Tips for saving $$$$ !!!

Here's what we really need- ways to save money. Economy, parents, life... yes there are endless reasons to save money when it coems to The Big Day.
Here are some things that have worked for us:
1. Find connections. Corey's sister had a DJ that she found through a friend. Because the DJ was friends with her friend (do you follow?), Corey's sister got a deal. It's nice to know a DJ! Anyways, he was great at her wedding. He wasn't too tacky or obnoxious, played great music, and just overall kept the night flowing smoothly. His normal rate was $1,500 but he played her wedding for $500. We called him up, said we loved his work at her wedding, and asked if we too could recieve that price. Well, he agreed! He is the friend of Corey's sister's friend (kinda getting far removed right?!) but I think he really appreciated the referrals going on in the family and wanted to help us out. Either way, I am glad we played on this connection and glad we just put ourselves out there and asked. Doesn't hurt to ask.
2. Negotiate, show them what the competition offered. This one hasn't been done yet, but it will be. A similar hotel offered an hour of open bar in the package for the same price. So, we're gonig to see what we can work out. They are sales people, don't forget.
3. Don't go straight to the experts. Find someone young and starting out. You have to decide what is most important. For example, I definitely want a DJ who knows his stuff, but I wouldn't mind getting a cheaper florist and skipping the limo. You know? Photography is one of the most important parts of a wedding. These photos will be cherished for a lifetime, so it's no small decision. We chose Peter Morse, a friend we met in college. He is starting up a new photography business, so his price was very affordable. But we didn't chose him only because of affordability; we looked at his work and found him to be a fantastic photographer with an artistic eye. It was a win-win. Because he hasn't had this business for years and is just starting out, we were able to snag a talented photographer, while still within our price range. You have to find that balance. Find what's important, how you can save, who you know, where the deals are, and be open to finding people starting new businesses if you trust them!
4. Print your own invitations. We bought Martha Stewart invitations with seashells on them (adorbs! aka adorable..) from Michael's. Go to your craft store, take a look, and you may be suprised. We are printing them ourselves, but they'll look so professional. Such a great steal.
5. Look outside of "wedding world." Take a step out of the bridal shops and craft stores and catalogues... you'll find inspiration everywhere if you keep your eyes open! I found a neat box at Barnes N Noble that we will use for people to put their cards in on the gift table. It has shells and cool vintage paterns on it, and kind of looks like a treasure chest (but not a gaudy, pirate one, just a normal decorative box, just to clarify). I paid maybe 10 bucks for it. Love it.
6. Don't let them upsell you. They are not really your friends, just nice sales people. When I got my dress, they found a perfectly matching veil. Veils are essential, so yes I did get it. But they also convinced me to get this head peice with it, just a little comb with some crystals on it, which cost like 200 bucks or something ridiculous. When we went to put the final payment on the dress, we asked them to take the head peice off of our tab because we really did not want it. Instead, I can get something sparkly that will look the same from Claire's for a few dollars. Or somewhere else. Just not the 200 dollar crystal one. I felt silly about it.