Wedding Supplies
Weddings require an immense amount of planning and preparation and one of the most important factors that will decide the bride’s wedding budget and the amount of time she has to prepare for the wedding is the amount of wedding supplies she will need to purchase. Even with a small wedding, there are many wedding supplies that a bride simply can’t do without. When purchased a full retail price, wedding supplies can take a huge bit out of a wedding budget. If you know how to shop for discounted wedding supplies and where to look, however; it’s a cinch to save a great deal of wedding supplies.
First, if your wedding is six months or more away consider shopping at wedding and retail stores after the peak wedding season is over. The peak wedding season usually runs from around May to September. Starting in about July, many stores begin to run sales in order to liquidate merchandise they didn’t sell during the preceding months. This allows them to make room for newer merchandise. In some cases, you can save 50% or more off your wedding supplies by keeping an eye out for sales.
Online auctions are another fantastic way you can save on wedding supplies. Some of the merchandise may have never been used at all. Perhaps a bride changed her mind about the theme of her wedding or even about having the wedding at all! If that’s the case, she’s usually anxious to get the wedding supplies off her hands and will sell them for a deal.
There are also a number of discount wedding supply vendors who sell wedding supplies at deeply discounted prices. With some of these stores you do have to make sure that the merchandise isn’t damaged in any way, but for the most part this can also be an excellent resource to find cheap wedding supplies.
So, what exactly do you need in the way of wedding supplies? It can be hard to know what you need and what you can do without, and not overlook a critical item. Much of it will depend on the style of wedding you are planning and if you have decided to incorporate a theme.
If you’re planning to have a wedding with fewer than fifty guests you can be by with far fewer wedding supplies than if you are planning a more formal wedding event. Also, take into consideration if you are having a reception and if so whether it will be a seated dinner affair or simply a cake and punch kind of reception.
Keep in mind main categories when you are purchasing wedding supplies. For example, don’t forget Attendant’s Gifts, Flowers, Favors, Decorations, Bows and Ribbons and Stationary. It might help you to make a checklist similar to the one below to help you keep track of all the wedding supplies you will need.
Attendant’s Gifts:
- Maid of Honor
- Bride’s maids
- Junior Bridesmaids
- Best Man
- Groomsmen
- Ushers
- Ring Bearer
- Flower Girl
- Candle Lighters
Flowers:
- Bridal bouquet
- Attendant’s bouquets
- Groom’s boutonniere
- Boutonnieres for groomsmen
- Corsages for mothers
- Boutonniere for ring bearer
- Boutonniere for clergy
- Flowers to decorate pews or aisles
- Flowers to decorate front of church or wedding site
Stationary:
- Invitations
- RSVP cards
- Thank you notes
