Cost Cutting Decisions

There are several folks posting about money saving tips and there are actually entire blogs like 2000 Dollar Budget Wedding dedicated to this very thing.  I think that most couples have no idea what a wedding will cost until they actually start planning one.  We "somewhat" set a budget for our wedding but knew we wanted to save wherever we could.  It's a good thing we have a very creative, helpful and resourceful network of friends to help us out.  I think it's a good idea for every couple to do a budget but more importantly to figure out what items are most important and really try to save or do without the things that are not as important.

Here are some ways we have tried to save:

• My friend is helping me plan the wedding = no wedding planner cost
• I'm having my dress made by a friend (although the material wasn't exactly cheap)
• My save the dates, invites and select other paper goods were a "gift" from a friend
• Created a wedding site for online RSVP's (you could do this in place of invites and just do save the dates electronically to save even more)
• Using Ipod for our ceremony and reception music
• Our friend is serving as our officiant
• Making our candle wedding favors
• Decor - most everything will be made by friends (guestbook, ceremony chair decor, ribbon curtain, rustic wood signs, name place cards, DIY table numbers, DIY seating chart, fabric flags, picnic decor)
• Small wedding - trying to limit the number to 60 people
• Flowers bought at U-pick flower farm - minimal arrangements and using a woman trying to launch a flower arrangement business so keeping the costs low
Don't get me wrong - it's still not cheap to plan a wedding but we are trying to cut costs where we can and likely giving up some things we maybe would have liked to have. Some costs you really can't avoid and the things we found most important were food (feeding people isn't cheap unless you want to try to do it yourself), cocktails (although we are just doing beer and wine) and photography. 

Another thing we are really trying to do is save where we can now during the planning stage to help pay for a lot of these things and for our honeymoon.  It may be a small thing but here is something my Guy whipped up this morning that over time can really save some money. 

Homemade Laundry Detergent - all you will need is:

1 cup washing soda (we used Arm & Hammer)

1/2 cup borax

1 bar soap (We used Ivory)

5 gallon tub with lid

Approximately 3 gallons water
 
Check out a full tutorial here



Step by step image via My Guy


For all the ingredients you can likely get by for under $10 but with all the leftover ingredients from the first batch you can make about 6 more batches.  For the cost rationale check out the same link as the tutorial.

Long story short, nine loads using the homemade detergent has the same detergent cost as one load of Tide with Bleach Alternative or a cost saving of $65 a year.  Maybe not a lot of money but every little bit counts!