Wedding season is upon us, and you may be looking forward to attending several weddings in the next few months. Did you know that the average wedding guest spends somewhere between $200 and $500 just to attend a wedding let alone be part of the wedding party? Here are some ways to cut your spending without being cheap.
Travel and lodging can be a big expense when it comes to attending weddings. There are several ways to cut costs. The bride and groom may have already made arrangements for lodging and transportation, but if they haven’t there are still some ways to save. See if you can connect with other guests to share lodging, a rental car, etc. You can also try to make arrangements to stay with a friend or relative who lives in the area.
When you have children who are not invited to the wedding, the child care or baby sitting expenses can be astronomical, especially if you are going to be gone for a weekend. To save on baby sitting costs, see if you can take the baby sitter with you for the duration. She might be willing to charge a lower rate if you are traveling somewhere new and can build in some time for her to have a bit of vacation after the wedding. Plus you won’t have to be away from your kids overnight.
If you have a special talent or skill you can save money on the expense of a nice gift. Can you offer painting or repair services to the couple. Are you a professional photographer who could offer your skill for the wedding? With a special service, you can give more to the couple, and it will be remembered far longer than a coffee maker. Other person gifts could be a favorite photograph mounted and framed or a scrapbook of memories.
If you are in the wedding, you can suggest to the bride that you purchase your bridesmaid dresses as a lot. There are sellers on ebay and craigslist that will offer several of the same bridesmaid dresses. This can reduce the cost of the dresses by quite a bit.
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