Cat Can Cook

Yes, it’s true! Prior to our wedding in June of 2002, my husband Stuart had to endure the constant wedding crazies that took over my mind as I planned and prepared for our “Big Day.” I don’t think I was as much a “Bridezilla” as some women I’ve encountered. I tried to be sensible about limiting guest numbers, unnecessary services and money spent.

As this year’s wedding season fast approaches, I have compiled a list of ideas that can help to save “Brides-to-be” some serious money. I will admit that I didn’t use all (or even very many) of these suggestions, but I wish I had! Hopefully, someone, somewhere will find them useful!

Flowers - If you have an artistic flare, why not do the flowers yourself or at least *some* of them! There is a great selection of books and websites on this subject that will teach you how to do gorgeous floral arrangements with ease. You can place the order for your wedding flowers through your local florist, but you’ll save a bundle by not having them arranged for you. Hand-tied bouquets are very pretty, trendy and easy to do in no time! Just remember that if you do decide to do your own flowers, you’ll need to keep them refrigerated until just before you need them!

Photography - Shop around for a local photographer who is willing to do the “essential photos only.” You may be surprised at how much extra money you are going to spend if you ask them to stay for the whole dinner and reception. We had our photographer do the pre-ceremony, ceremony, receiving line and then some family-group-type shots. He stayed until just before dinner and staged the cake-cutting and first dance shots (which frankly, most of them do anyways!) Another great idea is to ask a friend who has a good camera to take as many pictures as possible. Most of our favorite shots are those candids taken by our friends and family. Put disposable cameras on each table, to capture fun moments you will otherwise miss out on during your reception. We were thrilled with the candid shots guests took!

The Dress - This is somewhat a sore point for me, and I would not recommend the well-known bridal shop (which shall remain nameless) where I purchased my gown to anyone! My best advice is to be cautious, and ask a lot of questions before signing anything! For starters, be very careful about the size they order for you. When I got married, I was a size 16, and they ordered my gown in a size 24!!! I know that wedding gowns do fit differently than regular dresses, however, this size was considered “plus” and I therefore had to pay additional charges for the larger size and excessive fees of well over $200 for it’s numerous alterations. I would highly recommend buying a dress “off the rack” if you can. That way, you know exactly what you are getting, there is no risk of your dress being late, and you’ll save some serious cash too. A friend of mine let me in on a little secret. She bought her gown on eBay! What a great idea! Another suggestion, is to get bridesmaids dresses in regular women’s shops that sell prom dresses, or special gowns during holiday season. Your bridesmaids will appreciate the cost savings too.

Food - It is not written in stone that you have to serve a dinner. Lunch or cocktail/h’ors d’oeuvres parties can be very classy and elegant. At our wedding, we did the unthinkable, and decided *not* to serve alcohol. I am sure there were a few raised-eyebrows about this, but we felt the majority of guests really wouldn’t miss it. I would caution brides not to do a “cash-bar” at thier wedding. When you invite guests from out-of-town, who have to pay travel expenses, hotel bills, buy you a wedding gift, pay for a sitter…etc. do you really think they should have to buy their own drinks too? Why not have a wine/champagne toast, and limit the alcohol there? Then, there is absolutely no risk of alcohol-induced bad behaviour or worse, impaired driving. If you do opt to serve dinner, as we did, ask the caterer if you may bring sweets that you make yourself. If you’re like me and you enjoy baking, guests will appreciate knowing that you made these especially for them!

Being Beautiful on your Day - There are so many ways to look gorgeous on your wedding day without raiding the piggy-bank! Why not do your own make-up, and hair? Have a girl’s brunch the morning before the ceremony and pamper each other with manicures, pedicures, facials..etc. For your veil, tiara, clutch bag, “something old, new, borrowed and blue” why not *borrow* all of these items from friends that have already gotten married! These items will all hold a special meaning to those you borrow them from, and they’ll be honoured you asked.

Decor/Bombonniere - These days, there are so many great items available at local dollar stores, why not take advantage of some of them and use them for decorating your hall? If used sparingly and appropriately, garlands, flowers and candles can add a touch of elegance to tables, bannisters, doorways, arbours…etc. You can also peruse your local dollar shop for ideas for Bombonniere. What we did, was bought small clay pots, put a seed packet inside each one, and wrapped it up in tulle and ribbon. They looked great, and guests had something useful afterwards. Another nice idea is buying tree seedlings that guests can plant as a momento of your special day. There are tonnes of other useful ideas like this scattered about on the web, so take a look!

Guests - Do you really need to invite the whole neighbourhood, your long lost cousin Alda’s half brother from Seattle, or classmates that you haven’t seen in 10+ years? If you want to keep costs down, simply invite fewer guests! Not only will it save you money, but it will make for a more intimate group, and you will be able to visit with each and every one of your guests.

Odd’s n’ Ends - Do you have a friend you could ask to play chauffeur for the day with his classic or fancy car? He’ll be honoured you asked!

For Crying out Loud…HIRE a D.J.!!! Simple biggest mistake we made, was *not* hiring one! Get referrals, ask friends who they’ve used…a D.J. can either make or break your party!

Scrapbooking supply stores have all kinds of great stuff that you can make beautiful wedding invitations from. They will be beautiful and original too! You can also incorporate them better into your wedding’s “theme.”

Remember to enjoy your day! It goes by so fast, and it is so important to remember the reason you’re getting married in the first place…don’t lose sight of that on the most important day of your lives!