If you've been following our blog recently, you'll notice that we LOVE helping our brides save money when planning their weddings. It may be a slight obsession of ours. You can't blame us for loving to be budget savvy! Not only can you save on your wedding dress by shopping at any of our 5 locations, but we've put together 10 other ways to save on your wedding below!
1. Digital Invitations
With postage at an all-time high, save yourself a few bucks and send digital invitations versus mailing physical invitations. There are plenty of websites like Greenvelope and Paperless Post that will allow you to design beautiful, modern, & eco-friendly wedding invitations for a fraction of the cost. Not only are you going to save $$, but you'll save yourself time and paper cuts. Sounds like a win to us!
2. Food Trucks
A typical catering buffet menu can run you anywhere from $30-60 per person. With an average guest count of 120, you're going to be spending $3,600+ on feeding your guests at a minimum! Ditch the typical wedding food fare and opt for a modern Food Truck! The beauty of hiring a food truck for your special day is not only saving you $$, but the menu can be customized to fit your wants and the food will be cooked fresh and on-site.
3. Weekdays are the new Weekends
Most venues offer a lower rate for hosting your wedding on an 'off peak' day or season! Some of our couples throw tradition out the door and get married on a Sunday or weekday. If your family and friends love you, they'll make it to your wedding no matter what! Look into alternative dates or summer pricing with your vendors. It never hurts to ask!
4. Brunch Wedding - Did someone say Bacon?
If you & your hubby are dead-set on a Saturday date, try a Brunch wedding! Not only will the venue rental be less expensive, but you'll also save on food & drink. Breakfast foods like pancakes, fresh fruit, muffins and bacon are much more economical than serving your guests a heavy buffet dinner. You can serve mimosas or bellinis and a signature drink and ditch the costly beer & wine!
5. Fake the Cake
Wedding cake, that is! Some bakers will create a faux cake with styrofoam and fondant icing and will provide you with a sheet cake to serve for your guests. You can also request that the bottom layer be real cake so that you can take part in the ceremonial cutting of the cake. 
6. Ditch the Hard Liquor
Having an open bar can seriously drive up the cost of your wedding! Instead of hosting a full liquor bar, you could provide beer and wine, then create a signature drink that you and your fiance love!
7. Ordain A Friend
The typical cost of hiring an officiant can range from $150 - $300 or more. Instead of spending a few hundred bucks to hire a random person who you've only had about an hour of face time with, you can have a friend get ordained as an officiant online for FREE! Check out the American Marriage Ministries for more information.
8. Use Signage
Instead of printing menu cards, escort cards or wedding programs, use a large chalk sign or printed poster to display important information! Most of the cards listed above are typically tossed after the wedding anyways. You can reuse the chalk board sign for dinner parties or even future baby announcements!
9. Honey Fund
One of the most overlooked items of planning weddings is the honeymoon! After months of planning stress and anxiety, you'll NEED a vacation with just you & your hubs to relax and decompress. If you haven't already worked your honeymoon into your budget, don't fret! In leiu of favors, you can create a honeyfund account, or even place this cool sign at your gift table. Guests will definitely pull out their wallet if they see this ;)
10. Purchase a Sample Dress
A sample sale is perfect for a bride who is looking for budget friendly wedding dress option. The advantage of buying from a sample sale or "off the rack" is that you can get a designer dress at a discounted price, AND you can take it home with you the same day! It's a win-win! If you are looking to shop now, Brilliant Bridal sells ALL of their dresses off the rack, discounted 30-80% off retail price!