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Nik and Dana Fiorito, Ilo Photo
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
Emma and Tim Baxter kept their wedding costs modest by handling many of the details themselves.
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Nik and Dana Fiorito, Ilo Photo
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
Having a large wedding reception in a friend’s barn near Thunder Bay helped Emma and Tim Baxter keep venue costs down while providing other advantages, like the freedom to choose any caterer.
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Bryan Koop, Bryan Jonathan Weddings
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
Duluth's Greysolon Ballroom is a popular reception venue.
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Bryan Koop, Bryan Jonathan Weddings
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
Katelyn Harrington’s dream wedding included a reception at Greysolon Ballroom in Duluth.
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Jason Bergman, Bella Photography
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
Using their experience catering weddings, Kayla and Dale Dietzmann planned their own at the Brule River Wedding and Event Center.
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Jason Bergman, Bella Photography
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
Kayla and Dale loved the remote location of the Brule River Wedding and Event Center, as well as the freedom to choose the vendors.
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Hung Pham, Blue Note Imaging
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
Jennifer Prudhomme hired an event planner for her wedding...
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Hung Pham, Blue Note Imaging
Tying the Knot on a Shoestring
... which included a cocktail-style reception at Duluth’s Greysolon Ballroom.
Finding Options to Limit Costs & Still Be Creative
Emma and Tim Baxter’s Thunder Bay wedding day – complete with a large reception in a friend’s barn – had everything Emma dreamed it would have, except for one crucial thing – an over-hefty price tag.
As any father of the bride can tell you, weddings can be budget-breaking, big-ticket affairs. In the Lake Superior region, they cost an average of $15,000 to $26,000, according to CostofWedding.com. That compares favorably with the majority of U.S. couples, who invest $19,242 to $32,070 in a wedding.
But living in a cost-friendly region doesn’t chop all expenses, so many budget-conscious brides find ways to make wedding magic without leaving post-nuptial debts.
For her and Tim’s wedding, Emma kept costs modest by tapping her family’s flair for crafts and her friends for “donations” to her cause.
One friend let her use a barn near Thunder Bay for the reception, cutting venue costs, but also allowing her freedom to choose any caterer and giving her a theme.
In a sort of “Gone with the Wind” twist, Emma spied a friend’s old curtains that perfectly matched her color choices. Her grandmother sewed them into table runners for the reception. Guests received decorated Mason jars filled with salsa made by Emma’s mother. She tied burlap around the silverware for the tables.
Like many brides today, Emma spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking for ideas to fit her theme.
“Whenever I needed something, I wrote it down and thought about it. Then I’d ask around to find it,” she says.
For some services, Emma brought in professionals. Fox on the Run, a Thunder Bay sandwich-and-coffee café, catered a traditional buffet. To photograph the event, Emma chose Nik and Dana Fiorito of Ilo Photo in Thunder Bay.
The overall budget was about $17,000 for a wedding with 250 people, whose major expense was food, at $8,000. Emma says the couple saved $2,500 to $3,000 by working out many details themselves rather than getting the flowers done professionally, hiring a decorator and paying for other services.
Not every wedding couple has the skill or interest (or Pinterest) in a do-it-yourself wedding, but many share the budget concerns.
For any couple, determining a budget and sticking to it is crucial to making sure the wedding brings joy and not financial frustration, regional wedding experts advise. The budget should come well before the planning details.
“It’s easy to spend more than your budget if you don’t pay attention,” says Janice Primeau, a certified bridal consultant in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. “You first need to prioritize what you want in your wedding.”
Using a wedding planner or bridal consultant may seem to be an extravagance, but, in reality, these experts can help couples set and stay within a budget.
Jennifer Prudhomme of Duluth met Mariah McKechnie, owner of Northland Special Events in Duluth, at a bridal show. After doing a lot of research and attempting to plan her own wedding, Jennifer decided it made more sense to work with Mariah. “We had a large wedding and wanted it to be special, but didn’t want to spend a small fortune. We gave Mariah our budget, and she worked within that.”
Knowing what is locally available and how to best combine services is one key to how a wedding planner can save money. “We are able to package several services under one roof, such as decorations, floral arrangements, linens and lighting, so you don’t pay the overhead of several companies,” explains Mariah.
The final result for Jennifer was a small ceremony for family in the west wing of the Greysolon Ballroom in Duluth, followed by a large cocktail-style reception with an old Hollywood theme in the main ballroom.
There are many ways to find the right local wedding consultant. Word of mouth is most effective, trading information with other wedding couples, especially friends. Wedding shows can be another good way to meet consultants face to face and to gauge their approach and style. Some online sites, like “The Knot” or “WeddingWire,” feature lists of resources by location and sometimes ratings.
Mariah advises asking wedding service vendors for recommendations. “They will give you information based on knowledge of qualifications, expertise and personal experience.”
Whether you use a planner or not, selecting the venue for the wedding and reception can set the direction for your spending.
As director of catering & events at Savories Catering in Duluth, Kayla Dietzmann had unique insights when planning her own wedding in September 2013. In addition, her fiancé, Dale, is the executive chef at Savories. Searching online, Kayla found the Brule River Wedding and Event Center in Brule, Wisconsin. Dale had fly fished on the river for years, and Kayla just loved the remote location so full of life.
The barn and garden surroundings were beautiful and allowed them complete freedom to choose the vendors. (Some facilities require food or other services be provided by a specific vendor.)
To save, Kayla and Dale did much of their own decorating, flowers and catering.
“That was quite stressful, and I would not recommend it to others,” Kayla says. But they had the expertise and wanted to incorporate it in their wedding day. “And we did hire staff to do the serving.”
The event center rental included a honeymoon cottage, tables, chairs and use of the Old Milkhouse for members of the wedding party to dress. “We saved money by having both the ceremony and the reception there, as well as spending our wedding night in the cottage.”
For those who prefer a more traditional, all-inclusive reception, there can be a benefit by bundling services through a single vendor.
Katelyn Harrington of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, envisioned a classic and elegant wedding.
Originally from Superior, Katelyn really wanted her reception at Greysolon Ballroom in Duluth, but knew her 140-guest wedding might not meet the minimum fee. By using the ballroom’s services for catering as well as for serving wine, providing table linens and furnishing a gift check attendant, she was able to meet the minimum expenditure required, have the wedding of her dreams and stay within her budget.
Couples who love the outdoors have other affordable options, many with Lake Superior as the backdrop.
Numerous parks, city pavilions and resorts frequently host wedding gatherings at a fraction of the cost for more commercial venues.
The Park Point beach house in Duluth and waterfront pavilion in Bayfield, Wisconsin, are two examples of indoor waterfront spaces for large gatherings.
On Park Point, permits and building fees can range from $325 to $635, depending on the number of guests, the number of hours needed and other factors. Bayfield Lakeside Pavilion, with nice views of the harbor and Lake Superior, costs $725 on weekends for a full day, and $325 Monday through Thursday.
State and provincial parks offer a variety of outdoor wedding sites, which also are becoming increasingly popular. Such public spaces, however, should be reserved far in advance and can present challenges for catering and other services.
Lake Breeze Motel Resort outside of Duluth hosts ceremonies on its expansive grounds for a small additional fee if the wedding party rents the full resort for a destination wedding.
In Bayfield, Superior Rentals has seen a rapid growth in weddings for cabin guests. “The weddings here are so varied. Many hold their ceremonies on the beach,” says owner Susan Defoe Prevost.
Another cost-cutting idea makes use of what lodging sites call the “shoulder seasons.” Or to put it another way, some days are just less expensive than others. Before finalizing that wedding date, check discounts offered for off-season or mid-week weddings.
Nicole Corne, an event specialist at Knots and Kisses in Marquette, says “November through March is low season in this area. In addition to lower rates, you don’t need as long a lead time to book a venue.”
Even when vendors do not have stated discounts, they’re often willing to work with couples. “Always inquire about discounts,” Nicole advises.
At the Masonic Building, a popular wedding location in Marquette, building manager Kimberly Hawkland indicates that she will discuss discounts with clients, depending on the type of event and time of year.
At Brule River Wedding and Event Center, owner Jill Clemmer encourages weekday weddings for more budget-conscious couples. “Weekday weddings are definitely a better deal (than paying an all-day weekend fee). At $100 per hour, it is definitely more budget-friendly to have a weekday wedding, especially since your time can be as short as four hours.”
Discounts extend to catering, too. In Kayla’s experience at Savories Catering, February is typically a slow month. Thus it’s more apt to discount components such as china rental or staffing hours. In fall 2013, Savories ran a 10 percent off special for booking Sunday through Thursday 2014 events to encourage booking ahead on weekdays. And it plans similar discounts this year.
One consideration in choosing weekdays, of course, is the impact on wedding guests. Taking time off during the week may make it more difficult for some to attend. On the other hand, an off-season wedding may mean less competition from other weddings or activities.
Another budget-saver can be smaller vendors. For services like catering, small vendors can also be more flexible and will work with you on the menu choices or feature home cooking, Nicole says.
Large or small, always ask for references and know the company’s history. “I’ve seen small ventures go out of business, and the bride is out of luck,” says Maggie, owner of Maggie’s Magical Occasions in Thunder Bay. Businesses can supply references from past customers; do contact them.
For some things, though, penny wise may be dollar foolish.
Brides and consultants agreed that cost is secondary when selecting a photographer you trust. A good fit with a photographer’s style and personality might trump cheap.
“We changed photographers before the wedding when we found that the personalities were not jiving,” notes Katelyn. “We happened to save money, but it was really all about trust.”
Photos evoke memories long after the big day is done, and few should compromise on that.
Ultimately, how to balance costs against dreams depends on the couple.
For Emma, the cost savings – getting friends and family involved and crafting her way through months of preparation – made the wedding all the more priceless.
“When I was doing all the little details … I thought it was a lot of work. But it turned out to be amazing, better than I ever imagined. It was so worth it.”
Molly Hoeg, a freelancer writer from Duluth, planned her daughter’s wedding and has some great ideas for when her sons get married – not that she’s pressuring them or anything.