Wedding Budgets: Smart Brides, Online Coupon Codes plus 4 Big Tips
Posted by In Casa Gifts Party Pros on

If you're in on the secret that great weddings can be done on a budget, you're a smart bride indeed because you know that you can have your (wedding) cake, and eat it too, with a special day that's big on style but reasonably priced. But even smart brides can use a few tips every now and then. So on that note, here are four of our best wedding shopping tips to help you stay on budget while still getting everything you need to create the kind of day you deserve. It's all about the planning!
Some services, like wedding photography, are tough to save money on if you use the usual tactics to find and book your photographer. But it may be possible to find a steal of a deal by checking out a site like Groupon or a deals site like Dealsplus and keeping an eye out for special promotions. There are talented people who are just getting started in the wedding biz that will sometimes offer huge deals via sites like this just to get their name out there and build a portfolio. Look for deals on wedding photography, wedding venues, limo rentals, catering, flowers and more. Of course, you'd want to shop locally. If you're in Toronto, get local services there. If you're shopping online, it's best to shop from a Canadian wedding shopping site if your'e in Canada (avoid any duties or hidden fees, of course, not to mention shopping in your own currency saves you money!).
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Set your max wedding budget (and write it down!)
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Know what kinds of items are most likely to be discounted
Coupons and discounts are more easily found on some services than others. For example, your local bakery probably doesn't offer big discounts on wedding cakes.
- Sales - Start your shopping well in advance so you'll have time to wait for the items you want to go on sale. While not every item you need will end up with promotional pricing, some of them probably will.
- Discounts on discontinued items - When a manufacturer decides to stop making a product, they often offer it at a great discount to online retailers, who can then pass the savings along to you. As long as you're able to buy the quantity you need, there is no disadvantage to buying a discontinued item.
- Price Matching - Only the competitive shops offer price matching to win your business. When comparing similar items, though, be sure you're getting the same quality brands.
- Off-season pricing - Look for winter-themed wedding supplies to be discounted at the end of the season. Ditto for summer-themed supplies, and so on. If you start your shopping early enough, you may be able to find coupons and discounts on these types of items, allowing you to buy them early and store them until you need them on your big day.
- Bulk order discounts - Items that are purchased in bulk, such as wedding favours and stationery such as invitations, are great candidates for bulk discounts.
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Know where to find online coupon codes and deals for services that aren't usually discounted

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Referrals and your network
Important tip: timing is everything if you want to save big on your wedding venueThis isn't something you typically think of in relation to online shopping and your wedding, but the savings can be huge so it's worth a look. Remember that by choosing a non-peak day to get married, you can get big discounts on wedding venues. If you have some flexibility surrounding the date you want to get married, consider choosing a day that's not in peak wedding season. Another tip is to avoid getting married on a Saturday, and choose a weekday instead. Nowadays there are so many people who work weekends that the old fashioned reason often given for choosing Saturday (because people used to be off work on the weekend) no longer applies. Reach out via email or phone to the wedding venues that are at the top of your list and find out whether or not you can get a discount by avoiding the days they're in highest demand.