Everyone is talking about the upcoming Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. People are enamored by romance, glam, glitz and the fairy tale of it all. How often do we get to see "a modern- day Cinderella" get whisked away by her "Prince Charming"? Although I cannot help you find your Prince or Princess, read on to learn how to plan a royal wedding of your own.
Save Money
KATE MIDDLETON
Although fantasy would have people to believe that anyone can live like royalty, the reality of the situation is that most people can't. Things are way too expensive. With new catch phrases like "frugalista", being used in everyday advertising, people are prouder than ever to "pinch their pennies". So, be open with your fiancé. Talk about finances, savings accounts and fico scores when the relationship starts showing signs of getting serious. Waiting until after the engagement or nuptials is way too late. Have the difficult conversations today and most importantly start saving your money.
Set a Budget
It is amazing how many people get married without securing a budget for the wedding. When deciding on a budget, be reasonable. Select a figure that is attainable, keeping in mind that you will still need money for the honeymoon, some place to live and will have bills to pay long after the wedding is over. During the planning stages of your wedding, select one feature of the celebration that is most important to you and allow that to be the only item that you splurge on, within reason. It could anything from the wedding dress, to the flowers or the catering etc. Giving yourself that one allowance with make it easier to stick to your overall budget and minimize feelings of deprivation.
Don't Go Over Budget
It is not just enough to set a budget but, you have to stick to it. Once your budget is in place revisit it often. Keep it somewhere that is easily visible to remind you of where you ought to be. If you find yourself exceeding your budget that is no reason to throw it out. Revisit, revamp and recharge. Revisit your budget. Is it reasonable? Is it attainable? Revamp your budget. Make slight adjustments if needed. Try not to go overboard on this step. Remember, that you selected the figure you did for a reason. Don't back down now. Recharge yourself and move forward with your wedding planning, with budget in hand.
Plan Ahead
Start planning the wedding day from the time of the engagement. No detail is too big or too small. Depending on where you want to have the wedding, even securing the venue one year ahead is not unheard of. Things to take into consideration when securing your venue is the time of year, weekend vs. weekday events and whether or not there is an upcoming holiday. Generally speaking, events on weekends, surrounding holidays and during the peak wedding season will be more expensive and more difficult to secure the date that you want. Planning your wedding early will also allow you to thoroughly explore your options and secure responsible vendors that you trust without sacrificing quality.
Rely on the Generosity of Others
Weddings are a time to celebrate and enlighten ourselves in the love of couple that was fortunate enough to find it. Friends, family and loved ones are usually delighted to be of assistance. Use this opportunity to bask in their generosity. Ask your loved ones if they would be willing to gift their talents as a wedding gift. This could include anything from vocal talents, instrumentation, culinary arts, photography etc. Don't forget to also inquire about "tapping" those same resources for things like access to venues (such as a beautiful home, large back yard, a yacht, church, even a family restaurant.
Get Creative
Above all when planning your own royal wedding, be creative. Let your creativity shine through in all aspects of the wedding. Make sure that the creativity highlights the personalities of the guests of honor (both bride and groom). Creativity is not expensive, actually it is free. Lastly, no matter what your budget is celebrate with elegance. Elegance does not have to be complicated. It can be present with a budget as small as 0 or one as large as 1 million. Conversely, a large budget does not guarantee an elegant event. Keep these things in mind and you will be well on your way to having your own royal event.
How to Plan Your Own Royal Wedding
Lisa is a true learner of life. Although much of her learning came from the academic arena, she garners her lifestyle management lessons from any setting. As such, she credits much of her money-curbing spending lessons to her own experimentation and good old trial and error. After many years, she has developed 21 smart and effective ways to save money.
For info on how to save money in all aspects of your life with creativity and style as well as other savvy mom management tips go to http://21smartwaystosavemoney.blogspot.com (not another coupon site, I promise)
Learn 21 practical and proven ways to save money by visiting http://www.21smartways.com
KATE MIDDLETON
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