Five tips for stretching your wedding design dollars

As we are starting the busy Spring wedding season, we get asked quite often about options for stretching  the design budget. Most clients hate to hear the B word, but the reality is every wedding has a budget, the trick  is investing in high profile areas and scaling back on others. So we though  it would be fun to share a few tips for making your moment ....reflect you two, your personal style AND stretch those dollars.

1. Fist up .....trim the guest list ( I know, I know its pain full) but I tell my clients frequently that adding guest is like bad algebra. Most people think in one dimension.... maybe food, drink- but it's a little more complicated. I give my clients a magic number - take your budget say it's 30K and divide by the amount of guest you will have say it's 150 the answer is $200.00 now that's what it cost for every guest to participate in your moment. That includes seeing you in your dress, eating a great meal,  that pretty little chavari chair- favor - slice of cake - and sparkler for your exit. ( and a few more things) Then decide if you like them enough to enjoy their company at a dinner ( alone ) for $200.00 ...paints a whole different picture right ?

2.  Splurge on high profile areas - head table, bridal party, sweet heart table.  Go big here ! Add those place cards, table numbers, stunning settings, and centerpieces. Scale back on guest tables - maybe candle arrangements, or smaller centerpieces. 

3. Have an abbreviated bar, you have plenty of options - beer and wine, signature drinks,  and mid grade alcohol options work really well. 

4. Lighting - let's just say it covers a multitude of sins. 

5. Favors - yep, I said it ! Favors ....I can't tell you how many of those I box up or trash at the nights end,  trust me your guest won't really miss the magnet.