Weddings can be expensive. In some cases, break-the-bank costly. I hear many people say, “Heck, you get to do it one time in your life—go for it!” And I agree. Most important day of your life—live it up.
Then there are couples that approach their big day much more economically, with help from a glut of new blogs that focus on planning cheaply by applying some DIY features to their weddings. “Shoooooot—save on the wedding and put a downpayment on a house!” Well, I agree with that as well. A house is a great physical investment that can last a lifetime—a wedding is just one day.
Huh? Make up your mind!
No, I see the value in both lines of thought. My wife and I look back at our own wedding eight years ago and talk about the major expense of it. And how perfect it was. And what the money could have otherwise been used for in our low-income-earning-21-year-old lives. And how we were spared the intense summer heat that Memorial Day and the majestic sunset that dipped behind the palm trees that our relatives from all over the country witnessed with us.
If we did it over (knowing what we do now) we’d cut some cost: we know some fringe guests that can stay home, less extravagant food options, um, some more guests that can stay home—hehe. However, our cost-cutting would not sacrifice the experience we had, and the close friends and family that made the day so much fun would all be there.
But, with all of the ways to cut down costs, one thing I am sure we would NOT skimp on would be our wedding photography and video—the most effective and enjoyable way we relive our amazing memories. My goofy groomsmen cracking me up to keep me loose. Our good friends in the band playing before the ceremony. The emotions we felt when she walked down the aisle. The horrendous dancing at the reception.
Think about it: almost ten years later, and what do we have from that day? We can’t eat the tasty food we had that night. We have never brought the wedding dress or shoes back out from storage. My tux was a rental. The flowers died, and her dried-out bouquet fell apart during our third house move. Those were all amazing additions to our wedding day, and the detail photos of them remind us of how they completed the glorious scene, but, without great photography or video, we couldn’t enjoy them again. We have our album of prints that friends always ask to see, and enlargements on the wall that always make us smile.
In fact, we’d spend more on photography and wedding video than we originally did. Amazingly, I had NO CLUE what photography was back then. If I could do it now, I’d hire one of my many great candid/photojournalistic style wedding photographers that I know—those b/w candids are our favorite shots from the day. And I would hire a legitimate wedding cinematographer, not just have a buddy with a camcorder do us a favor. Technology has changed so fast, large LCD HDTVs are affordable and keep getting less expensive, and camera picture quality is so great now that moving pictures tell the wedding day story like nothing else. Youtube, Facebook and other social media outlets make it so easy to share photos and videos, even in HD.
So, if you are a bride and you are wanting to plan an amazing wedding with a low budget, right on! There are some amazing resources available now and loads of inspiration to design a memorable celebration to kick off your married lives. However, just take a minute to think down the road—anytime someone comes over to your house, or checks your Facebook page, or asks about your husband and how you met—how you invest in your wedding imagery will affect those exchanges. Invest in a trustworthy photographer / cinematographer that will capture your story—one that you will tell again and again and again.
[Like I mentioned earlier, our wedding day was magnificent and to this day still the most fun I've attended. We were so blessed to have an amazing community of friends that actually gifted much of their talents to us and are still so thankful for them—Melissa's flowers, Penny's cakes, the band's music, Kirk/Kevin's video, etc. You all made it so wonderful. Thank you!]
