The Indianapolis Wedding Blog is proud to announce the
Indianapolis Wedding Classifieds.

This is a free resource for local brides to buy & sell their used wedding items.

So, if you’re needing to get rid of leftover wedding favors or you don’t need those wedding planning books anymore… this is your place!

So, go check out our new Wedding Marketplace and add your used wedding supplies

Here’s the news video…

You can read the story here

What are your thoughts?  Are you cutting down on your wedding budget?
If so, in what ways?

]]> http://www.indianapolisweddingblog.com/2009/03/wishtv8-indianapolis-weddings-cutting-costs/feed/ 1 http://www.indianapolisweddingblog.com/2009/03/homemade-wedding-becoming-a-diy-bride/ http://www.indianapolisweddingblog.com/2009/03/homemade-wedding-becoming-a-diy-bride/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:26:11 +0000 Ryan http://www.indianapolisweddingblog.com/?p=839 Homemade Wedding: Becoming a DIY Bride
Guest Post by: Heather Heininger an Indianapolis Bride

With the economy still doing a nose dive, budgets are getting very tight. And not just the daily Starbucks budget, but wedding budgets as well. As most people know, weddings can be very expensive. After you buy the dress and undergarments, the tux, the wedding bands, the favors, the programs, pay the photographer and florist, oh, and can’t forget the DJ…let’s face it. You’re wedding budget is bursting at the seams and you still have more things to purchase.

But where can you cut back? Not the photographer. After all, these pictures will be some of the only visual memories you have from your wedding, especially with how fast paced weddings are for those involved. You could cut back on the number of hours your DJ will play music. But why cut out the dancing? Here’s an idea… why not make your decorations, your invites, or even your floral arrangements on your own?

A great way to cut back on the amount of money spent is to become a “DIY Bride”. Do it yourself. No one knows what you want for your wedding better than you: the bride. Or, better yet, ask your friends, family, and bridesmaids to see if you can find someone who would be willing to help you. You never know, maybe one of your bridesmaids is secretly a silk floral designer. Or maybe your aunt is great in the craft department and can help you with decorations. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or assistance. Your family and bridesmaids won’t balk at the idea. Instead, they’ll pounce at it.

I am personally making my own Pomanders, or kissing balls, to stand in place of pew bows. Instead of purchasing them pre-made or making them from real rose blooms, I’m using ribbon (bought on clearance), silk rosebuds (bought in bulk for a discounted price), and Styrofoam balls (already in the house). In addition to the Pomanders, I am also making my own invitations. Yes, it takes time. But more importantly it saves money and makes the wedding uniquely my own. I can almost guarantee that no one will be able to purchase the exact wedding invitations that I have designed.

When you buy something for your wedding, don’t shop at just one store. Always shop around. You don’t just have to go to the wedding boutiques You can also shop at the craft and party stores. Some craft stores (such as the Flower Factory in Greenwood) have a complete sections dedicated to weddings. Party stores also generally have a similar section set aside for weddings.

Why buy pre-made when you can make it? Not only is it cheaper in the majority of cases, but it is also a wonderful chance to spend time with your bridesmaids, friends, and family while still getting exactly what you, the bride, wants.

Interested in DIY Weddings?

Check out this book….

* Talk to your favorite restaurant to see how much it would cost to rent a private room or even the whole place. This is an option that works best during non-peak hours, as the restaurant might not want to lose their busy weekend crowd.

* Avoid planning your event during typically busy times like June or around Valentine’s Day. During the “off season”, many places will work with you on the price.

* Earn frequent flyer miles for your honeymoon by paying wedding costs with a credit card. Just make sure to pay the balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.

* Find one location for your ceremony and reception to avoid having to provide transportation between venues.

* Skip the champagne and let guests toast with what they are already drinking.

* Reduce the length of your reception, and don’t announce a last call for drinks.

* Book in advance since last minute bookings are usually more expensive due to the extra work involved to coordinate everything.

* Hire a student quartet to play during your ceremony or cocktail hour. Check with local colleges and universities.

* For inexpensive wedding favors, bake cookies or make your own sachets filled with Jordan almonds.

* Using an online budget tracker to keep your wedding finances in order and help control overspending.

* It costs merchants an average of 2% (or more) to process a credit card transaction so pay cash for all or part of the more expensive components of the wedding and ask for a cash discount.

* Buy a smaller decorated cake for wedding photos, and have a plain sheet cake in the kitchen to serve guests. On average, twenty percent of guests don’t eat wedding cake.

* Choosing butter cream or cream cheese instead of expensive fondant is another way to save money on your wedding cake.

* Having flowers flown in will raise your costs so only use only in season and readily available flowers.

* To get the best prices, order your flowers from an online wholesaler.  Keep in mind, however, that you will be responsible for all of the preparation, trimming and storing them, as well as arranging the flowers the day of the wedding.

* Save postage and additional paper cost on your wedding invitations by forgoing the inner envelope reply card and asking guests to reply online or by the telephone.

* Avoid oversized or bulky invitations since this greatly increases your postage costs.

* Skip ordering the reception cards, have the reception information printed on the bottom of the invitation.

* Instead of paying extra for your invitations to arrive assembled, buy a few bottles of wine, gather friends and have an invitation assembly party! Just don’t spill the wine on your invitations by accident.

Almost every bride wants her wedding to be just that: her wedding. That’s why the bride, including myself, will add different and special details to her wedding day. These little details may be something as simple as her grandmother’s handkerchief or as intricate and bold as a hand scribed cake with the bride and groom’s names on it with their favorite quotes encompassing.

For my wedding I chose January. Not just because January is considered “off-season”, but also due to it being a graceful and much forgotten month of the year. Yes, it is cold, but it is also beautiful. But more importantly with the tight budgets we all have at these days, it is affordable while still fitting my personality.

The majority of the Indianapolis photographers and florists my fiancé and I have spoken with have listed January to be “off-season”. Due to the lack of weddings in January, their prices have been either lowered or the vendor has offered extra incentives such as an extra hour of photography or a free bouquet for a bridesmaid. A January bride might also be able to find great seasonal discounts for different instrumentalists or vocalists, venues, or DJs. Another great place to look for those off-season discounts is with caterers. Since caterers who focus mainly on weddings will usually be without work in January, some will jump at the chance to serve you at your wedding and might be so kind as to offer a discount.

However, as I mentioned before, I did not just choose January to fit the budget. I view myself as someone who walks down her own path and felt that January would be a perfect fit for my personality. Though I am a warm hearted and kind person, I still enjoy watching the snow drift from the sky and grace the landscape. Plus, when I think of winter, I don’t think of the cold outdoors but instead of the warm indoors. Whether that is curled up with a good book and my cat or cuddling in front of a fireplace with my fiancé, the warmth of winter is still outweighs the chill in the air.

So why not break away from the typical summer weddings, particularly June? Take a long look at the different seasons of the year, especially the months. Find a month or season that suits your personality and go for it. Yes, it might still be a June wedding but at least you went with your heart and personality, not the popularity of the month for weddings. Be good to yourself and follow your heart while still working within your budget.

Guest Post by: Heather Heininger an Indianapolis Bride

* Most of the big bridal shops have huge sales once a year, which are typically held at hotels or other venues like wedding shows. Look in your local paper or ask a wedding planner to find out what time of the year the sales are held.

* Think about looking in unconventional places to buy bridesmaids gowns.  Go shopping for them during prom season and after New Years Eve at department stores or online.  A bridesmaid’s gown doesn’t have to come from a bridal shop.

* Many menswear shops will let your groom rent his tuxedo for free or provide a discount if his groomsmen rent their tuxes there.

Now, when we say budget… we’re talking just $2000!!!! The site is 2000 Dollar Wedding!

They have a lot of DIY or Do-it-Yourself ideas!

A great post the from the site is: DIY – How to make a Photo Booth
So, be sure to bookmark their site as you plan your Indianapolis Wedding!