Whether you’re having a $10,000 wedding or a $100,000 extravaganza, it makes sense to save money where you can — especially when it’s easy! We asked local wedding vendors in five categories how you can save money on your wedding quickly and easily.
1. Food
“Avoid hotels and banquet halls. Use a chef-owned off-premise caterer. A professional chef-owned off-premise caterer can give you the personalization you need to cut the menu cost with a single entrée using seasonal ingredients at the lowest prices.”
– Craig Pellis, Owner, Silver Spoon Catering, Mount Kisco; 914.241.0955
2. Flowers
“Repurpose the flowers from your ceremony. Use containers that match your decor in your reception. Instead of using the traditional basket altar arrangements, be creative and use containers that will mesh nicely with your reception decor.”
– Luigi Lupinacci, Manager/Floral Designer, Joseph Richard Florals, Armonk; 914.273.3361
3. Stationery
“Minimize paper and printing. In this day and age with smartphones, do you really need a direction card? Most people plug the address into their GPS. Have a wedding website? Include all of your accommodation and reception information on your website for an easy and accessible alternative to reduce the amount of additional cards. Also, curtail your use of envelopes. Yes, an inner envelope or an outer envelope liner look pretty, but are totally not needed (besides, they’re the first to go in the trash).”
– Laura Damiano, Founder/Creative Director, Laura Damiano Designs, Briarcliff Manor; 914.760.6909
4. Photography
“Meet with photographers with a friend who is also engaged. The opportunity to fill two dates and develop a relationship with a circle of friends is likely worth a $500 savings to a smart photographer. Just make sure you and your friend both agree on the photographer.”
– Dan Fried, Owner, H&H Photographers, Irvington; 914.591.4200
5. Venue
“Have your reception on a Friday evening during off-season. Friday-night weddings can save anywhere from $10 to $50 per person. Also, getting married during the off season can save you as well. In the Hudson Valley region, getting married in October is amazing with all of the fall foliage, and it’s not peak wedding season, so some venues will work with you on per-person costs to get your business!”
– Melissa Fife, Professional Bridal Consultant/Certified Wedding & Event Planner, Events by Missy & Company, North White Plains; 914.426.5650
