Each week, our resident Couponista, Amy Leneker, shares her personal shopping experiences and extreme couponing tips so that you too can be a Coupon Expert!
Are you getting married? Or is there a bride-to-be in your life? If so, when you’re thinking about something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue, don’t forget the coupons!
My little sister is getting married this September and I’m encouraging her to use coupons every step along the way. Here are a few ways that coupons can help with wedding planning.
Something Old
Weddings are all about honoring family traditions and starting new traditions. One of my best friends was married in her grandmother’s wedding gown, talk about taking the “something old” to heart! Wedding gowns can be pricey (I always laugh when I see bridal gowns that cost more than my first car!) but there are ways to save. For example, when my little sister bought her wedding gown, they offered a 15 percent off coupon if you bought the veil the same day. And as anyone who has every planned (or paid for!) a wedding knows, every little bit helps.
When looking for wedding coupons, make sure you attend a local wedding show in your area. Pick up EVERY coupon they are offering, even if you know you aren’t going to use the vendor. Then when you are comparison shopping you will have a competitor’s coupon and you can ask your vendor to match the discount. Most places will either match the discount or reduce costs somehow for you.
Something New
As soon as a friend or relative of mine gets engaged, I always send a card with a note that says a year of a bridal magazine subscription has been ordered in their name. I always check Magazines.com and DiscountMags to see what deals they are offering first. And then I buy whichever bridal magazine subscription is on sale (and there is always one on sale!). Just don’t forget to enter the coupon code before you check out. I love giving magazine subscriptions as gifts, especially when I can buy an entire year’s subscription for the price of one magazine.
Something Borrowed
Do you have friends or guests coming from out of town for the wedding? If you do and you are thinking about a welcome gift, consider asking the vendors you are using to donate goodies to your welcome baskets. For example, you could ask your photographer to donate photo greeting cards that feature a local attraction and you could ask your bakery to throw in a few dozen cookies or treats.
Something Blue
My favorite something blue from our wedding was the ocean during our honeymoon! It is possible to go on a first class honeymoon on a coach budget. When booking airfare, consider using a “companion fare,” which means your second ticket is usually no more than $99. And always (always!) tell the airline folks when you check in that it is your honeymoon. We did and were upgraded to first class (both ways!) for free. We were also upgraded at our hotel to a suite so make sure and tell the hotel folks, too. When looking for a great deal on a trip, I always check Apple Vacations and Funjet. They offer five start properties at prices you wouldn’t believe.
For all those brides to be out there, congratulations! I wish you many years of marital bliss (and lots and lots of coupons).
