2012-08-01 06:00:00 by SMARTBRIDE
Step by Step Guide: Save $7,000 on your wedding
 | Step by Step Guide: How to Save $7,000+ on Your Wedding Using Technology
Once you're done, feel free to view the full wedding technology infographic.
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Wedding Dress Trend: Say Yes to 2 Dresses
Many brides are changing into a second, and often shorter or less formal reception dress in order to let loose on the dance floor. To stay on budget, brides are opting for gently used wedding dresses found online. That way they can still have two dresses and stay on budget. For those not interested in wearing a used dress, selling one or both gowns after the wedding can be a good option to recoup some of the money spent on their wedding gowns.
Did you Know?
- 38% of brides consider buying a second dress for reception
- 61% of brides go over budget on a dress
- 18% of brides go over budget by more than $250
- 75% of brides-to-be would consider buying a used dress if it meant they could save money without sacrificing style
- 55% of brides would consider selling their wedding dress after their wedding day to recoup some of your investment
- The average Canadian bride spends $1,847 which is far more than their American neighbors at $1,121.
How to Save 50% on Your Wedding Dress(es):
Save 50% on your dream wedding dress (or dresses!) by searching SmartBrideBoutique.com wedding classifieds. Find a pre-owned gown for sale by another bride or a new, sample dress straight from the bridal store.
There are thousands of dresses posted for sale on SmartBride to choose from. Simply narrow your search by your favorite designers, size, color, neckline, silhouette and more. Then save your search so each new dress that matches your criteria gets e-mailed to you as soon as it is posted. You'll also find shoes, bridesmaid dresses, decorations and more to complete your entire wedding.
Wedding Website Trend: Mobile Wedding Websites
Brides are taking their wedding websites mobile so guests can access information about wedding activities, transportation and accommodation plus share photos right from their phone. No more guests getting lost between ceremony and reception, or showing up late to the church. Do you have any idea how many guests purchase their wedding gift off a registry the day of the wedding?
Did you Know?
- 69% of brides have a personal wedding website
- 58% of brides are using their mobile phone to take and share wedding-related pictures
- 1 in 5 brides use a mobile app to plan, shop or register for their wedding
How to Save $360 by Using a Mobile Wedding Website with RSVPs:
Keep printed invitations uncluttered and use less paper by sharing directions, maps, and other details on your Appy Couple app and website. Not only will you save on your invitations by eliminating reply cards and envelopes, you will also save hundreds in postage by tracking RSVPs in the app or online. You might get a few people phoning you to RSVP (as usual) but for the most part, people will use the electronic RSVP from their phone or computer which will also save you a ton of time in coordinating your guest list.
Wedding Video Trend: Guests capture and share candid wedding videos
Video isn't just for the wedding day anymore. Brides are having a blast making fun of the silly (and sometimes ridiculous) things they’ve said and done during their wedding planning via Comedy Central-style roast videos. DIY video is also a great way for your guests to share the videos they take from their smartphones on your wedding day with you in order to create a custom wedding video. Combine guests videos with your own, or even a professional photographer if you have the budget to create one video you'll be able to watch again and again.
Did you Know?
- Over 25% of videos are captured on smartphones
- After their weddings, 98% of brides recommend getting a wedding video. Unfortunately, only 30% of brides actually have a videographer (often due to budget) which means there are likely a ton of brides wishing they there was a cheaper solution for wedding videos.
- On average, a bride spends $1518 on video.
How to save $1,400 on Wedding Video
If you can't afford a professional videographer, there is another solution. Check out Storymix Media for weddings. They allow you to use the video function on your smartphones, or rent HD video cameras from them to capture your big day. Between you and your guests, you'll have a ton of video to edit into a custom video after the big day. Before the wedding, have your guests download the mobile app on their phones (hint: put the link on your wedding website!), decide whether you need to rent any HD cameras in case your guests do not have smartphones and set aside some budget for custom editing services after the big day.
Wedding Invitation Trend: Whimsical Invitations by Indie Designers
Brides are looking for high quality, unique invitations by high end designers to match their personal wedding style and set the tone for their wedding theme. Most importantly, brides want an easy way to access tons of amazing designers to reduce the amount of time spent researching and asking for quotes from separate designers. Brides benefit from using technology and volume discounts while still achieving a custom invitation in their own colors and theme.
Did you Know?
- Brides spent an average of $695 on wedding invitations and reply cards
- The most popular colors for weddings are blue (30%), purple (25%) and green (24%)
- You should order about 65 invitations for every 100 guests you plan to have at your wedding
- 38% say travel is on their registry wish list
- The average cost of a honeymoon for Canadian brides is $5,740 while U.S. brides spend about $4,466.
- 62% of couples cover the cost of their honeymoon
- On average, the honeymoon accounts for 14 percent of the wedding budget.
- The average length of a honeymoon is 8 days.
- 50% of brides plan to book at least part of their honeymoon online (up from 42% in 2010).
How to Save $500+ on Your Designer Wedding Invitations:
Access hundreds of top independent designers through Minted.com at the click of a button. Choose high quality, fast and customizable invitations to suit your personality without breaking the bank. You can even order paper samples etc before you pull the trigger.
Honeymoon Trend: Honeymoon Registries
More couples are skipping traditional registry items in favor of registering for their honeymoon. Guests can still give something more personal than cash AND the couple gets their
dream honeymoon.
Did you Know?
How to Save $5,000 on Your Honeymoon:
Register for your honeymoon instead of, or in addition to, upgrading housewares and linens. Add the Wishpot button to your browser to place travel or gifts from any website on your wedding registry. Create your registry on Wishpot, and then add all of the honeymoon related travel you have planned to your list. That way guests can contribute the amount they would like directly to your trip or contribute to larger items like flights and hotels without having to coordinate with other guests.
