WSVN — Anette Alvarez has planned all sorts of weddings, and she’ll be the first to tell you the price of a wedding isn’t always something to celebrate.
Anette Alvarez, president of A Unique Event by Bri: “Here in Miami, we’re looking about $35,000 for a wedding for about 100 to 150 guests, and that’s a wedding that you keep it simple.”
Some brides believe skimping on a planner will cut costs, but Alvarez says hiring a planner can actually save you money. Since planners have relationships with vendors, the happy couple can often reap the benefits.
Anette Alvarez: “Since the planner is bringing them so much business, tends to give the client a discount.”
When it comes to flowers, costs bloom quick.
Anette Alvarez: “Weddings between 100 to 150 guests, you’re looking at about $3,000 to $3,500 in flowers.”
Some tips for saving: choose flowers that are in season and get creative to stretch a buck.
Anette Alvarez: “You can always accent the table with a lot of cylinders with floating candles to give it that romantic elegance that many brides are looking for.”
What’s a party without a little booze? Anette suggests buying your own.
Anette Alvarez: “I use a liquor store that provides the brides the opportunity to return any unopened liquor or anything that has not been chilled.”
And when it comes to food, Anette recommends serving less fancy fare.
Anette Alvarez: “Don’t be afraid to have fun foods. I think people enjoy eating fun foods more than they do your regular wedding food. You know, the filet mignon, the surf and turf and all that can get pricey.”
You can cut the cake for less too.
Anette Alvarez: “Buttercream is cheaper than Fondant and there are a lot of designs that you can find in Buttercream that still look elegant and nice and will save you money.”
Be sure to shop around and the most important thing is being up front about your budget and then sticking to it.
Anette Alvarez: “As long as weddings continue to happen and people continue to pay, it’s just going to continue to rise.”
Anette also offers a price cutting program called “I am Planner” which provides a planner for a day.