Online Shopping

Okay, quick, ladies:  What's $14.95 + $35.99 + ($2.75 x12) + $7.64 (standard ground delivery)?  The correct answer is what you may have just spent online on your lunch hour shopping for fun little wedding chatchkas:  A grand total of  $91.58.  Which may not seem an awful lot in the grand scheme of your wedding budget, but after a few episodes of lunch-hour and late-night shopping on the Internet, especially before you have your overall wedding vision in mind, it adds up.  Even when you do know what you want, it still all adds up!

Don't get me wrong--the Internet is an awesome place for brides to get information and inspiration for their weddings.  It enables you to view the latest trends in bridal fashion and get great ideas on how you want your wedding to look.  It's a great place to do preliminary research on venues and vendors in your area as well as connect with other brides on boards, not to mention read bridal blogs (like this one!).  I personally love the Internet!  But there is really no substitute for shopping in real brick-and-mortar shops, seeing the merchandise with your own eyes, being able to examine the true colors, feel them in your hands, and check for quality and style, not to mention being able to meet your vendors face-to-face.  What may look good online can turn out to be some cheesy, poor quality item you wouldn't even look at on the shelf, much less incorporate into your wedding decor.

If you're a DIY bride ordering flowers online, this can get tricky.  One bride I know ordered lilies for her big day online.  The immature buds refused to open no matter what, and she ended up having to run to the grocery store a day before the wedding to buy more lilies!  This set her back another $100 for half the amount of stems she had ordered online, and then she was stuck with the original lilies, which finally opened a week after the wedding!  Thoroughly research what you're ordering online, especially when it comes to live plants, food, or other perishables. 

Buying bridal gowns online is also very tricky. Unless you're six feet tall and a perfect size six, chances are you will need to try on several gowns before you find the gown.  Don't settle for a picture online and fantasies of  looking exactly like the model.  Everyone wears a gown differently, according to stature and physique. The gown in the photo may not suit you, while a similar dress with a slightly different cut may be the perfect one.  Or you may find, to your surprise, that you look absolutely stunning in a gown style you never even considered, and fall in love with it.  So before you buy, you must, must, must go gown shopping and try it on.

As for the bobble-head wedding cake toppers, personalized balloons and gag gifts for your wedding party that were hilarious when you first saw them online, monogrammed matchbooks and paper cocktail napkins and whatever seemed like a good idea when you pressed the "purchase" button, just remember that all these spur-of-the moment purchases can add up very quickly and eat into your wedding budget, money that might be better spent elsewhere especially if finances are tight. 

Find out what your local bridal shops, linen rental and party equipment supply stores have to offer and go from there.  Buying locally can actually save a considerable amount of money, not to mention the time and headache of having to return items by mail if you find they aren't what you wanted or expected.  Shopping locally can also give you the ability to shop online and actually beat the local price on some items.  Of course, there are specialty items that you can only find on the web, such as handcrafted one-of-a-kind items you see on Etsy or other online specialty shops. But don't pass up local boutiques--who knows what you may find, and without the wait for delivery or shipping charge.

The trick is in having your preliminary plans in place before you begin shopping-- season and wedding date, size of your wedding, formality, time of day, style and theme, color scheme, and ceremony and reception venues.  And most importantly, budget.  Then you will be able to easily shop with a clear vision and goal in mind, knowing what you want.  And who knows?  You might be able spend the money you saved on an awesome gift for your groom!

Best regards,
Susan