Four Weddings and Stress or Saving Wedding Money Instead

Here comes the bride

And here comes another reason to worry about your finances.  Why?  Surely you’ve been in this situation before or maybe you’re there now—someone in your family or one of your best friends announces their upcoming wedding, and could you please be Maid of Honor or Best Man?  Of course, it’s an honor and you’d love to take on the role, which almost always means getting the appropriate dress or renting a tux, as well as finding the perfect wedding gift.  Hear your wallet sending out its warning signals?

Something Blue

‘Blue’ is what you’ll be when you realize how much you’ll end up spending, if you don’t plan your decisions carefully.  If you’re lucky, some couples actually shoulder the expenses of their party—from clothes to preparations to plane tickets and hotel accommodations, if needed. But the financial crunch will most likely have many of them relying on their chosen ones to pay their own way.  And because they are probably very important people in your life, you’ll still want to do your best to make the wedding memorable—but how to do it without compromising your budget.

Something Old, Something New

First off, why not check your own closet for outfits you used maybe just once or twice, maybe even one you wore for a previous wedding.  If you’re creative, perhaps you can rework a dress, change the neckline or shorten the hemline, and add beadwork here and there.  A tux is a tux—just rent one at the best cost.  Do your own hair and makeup. Why not ask other members of the bridal party if they’d like to share a room at the hotel, if the wedding is to be held somewhere else.  Take advantage of airline promos and book way ahead.  As for the wedding gift, well, let’s just say it would be best to go for substance over form. Get something the bride and groom will surely remember, like putting together an online photo album of their best memories.

Something Borrowed

And you though it was the bride who needed something borrowed? I hope it’s not you who will be needing something borrowed because you’ve accidentally gone over your budget or the expenses just wouldn’t fit the amount you originally set. Maybe rather than money, what you could borrow would be your sister’s shoes that match the dress, or your friend’s car to drive to the ceremonies.

And Live Happily Ever After

Weddings shouldn’t be stressful. They should be seen for the unforgettable occasions they truly are.  Whether you’ve got one or ten weddings to be part of, the whole point is to celebrate the union of two people who you really care about.  You may look at these incidental costs as a way to show the bride and groom how much you value them. Just keep the nostalgia at bay, and don’t go overboard—and enjoy what is really a milestone in any relationship.