"Be Cautious of Over-Saving! A List of Items Not to Skimp on When Budgeting for Your Wedding"

2016.08.19 published

A first wedding, not sure where to save money and where to spend it.........

A once-in-a-lifetime wedding can be overwhelming, and figuring out how much money to spend on what can be completely confusing. While there are many tips on areas to save, it's often unclear if those savings are worth it.

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It's completely understandable that you want to save on things like the dress, flowers, and paper items, as weddings can be quite expensive! However, you definitely want to avoid making guests think “huh?” due to overly tight budgets!

Hence, this time, I would like to focus on the parts where it is better not to save rather than those where you should save.＊

【Parts Where You Shouldn't Save Money ①: Food】

Food is one of the highlights guests look forward to♩ If you cut corners on the food, guests can end up feeling disappointed.

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Weddings often feature tasty dishes like foie gras and caviar that are not typically part of everyday meals, so cutbacks will be immediately noticeable...!

Of course, you don't need to elevate every dish's quality, but upgrading the main meat dish or incorporating at least one high-end ingredient can be a great idea◎

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Additionally, I believe it's better to avoid reducing the number of dishes! The flow of the reception is coordinated with the meal service. If there are too few courses, the timing of the meal may drag out, or guests might finish dessert while entertainment is still ongoing...

Guests often talk about the wedding food afterward, making it memorable and influential. For these reasons, I think it's best to avoid cutting back on food as much as possible◎

【Parts Where You Shouldn't Save Money ②: Flowers】

I think there's a common belief that using artificial flowers is a way to save money on floral decorations. While flowers are indeed decorative elements, many might think guests won’t mind?

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A key point to consider in not cutting back is whether the flowers are within reach of guests♩ If guests casually wonder "Are these real?" and end up touching fake flowers, it could be embarrassing to reveal the budget cuts.

Flowers that guests might touch directly, like those for a flower shower, centerpiece flowers, or bouquets for presentation, should ideally be real flowers◎ Conversely, for arrangements on the main table or floral arches for the ceremony, it may be less noticeable if you mix in some artificial flowers for volume♩

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Brides who think flowers are expensive can also use shells, ribbons, and table runners to enhance the table decoration—this can be a great idea!*

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【Parts Where You Shouldn't Save Money ③: Favors】

Wedding favors for guests to take home are another item where cutting back is not advisable. The reason being that in today's information society, you can easily find out the price of nearly anything with a little searching...

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Ordinary goods, of course, but even catalog gifts can be quickly priced if looked up. For instance, while gifts for superiors are believed to be around 5,000 yen, if what you give them is a 2,000 yen catalog gift...! This might lead superiors to question future relationships...

It’s best to avoid appearing inconsiderate when it comes to financial aspects.

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Favors are a thoughtful gesture for the guests who have taken the time to attend your wedding and offered you their congratulations. It's best to avoid deviating too far from the market rate◎

Additionally, I think it’s wise to consider reducing the number of items carefully! Typically, the standard is【main favor (physical items or catalog gifts) + sweets (like Baumkuchen) + lucky charms (like dried bonito flakes or kelp)】, but some brides might think, “I want to make the main favor more luxurious by skipping the lucky charm!”

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Of course, many young friends might prefer a more luxurious favor over lucky charms, but not everyone feels that way. It's also essential to consider regional variations, so careful decision-making is necessary!

There are areas where you can cut back and areas where you shouldn't!

Although I've pointed out areas where you shouldn't cut back for a wedding, ultimately, I believe it comes down to the bride and groom carefully considering their choices◎ Imagining the guests' faces and thinking of ways to make them happy will naturally lead you to the right decisions!＊

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It’s important to cut costs in the right areas while investing adequately in the areas where spending is appropriate. This balance is key to a successful wedding◎