Are you a bride on a budget but you have luxurious taste? If so, these tips are for you! These 7 cost-cutting tips will help you have a high end wedding on a DIY budget.
Does the sound of a “budget” wedding make you cringe? If you put your mind to it, you can be both on-trend and within-budget without your guests even knowing. The best part? Very minimal crafting is involved! Use these 7 tips and you can have the high end wedding of your dreams while still staying in your wedding budget.
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Wedding Money Saving Tip #1: Decorate with Balloons
When you think “wedding”, I doubt that balloons are one of the first things that pop into your mind, but did you know that these can actually serve as beautiful wedding decor? And they are very budget-friendly! Balloon installations are really on-trend right now and, thankfully, a very affordable DIY. The team at Ceremony App explains how to make these gorgeous balloon installations: 1) Gather balloons in the color scheme of your choice (we love adding a few metallic ones for a little wow-factor). 2) Inflate them to a variety of sizes. 3) Using a durable twine, create the garland—attach 3-4 inch pieces to each balloon, stretch twine to the length of the table and suspend for easy assembly, and tie on the balloons, alternating sizes and colors. Once the garland is complete, simply lay it out on the table and secure using translucent tape. In just a few simple steps, you will have a beautiful, budget-friendly balloon arch for your wedding day!
Wedding Money Saving Tip #2: Semi-DIY Florals
Semi-DIY florals are a great way to save money on florals. There are several ways to do this, whether you decide to order flowers from a grocery store, or even to use artificial florals. One of my favorite cost-cutting wedding floral options is to use a semi-DIY service like Bloominous for your wedding day florals. A portion of Bloominous’ collections can be premade and assembled in the studio before being shipped in a special box right to your doorstep. The most you’ll have to worry about is asking your bridesmaids to pull the centerpieces out of the sturdy, chilled box and placing them on the tables. The best part about this service is that it’s still on average 30% cheaper than going retail! With Bloominous, you still get beautiful, fresh flowers and they are delivered straight to you at an affordable rate. You can’t go wrong!
Wedding Money Saving Tip #3: Go Green
Greenery may be last year’s Pantone Color of the Year, but it’s still a stylish and cost-effective way to create gorgeous floral arrangements for your big day. Greenery gives your wedding a natural, serene look and the color is considered neutral, so it goes with just about everything! Greenery is also to either dress up or dress down, making it a very versatile “floral” option. The team at Ceremony app says, “We love laying out stems au natural on a table, interspersed with candles or small rose bouquets, or weaving them with battery-operated twinkle lights.” If you’re up for it, forage for greenery in your own backyard—it’s abundant, in-season, and free. If that’s not your thing, check with your local grocery store or an online wholesaler for the cheapest in-season bulk pricing. For example, jade palm fronds and lily grass (popular and perfect for the warmer months) are typically under $10 a bunch. Using greenery as decor is an effective way to cut down on costs while still looking high-class.
Wedding Money Saving Tip #4: Add Color to Your Wedding with Glass
An ongoing tablescape trend that we hope will never die is adding color and dimension through mismatched glassware—think goblets, vases, wine bottles, cake stands, etc. Filling them with simple, cheap flower sprays (like our go-to spring/summer combo of daisies, wax flower, and blue thistle) will cost you anywhere from nothing to $50. In order to keep costs as low as possible, don’t be afraid to ask friends if they have tinted glass in their cabinets or leftover bottles in their recycling bins. I’ve even seen a lot of brides start collecting glassware from thrift stores or yard sales throughout their engagement. Or, if you’re up for a DIY with a bolder color palette, grab some spray paint (drip-free, if possible), and create your own mix of bright, opaque glassware. This is especially nice if you are going for an artsy vibe on your wedding day. Colorful glass pieces are a very trendy wedding decor item that will look much more expensive than they actually are.
Wedding Money Saving Tip #5. Balance professional photography costs with a photo-sharing app
I always say that a quality wedding photographer is non-negotiable. These photos are how you are going to look back on your wedding day for years to come. We still recommend hiring professional photographers to capture the biggest moments of your wedding day, but did you know that you can hire photographers and videographers by the hour? Many brides and grooms enlist the help of a professional for the earlier parts of the day, while relying on guests to help document the reception through photo-sharing apps like Ceremony. This allows you to cut that budget in half, so you can have your cake and eat it, too. Another fun way to do this is with Polaroid cameras! I’ve even seen someone use a Polaroid as a sign in book as their guests arrived. How fun (and cost-effective)!
Related Content: 3 Things You Must Consider When Looking for a Wedding Photographer
Wedding Money Saving Tip #6. Ask around!
If you’ve been on my site at all, you know that I am all about doing your research and making comparisons when it comes to choosing your wedding vendors, especially if you are on a budget. One way that you can do this is by asking around! Many times, if it is someone you know, they may cut you a great deal! Do you know someone who owns a restaurant that might let you use the space on their night off? Does your Great Aunt Carla have amazing calligraphy skills? Investigate who you know that has notable DIY talents and then (it’s harder than it sounds) ask for help. Chances are, they’d love to lend their time in lieu of just checking something off your registry. You could even make prep a fun, pre-wedding event, and it will make the elements of your big day that much more memorable and special. As always, if you are using a friend or family member as a vendor for your big day, make sure that you have a contract just like you would with anyone else. This will protect both you and them!
Wedding Money Saving Tip #7: Reuse your ceremony decor
If you’ve ever been to a wedding, or if you are in the depths of planning your own, you know that the ceremony is very short. That means the decorations that you’ve carefully curated for your wedding ceremony will only be seen for a short amount of time. That’s why I always recommend to my brides that they also use these decorations at the reception, too! This is an easy way to cut back on costs, and it takes little to no effort. Any floral arrangements or “altar” decor from your ceremony can easily be transformed into floral decor for the reception space. Move your aisle markers to your cocktail tables and use your “altar” decor to the entrance to your venue or as a backdrop for the head table. Also, bridesmaids bouquets make perfect centerpieces, cake table decor or can be placed on any additional table that could use a fresh touch. Some pieces will be easier to move and repurpose than others, so keep versatility in mind while designing your ceremony set-up! This is a simple and effective way to save money on your wedding without sacrificing appearance or quality.
