Category Archive

Budgeting Advice

How to save money on your wedding and make the most of your wedding budget — plus budget examples from real couples!

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6 non-rules for tipping your wedding vendors

There’s so much conflicting information on the internet, it’s no wonder tipping wedding vendors can be such a perplexing topic to so many couples. To make matters worse, it’s a subject that usually doesn’t come to light until the end of the wedding planning process, after you’ve already shelled out a great deal of cash and suddenly realize you might be expected to give EVEN MORE?! And if you don’t — clearly you’re a bad human, your vendors will despise you and ALL. WILL. BE. RUINED! (Dun dun duuuun!)

Well, not exactly. But, the fact is, clients ask me all the time for guidelines on tipping wedding vendors because… wait for it… there are no rules.

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One-lowmanship and luxury shame: one more way you’re supposed to feel bad about your stupid wedding

I know from the our reader survey exactly how many of you are trying to plan economical weddings with budgets under $10k (or $5k… or $2k). It’s a lot of you. But I also know exactly how many of you are planning weddings over $10k — and even over $30k. And I know how many of you are feeling weird about it.

Dont fuck this up cake topper by CakeWords alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Save money with a cake and punch reception

Once upon a time (okay, mostly in the ’40s and ’50s), before weddings became huge social events, they were typically held in a church with a cake and punch reception directly followed in the basement. So, what would all of this look like in money and time? Here’s how a cake and punch reception would go down AND save you money…

19907800 475 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Our gay discount: how same-sex couples occasionally come out on top

Yes, almost everything having to do with gay marriage can run the gamut of SUPER complicated to not even legal. It’s hard to get a break. But find out how sometimes being a queer bride can help you a super deal!

save money on your wedding food alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

7 tips on stretching your wedding food budget

We know that you can NEVER have a shortage of budget-stretching ideas. I previously gave you these recession-friendly wedding budget ideas, but let’s get food-specific in this installment, shall we? Here are 7 ways you can stretch your catering budget.

full back coverage blue wedding dress on offbeat bride e1588282983286 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

10 tips for how to negotiate the price of a wedding dress

I negotiated $400 off of my wedding dress. Er, technically $387, but I like nice round numbers. Plus, with tax lessened, it probably all rounds out, right? Right. For those who don’t like anecdotes, here’s a handy dandy list on what to do to try and to negotiate your price for your gown.