Before you shell out thousands of dollars on wedding décor, fashions, favors and fluff, consider the lessons of brides who have come before you. You may wish to re-budget some of these wedding “essentials.”
Flowers. Yes, you need some. But many brides who went overboard, filling every space with grand floral artistry, admitted later that they wasted money, and that their flowers left no lasting memory – even to the brides themselves. Nice bouquets and boutonnieres, a couple of floor displays, and perhaps some small and tasteful centerpieces are usually enough.
Matching bridesmaid dresses. Modern fashion rules no longer demand that bridesmaids wear identical dresses. Different designs favor different body types. Many brides say, if they had it to do over, they would pick a color, find a salon that offers several types of dresses in that color, and let each bridesmaid choose her favorite design.
Inviting everyone I know. Setting up a seating chart for hundreds of guests is more difficult than a chart for only your relatives and closest friends. And many a bride now admits that keeping the list small would have prevented the old “Why did you invite HER and not ME” headache.
DIY favors. For that matter, favors of any kind. Ask any bride how many of her guests bothered to take home their favors, and you’ll be shocked to discover that most of them end up in the venue’s garbage dumpster. Some high-end candy, or little jars of honey, or some other tasty treat, will ALWAYS be gratefully accepted.
A stiff drink to calm me down. Many brides admit that they were so overwhelmed with greeting their guests that they never got to eat their dinner; so the only thing a stiff drink did was make them sloppy drunk.
An open bar. Fine for weddings with fewer than 120 people; but brides who hosted bigger weddings often complained that some of their guests exploited the free booze, got “overserved,” then made complete jackasses of themselves in front of everyone. No one is going to complain if you serve wine and soft drinks. The guests are there for the bride and groom, not the scotch and soda.
Some brides even regret holding a reception at all, when they could have spent the money on a bigger honeymoon, or a down payment on a house. But as the years pass, most brides look back fondly on their wedding ceremony and reception pictures, and enjoy the memories that go with them.
© Fourth Estate Audio, 2015 – Jay Congdon is president of Fourth Estate Audio, a professional Chicago DJ and Chicago Wedding DJ company.
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