Planning for a wedding is stressful! Some brides want to cut corners for certain items, but in the end, they may have wished they’d just spent the extra money after all. A group of women chimed in via an online forum and spoke on their experiences with budgeting for things that turned out to be a disaster, even if they saved some cash in the process.
1- Photographer
A high percentage of the respondents said they cut corners when it came to photography and wished they hadn’t. While it seems like that’s an easy enough job, often, at a lower price, there are more issues with location flexibility, picture quality, retakes, and punctuality. Ultimately, your best photographers are a little pricey but usually worth it. Trust me, those photos last forever, and you’ll want that perfect still frame!
2- Dress Alterations
One bride said she tried wearing taller heels because it was going to cost $600 to get her dress altered, which was more than the dress itself, but it cost her a day of pain and bunions. Though expensive, it would have been better to get the dress altered, as is the case for most gals. You want your dress to lay on your body in all the right places, so it’s vital to ensure it fits exactly how you want it.
3- Invitations
While this is seen as a minor aspect of wedding planning, it’s often a keepsake that the bride has to look back on. A forum member stated that she chose postcards for her “save the dates” instead of a fancier invitation because she didn’t want to pay for envelopes. However, they ended up getting destroyed in the mail. It wasn’t so much of an issue, but she still wished she had spent a bit more to protect the invite.
4- Videographer
A videographer is essential when it comes to recording those precious moments between the bride, groom, family, and friends. Trying to save money or getting someone to record it for you may amount to low-quality footage. This is especially true if you have a vision in mind or want someone on call who knows which moments you want on camera. The lighting, the detail, all of that matters!
5- Flowers
Flowers sometimes seem menial in a wedding, but they can make or break the decor. A few women wish they had spent more on flowers because the cheaper ones wilted quickly, and the fake ones didn’t have the same appeal. I was never big on flowers, but thinking back, I love the idea of the color, fragrance, and beauty they add to the setting. A high-quality florist can make a world of difference.
6- Guests
This perspective was interesting because I had never thought of budgeting in terms of the number of guests invited. One contributor says she missed out on spending time with the people she and hubby loved most because they wanted to cut down on the bill. Hindsight is 20/20. They’d save a little more so everyone could come.
7- Cake
Cake can be a hit or miss depending on the person. Everyone doesn’t like cake; some prefer cupcakes, cookies, or other popular desserts. A few people said they didn’t regret not getting the cake for the actual reception, but they would have liked it for photo purposes. A dessert bar is a great idea, but a cheap cake is a good idea for tradition’s sake if that kind of thing matters to you.
8- Wedding Dress
A wedding dress is something you have to love, not like. Unfortunately, some women found out the hard way. They chose a less expensive dress than they originally wanted and regretted it on their wedding day. It’s like that phenomenon where it seems like a good choice when saving money, but then you think about the dress you bypassed every day afterward! You want to look and feel fabulous on your big day; the dress probably isn’t the area you want to skimp on.
9- Hair and Makeup
Hair and makeup can be critical, especially when taking pictures and being on camera. Multiple people mentioned needing someone on-call for touch-ups and fixings things in emergencies like rain. Having your hair and makeup on point (if you can’t or don’t want to do it for yourself) is a big deal, and many brides want to look “perfect” for their wedding. Plus, who doesn’t love a little extra pampering on that day if you can afford it?
10- Reception Dress
Sometimes the wedding dress can get a little heavy, and you want something lighter to dance and move around in without worrying about stains, ripping, etc. You can get a cheap dress and save money in that way instead of skipping it altogether, especially since reception time is when you let loose and party!
11- Food
The food you serve at your wedding can be tricky to navigate. You don’t want to get food that tastes bad, but you also don’t want to spend an arm and a leg for food that isn’t worth it anyway. I wouldn’t advise going too cheap on the food, and apparently, several women on the online forum wouldn’t either.
12- Wedding Coordinator
Wedding coordinators can handle everything from the beginning, or the couple can select a day-of coordinator to make sure nothing goes wrong, and that everything and everyone is in the proper place. I think it’s worth paying for someone who can take your ideas and make them come to life, but everyone may not agree.
The wedding coordinator can be an integral part of making the magic happen, and the price is usually commensurate with their level of expertise and professionalism. Go for someone in the middle of cheap and expensive.
13- Venue
Unless you’re worried about the backdrop for your pictures and videos, it might not matter if the bride opts for a slightly less expensive venue in exchange for pricier decor and food. However, a couple of commenters said they should have spent a little more on a lovely venue for the service while they were there and the overall aesthetics. A nice venue was important to me too, but I’d rather put it toward a lavish honeymoon!
14- DJ
A few women spoke about the DJ for their weddings being horrible. They played old songs that no one wanted to hear, their equipment was outdated, the sound quality was trash, and the DJ extinguished the vibes of the reception with the terrible song selection. Yikes. If you don’t know someone personally and can attest to their skills, it’s best to pay for a high-quality DJ to prevent mishaps like this from occurring.
15- Transportation
According to one user, arriving at the wedding or leaving as a married couple in style was a budget blunder. She said she hadn’t put much thought into it because she figured it was a small part of the wedding that no one would remember.
However, she hated the way the pictures turned out when everything around her was beautiful except the old family car they left in. She stated that she would have rented a luxury car if she could go back and do it again.
Source: (Reddit).
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