DIY Your Dream Day
In this economy, creating your dream wedding is no easy feat. Many folks are turning to more intimate or unconventional wedding days to avoid breaking the bank. Still, there are many ways to create a beautiful ceremony if you’re willing to put in a little elbow grease. Check out this list below for ways to make your wedding beautiful on a budget.
1. Keep It Simple
When it comes to decoration, less is more. Focus your efforts on making a few decorative elements look high-quality instead of throwing 20 different dollar store items onto a table and calling it a centrepiece.
Blair Roberts Castagnetta on Unsplash
2. Focus On Florals
If you’re going to splurge on anything, it should be the florals. High-quality florals give your wedding a lush and romantic feel, and are often the centrepieces for reception tables. Don’t blow your budget on them, but expect to pay a little more.
3. Check Facebook
Many married couples will sell their larger wedding items once the knot is tied, and typically will sell for a much cheaper price than buying outright. Scour wedding groups, Facebook Marketplace, and even Kijiji to find your dream furniture.
Timothy Hales Bennett on Unsplash
4. Pick The Right Venue
When it comes to an expensive-looking wedding, the venue is half the battle. Be sure to pick a venue that fits your aesthetic and is comfortable enough for all of your guests. You can go in and perfect it later.
5. Don’t Underestimate Ribbons
Ribbons are a cheap way to elevate your bouquets, signage, or other decor. The best part is they come in every color under the sun, so you’ll have no issues finding ones that fit your theme.
6. Thrift Away
Do not underestimate the power of thrifting. You can find beautiful linens, glassware, and even china for pennies on the dollar if you know where to look. Start your search well in advance to give yourself time to find everything on your list.
7. Use Candles
Aside from their practical use, candles provide a warm, inviting, and romantic feel to any wedding venue. You can buy tapered or pillar candles in bulk for incredibly cheap, and they make a great addition to your centrepieces.
8. Print Your Own Cards
If you or someone you know is well-versed in graphic design, you don’t even need to look for a print shop. Hit a Staples, Walmart, or any department store with a printing section and have your beautiful invitations made in minutes.
Micah & Sammie Chaffin on Unsplash
9. Opt For Cotton
Linen is an expensive fabric, and if you’re not finding any luck at the thrift stores, opting for cotton, polyester, or a similar fabric is the cheaper way to go. Some couples even opt for velvet for a more unique look. You’ll still be able to achieve your desired look without breaking the bank.
Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash
10. Invest In Some Lighting
Good lighting goes a long way. Alongside your candles, fairytale curtain lights, paper lanterns, projectors, or Edison bulbs will help set the vibe for your guests.
11. Borrow From Family
Weddings are a family event, and you likely have a huge group of women who know the stresses of creating the perfect day. Older family members are happy to share their skills, knowledge, and decorations to help you celebrate. They may even let you touch the fine china!
12. Reuse Your Flowers
Reusing your flowers is a great way to save a chunk of change. Keep your bridal bouquet available to throw (if you’re doing that), but use the bridesmaid, altar, and aisle bouquets as part of your centrepieces, arches, or garlands for the reception. The best part? They’re already on theme.
Wedding Photography on Unsplash
13. Find Unique Napkin Rings
Something so small can leave such a lasting impact. Napkin rings are elegant, useful, and a great way to add a touch of personal style to your wedding decor. Maybe you’re a big Lord Of The Rings fan, but don’t want to go all out on a Middle-earth-style wedding. Instead, you can make your napkin ring the one ring to rule them all.
14. Include Some Greenery
If florals aren’t your thing, or you don’t have the budget for a lot of arrangements, greenery is a great way to add some foliage to your big day. Many couples use eucalyptus, huckleberry, willow, or different types of ferns to spruce up their decoration. If you live near a wooded area, many of these items can also be foraged!
Jennifer Kalenberg on Unsplash
15. Incorporate Metallics
Adding gold, silver, copper, champagne, or any other metallic accouterments adds a touch of sparkle and luxe feel to your wedding day. Match mugs, chair backs, and other decorations to the silverware that you’re using for a cohesive feel.
16. Use Your Colors Wisely
Picking a cohesive color theme suggests that you spent a lot of money on your decorations, which is what you want people to think. Popular wedding color palettes include blush and gold, white and green, or black and white, and keeping to that theme creates consistency for you and your guests.
Ekaterina Grosheva on Unsplash
17. Pool Your Linens
Even if they’re on the cheaper end, pooling your linens off the side of the table makes your reception look dramatic and romantic. It also hides that you thrifted your tables and didn’t have time to paint them.
18. Use A Charger
Chargers are a large piece of flatware that holds your guests' dinner plates, but they are also a great way to add some visual appeal to your tables. You can get these for relatively cheap, or thrift them so each plate is unique for each guest.
19. Create Some Dimension
Something as simple as mismatched candle holders adds an element of dimension to your wedding. You can also mix different textures, create a few statement pieces, or vary the heights of the centrepieces to keep things interesting.
20. Pick A Theme
You don’t need to go all out on a hyper-specific theme if you don’t want to, but having an idea of color palette, aesthetic, and general feel for your wedding will help you stay on track when it comes to design choices.
