Inexpensive Wedding Ideas
How to Plan a Beautiful Day and Not Break the Bank
People pay a tidy sum to get married. But, if you aren't in the position to have an extravagant wedding, there are ways to keep costs down.
Throughout the centuries, weddings have been known to be one of the biggest events you will ever plan. Couples are notorious for putting in time and effort of titanic proportions into planning the big day—from the food and entertainment details right down to the sprinkling of little hearts on top of the tables at the reception hall.
But what happens when all that stuff and fluff blows your budget? What can the prenuptial couple do to have an inexpensive but decent wedding? There are alternatives and a beautiful wedding can be yours without breaking the bank. But be prepared to work, work, work, and sacrifice some items that you can’t have.
The Wedding Dress
The Wedding Dress has been the number one, most important wedding item since the dawn of, well, weddings. It has been revered, awed and worshipped. From the straight cut to the mini skirt; from the yards of train to the Southern Belle type with the big bow on the butt.
Okay, so you want something tasteful, but inexpensive, something that’s flattering yet something you won’t regret wearing when you are 80 years old and wondering what in the world you were thinking.
- Borrow a dress. Your mom, a friend, a friend’s mom, your fiancé’s mom… someone out there has a dress. And if the lender doesn’t care to get the dress back, you may be able to alter it to fit your tastes and needs. If borrowing your great-aunt’s Flapper Wedding Dress from 1926 doesn’t appeal to you, read on.
- Make a dress. Once again someone you know will either know someone that can make The Wedding Dress or is personally handy at sewing. Of course, you want someone trustworthy enough that they won’t stitch the arms together or alter it to what they think it should look like. Ask around. And as far as payment goes, you can haggle the price. And don’t just focus on wedding dress patterns; check out other dress designs.
- Check out the Second Hand Stores. Little treasures can be found in used clothing stores. Most second hand clothing stores have requirements of what they will and will not accept in their stores. Some stores will only receive clothing going back three years, so you are unlikely to find a wedding dress from 1987.
- Bridal Shops. Yes, bridal shops have sales; and, even better, Discount Bridal Shops. Try to hit them in the off-season, if you can. The dress you saw back in June could be on sale in September/October.
Decorations
Decorations are a must. Without them, it’s like Halloween without a pumpkin. There’s a certain romantic illusion that comes with decorations—the twinkling lights, the flickering candles, the yards of tulle, and even those darn balloon arches add a celebratory feeling to this festive occasion.
- Twinkle Lights. Easily accessible. Just head down to your storage closet, you know the one under the stairs, or out to the garage, and dig out your Christmas lights or your mother’s Christmas lights or the neighbor’s lights. If they are multicolored, that’s good too. The clear lights are even prettier, especially if tulle is involved. Tulle is a wonderful material. You can get yards and yards of it at a fabric store and it probably won’t cost an arm and a leg. The tulle can be mixed in with the lights and you won’t even see the light cords.
- Balloons and Streamers. This is usually the decoration of choice as they are inexpensive and can make the celebration look festive in minutes. Cost can be kept very low by shopping at a dollar store.
- Candles. Romantic. The soft candle light dances as you waltz the night away with your love. No one will know you went to the dollar store for your purchase. Inexpensive candles will give you the same effect and will still save you money to put towards more balloons and streamers. They may burn faster than higher-end candles, but honestly, by the end of the night, no one will care about them anyway.
Location, location, location
Where can you go that won’t cost you a bundle?
Your backyard or, if you don’t have a backyard, then find a friend or relative that is willing to have your reception in their own backyard. The twinkle lights and tulle can be strewn in the trees and along the fence while beautiful flowerpots overflow with the summer’s jeweled colors.
Flowers
Flower shops thrive on weddings. Making bouquets, boutonnières and corsages are big business. You can shop around or, again, make it yourself. Borrowing a flower arrangement book from the library and creating the masterpieces yourself can be fulfilling. You can use fake flowers and get ahead of the game, having everything completed months before the wedding. Fake flowers have become better looking over the years. You can find exceptional ones that will fool many people into thinking they are real. If you use real flowers, you might want to do them a day or two before and store them in a fridge.
What about pictures, hair and make-up, tuxes, food, drink and the wedding cake? Follow this link to more inexpensive wedding ideas.
