Naturally, many of us would like our once-in-a-lifetime wedding to be a glamorous and unforgettable occasion. However, this kind of glamour could come at a price and you may end up paying an exorbitant amount of money for your special day. That said, there would be ways in which you could reduce your expenses and avoid spending too much on your wedding. Some of these money-saving tips are described below.

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For your memorable wedding, you would naturally need an elegant venue that meets your expectations. A good choice would be an attractive venue that offers the appearance and style for an unforgettable event without the high cost. This could be a traditional wedding venue or perhaps a more different setting; you may also consider a beach wedding or other outdoor wedding that would be an occasion to remember.

Additionally, you could opt for a more unusual and impressive food arrangement rather than the traditional buffet. For instance, you may consider having elegantly dressed butlers serving stylish canapés rather than the commonplace buffet.

Another great idea would be to have a distinctive theme for your wedding. Your theme could take many different forms and it may reflect the tastes of the couple and the concept that you have in mind for the occasion. Ideally, choose a hotel which offers such options and which will take care of the catering too. For example, when looking for cost-effective wedding venues in Colombo, Sri Lanka, you can consider properties like Pegasus Reef Hotel where you could host a ceremony indoors or outdoors including the beach as well as hold a themed reception.

An elegant way to create an upscale look for your wedding reception would be to have classy linens for the tables. A fabric like shantung or pintuck would add a luxurious touch to your occasion without a huge expense. Another idea would be to rent napkins featuring a certain pattern or colour; this would add a customized touch to your event. Rather than spend a great deal on lavish table centrepieces, you may opt to create a simple yet chic look by placing clear cylinders with orchids, flower petals or floating candles.

When it comes to your wedding stationery, here is another idea to consider; you may choose to save on costs by having your invitations printed professionally, but creating your own programmes, save-the-dates, escort cards and menus using the identical fonts, style and colour as in the professional invitations. You could also eschew handcrafted calligraphy on the envelopes and simply have them printed on a computer or at a print shop.

Although having grand entertainment would add an upscale touch to your wedding, it wouldn’t be necessary to spend exorbitantly in this regard. You may consider opting for a talented three-piece group rather than a costlier five-piece ensemble. You could also consider having live musicians playing earlier on and then switching to tunes provided by a DJ. Another option would be to have the services of a skilled solo musician such as a classical guitarist rather than an expensive multi-piece group. On the other hand, you could have a sax player, bongo player or other musicians accompanying the tunes provided by a DJ.

If you desire to have butler-served foods at your reception, it would be a good idea to make them visually attractive. Another classy touch would be to have an amuse-bouche (special appetizer) for guests to start off the meal. You could also serve ethnic foods that wouldn’t be vastly expensive at your reception like Indian, Sri Lankan or Chinese cuisine. You may additionally opt to offer your invitees a signature cocktail rather than costly imported liquors. As you might expect, a sumptuous wedding cake could be very expensive, so consider more cost-effective alternatives such as a cupcake tower, petit fours or miniature pies.