Article By: Gregory Spears
Source: Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine (May 1995)
On a brilliant Saturday last August, Wanda Olszewski and Christopher Sloop exchanged vows before 170 family members and friends in a country church near Pylesville, Md. Wanda was radiant in her white gown; Christopher stood tall in a tux. The reception lunch at the parish hall was punctuated by corny toasts and dancing cheek to cheek. finally, the bride and groom made an unforgettable exit, soaring into a cloudless sky aboard a rainbow-hued hot-air balloon.
It was everything a wedding should be -- and a lot less. The average U.S,. wedding costs a stunning $19,400, according to Windsor Peak Press, an independent bridal research firm that provided average costs for this story. The Sloops' festivities set them back less than half that.
They saved a bundle on catering by enlisting the culinary talents of family and friends. They got creative in smaller ways, too: Wanda and Christopher snipped blooms for the reception centerpieces at a nearby flower farm. Wanda bought her wedding dress for $250 at a consignment store. Guests toasted the couple with white zinfandel instead of champagne. And the balloon trip was a gift from Wanda's brother and his wife.
"We had to pay for our wedding, and it wasn't like we had money to spend", recalls Wanda, 27, a science teacher. "And we didn't want to go into debt."
You, too, can cut the cost of a wedding without robbing it of its magical qualities. Some of your earliest decisions can make all the difference:
THE DATE: Everyone, it seems, wants to get married on a Saturday night in June. If you choose a Sunday afternoon in September, you won't pay bid-up prices on everything from food to photography.
THE PLACE: If you select a reception site that lets you hire an independent caterer, you can solicit bids for food and drink -- the costliest components of the average wedding.
THE BUDGET: Set a limit and stick to it. splurge on those things that are most important to you -- whether a designer dress or a no-holds-barred guest list -- but keep other costs in check.
You can't control all the costs of a wedding: Tux rentals are fairly standard, for instance, and you don't want to skimp on your donation to the officiating clergy. But on these pages, roughly in the order in which you will plan the elements of your big day, are nine ways to save money -- and a tenth option that could really win your heart.
Where Love Blooms
(Average cost of reception site: $3,000)
When John Windsor, 42, and Katrin Schlaeppi, 33, wed last summer, they exchanged vows and held their reception in The Conservatory, a Victorian greenhouse in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. "It was intimate, it was very scenic both inside and on the grounds, and it had a tremendous atmosphere," John recalls.
The conservatory rents for $1,450 on a weekend evening, compared with $1,800 for a church or synagogue and a hotel. Ten other sites in San Francisco parks can be reserved for $125 to $225, including the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden and the rotunda of the Palace of Fine Arts. Call your local parks department to see if your city offers similar bargains.
Historic homes also make a unique yet inexpensive setting. Elizabeth Zisa married Norman Jones in September 1993 on the lawn of the Isaac Winslow House, a clapboard colonial mansion in Marshfield, Mass. They paid $500 (since raised to $600) for the use of the mansion's high-ceilinged tearoom, where they held their reception, plus the refurbished barn, 11-acre grounds, kitchen and restrooms. "The price was incredible," remembers Elizabeth. "I called a lot of places I'd heard of and been to, and most of them were out of our price range." The Joneses found the Winslow House in a Massachusetts state pamphlet, Historic Places for Historic Parties. See if your region has a similar guide, or ask local caterers for ideas.
Toasting with Taste
(Average cost of food and drink: $9,500)
Food and wine for the reception eat up more than half of the average wedding's total cost. The most obvious way to save is to limit your guest list. But you may be able to invite more friends if you serve lunch instead of dinner. That knocks 15% to 20% off food costs.
When selecting a menu, choose fresh local fruits and vegetables over out-of-season delicacies. A buffet usually saves you money, but if you order delicacies such as crab claws it can cost more than a sit-down meal with a chicken entree.
Wine and liquor costs can top $15 per guest if you feature an open bar. To whittle that down, you might join the trend to limit selections to wine, beer, soft drinks and sparkling water. If champagne is on your list, you can substitute a good domestic sparkling wine. "In the $10 - $15 range there is a lot of wonderful stuff," says Bruce Sanderson, tasting coordinator for Wine Spectator magazine. Some top-rated bubbly from the magazine's taste testing last December: Chateau St. Jan Brut Blanc de Blancs at $13 a bottle and Culbertson Brut at $15. By the case, the price falls 10%, and a wholesaler can save you even more.
No reception would be complete without a cake, which usually costs $4 to $7 per serving. Most couples want a multitiered showpiece, even if it provides more servings than they need. But Teresa Rowe, 24, and Dillion Keller, 34, of Carlisle, Pa., solved this dilemma -- and saved $293 on the four-tiered wedding cake served at their reception this March -- by having the baker fake the bottom two tiers: Though they looked like the real thing, they were Styrofoam coated with icing. "We were really picky about the look we wanted," says Teresa, "but we thought this cake was absolutely gorgeous."
Photographic Memories
(Average cost: $2,800-$3,500)
Tempting as it may seem, don't depend on a family shutterbug to photograph your wedding, says Alan Fields, co-author with his wife, Denise, of Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget (Windsor Peak Press, $10.95, plus $3 for shipping: 800-888-0385). "If your uncle forgets to use the flash, you're not going to have anything," Fields says.
Ask for recommendations from friends, then meet with the photographer to go over his or her sample book and rate schedule. If you're on a tight budget, ask whether the photographer will shoot the ceremony and formal shots but skip the reception. Then encourage your guests to take reception pictures by placing disposable cameras at each table.
If you're hiring a still photographer to preserve your wedding memories, consider asking a reliable friend to videotape your wedding instead of hiring a videographer.
The Dress Of Your Dreams
(Average cost: $900)
Sure, haute couture gowns from top New York designer Vera Wang start at $10,000. But even the average gown's price is approaching $1,000. No wonder Filene's Basement draws a crowd when it discounts wedding gowns -- including designer labels -- to $199.
Brides-to-be gather outside Filene's before dawn. When the doors open, they race to the sales racks and grab several gowns at a time to try on or trade with other shoppers for a dress more their size and style. "This sale is not for the meek," says spokeswoman Patricia Boudrot, who has seen shoppers fight over a dress.
No matter where you live, you can save on a dress by ordering from Discount Bridal Service (800-874-8794). The Baltimore mail-order company says it sells dresses direct for 20% to 40% less than retail. For example, a St. Pucchi wedding dress with a six-foot train, which sells for $3,500 at a midwestern bridal shop, costs $2,600 from Discount Bridal Service -- a savings of 26%.
And at Just Once, in New York City, dresses by top designers that retail for $2,000 to $10,000 rent for $300 to $800. "Renting a top-of-the-line dress, including alterations and headpiece, would cost as much as buying a bottom-of-the-line dress," owner Fran Ross says, "and you don't have to pay to clean it afterward."
Playing Your Song
(Average cost music: $1,300 for a Disc Jockey, $2,400 for a band)
For your reception, expect to pay at least $1,300 for a four-member band. The most expensive dates are in December, when bands have a flurry of holiday parties, and in June, when bridal couples compete for their services. The slowest month for musicians is January.
Audition any entertainer you might hire for your wedding or reception. Most musicians will provide a demo tape -- sort of a greatest-hits collection. You should also ask to attend an event where they are scheduled to perform to see what they sound and look like live.
A disc jockey may cost half as much as a live band, but be sure to get a wedding specialist. A wedding DJ should wear attire appropriate to the occasion and offer a wide array of song selections.
Say It With Flowers
(Average cost: $1,200)
The best way to save on flowers is to choose blooms that are in abundant supply at the floral wholesaler. A single orchid flown in from Hawaii can set you back $60. for the same amount, you could buy a bouquet of bright red, orange, yellow or pink Gerbera daisies.
Instead of lilies of the valley, which don't travel well and are therefore costly, try alstroemeria, miniature lilies that bloom in 20 pastel colors. Freesia, a small flower available in white, yellow and pink, is a sweet-smelling substitute for more-expensive flowers. Tulips are plentiful from Christmas to February.
If you're getting married in a church or synagogue, consider having your flowers from the ceremony serve double duty at the reception.
Inviting Invitations
(Average cost: $600)
Crane & Co., founded in 1801, wrote the book on wedding invitations. The impeccably correct Crane's Wedding Blue Book (Simon & Schuster, $12) answers common questions about how to word a wedding invitation. But a Crane invitation is costly. One hundred engraved invitations with envelopes and reply cards costs $716.50. If you request thermography, which gives the raised-print feel of engraving but less-crisp lettering, the cost falls to $457.
Other printers may lack Crane's pedigree, but they offer look-alike invitations for less. Carlson Craft, of North Mankato, Minn., for instance, sells 100 engraved invitations for $442 ($278 with thermography). Like Crane, Carlson sells through a network of retailers, including stationery and department stores.
The American Stationery Co., in Peru, Ind., takes orders for invitations by mail. Their cards are more sentimental and less starchy (sample cards are embossed with lovebirds or hearts and flowers) but a whole lot less expensive. A set of 100 thermographically printed invitations, reply cards and envelopes costs less than $100.
With This Ring....
(Average cost for Bride & Grooms rings: $2,575)
You can buy beautiful wedding bands on almost any budget, says Antoinette Matlins, co-author of engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love
"Expect to pay for a simple gold ring anywhere from $200 up to $1200 for a really heavy, very well made and finished 18-karat-gold ring," she says.
There's no standard rule about where you'll find the lowest prices. Comparison shop at mall jewelers as well as independent stores for wedding bands of similar width (measured in millimeters) and weight.
Tokens Of Thanks
(Average cost: $250)
Members of a wedding party traditionally receive tokens of appreciation from the bride and groom. These gifts should capture the spirit of the occasion, but they need not be costly -- or stuffy.
Lyle Henry of Beltsville, Md., bought his five groomsmen and his ring bearer basketball jerseys from their favorite pro teams before his 1994 wedding. Because he bought six, Henry was able to negotiate a 20% discount on the shirts, which cost $32 each for the men and $10 for the youngster. The gifts were a hit and built on the group's existing camaraderie: Henry's friends wear them when they get together.
Why Not Elope?
(Average cost: $825)
Given the complexity and expense of a traditional wedding, it's no wonder many couples choose a quick trip to the courthouse. It's an especially popular option for those taking their second trip down the aisle, so to speak.
Couples on a budget and in a rush can get married any time of day or night at "A Little White Chapel" in Las Vegas -- the only wedding site with a drive-up window.
"The drive-up is $30. If they choose to be married inside, which most of them do, it costs $55," says owner Charolette Richards, who estimates she has performed 500,000 wedding ceremonies since she set up shop in 1959. the basic package includes chauffeured limousine rides between the couple's hotel, the Las Vegas marriage license bureau and the chapel. The marriage license in an extra $35.
"If they want flowers, photos, video, tux, wedding gowns, wedding cake -- we have all of that," Richards says. All told, the tab would come at $350.
Still too extravagant? In Prince William County, Va., it costs only $20 to have the marriage ceremony performed by the clerk of the court, as 847 couples chose to do last year. "People come in everything from gowns to blue jeans," says court clerk David Mabie.
Another 98 couples paid $40 plus mileage to have an after-hours or weekend ceremony, so friends and relatives could attend. Even with a party afterward, your costs would be well under $1,200.
Carol and Al Sowell of Winchester Bay, Ore., offered their daughter, Debbie, $10,000 to elope last year, figuring it would save them money over a wedding. They were right: she turned down their offer and spent $15,000 last May for a storybook wedding with 300 guest.
"Most girls grow up dreaming about their perfect wedding day," Debbie says, "and I guess I was no different. Money is only money, but your wedding is once in your lifetime."
