Photo Credits: Harper's Bazaar
If you were one of the millions of people who tuned in to watch the royal wedding live last week, you’ll know that they spared no expense in creating a fairytale event. But don’t be fooled – just because the royal wedding was exceptionally lavish, doesn’t mean there aren’t financial lessons to be learned from the event – and from the newlyweds’ lifestyle. We already know that Prince William saved big by giving Kate his mother’s engagement ring. Here are some more lessons I’ve taken from Kate Middleton. What have you learned?
- When it comes to guests, less is more. Sure, the royal wedding ceremony included over 1,000 invited guests, including dignitaries from across the globe. But when it came to the reception dinner, only 300 people attended. Limited budget? Unlikely. Desire to share the event with only their closest friends and relatives? Probably. If you’re planning a wedding and need to cut back on your guest list, just tell your friends that you’ve learned about wedding planning from Kate Middleton – and make sure to invite everyone possible to the ceremony.
- It’s ok to borrow. Contrary to some rumors, the Queen did not bequeath Kate the tiara that she wore to the wedding. Instead, she lent it to the bride. Next time you need jewelry for an elegant event, why not ask around? Perhaps a friend or relative has exactly what you need.
- Off the rack rocks. It’s no secret that First Lady Michelle Obama has been sporting clothing off the rack everywhere from state dinners to her appearance on Oprah. And now Kate Middleton is among the celebrities wearing off the rack clothing, most notably in her first post-nuptial appearance, when she was photographed wearing an H&M dress. Why spend more on designer clothing, when you can look great, feel more comfortable and save big by wearing commercially-designed clothing?
- Don’t pay for delivery. Only a few days after the wedding, Kate was spotted grocery shopping in her North Wales neighborhood. Although she can afford delivery, and may even be busy acclimating to her new life, she skipped this expensive convenience.
- There’s nothing wrong with renting. I don’t know him personally, but I’d venture a guess that Prince William can surely afford to purchase a home for his new bride. Or, at the very least, that he’d be eligible for a nice mortgage. And yet, the couple chooses to live in a rented farmhouse. Is this because they aren’t sure where they’ll want to settle down? Is it because they aren’t ready to be homeowners? You and I may never know, but I can say with certainty that if renting is good enough for royals, it is surely good enough for us common folk, and there should be no embarrassment or pressure to purchase a home beyond your means.
You’ve picked out your 
Take the road less travelled. There is no reason that you must purchase your wedding cake from a wedding cake bakery. Take time to ask your local bakery or restaurant if they can create a cake for you. You may also be able to ask the bakery section of your local grocery. Both of these options are likely to provide a truly delicious cake at a fraction of the price of a boutique wedding cake bakery.
One of the most obvious ways to save money when you buy wedding flowers is to purchase less. And, while you can technically reduce the number of flowers in each arrangement, you can also eliminate the need for larger arrangements by planning your wedding in a venue that has natural greenery or other built-in decorations. Of course, even if you manage to save money in this way, you can save even more by purchasing inexpensive wedding flowers.
If you’re one of the 1 million couples that got engaged this holiday season, congratulations! Now that it’s official, you’re probably excited to start planning the wedding (if you haven’t already). I’d like to help you save money while planning the wedding of your dreams. Every Thursday for the next few weeks, I’m going to add a new post with fresh ideas about how to save money on everything from wedding flowers to your wedding rings. But of course, the thing that’s probably foremost on your mind is finding the perfect wedding gown. Although I’ve never actually worn one myself, I’ve helped many brides find an affordable wedding gown that looked absolutely fantastic. Here are some surprising places that you can find a cheap wedding gown that will make you look like a million bucks.
