When two people decide to get married, there is often a lot to do. Planning your big day involves deciding on guest lists, venues, wedding party attendants, menus, caterers. . . and, well, the list goes on and on. On top of planning all of those other things, there are often parties and celebrations that surround this big one. An engagement party, sort of a celebration of the fact that you will get married and not a celebration of the marriage itself (because that's what the wedding and reception are for). You might have a bridal shower. Many people also have Bachelor and Bachelorette parties to celebrate their last moments of "freedom" before being "tied down" in marriage.
If you (or, more likely, your friends) are planning any of these activities, you might consider ways to keep the costs down. Here are a few suggestions.
Do You Really Need Another Party?
Let's be honest: planning any party can be taxing. Very often the job of planning a Bachelor or Bachelorette party falls on the Maid of Honor and the Best Man. These two people are likely already doing quite a bit to support you during your wedding. The same holds true of family or friends who may be holding a wedding shower or any other celebration surrounding the wedding. Just planning a wedding can be stressful enough. The question you should ask yourself is: do you need any of these parties?
Not only are these people who care for you likely to be supporting you in other ways, but they are probably shelling out a little bit of money to do it. Wedding attendants will be spending something on their wedding outfits and gifts. Do they really need to shell out more for a whole group of you and other friends to go to the spa, bar or on a beach vacation? And, in the case of a wedding shower, there may be gifts for the married couple in addition to the gifts given at the wedding. Where does the madness stop? When does someone draw a line?
These additional gatherings could be fun, but in the long run, they may just add to everyone's stress.
Keep It Simple
If you do decide to have one or more of the wedding-related celebrations, then it is probably in everyone's best interest to keep things simple. It is unnecessary to go all out. Generally, the people you will invite to such a gathering will be immediate family and/or close friends. These are people who don't require a big production to convince them to spend time with you. They will just be happy to hang out with you.
Stay Close to Home
Taking your party to a destination may prove to complicate matters. If you can afford it, renting a party room at your favorite restaurant, may be nice because other people will take care of the food and clean up. Often a bachelor or bachelorette party involves going out. This does not necessarily mean, however, that you need to take a vacation. With engagement parties or bridal showers, however, it is generally easier and less expensive to hold a gathering of this sort in someone's home.
Important People
There is no question that keeping your guest list small will cut down on both costs and degrees of complexity. Having fewer people at a gathering can mean having fewer people to look after in the way of hosting duties. It also gives you more of an opportunity to visit with each of your guests, individually. Keeping your gathering small will cut down on cost in terms of the amount of food and beverage you will need to supply. Consider who are the most important people in your life. Bachelor and bachelorette parties often include a small, tight group of friends. Engagement parties can involve friends and family.
Refreshments
Gatherings of this sort do not require catering. A wedding shower or engagement party may be centered around a meal, or it may involve simple refreshments that guests can help themselves to through the course of the event. As bachelor and bachelorette parties often involve going out, the guests attending will often pay for their own drinks, meals, etc. Depending on the gathering, the bride or groom might pay their own way or the cost of their food and drinks may be split among other members of the party.
Getting married is an important milestone in anyone's life. While the wedding itself can be quite an occasion, marriage is often a big enough event that people will plan multiple gatherings in celebration of it. In light of that fact, keeping things simple and saving money where you can is ideal.
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