Many ways to save money on weddings, big parties

By BETH J. HARPAZ - The Associated Press

Going into debt for a wedding is no way to start married life. Maxing out credit cards is a bad example to set for the teenager having a bar mitzvah, sweet 16 or quinceanara. And by the time 50th birthdays and golden anniversaries roll around, people know that friends and family matter more than price tags.

Besides, it’s easy to have a big, beautiful bash on a budget.

1. INVITATIONS: Thermographed invitations cost 50 percent to 70 percent less than engraved invitations, “and no one can usually tell,” said Alan Fields, co-author with his wife Denise of “Bridal Bargains.” Or make your own invitations, said Sharon Naylor, author of “1,000 Best Wedding Bargains.”

She recommends Mountaincow.com for invitation software and paper, with CDs starting at $29.99. Or order invitations online from a site like Invitations4Sale.com, which Naylor says offers 40 percent off retail prices.

Limit enclosures so you don’t go over the one-ounce maximum for envelopes with a 41-cent stamp. Consider postcards for the RSVP — less postage.

2. GOWNS: Check out department stores when prom season ends: “You might find sophisticated prom dresses that work for a wedding gown,” Naylor said.

To save on high-end gowns, wedding planner Samantha Goldberg advises brides to sign up for trunk shows at department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue or wedding retailers like Kleinfeld Bridal.

3. FLOWERS AND DECOR: Naylor notes that the cheapest flowers will be those in season the month you’re getting married; that “greenery filler is less expensive than flowers and makes for a beautiful natural look” and that smaller bouquets show off gowns to greater advantage.

Casey Cooper, co-author of “What’s Your Bridal Style?”, says do-it-yourself brides can learn the basics of designing centerpieces, boutonnieres and bouquets.

Inexpensive ways to dress up tables: candles, bright balloons, wildflowers in jars, potted plants in season — tulips in spring, mums in fall.

4. DRINK: Instead of open bar with bartender, have a serve-yourself table with wine, beer and/or champagne. Wine retailers can recommend wines in your price range and often give discounts by the case.

5. FOOD: Catered meals with chicken or fish can run 35 percent of your budget, “but if you start getting into filet mignon, prime rib or lobster, you’re going to find yourself in the 40 percent bracket,” Goldberg said.

Buffets are cheaper than sit-down meals, because you don’t pay for table service. But you might want a server to control portions on the buffet for pricey items like smoked salmon, steak or sashimi.

Consider ethnic food. Having a Thai restaurant cater chicken sate — grilled chicken on a stick — with pad Thai noodles might cost less than traditional alternatives.

For birthday or anniversary parties, guests might bring potluck food instead of gifts. For teenage parties, order pizza, wings, 6-foot-hero sandwiches or see if a Mexican restaurant will cater a taco bar.

6. CAKE: Have the cake of your dreams — only smaller. Then order a sheet cake with the same frosting and flavor, Naylor advised, and have servers plate dessert off the sheet cake in the kitchen. Also: “Skip the dessert table” with three other choices, said Fields. “People are eating fewer desserts these days anyway.”

7. TIME AND PLACE: Most popular months for weddings are May, June, September and October. Daytime events are cheaper than nighttime, especially if the photographers and DJ get to leave early enough to make a second gig that night. “A daytime wedding in April costs a third of a nighttime wedding in September,” Naylor said.

Lunch and brunch food is cheaper than dinner. A midday party saves guests money too: They drive in early and get home that night without paying for a hotel overnight.

Destination weddings are cheaper for two reasons: You combine honeymoon and wedding costs, and fewer people come.