How to Have the Wedding of Your Dreams and Pay for It, Too
The question has been popped, and every wedding dream you ever had as a child comes bounding back to mind. Just about every little girl fantasizes about a magnificent wedding and the extraordinary marriage that follows—but of course, fantasies do not include a price tag. You can have your dream wedding without the nightmarish bill by following a few smart strategies:
Put Friends to Work
Recruit friends to create party favors and decorations. A decoration-making party can drop costs significantly, and it takes the burden of preparation off you. Premade favors can run several dollars per item, but you can make them yourself for pennies on the dollar. MSN Living has some great ideas for DIY wedding decorations.
Borrow the Money
It may seem obvious, but some people forget there is an entire financial industry built around loaning people money. From traditional banks to specialty lenders, getting a loan is one way to fund your wedding. Paying back a loan has certain advantages, too—you get to spread the payments over time, making the upfront cost more palatable, and it can help you establish credit for future large purchases, like a house.
Look into any special circumstances that may apply in your situation, too. For example, if you receive regular payments from a structured settlement or annuity, J.G. Wentworth may be able to buy your future payments for a lump sum of cash now. You could then use this money to help finance your wedding.
Finance the Rings
You might not want to or be able to finance the whole wedding, but getting financing for the wedding rings is relatively simple. Most large jewelers guarantee financing of some type, and that way you can apply the remaining money to the wedding costs. Inquire with local jewelers about their financing options.
Photo by Mauro Cateb via Wikimedia Commons
Compare Venues
The venue is generally the most expensive part of the wedding, so take your time with your research. Use a tool like Wedding Spot, an online database of wedding venues that lets you search by region, number of guests and budget. This way, you’ll get the best venue at the lowest price.
Fundraise
People are going to buy you presents anyway, so why not ask them to buy you a wedding? Instead of registering for a gravy boat you’ll only use once a year, register with a crowdfunding platform like GoFundMe. The site enables your friends and family to put money into an online account that you can use toward your wedding. They also have other options, like donating a portion to charity or the honeymoon. Crowdfunding can be a real blessing and quite a surprise, especially if you are finding yourself confined by a tight budget.
