Marital Affair: Tips to cut down costs

Marriages may be made in heaven, but they have to be paid for on earth. Suits, sarees, jewellery, beauty regimen, sweets, feast….. weddings are the quickest way to spend a lot of money.

Marriage is not the end, but the beginning of the shared life of two people, and its advisable not to start it on a note of debt.

Here’s a rundown, how one can plan a fabulous wedding by cutting the flab, but keeping the quality high.

Avoid the high season

Nearly 70 percent of the weddings in India take place when the venue cost are at peak because of the demand. Picking up an off-season wedding date cuts down the venue hiring cost significantly. Also, bookings made well in advance help in proper negotiation and clinching of good deals.

Get the venue right

One of the first things that has to be finalised for the wedding is the venue. If one is not really picky about the ‘where’ of the wedding it can make all the difference.

Any good marriage hall in a city costs about Rs. 60,000 to 80,000. Try to choose a non-traditional venue for the day.

Economize on cards

Invitation cards cost anything between Rs. 25 to Rs. 3000 each. Make the selection and place the order well in advance. For a larger gathering one can buy invitations from wedding warehouses to get the best buy for money. Be creative, avoid printing separate cards for ceremonies to be held at the same venue. One can also invite via e-mail, especially those living abroad.

Décor: Grow out of flowers

Pick seasonal flowers to save money. Instead of decorating the entire venue with flowers, one can use adornments that are unique, personalised and less expensive. One can experiment with fruits, balloons and ice sculptures which are in trend these days. Lighting can be used to elegantly highlight balloons and other decorations.

Save on ceremonies

An Indian wedding is a three day affair- sangeet, mehendi, pheras and reception. It costs about Rs. 6 to 10 lakhs in total. Try to minimise cost by cutting down of functions or simply by combining them. The idea of holding the reception and barat together significantly cuts down expenditure. Likewise, sangeet and mehendi can be clubbed together. One can also keep the wedding small and intimate and follow it up with a grand reception.

Dress down the gown

The savings drive can extend up to the wedding dress. Be creative and try to look for cheaper fabrics that are easily available for evey dress design. One can also play smart with jewellery. Wearing rented pieces can be one option.

Draft in your friends

One can also save huge chunk by harnessing talent of friends. Ask a friend to look after music instead of calling professional DJ, and another to help with make up instead of a professional make up artist can do the magic.

Savers’ recipe

Stick to one type of menu. Fitting in Chinese, Mughlai, Thai, Continental and Indian in one menu will be no fun, just an added burden on the pocket. Instead have a different menu for different functions. Also, allowing a caterer to be flexible with the menu can save money. It is equally important a keep a tight rein on the number of guests.

Remember, if one wants to have a great wedding without getting financially drained, make a budget and stick to it. It’s very easy to get carried away and there is no limit on how much one can spend.