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Ways to save on your wedding

Posted May 14th 2007 12:50PM by Beth Gaston Moon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Consumer Experience, Internet

In a perfect world, a couple's wedding day should be among their most memorable and happiest. But why do so many happy memories come with such a steep price tag?

The summer wedding season is right around the corner, and while wedding-savings tips offered on MarketWatch today may be too late for June 2007 brides, they could be just in time for a couple getting married this fall or next year.

Some advice for a wedding that is both elegant and economical include:

Look for wedding dresses at consignment stores. Remember, this is something you only need to wear once! White cocktail or bridesmaid dresses are another possibility.
DJs are substantially cheaper than bands, and you'll hear the original artists performing the original songs.
Select a menu that takes advantage of local food, which will not require shipping.
Employ a photography student to take wedding photos.
Use in-season flowers to reduce florist costs.

Thirty-nine years ago, my parents were married in a small chapel north of New Orleans. They each had two attendants; 40 guests attended. A friend took photographs. Since then, my father has had a theory: "The success of the marriage is in inverse proportion to the lavishness of the wedding." His thinking (which holds some water) is that the more time and effort a couple devotes to picking out the perfect invitation, favor, or limousine service, the less they work on their compatibility during the critical period of engagement.

Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.