How to cut wedding cost (spend on the things that really matter!!)

In the previous post I wrote about wedding cost coming from superfluous things, so here's my tip on focusing on what really matters in a wedding =)

To cut : (yeah baby yeah!)
1. Studio wedding photos

 
Especially overseas where you also have to pay to transport the photographer ><
I am just not excited on spending $3000 to $5000 posing around. (My fiance is lucky to have me, yes) Maybe it's because we both prefer candid photos, maybe because we get more kick from using tripod to take our own romantic photos..

 ... like this ...

No, really, we get a kick out of that.. Funny thing is, it's more our parents, relatives, friends that ask us, "Oh? Why not take pre-wed photos? I mean, it's what you should do right?" or from my mom, "Must take! For posterity!" I doubt my kids would love huge pictures of their parents looking into the distance, all decked up articially.. If we want to embarrass them, might as well show them pictures of their parents being all young, wild, and carefree! Only the PG-rated ones though. Heh.

2. Reception cost

We choose to hold a lunch reception instead of dinner, as we don't think it's worth paying much more just for a difference in timing. Plus, our guests can then eat their fill for lunch AND dinner ;p We choose to have buffet reception, again so guests can 'customize' how much/ little they want to take of each dish, but we're lucky our parents don't mind that at all and not demand a sit-down banquet.

Also, we let the quality and type of the food be our guide instead of how posh the surrounding is.

3. Wedding gown

Yes, literally, cut it short! I'm choosing to wear a short gown and the price to buy a short made-to-measure gown is lower than to RENT a long gown. For the non-Singaporeans (and the single carefree guys and girls), to rent (RENT! As in, wear for a few hours then return and never see it again) a wedding gown cost anywhere from $1500 to $4000. No kidding. To rent a short gown, meanwhile, cost anywhere between $300 to $600, and to tailor it to keep around $800 to $1200. Mine comes with a detachable short train to satisfy FMIL in the church wedding =) Of course this tip is not everyone, but well for petite me, no point drowning in layers upon layers of fabric and risk tripping on the hem of my own gown ><

4. Decorations

Nowadays, simple decorations can also look chic and 'wow'. Heck, there's a whole website dedicated to it: http://www.easy-wedding-centerpieces.com/

Not saying, make the place look shabby. The architect in me totally against that. Am saying, of all the weddings I attended since young, really, I don't remember how the flowers look like. So instead of having lush arrangements in 'safe' colors like pink, or red,  have simple ones but in bolder color. (Thinking of.. green and fuchsia? ) More impact, less fuss.

5. Wedding favors

How many of us really keep and use wedding favors beyond those short "oh-this-is-co-cute!" moments? Not me.. That's why we're thinking of either giving out something edible or doing away with it altogether. Sadly this is one of those "that's just how weddings are done" things and no one really thinks of whether it's necessary, or even nice, and the huge amounts of clutter created.

6. Other wedding frills

To the possible horror of some, no we're not gonna have cute little children dressed in matching outfits, heart-shaped ring pillow, feather pen etc etc.. Again, I don't see how that would make my guests have more fun and to be honest I find them *ahem* rather tacky.. so, cut!