New Zealand Wedding and Honeymoon Directory
DIY Weddings
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In light of current economic times and the average cost of a wedding adding up to $30,000, it is no wonder that many people are opting to take on a "Do It Yourself" attitude to their wedding. But is this a good idea? When I got married, cost was a big factor! We were young, my wife-to-be was studying, we had no savings and no rich parents! In light of this we chose to save costs by getting married in our church by our minister, having the reception catered for by friends and at a location that cost us very little to hire. The photographer wasn't a friend, but for the quality of the photos we might have been better off using a friend and our honeymoon was a short distance away in an unromantic motel near a cold beach. At the time we just wanted to get married and we were happy. However, would I do it differently if I was to do it again? Yes! Firstly I would check around for a good photographer and take more time to see samples of their work before committing to their services. You only get the chance to photograph your wedding once and having those great artistic and professional shots is worth the investment of time and money. I would get someone professional to cater for the wedding. While our friends had catering experience and did a great job, we had to be involved in much of the planning, purchasing and organising. On top of that our friends didn't get to enjoy our wedding! Catering can be as simple as a pig on a spit or a gourmet picnic from a professional caterer and it doesn't need to cost much. It is worth shopping around to see what you can get for your budget. I would take time to plan a romantic honeymoon in an idyllic location. Often the first few days of a honeymoon are about winding down from the big event, but after that you really do want to enjoy the benefits of a romantic getaway. If going overseas to a resort or staying at luxury accommodation is not affordable for you, one idea may be to have a 'honeymoon register' with a local travel agent where people can contribute to your honeymoon as a wedding gift. Many travel agents offer this service. Many people plan and organise their own wedding using friends, favours and ingenuity to cut costs. This can make for a wonderful and affordable wedding where everyone is involved and memories are created. However, there are some things that are worth investing more money in as you will never have that day again. If your budget is limited you may want to consider what you may look back on in the future and say "I wish we had ..." and plan to do something about that now. Spending that little extra on the one or two things that are important will be worth it in the end. |
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