dishes.
And last but certainly not least, DIY, DIY, and DIY. There are a lot of very simple things that you can do yourself that can easily be as beautiful as purchasing everything for your wedding. You would be surprised at how little time it will take you and the unbelievable difference in the balance of your checkbook.
Make the decorations on the table out of hurricanes with glass gems in the bottom of water with a floating candle on top. You could even add a goldfish or two if you like! You could ask your family members to lend you their favorite crystal and set them around on the tables with scattered rose petals and votive candles among them to make very inexpensive, yet elegant centerpieces. You can also make your own invitations. There are a lot of companies that sell software that will provide you with pretty graphics, fonts, and techniques to make them flawless. The Internet is a great resource that will help you come up with endless ideas and the tips to make them a reality.
The best tip that I have for everyone that is planning a wedding: It is a wedding, which means that if you go home on that day and you are married to the person that you love, then your mission has been accomplished. All of these other things are merely details. The wedding is only the first day; it’s having a good marriage that is really important. Don’t let yourself get too overwhelmed with all of this, just have fun and enjoy your day.