Saving Money and Getting the Quality? {Big Box Retailer Weddings}

I received an email from Costco in my inbox at the end of last week. Guess what they are now carrying? A wedding line. Yup. You read that right. You can now purchase wedding invitations, flowers, food, dresses and honeymoon packages from Costco for your big day. They even have a bridal event they're putting on in select cities so brides can come check out what they have available. I wonder if there are going to be samples...

I wonder just how much the big box retailer will save you in wedding cost and just how personalized you can be by using their products. I've often wondered how one could use the cheaper prices of using Michaels, Target and now Costco to purchase wedding items at their advantage. Since I was a DIY bride myself I always want to get the most value for the money I spend. Especially in today's economy.

But the one thing I couldn't bring myself to do was buy invitations and stationery from a big box retailer with my 40% off coupon. There was just something missing from the picture. The personalization and customization was limited to what was in stock and what lines they carried. Sure I'd save a lot but I also wouldn't be able to use that exact shade of blue and the colors wouldn't quite match everything else perfectly.

I also kind of feel the same way about my flowers. I went to a local florist for my wedding flowers. It just made sense. They not only did weddings and events but were your every day florist as well who carried a large variety of flowers in stock.

That way if they over purchased flowers for my event they could sell the left overs the next day or two to their walk in customers. I wouldn't have to worry about being limited to a set number of stems. If you purchase from an online retailer you not only don't know the quality you're getting, you also don't have the option of adding more to a bouquet or arrangement. You're stuck with what they deliver to you.

However when it comes to wedding dresses I am all for purchasing from a big box retailer like Costco. Their return policy is fantastic and they usually have good quality items to sell. And I love their photo center. I made a photo book for my mother in law for Christmas and the quality was fabulous! I'm considering re-doing my wedding album through them. Super reasonable pricing and a great product!

I'd love to see what they have in store for their future in the wedding industry. Should be interesting...