A Shopping Guide for a Cheap Wedding

Today, the wedding competition has taken a new face. It is not anymore about brides competing over who spent the most money for her wedding day or who had the most extravagant celebration. Nowadays, the competition is more about who was able to stretch the budget most and still came up with a beautiful wedding.

Being a frugal bride has become the hottest and the latest trend. If you can scour the ends of the earth for the cheapest (but most beautiful) bridal gown, then you are the “it” girl. If you can create fabulous wedding favors for a few dollars, you will be the talk of the town. If you can manage to haggle with wedding vendors so efficiently, other brides will surely look up to you.

If you want to be a smart and practical bride but you have no idea how to go about this process, let this quick shopping guide enlighten you.

1.    Set a budget

The budget is like your business plan. It serves as your guide for all your expenditures so do not ever think of skipping this part. If you think that it is a chore to make one, think about of all the money that you can save when you have a clear overview of where your money goes. A budget will help you resist the temptation (oh, that dress is gorgeous but it is 10 times over my budget!) and will ensure that you do not go over the limit that you set for each expenditure.

2.    Shop at inexpensive places

Thrift stores, department stores, vintage shops, and second-hand stores are just some of your many options for your frugal shopping escapade. These stores offer great finds on wedding gowns and wedding items that you would not typically find in regular stores but they cost so cheaply that your pockets would surely heave a sigh of a relief.

3.    Compare rates

Shopping can be a complex process and sometimes, you just want to buy the first thing you see on the rack. Do not! Shop extensively and compare rates from different stores and outlets. You may not know it but there are other less expensive options of that same product you are eyeing for. It may come in the form of a different brand, a different style, or a different color but the bottom line is: it gives you maximum savings.

4.    Watch out for discount sales

Many wedding stores hold discount sales at some point during the year so be sure to be alert and keep your eyes peeled for these. You can get two wedding favors for the price of one, enjoy a buy one take one promo or get a 50% slash on the price of the wedding veil. Whatever the discount is, it only means one thing and that is savings on your part. Just be careful when buying bargain and examine the product carefully for any flaw or defect.

5.    Buy off season

Off seasons for weddings is a great time to start shopping. Most wedding stores drop their prices at the end of the wedding season. Of course, it would help that you are planning to get married in an off-season month.

6.    Haggle, haggle!

Haggling is an art. If you have mastered the art of haggling then you are on your way on becoming an expert frugal shopper. It takes some patience, some creativity, and lots of negotiation skills. You should be able to read the vendors’ personalities efficiently so you can apply the necessary haggling techniques.

For example, the “I-really-don’t-have-much-money” technique works on some compassionate vendors while the “I’m-tough-I-can-get-what-I-want” shopping attitude can get you some discount from other vendors who can easily be intimated.

7.    Shop online

Online shops can provide you with low-cost wedding items and accessories so it would be a good idea to buy from these stores.  Just make sure that you buy only from a reputable store that has a secure system for credit card transactions, otherwise you might risk getting your information hacked.

Most modern brides are not after extravagance and lavishness. In fact, they are practical enough to take on the challenge of having a low-cost but stunning wedding. They are smart enough to realize that a budget wedding can actually be more special than one where you spent a lot of money in since in this type of wedding, you really pour in all your efforts and creativity to make it beautiful.