Save Money on Your Wedding Dress

Your wedding is quite possibly the most important day of your life and you've probably been dreaming about it since you were about 12 years old. The dress you choose is ultimately going to be what people look at and remember about your wedding. That being said, you want to find the perfect dress that will make your guest's and husband's jaws hit the floor when you walk down the aisle. Are you thinking that may be unrealistic with your wedding budget? Think again! We have some of the best shopping tips in order to help you save money on your wedding dress. This way you can enjoy your wedding while maintaining a reasonable wedding budget.

1. Shop Around � Don't assume the first dress you try on is going to be the best deal or look the best on you. There are many dresses to try.

2. Discount Bridal Salons � Discount bridal salons often have sales of up to 75% off (especially on last year's merchandise) which can save you a lot of money in the long run. If you hear of a discount sale, make sure you know what you are looking for since many women go crazy at these events and dresses are often gone in a matter of minutes.

3. Have Someone Make Your Dress � If you have a talented friend or family member who you trust to make your wedding dress for you, you can save an enormous amount of money and still have a great dress for your big day.

4. Look on the Internet � the Internet is a great place to search and explore the many options of styles for your dress and you are guaranteed to find dresses which do not cost a fortune.

5. Bridal Salons � normal bridal salons (as opposed to discount) sometimes have sales which offer around 30% off last years merchandise. The salons near where you live are definitely worth looking into.

6. Borrow or Rent � Some women cringe at the thought of borrowing or renting a wedding gown, but others may not take it as seriously. Wedding dresses are really only worn for one day and renting or borrowing can really save you a lot of money.

7. Seamstresses � Contact a seamstress and ask for a quote. It's unlikely that a seamstress is going to charge you as much as a bridal salon. If you do this, make sure to ask about their experience in this area or past brides who you can contact. This will ensure they are reputable and there won't be any "mishaps" with your dress.

Finding the perfect wedding dress is important, but paying a ridiculous amount for one dress can be a waste of your money. Finding the perfect wedding dress for the perfect price, now that's a wedding dream come true!

Planning Your Wedding Reception Menu

When you are planning a budgeted menu, you must first know what your exact budget is when it comes to the food and drink specifically. Some people keep the food and drinks separate, but on average, the food and drink are a part of the same bill.

If you can afford the more expensive catering services, then by all means enjoy. However, if you are like most of us, you will likely need a little bit of help in creating a menu that is fitting to your budget.

If you are hosting an indoor reception in a hall and plan to have a dinner option, you have to make sure that you accommodate the needs of all of your guests which include vegetarians. You should request that the guests RSVP beforehand so that you can get the right amount of vegetarian plates.

The way that you choose to serve the dinners can vary. Here are some tips on how you can choose to serve the guests to make it a bit cheaper for you.

� You can serve the meals buffet style, with this option you have people forego wedding gifts in favor of bringing a dish

� You can offer vegetable, fruit an meat platters with dips and crackers instead of foods

� You can ask each guest to contribute a small amount of money to the reception or to make donations toward the reception rather than buying a gift.

� You can offer a soup and salad menu rather than a full blown entr�e

� Offer a limited bar which means that you offer an open bar only at certain times such as after dinner and during toasting etc. that way your guests aren�t paying and you won�t go broke, the rest of the time offer a cash bar

� Offer around the world appetizers instead of a meal. This will give you the opportunity to offer fill ups such as crab, shrimp. Etc. as well as casual appetizers like cheese sticks, chicken wings, and mushroom caps etc. the around the world motif will also provide your party with a variety of different tastes.

� Request that each immediate family member create a dish instead of a present

� Do not pay for extras like servers, bartenders etc. asking a friend or family member to do it instead as a wedding gift to you

Outdoor receptions give you much freedom when choosing your menu because you can serve anything that you want including barbecue, long group submarine sandwiches or pizza.

As long as you offer foods that will accommodate both carnivores and vegetarians, you will be fine. You can always find items to suit all of your needs and every budget as long as your budget is reasonable for the amount of people that you are planning to serve. If it doesn�t fit, you may have to trim the invite list.