In fact, you can have your ideal wedding ceremony by putting in a little effort, being creative and having the courage to go against the mainstream.
Take Ivan Octovian, 30, and Desi Kristiani, 28, for example. The couple does not have a lot of money to spend on their wedding.
Their respective families, unfortunately, are not money machines either, that can provide a financial back up for the one-day ceremony.
Yet, the bride and the groom are among the luckiest couple that can make the celebration for the unification of their love memorable without having to spending too much.
Jakarta-based architect Ivan says he and his wife always fantasized about having an outdoor wedding ceremony. And, yes they got more than they bargained for as their dream wedding in a magnificent venue with a great view only cost them around Rp 35 million (US$4,095).
Despite such a small budget, the pair tied the knot in one of most beautiful temples in Yogyakarta. They were united on a lovely afternoon in December, in the front yard of the Ratu Boko temple, which offers breathtaking views of Mount Merapi and a gorgeous sunset perfect for photos, from almost 200 meters above sea level.
“The key is to arrange it on your own. But don’t hesitate to ask and conduct surveys,” Ivan told The Jakarta Post recently.
The couple’s approach to create this unique low-budget wedding is considered new in Indonesia.
Most couples and their families usually go all out when preparing this special day, choosing the
best venue as well as the finest caterer, and involving the most expensive wedding organizer to set
up a fancy wedding regardless of the price.
This tends to happen because of it is assumed marriage is not only a ritual uniting two people in love but also a means to confirm the economic status of the couple and their families in society.
However, not all brides and grooms come from royal families that have limitless budgets for holding special weddings.
The less fortunate may have to settle for ceremonies that involve only a small group of close family and friends, in a modest venue and with a simple reception.
Well, love may not cost a thing but a wedding does.
Therefore, the real challenge for the future bride and grooms now is how to make their dream wedding come true within a specific budget.
Ivan and Desi have proved it is possible to do so, showing the public that dream weddings do not necessarily have to be expensive. And they, fortunately, are not the only ones.
Thirty-year-old magazine editor Rooslain Wiharyanto made her childhood dream of having a wedding ceremony in the park come true in 2009.
She and her beau held an exceptional wedding reception in Menteng Public Park, Central Jakarta, on a tight budget.
The beautiful and outstanding venue only cost the couple around Rp 3.5 million, a much cheaper
alternative to booking outdoor venues in Jakarta that can reach up to Rp 20 million.
“We are very lucky to get Menteng Park. I cannot imagine how much we would have spent had we held the wedding somewhere else,” Rooslain said.
The couple spent a total of Rp 70 million for their lovely wedding ceremony and its party-till-you-drop reception.
“It is considered cheap. The figure can double if you use a wedding organizer,” said Rooslain.
So much to choose from: A woman walks past wedding dresses on display at the Grand Wedding Expo 2010 at the Jakarta Convention Center. JP/Wendra AjistyatamaTo make sure everything is still within their budget, Rooslain decided to take care of all the wedding preparations herself.
She, assisted by her 10 friends, arranged everything starting from selecting the venue, determining the wedding theme to contacting decorators and caterers.
There is a striking parallel between Rooslain and Ivan’s wedding, as they took the same approach to organize their dream wedding, namely the do-it-yourself (DIY) way.
A DIY wedding implies that future brides and grooms not only to take on extra jobs but also have to be strong willed, as they have to take risks running with all the ideas to make sure everything still fits within their budget.
Ivan said he designed the wedding invitation himself and took a risk by hiring amateur photographers to save money.
“Instead of using a professional photographer, I contacted my juniors who were members of the campus photography club, to do the job,” he says.
Creativity and the courage to try something different are also needed when organizing a DIY wedding.
However, this wedding concept is not popular yet in Indonesia.
No expense spared: President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (background) is a witness at the wedding of Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie’s son, Anindra Ardiansyah Bakrie, and Prianti Nur Ramadhania in April last year. JPNaya Adisti P Putri from Kotakide Komunika wedding organizers, acknowledged the DIY wedding was still a foreign concept for risk-averse Indonesians.
“Most of the couples insist on this [DIY] style for budgetary reasons. They would rather save the money for other necessities,” Naya says.
Twenty-seven-year-old architect Febrianty Madyansari and her partner Anton Siura have also gone for the DIY wedding to save money when they get married next October.
The Indonesian couple plans to have the nuptial mass and reception in Fort Canning Park, Singapore, where they both reside and work.
To make it budget-friendly, the couple has been working for months preparing all the details themselves. From designing the invitation and wedding gown, to selecting the venue and the wedding theme, Anton and Febrianty have arranged everything on their own.
The pair believes there is no need to spend much on the wedding because the ceremony is only a one-day event, just like a birthday.
“It’s more important to think about what comes after marriage,” says Febrianty, who with Anton is saving for a house and child rearing expenses in the future.
Despite their commitment to saving for a house and raising children, Febrianty claims she can still have her dream wedding.
“I am living my own dream, doing everything myself. I am so excited,” she said.
But of course, dreamers like Febrianty, Rooslain and Ivan, may run into problems with their families, who usually insist on them preparing a more common and “safe” wedding, which would be typically held in a hotel or inside a building, and with a more traditional ceremony.
Like it or not, it is hard for Indonesian free-spirited couples to plan their own wedding because marriage is still regarded as a social affair, with families from both the groom and bride sides having a large say in deciding what the wedding should be like.
Therefore it takes a strong-willed couple to organize a DIY wedding, as they have to face two challenges: finances and family.
“You have to fight for your idea and show your parents that your wedding is well prepared, ” Rooslain said of her mother, who was against the idea at first but finally praised her daughter’s hard work.
Tips to keep your wedding costs low
- Don’t hire a wedding organizer, but set up a small organizing committee that involves your friends.
- Do some shopping around when looking at different places. Compare prices.
- Don’t hesitate to hire new caterers or decorators who may not be famous yet, but have been recommended by friends and family.
- Handle as much as possible yourself, including the flower and decoration arrangements that may take eat up a large portion of your wedding budget.
- Know what you want, so you know where to find it.
- Find unusual venues that are not common wedding spots because these places are usually cheap.
- Don’t be afraid to use amateur photographers to save more money.
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