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%uf098 A l a s k a B r i d e & G r o o m %uf099 2026 %uf098 3 7 bride away, or asking them to givea toast.MONEY & GIFTSWe want to ask for money instead of gifts. How do we do this? Asking for anything is considered rude, whether it be money or gifts; but there are subtle ways to let your guests know that you%u2019d prefer cash over another blender you%u2019ll never use. Enlisting the help of close family and friends to let guests know via word of mouth that you don%u2019t plan to register, stating on the wedding website that you%u2019d prefer money toward a kitchen renovation or some other project in lieu of gifts, or creating a honeymoon registry all let guests know you%u2019d prefer money without specifically asking for it.We want to cut costs: Is it ok if we make the guests pay for their own drinks? There%u2019s no requirement that you provide any drinks, alcoholic or not (although most couples usually provide champagne or sparkling cider for the toast). But you can offer your guests drinks and still keep costs down. Offering drink tickets for beer or wine, putting a time or dollar limit on the open bar, or placing a bottle of wine on every table all help keep costs low but still allow you to provide your guests with a beverage or two.We%u2019re in the middle of wedding planning and just realized that we%u2019ve financially over-extended ourselves. How do we recover from being over our budget?If you%u2019ve already signed contracts, talk with your vendors about possibly cutting back. For example, ordering the smaller photo package or cutting back to one photographer instead of two. If that isn%u2019t an option %u2013 or doesn%u2019t cut down on costs enough %u2013 you%u2019ll have to look at what remains of your budget and choose what you can do without. This may mean using a mom-and-pop store over a high-end florist or choosing a less expensive dinner entr%u00e9e. Dumping the wedding favors can also save thousands of dollars.