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15
Ways to Cut Wedding Costs
 A wedding in the family can drain
finances faster than reckless bidding in the Options market. So what do
you do if money is tight, prices are hitting a new high and the big day
is looming forebodingly close? Here's how to have a fabulous wedding by
cutting corners, but without sacrificing style.
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When you are selecting the flowers for
the décor, remember that seasonal blooms are much more cost effective
than those that are imported or not in season.
-
If you want to have a toast at the reception,
it is not necessary to serve champagne. There are many sparkling wines
on the market that offer both good quality and good value. However, be
sure to serve sparkling wine as chilled as possible. This dulls the flavour
and makes it harder to tell apart from champagne. Remember, hardly any
of your guests are going to be wine experts.
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If you are hosting the wedding ceremony
and are a vegetarian, you can get away by having a vegetarian menu.
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Nothing saves costs like cutting down
on the number of functions. Many couples opt to have the wedding earlier
in the evening, followed by the reception, so they needn't have a separate
function. Similarly, you could combine the mehendi with the sangeet.
-
If you still want to host two functions,
keep the wedding small and intimate and follow it up by a grand reception.
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Make use of the talents of your friends.
If someone is knowledgeable about music, let him be the disc jockey at
your sangeet, so you don't have to hire a professional.
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Consider alternate wedding venues. Many
couples opt to get married in a temple. Similarly, farmhouses can be more
reasonable than five star hotels. Speak to friends and relatives who have
large gardens and find out if you can have the functions there.
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Find out if it is possible to use flowers
from a friend's garden, so you don't have to buy them.
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Get married out of town, in a nearby,
quaint destination. For example, if you are in Bombay, consider holding
your wedding ceremony in Lonavala. Book rooms in a comfortable hotel and
have a blast, surrounded by your closest friends and relatives.
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Unless you plan to be wearing a heavy-duty
designer outfit, the general rule of thumb is the more material used, the
more expensive the outfit. Straight, fitted lehengas are very much the
rage these days, and a much more elegant option (not to mention economical!).
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Get a second, light chunni made to match
your wedding lehenga, so it isn't a one-time-wear outfit.
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Instead of having flowers as centerpieces,
place a bunch of grapes, a pear and an apple in a bowl and spray it with
gold paint. After they have served their purpose of decoration, simply
dunk them in a tub of water, and munch away!
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Get married off-season; it's great value
for money. Venue prices will be slashed, caterers won't be serving a mish-mash
of leftovers from the last wedding and guests won't go, "Oh no! Another
one bites the dust!" when they receive your card.
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Stick to one type of menu. It's a lot
classier than having Chinese, Moghlai, Thai and Continental all together
and expecting guests to fill up their plates with noodles one side, and
daal on the other. Instead, have a different menu every function.
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Finally, do your bookings well in advance.
Get several quotations while making arrangements and use them as a basis
for negotiation.
Remember, if you want everyone
to have a great time at your wedding without overextending yourself, you
have to make a budget and stick to it. It's very easy to go overboard and
there's no limit to the amount you can spend. Know when to draw the line
- and draw it.
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