Introducing our first weekly column: Q & A Monday

In the next month or so, the Flaire Weddings and Events blog is going to roll out some changes. I'm going to introduce some weekly columns, and our first one is going to be called "Q & A Monday." We'll post a question that we receive often, and post its answer as well. We'd also like to feature your wedding planning questions. We have a few questions lined up for our first several posts, but we need more for the upcoming weeks and months! Please comment on this post with a question you'd like to see addressed in this column, or feel free to email us here -- info@flairewedings.com to submit a more detailed, lengthy, or private question.

So, without further ado, here's our first Q & A Monday!

Question: "I've read in a lot of bridal magazines and planning books that you can save a lot of money by switching to a Friday or Sunday wedding. Have you found this to be true?"

Answer: Good question. The short answer is, yes, sometimes.

Now for the details. Certain things will usually not change in price, regardless of your wedding date. Invitations will cost the same amount per invite. Flowers will typically cost the same price per arrangement and bouquet. Your cake will usually cost the same amount, regardless of your wedding date. Notice that these are all products. Products tend to be priced the same amount, all the time. (There can be seasonal changes on some of these items, but not usually day-to-day changes.)

You can save money with SOME service-based wedding costs. For example, some DJ's I work with will charge a slightly lower rate for a Friday wedding, because now they have the option to earn income for 2 nights that week, instead of just one. Some photographers will do this as well, but not all because many feel they are giving you the same quality of service regardless of which day that service takes place.

The number one place you usually CAN save money is on your reception venue. Most Venues offer lower "Food and Beverage Minimums" for non-Saturday-evening events, because Saturday evening is considered the peak time to host an event. Now, if you are looking at a facility with a high F&B Minimum, this might be helpful. However, if you have a HUGE guest list and can already guarantee that you're going to be spending MUCH more than the F&B minimum, this is not much of a savings.
You can also save money on your venue if that venue charges a rental fee. Usually, those venues that charge a rental fee will offer other times of the week/year when that rental fee is lower.

So the true answer is that while money savings are possible, you're going to have to look very closely at your specific situation to see how the costs can be controlled.

For those brides considering hiring a planner, remember that a wedding planner will help you with budgeting, and can definitely recommend effective ways to cut costs based on his or her past experience.

Thanks for being with us here today on Q & A Monday, and don't forget: submit those questions you have so that we can keep this column updated!