3 Ways To Be A Frugalista Bridesmaid
It’s official, it’s Smart Cookie wedding season. Robyn just got back from her romantic destination wedding and at this time in a week I will be getting ready for my own wedding.
Pause… let me just take that in for a minute… Ok, ready to move on.
With weddings and wedding budgets on our minds, in this week’s Globe and Mail Angela reveals her tips on how to be a fabulous bridesmaid for less than you think, and of course, Ang covers suggestions on how to politely urge the bride to be budget concious in her choices.
Ditch the traditional dress
Although every bride will tell you that her bridesmaid’s dress is a dress you’ll wear again, you won’t – ever. It’s a shame considering the average dress costs around $260, according to Weddingbells’ Annual Reader Survey. If you’re just starting the search, ask the bride to pick a colour, as opposed to a single style, that you can all work with. That way you can search within your own budget. Generally, bridal stores are more expensive when it comes to dresses, so a department store is likely the better way to go. I’d also recommend consigning your dress immediately after the wedding and encourage the others in the party to do the same. In a previous wedding I was in, we all consigned our dresses as a set and they were scooped up by another bridal party.
Get glam for less
I’m a big fan of beauty schools. Prices will vary from school to school, but you’ll likely pay a student stylist 50 to 75 per cent less than a professional. Every student is supervised by an instructor, so you’re in good hands. A trial run before the big day is also a good idea. To find beauty schools in your area, visit beautyschoolsdirectory.com. This site will also direct you to other services, such as manicures, pedicures and massages, for far less than you’d pay at a salon.
Cut travel costs
If you’re involved in a destination wedding, then you need to put even more thought into reducing costs. Claire Newell, Vancouver-based travel consultant, suggests tracking airfare prices at a site like Yapta.com. The site will alert you when hotels or flights are found within your budget. Ms. Newell also provides other money-saving travel tips here, as well as her top travel websites to make the process of travelling much smoother.
Gifts
If the essentials are strapping you, then forgo purchasing something off the registry and offer up something more practical and less expensive instead. When I was in school, I offered to pet sit while the newlyweds were away and help a bride-to-be with her work so she could take an extended honeymoon. It cost me my time but it fit into my budget. There are so many ways to be creative in giving your time and your energy without racking up more debt. Consider the interests and needs of the couple and go from there.
Create a Fun Wedding Budget
Offer to help your bride create a bridesmaid budget. Mywedding.com, who offer the best ( in our humble opinion), free wedding websites, are launching a new section of their site to help brides and bridesmaids keep track and plan their spending. We’ll keep you posted on when the new bride budget section is set to be up and running.
We shouldn’t have to opt out of a friend’s wedding because we don’t have the funds. There are ways to make it work. Having a plan in place, getting creative about necessary expenses, and staying real about your current financial picture and what you can and can’t afford will help you watch your friends say “I do” without going further into debt.
What’s you favourite wedding money saving tip!?
