You found the perfect dress, the most exquisite bakery for your cake, the most sumptuous caterers in town, and beautiful dresses for your bridesmaids. You spotted the most fantastic venue for your spring wedding, but as the days draw near, you find you can't pay for it all. And with your credit from college, you don't know where you can turn for a loan!
When you're preparing for the happiest day of your life, the last thing you want is to stress over not being able to pay for the wedding. In most cases, wedding costs end up far beyond budget. After all, it is the biggest day of your life. You want the day to be perfect. Unfortunately, your credit isn't.
Which is why you're less than surprised when your bank denies your loan application. This is when the whirlwind excitement you have felt throughout all of your planning so far may start to dissipate. The important thing to remember is, this is still the most important day of your life, and a tighter than expected budget (or higher than expected expenditures) shouldn't cast a cloud over all of your plans.
There are several ways to try to make the most of your resources when considering the financial aspects of your wedding. The first thing you may want to do is downsize. Look at your guest list and cross out some of the people you may be inviting as just a formality. Next, try to make a fair estimate of how many of your invitees will actually show up. Upon inspection, you may realize that some of them are out of town, tending to an ill family member, etc. and probably won't show up. You may even want to ask that parents not bring small children. This can cut both costs and chaos for your big day. Even a small reduction of your guest list can make a significant difference to costs, when all things are considered.
Despite the fact that you found the most sumptuous caterers in town, you may be able to find a more economic choice that makes just as much of an impression on your guests. Or, you may want to choose a different dish with the same caterer. Lemon-dill chicken breasts may not have the same haute appeal as lobster-topped filet, but the dish can be dressed to look just as well-selected and definitely as tasty as the latter choice. Leave this up to the caterers--it's their job. And definitely rethink your choice of alcohol. If you are thinking of featuring an open bar, you may want to provide bottles of wine and beer only. This will not only eliminate a huge expense, but also help pacify some of your guests that are sure to be coming largely to get drunk (we all have a few of them)!
You can even save money in all of the little details of the ceremony, details that most people will fail to even notice. Different types of table cloths or floral arrangements for your guest tables, and the types of stationary and wedding cards you choose can definitely save you money, without making much of an impact on your wedding plans.
If you have your heart set on certain details of your wedding however, and absolutely do not want to cut corners, then you may want to explore other financial options as well. Even if you had trouble getting a loan with your bank due to your credit, several companies, some of them online, specialize in helping customers with less than perfect credit. Credit MD is one such company that offers direct online loans. Just be sure that the company you choose is legitimate, and you don't find yourself in years of debt because you overdid your wedding plans just a little (or a lot).
Most importantly, don't allow the stress of finances to ruin the most important time of your life. Enjoy every moment of it, and make it a day to remember forever.
