Pretty Programs

Photo by Norman Yu Photography

As I mentioned in my last post, a great way to save on your wedding is to keep it simple with your paper products.  Even basic wedding programs can cost big bucks when you pay someone else to do them.  Let me be real with you for a minute...no one else gives a crap what your programs look like.  Seriously.  I'm sorry, I know, your heart is breaking and the image of fancy programs complete with ribbons and pearls and hand calligraphy are turning to mist before your eyes.  I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I had to be honest with you.

The fact of the matter is, once the wedding is over, most guests will throw those programs away and never think about them again...if they even remember to take them home at all.  The purpose of a program is to let your guests know the order of ceremony and maybe the who's who of your wedding party.  Anything else is extra.  Yes, it's nice to share your love story in 10 pages or less, but come ON people...most of them know your story and if they don't, it's ok...they know how it ends!

So.  Now that we've gotten over ourselves let's get down to business making the nicest possible programs for the least amount of money...because the less you spend on paper the more you can spend on that honeymoon you want!

First...to the paper aisle!!
I'd recommend something heavier than printer paper.  You want it to be stiff enough to hold it's own.  I would go with card stock, which comes in a variety of colors and finishes.  I chose a pearl finish ivory card stock...very classy looking.  50 sheets for $11.99 at my Office Depot.

Second...formatting
To make an inexpensive project look more professional, I chose to print my programs two to a page longways...so they're long and thin.  You can definitely do yours differently, but I thought these looked more modern.  Unless you're going for a more contemporary design, center your text.  Test out different fonts to make sure that they are legible and that they fit on the page.  I know the calligraphy-like fonts are pretty, but they're no go to you if no one can read them.  I'd also save anything super fancy for the headings and let the regular text be a little more structured.

Third...TEST PAGE!
I cannot stress this enough: print. a. test. page.  DO IT.  You would be really pissed if you hit print on 100 programs only to find out that it cut off a line at the bottom or the heading was just a smidge too low on the page.  Plus, this give you and extra opportunity to check spellings and such.  Trust me...it's better to triple check something than to have to do it over.

Fourth...when in doubt, get some help.
For some reason, my printer hates me.  It never cooperates with anything I try to print.  I took my program in to Office Depot on a flash drive, and the girls at the printing desk did the rest...they even put my full sheets into their handy dandy cutting contraption and sliced my programs for me...a much better job than I could have done myself.

The end result was lovely and exactly what I wanted.  In total I spent $23 and some change for 100 programs.  That included the cardstock, formatting fee, printing, and cutting.  If you're looking for something even more fancy, you are welcome to print on vellum and use ribbon to attach them to some cardstock or doll them up with stick on gems (Martha Stewart's line has some really pretty ones).  Bottom line...you don't have to spend big bucks to have something nice!

Wedding Planning Tips

Ok, so I've been trying not to post about wedding stuffs so the big day will remain a surprise to my guests who also read my blog.  But...I'm an impatient person and I can't wait any longer...sad because there are only 43 days left!

Here are my most basic tips on keep your costs down and still have a beautiful wedding.

1.  Cut the guest list.
Ever wonder why this is on EVERY list about wedding budgets?  It's because it's the best tip out there...it really is!  Our original guest list was around 200 people...as you can imagine, that gets pricey.  We widdled it down to 75 and it was a lot easier than we thought.  We cut out friends we hadn't seen within the last year and we cut out the extended family that we rarely see or talk to...no 2nd cousins and the like unless we're close to them.
If someone approaches you about why they weren't invited, simply explain that you are working within a budget and you had to make tough choices about the guest list and chose to keep it to family and close friends only.

2.  Cut down on your decorations.
Flowers and linens and lighting all cost big bucks.  In order to cut our costs here, we opted for a venue that provided it's own beauty.  The only decor we're purchasing are the floral arrangements for the tables and the backdrop for the ceremony.  Realistically, it's better to invest in a nice venue than a bunch of decorations that you'll have to try to get rid of later.

3.  Cut back your bridal party.
I know, I know, you have 12 sorority sisters and they're all your besties, but the reality is, the more attendants you have, the more it's going to cost you.  Yes, they pay for their own dresses and such, but you have to give them each a gift and you have to feed them both at the wedding and at the rehearsal dinner...and their dates (traditionally).

4.  Food!
I've been to many weddings in my life and let me tell you, the food is always what I remember the most.  I went to a wedding where we had a lovely plated meal with steak and the like...it sucked.  There was another wedding I went to where they chose to go with their country wedding theme and roasted a whole pig and had homemade salsas and it was de-lic-ious!  Don't assume that because it's fancy that it tastes good or that because it's expensive that it's better.  Do the tasting.  Be honest with yourself about what you think people will eat.  If the caterer is too pricey, try asking for a lower price.  Sometimes, they're willing to give you a deal in order to keep your business.

5. Pay cash as much as possible.
I found that vendors were more willing to give me a discount when I offered to pay cash up front.  It guarantees that you're not going to stiff them or be late with payments.  Also, cash vs. credit saves them a percentage...credit cards charge businesses to use them.  A word of caution on this...be absolutely certain that's the vendor you want before paying because a lot of them won't refund your cash.  Make sure to get a very specific contract before handing over any money.

6. Don't waste your money on paper.
I know those fancy pants invitations and cutesy save the dates are very, very tempting.  But you and your parents are probably the ONLY people who will ever think twice about them.  Most people will throw them in the trash right after the wedding.  Same goes for programs.  There are tons of great DIY kits out there and the friendly folks at your local Office Depot are more than happy to help you print everything out juuuust right.

7.  Take a deep breath and remember the most important thing.
This is your wedding.  At the end of the day, as long as you two are married, it was a perfect day.  Don't let the details stress you out because 50 years from now, you'll probably forget the pattern of the linens and the cute little escort card details...you'll remember the way you looked at each other when you said, "I do."