2008 Woodie Awards
Money savers
Plan a wedding on a budget
Ashley Edwards
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: College Life
Weddings can turn into a pricy party when considering the hefty costs of the big day, but brides-to-be can still get the wedding of their dreams without breaking the bank if they follow money saving tips.
Jessica Jeffress, junior journalism major from Mayfield, Ky., got married July 21, 2007. She said the easiest way to save a buck is by getting your hands dirty.
"We did a lot of stuff ourselves," Jeffress said.
Jeffress said she made her own wedding programs and invitations, as well as the food served at the reception.
For her custom-created wedding programs and invitations, Jeffress said she combined ideas she saw on the Internet and used supplies from a scrapbooking store, Office Depot and Wal-Mart.
"Probably, all together, (the programs and invitations) were less than $200," Jeffress said. "If you print them yourself, yeah, you're wasting your own ink, but it's a lot cheaper."
Jeffress said it wasn't hard to decide where to pinch her pennies.
"I really like professional invitations," Jeffress said. "I think they're really pretty how they're embossed and stuff, but it was like, would I rather have that or would I rather have this really nice veil, or something."
Jeffress' mother and some of her mother's friends prepared the food for the reception, which she said is cheaper than hiring a caterer. It wasn't stressful, she said, because so many people helped.
"It was a buffet. It wasn't a sit-down meal because that gets so expensive," Jeffress said. "It was an afternoon wedding, so we just had finger foods."
Jeffress said they even made heart-shaped bread for sandwiches.
Jeffress also got a sweet deal on her wedding cake because her cousin, who attended culinary school, made it.
"The cake was gorgeous and it didn't cost much to have her make it," Jeffress said.
Another great way to save money that Jeffress recommended is to choose flowers that are in season.
"I think it's good to have a good relationship with your florist because I really wanted peonies, but it was a July wedding and I didn't realize that peonies were like $15 a stem in July," Jeffress said. "(The florist) was like, 'Are you sure you want to do that?' and so I cut cost by talking with her." Jeffress said she put together her own wedding favors as well. Jeffress said her wedding guests received cellophane treat bags ordered from nashvillewraps.com, filled with chocolate and strawberry Whoppers to match her wedding color theme.
Jessica Jeffress, junior journalism major from Mayfield, Ky., got married July 21, 2007. She said the easiest way to save a buck is by getting your hands dirty.
"We did a lot of stuff ourselves," Jeffress said.
Jeffress said she made her own wedding programs and invitations, as well as the food served at the reception.
For her custom-created wedding programs and invitations, Jeffress said she combined ideas she saw on the Internet and used supplies from a scrapbooking store, Office Depot and Wal-Mart.
"Probably, all together, (the programs and invitations) were less than $200," Jeffress said. "If you print them yourself, yeah, you're wasting your own ink, but it's a lot cheaper."
Jeffress said it wasn't hard to decide where to pinch her pennies.
"I really like professional invitations," Jeffress said. "I think they're really pretty how they're embossed and stuff, but it was like, would I rather have that or would I rather have this really nice veil, or something."
Jeffress' mother and some of her mother's friends prepared the food for the reception, which she said is cheaper than hiring a caterer. It wasn't stressful, she said, because so many people helped.
"It was a buffet. It wasn't a sit-down meal because that gets so expensive," Jeffress said. "It was an afternoon wedding, so we just had finger foods."
Jeffress said they even made heart-shaped bread for sandwiches.
Jeffress also got a sweet deal on her wedding cake because her cousin, who attended culinary school, made it.
"The cake was gorgeous and it didn't cost much to have her make it," Jeffress said.
Another great way to save money that Jeffress recommended is to choose flowers that are in season.
"I think it's good to have a good relationship with your florist because I really wanted peonies, but it was a July wedding and I didn't realize that peonies were like $15 a stem in July," Jeffress said. "(The florist) was like, 'Are you sure you want to do that?' and so I cut cost by talking with her." Jeffress said she put together her own wedding favors as well. Jeffress said her wedding guests received cellophane treat bags ordered from nashvillewraps.com, filled with chocolate and strawberry Whoppers to match her wedding color theme.
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