Raising money for your wedding

To most people, a dream wedding remains just that, a dream. Reason: They cannot afford it.

However, one should not give up on having their perfect wedding before exploring all options. Here are some ideas worth checking out on how to raise the money:

• Start planning early and save, save and save. If, for example, you want a certain venue that is always heavily booked, you could place a deposit then save up for the remainder. This will be of great advantage especially since prices are constantly going up and by the time it’s D-day, you may find the price is higher than at the rate you booked it at but since you paid a deposit, you will be able to lock into the lower price.

• Invite your friends and family and anyone else on the guest list for a small party. Have a raffle where guests buy tickets and stand the chance to win goodies. You don’t have to spend much on the goodies — you can buy gifts such as wine or chocolates.

Another option would be to tell everyone to come with wrapped gifts then number each for a draw where each guest gets to win. This will be fun and interactive and will give the guests a chance to get to know each other while you raise money for your wedding.

• Use social networks (Facebook, Twitter) and get distant relatives and friends to make donations to your wedding. In exchange you can carry out a favour for them.

• Hold a garage sale and invite all the guests in your invitation list and have them buy your items. Remember, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

• For those talented say in music or poetry, hold a small concert at your house or a friend’s house and have your guests bring their own drinks and pay for entrance. This will give you a chance to showcase your talent, raise money and have lots of fun. You could also request friends and family members who can sing, dance or take photographs to come showcase their talent.

• Why not ask family members to pay for specific expenses? This will ease the burden on you.

• Have a pre-wedding where friends and family help raise money. Alternatively, a wedding committee can help.

• Instead of having the ordinary wedding registry, why not opt for reception components such as the band, floral arrangements or limo services? Have your guests purchase those instead of other gifts prior to the wedding day, then give them a special call-out to show your appreciation during the reception or evening party.

• You could approach a local company or even the company you work for to sponsor your wedding. In exchange, you can have their logos displayed in the venue or you can have the MC announce each activity with the mention of the company’s name.

The last resort you may consider would be requesting your guests to give cash gifts, which will help you settle your wedding expenses.

Once you have all the cash you need, proper planning and budgeting will be crucial. This may call for hiring a wedding planner for consultation where he or she will give you a list of all the service providers you may need within your tight budget. This will help you save money while getting the best from a trusted authority.