With the rough and tumble economy of 2008, brides in 2009 will place a heavy focus on saving money when planning their wedding. Some of the expected new 2009 trends include:
- Smaller weddings with fewer guests
Brides and grooms are trimming the fat off their guest lists to help keep the costs down. Look for immediate family, close family friends, and close friends of the bride and groom to receive invitations. 2nd cousins, "work friends", and friends of relatives may not make the cut in 2009. If the bride or groom will be meeting the person for the first time at their wedding, it's unlikely they'll be on the invite list this year!
Tip: Save money on your invitations when you order online!
http://msw.cceasy.com/ - Destination weddings
While it may intuitively seem like destination weddings are more expensive, in many cases they are much cheaper than a traditional wedding for several reasons:
1) the guest list is typically much smaller;
2) destination weddings are often held at all-inclusive resorts;
3) destination weddings often serve as the honeymoon, too!
Tip: Enjoy a beach-themed wedding at your favorite destination resort. Use beach themed invites, wedding favors, and wedding party gifts! Take 10% off at http://www.wherebridesgo.com with coupon code BLOG. - Accent colors - everywhere!
Popular 2009 hues are greens and blues.
Forget the traditional all white wedding. 2009 brides are adding a punch of color to their wedding cakes to save money over elaborate fresh floral decor. Sure, bridesmaids have always had the funky colored dresses, but modern brides really know how to tie it all together when tightening the budget belt. 2009 Brides will look to save money on elaborate floral centerpieces by using color in their table linens and opting for simpler centerpieces. Look for color splashes in the wedding accessories, wedding gown, tuxedos, and reception chair covers, as well.
Tip: Choose wedding accessories with color to add personalization and visual impact! Visit http://www.wherebridesgo.com/ for a HUGE selection of custom color wedding accessories.
- Increased reliance on family and friends to help plan, pay for, and provide certain "professional" services
Modern brides and grooms tend to be in their late twenties and early thirties, independent, and professional. This has led to a trend of brides and grooms footing all or part of the bill for their own weddings. With a tightening economy, look for brides and grooms to lean on parents more, not just for the bill, but possibly in lieu of hiring certain professional services.
Tip: Be careful not to cut back on services you may regret later. There really is no substitute for the quality of a professional photographer and videographer. The professional services of an experience DJ or wedding band/MC are absolutely invaluable if you are planning are large formal reception. - Increased use of green and echo friendly products and services
Brides Go Green (TM) in 2009! The trend will be toward earth friendly wedding favors, invitations, and everything green (where possible). Brides will even begin using online RSVP’s over the traditional mail-in RSVP for the wedding!
Tip: Look for green wedding favors and eco-friendly wedding favors!
- Simplified decorations, centerpieces and wedding invitations
With the trend toward pinching pennies, brides in 2009 will have one thing in common ... simple. Simple centerpieces, simple (yet elegant, of course) decor, and simple invitations. The complexity will be in the hues, but simple will rule the setting. Think reusable when it comes to centerpieces, think dual-use when it comes to placecards, and think practical when it comes to wedding favors!
Tip: Take 10% off Practical Wedding Favors, reusable (aka practical) centerpieces, and placecard holders at http://www.wherebridesgo.com/! Coupon Code BLOG - Off-peak weddings
October will become the new June! Many venues offer substantial off-season and off-peak day/hour weddings to complete their bookings.
Tip: Check wedding venues for discounts on Mornings, Afternoons, Fridays, and Sundays. Be sure to ask ... you will be AMAZED at the HUGE savings available, even at the most expensive and exclusive venues. - Buffet meals, Hors d’oeuvre, and cocktail receptions
Brides will be looking to save on the food and cocktails (one of the largest expenses related to the wedding!)
Tip: Don't assume a buffet is cheaper. It's usually not! Price out the buffet vs the plated dinner at your venue. Rather than an appetizer table, have servers hand-carry Hors d’oeuvres. Your guests will eat fewer (so you need to purchase less). For the cocktails, consider open beer and wine for a fixed period, then switch to cash bar. Have 100% cash bar for hard/premium liquors.
Do you have GREAT money saving ideas to share with brides? Post them here with Where Brides Go (TM)! We'd love to share your unique ideas with other brides.
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