Creating a Beautiful Wedding on a Budget

by Rachel
(Michigan, USA)

Like many brides, I was swept off my feet by a romantic proposal, only to be brought back down firmly to reality by the wedding's price tag. Venues of my dreams were quickly crossed off my list and designer gowns were out of the question.

Still, by focusing on what mattered most, shopping carefully, and using my own skills as well as those of our families and friends, my husband and I were able to have a beautiful wedding on a budget.

Our first step toward planning a budget wedding was to focus on what mattered most to us. We wanted a meaningful and memorable day, but what would be remembered? We thought back to weddings we had attended and realized that many of the small details escaped us now.

What kind of flowers had the bride carried?
How was the church decorated?
What were the invitations like?

We couldn't remember, so we decided not to spend much money on these kinds of details. We opted for silk flowers and bought them online. After watching a couple of how-to videos on the internet, my bridesmaids and I spent a few hours hand tying the bouquets and arranging vases full of flowers.

Each week, I used a coupon from the Sunday paper to buy an item I needed at 40% or 50% off at the local craft store. One week I would buy candles, the next, ribbon or thank-you cards. Because these items weren't likely to be remembered, why spend a lot of money on them?

For the things that did matter, we shopped carefully. When dress shopping, I saved nearly $200 by choosing a dress off the rack and having it altered, rather than having it made to order.

We held the wedding in a chapel on a college campus where we had an alumni discount. When researching reception locations, we added up and compared all of the hidden costs, including taxes and fees for linens, cake-cutting, and service.

The ballroom that we chose did not tack on extra charges, but had everything included, saving us hundreds of dollars. We saved even more money by having the wedding on a Friday night instead of a Saturday.

Finally, we relied on our own skills and those of our friends and family to accomplish what needed to be done for our special day. When friends offered to do the wedding party's hair and make the cake, we took them up on it.

My brother-in-law acted as the emcee and deejay at the reception. Other friends created a question and answer game to add to the entertainment. Another friend of ours officiated the ceremony. A photographer that we knew gave us a great discount on his services.

I also put in many hours of my own time. I printed our invitations and programs, and used my calligraphy skills to address the envelopes and write names on the place cards. I folded hundreds of paper cranes, which became the table decorations. After looking at wedding blogs for ideas, I made a scrapbook chronicling our dating relationship to use as our guest book.

By employing all of these strategies, we were able to be frugal, yet have the wedding of our dreams. I hope others can learn from my experience to do the same.