Dear Wedding Women:
My boyfriend just asked me to marry him, and we are planning our wedding for October. But we need some help. First off, I am a college student and he is a recent graduate; we have little expendable income. Our parents are willing to help a little, but they don't have lots of money either. So any ideas on how to keep it as cheap as possible, but still have a nice ceremony, would be appreciated. Second, I am in Texas and he is in Maryland, so how do we plan the wedding from two locations? Traveling is going to be hard since we are trying to save money for the wedding. Thanks!
chelle
Dear Chelle:
Congratulations! You must be so excited. Here's our secret for a trouble-free, low-cost way to plan a long-distance wedding: Limit the reception to cake, champagne and dancing.
All you'll need to do is commission a fabulous baker to make the cake of your dreams, buy the champagne wholesale (most liquor distributors will even let you return unopened bottles) and hire a local disc jockey and a florist (you can even plan the flowers online by using 1-800-Flowers or another national florist). You won't need to spend too much on servers, either, just a bartender and someone to cut the cake and clean up. And since you won't need a kitchen to accommodate a full-service caterer, it won't cost much to find an appropriate location; you can have the event in one of your parents' homes for free, or at church, local park, library, museum or banquet hall for next to nothing. Call the chamber of commerce in the town where you'll be having your wedding and they'll be able to steer you toward wedding pros they recommend.
For more money-saving ideas, check out The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Planning by Eileen Livers or Bridal Bargains by Alan and Denise Fields.
Good Luck!
The Wedding Women
