If you’re the wordy type, check out these DIY wedding place cards from Styleathome.com. This probably wouldn’t work for a large wedding, given the amount of Scrabble tiles you would need. However, with a small guest list all you neeed to do is check out your local resale shops for pre-loved games. I collect vintage board games and I’ve come across quite a few Scrabble games in recent months. Also, check out these DIY place cards made with vintage children’s books.
From the moment you begin your journey into the world of wedding planning there are opportunities to save money. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Stationery:
1. Make your own invitations, or have a friend or family member make them for you.
2. Instead of RSVPS, save the postage and include an email address and/or phone number.
3. Buy your invitations online. There is more selection online, which means it is easier to find invitations to fit your budget. The fact that in many cases you are buying direct from online sources, you cut out the middle man and the savings are passed on to you. Check out www.etsy.com, www.theuncommonbride.com
Attire:
4. For some women, a fancy designer gown is a must, but if you’re the type of bride that would rather splurge elsewhere, consider renting your wedding dress or buying it second-hand.
5. Buy your dress online. Sites such as Ebay can offer significant savings on wedding dresses, both second hand and brand new. Other sites such as www.thebridalworld.com offer warehouse prices on new wedding dresses. What about a vintage gown from www.vintageous.com?
6. Consider buying a discontinued dress from a bridal store.
7. If you are having a casual wedding, why not check out area department stores for a dress?
8. Guys, do you really need a tux? What about a suit?
9. If you’re crafty, you can make your own veil and headpiece. Materials can easily be found at a craft store, and instructions can be found on the Internet or in books.
10. Buy inexpensive shoes. Chances are your gown will be long and no one will see your shoes anyway. You can purchase ballerina’s shoes from a dance studio for a reasonable price.
11. Borrow a friend’s crinoline.
12. Buy bridesmaids dresses from a department store.
13. Do your own hair and make-up.
Flowers:
14. Use flowers that are in season and use plenty of greenery in your bouquets.
15. Instead of going to a florist, pick out some pretty garden bouquets from the local grocery store, or go to a flower wholesaler or greenhouse. But do your homework and learn what flowers will work best for your particular setting/season.
16. Have the floral arrangements from the ceremony brought to the reception site.
Centerpieces:
17. Use floating candles instead of floral centerpieces.
18. Use a single flower in a vase, or float a single flower in a bowl of water instead of an arrangement.
19. Use potted plants or herbs as an alternative to cut flowers.
Décor:
20. Find pre-loved decorations on eBay.
21. Enlist friends and family and decorate the venue yourself.
Favors:
22. Make consumable favours, like fudge, jam, or cookies. Handmade soaps and lotions are also lovely.
Transportation:
23. Instead of renting a limo, rent a car.
24. Use your car or the car of a friend or family member to transport you from the ceremony to the reception.
Rehearsal dinner:
25. Is it necessary to have an elegant rehearsal dinner? If not, why not have a more casual dinner. Why not go out for Chinese food or order a pizza. What about a backyard barbecue?
Venue:
26. Have your wedding during the off-season (November 1 to April 30).
27. Have your wedding on a Friday night or a Sunday.
28. Have your wedding at Christmastime. Chances are the venue will already be decorated.
29. Have the ceremony and reception at the same location such as a bed and breakfast. Chances are you’ll have less of a rental fee – and you’ll save money on transportation and decorations.
30. Choose a venue that needs little adornment – such as a garden or reception site that is already decorated.
Food:
31. Have an appetizer table, instead of having hors d’oeuvres served to each guest.
32. Have friends or family make the appetizers and desserts.
33. Consider having a cocktail reception, instead of a sit-down meal.
34. Have a brunch or lunch reception instead of dinner, or a buffet instead of a plated meal.
35. Have a potluck reception.
36. Instead of serving desserts, use the wedding cake as the dessert. (Everyone will be stuffed anyway!)
37. Borrow items such as the punch bowl and cake knife, instead of purchasing them.
Wedding cake:
38. Instead of a wedding cake, go to a bakery and order a fancy cake. (Who doesn’t love cheesecake!)
39. Decorate the top of your cake with fresh flowers or fruit instead of a cake topper.
Alcohol:
40. Your guests might think you’re cheaping out if you have a cash bar, so have an open bar but limit the types of beverages you serve. Instead of offering hard liquor and mixed drinks, allow the guests to choose from wine, beer and wine coolers.
41. Choose a venue where you can bring your own alcohol.
42. Make your own wine/beer at a do-it-yourself place.
43. Have poured service rather then leaving the wine bottles on the tables.
44. Don’t bother with a champagne toast. (Guests can toast with whatever they are drinking.)
Music:
45. Hire one musician for both the ceremony and the reception.
46. Instead of hiring a deejay, create a playlist on your ipod.
Photography/Videography:
47. Have a professional shoot the main shots and opt for the basic package. For all the other shots, provide guests with disposable cameras, or ask friends and family to bring their cameras.
48. Call your local university or college to find out if there are any talented photographers at the school that shoot weddings.
49. Call your local newspaper to find out if any of the photojournalists do weddings.
50. Have a friend videotape the service, instead of hiring a professional.
There are ornate churches. There are simple churches. How much you decorate the church for your wedding ceremony will depend on the type of church you have chosen for your big day. That said, no matter where you choose to get married, there’s a good chance that you’ll want to add some wedding decorations. Here are some wedding church decoration tips that will help to save you money:
1.Use flowers that are in season and use plenty of greenery in your bouquets.
2. Instead of going to a florist, pick out some pretty garden bouquets from the local grocery store, or go to a flower wholesaler or greenhouse.
3. Have the floral arrangements from the ceremony brought to the reception site.
4. Use potted plants as an alternative to cut flowers.
5. Buy some tulle and twinkle lights and decorate the church yourself.
6. Have your wedding at Christmastime or Easter. Chances are the church will already be decorated.
7. Use pew bows to adorn the end of the pews. Chances are your local flower shop can make them up for you at a reasonable price.
8. Find out if someone else is getting married the same day you are. If so, see if you can arrange to share expenses on decorating the church.
9. Buy an inexpensive arch at a craft store and decorate it with fresh flowers or tulle, ivy and twinkle lights.
10. Consider silk flowers instead of the real thing. (I must admit that I prefer fresh flowers, but they sure have come a long way with faux flowers!)
Diane, 32 & Doug 32
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Wedding Date: June 21, 2008
Number of Guests: 32
Wedding Cost: $4,000 (not including photography.)
Wedding Ceremony Location: WA Frost, Saint Paul, MN
Wedding Reception Location: WA Frost, Saint Paul, MN for a dinner reception following ceremony. (We love the historic feeling of WA Frost, the woodwork, large fireplace and stunning garden patio just outside the window where our ceremony and dinner took place was just perfect.) A large picnic reception was held at a park pavilion a week after our intimate wedding ceremony for extended family and friends.
Why did you have an intimate wedding?
Being in our thirties, we felt like we had outgrown the need for a big wedding. I had already done that in my twenties and Doug – although a theatre major in college – was actually a bit shy about standing in front of a bunch of strangers. We also wanted a wedding that was all about our closest friends and family. We didn’t want children distracting anyone from the main event, or the big impersonal receiving line with strangers we’d never met before. We felt our meeting, our romance, our relationship was a miracle; a true blessing. Why would we want to cheapen that with a big impersonal wedding?
What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?
Our family was the greatest challenge. Although well intentioned, our parents had certain people that they really wanted to invite and we had to be “mean” and say “no”. We had to repeatedly explain that this would be our wedding and helping financially was a gift, not a piece of ownership in who was invited.
Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?
Not at all. We invited the people who meant the most to us and who have meant the most to us as adults. Our siblings, parents, grandparents, god parents and very best friends were easy to narrow down.
Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?
Ahhh yeah. See previous answer 🙂 We basically told our families as politely as possible that we would happily accept any contributions to the wedding fund but that those gifts didn’t entitle them to a say in the planning. If they wanted to tie “rights” to their cash, then they could keep their cash and we would pay for and plan it without their help. We phrased it a bit nicer but we were direct and stuck to our guns.
What were the highlights of the ceremony?
For me, it was waiting to enter the fireside room and seeing Doug and his brother standing nervously at the front of the room through the French doors (where he couldn’t see me). Other highlights:
What were the highlights of the reception?
The band was fantastic! We hadn’t even heard them or seen them before but they were simply outstanding! The food was also very, very good. Especially the mini crème brule. I also LOVED my flowers. I had bought them at 7 a.m. that morning at the local farmer’s market – beautiful pink peonies! The room was filled with flowers in antique vases that I’d found at thrift and antique shops in the previous months. And best of all? The cake table with a candle and special vase of daisies in memory of my Mom who passed away in 2000.
What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?
Experiencing every moment of the celebration fully. Unlike my first wedding I didn’t feel like I was on stage “performing”. There were no microphones, no one I didn’t know and no distant relatives whom I really didn’t care about. Our wedding wasn’t about gifts or money or image – our wedding was about love. Our love for one another and our love for the family we were creating together.
What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?
GO FOR IT! Do what is best for the two of you! Make it special to you. Make it truly memorable, not a day that whizzes by in a blur. Be connected to your wedding day and make it your own. Make it the first day of you and your husband’s new family.
Vendors:
Photography: Erin Johnson Photography
Music: Jazz Front
Venue: WA Frost did an awesome job preparing the rooms and helping us come up with a fantastic menu.
Cake: We got our delicious wedding cake from A Piece of Cake, which is a bakery located just down the street (and directly across the street from the pub where we first met).
Officiant: The pastor of my Dad’s church married us with a $100 donation to the church.
Dress and Suit: I bought my dress on sale at David’s Bridal for $300 and Doug bought his suit at the Men’s Warehouse for about the same price.
Flowers: I made my own bouquets but hired Stems and Vines to make the boutonnieres and corsages.
Photos: Erin Johnson Photography
Sure, flowers are gorgeous, but they’re not the only way you can dress up your reception tables. Check out these inexpensive centerpiece ideas:
Branches – Arrange branches in a glass vase. Willow branches are ideal. Keep natural or spray silver or gold.
Potted Herbs – Place potted rosemary, lavender or thyme in pretty pots. Decorate pots with ribbon or paint pots to match wedding colors. This is a wonderful eco-friendly wedding idea.
Wheat – Earthy and beautiful. Wheat will look good with any color combination.
Fruit – For a summer outdoor reception, arrange lemons, limes, or clementines in a glass vase. For an autumn wedding use apples, pears (gilded pears look gorgeous) or gourds. For a winter wedding, use pomegranates or cranberries. Easy and inexpensive!
Illuminarias or Paper Lanterns -Use illuminarias or paper lanterns that match your wedding colors. Place several at each table.
Chocolate – Create an edible topiary with chocolate truffles. Give away the centerpieces to your guests at the end of the wedding reception.
