Congratulations, you’re getting married! But there’s just one problem – how will you afford everything? A small wedding budget doesn’t necessarily mean that your wedding has to be dull or tacky. Here are some great ideas and options for organising a budget wedding that will still result in a spectacular event:
1. WEDDING GOWNS
Forego traditional wedding gown suppliers and shop in second-hand stores; gowns here will usually be in good condition and still look beautiful on you. Best of all, they’re often much, much cheaper than the full retail price.
If you find a cheaper second-hand dress that doesn’t quite fit, consider having it altered; the cost of the dress, plus the alterations, will cost much less than buying a brand new dress.
Do you know your measurements? If so, you can consider buying your wedding dress online. While this can sometimes be quite risky (especially if it ends up not fitting or sitting right), you can still find a good bargain if you are confident about your size and measurements; similarly, if your online purchase doesn’t quite work out, you can always have it altered, too.
If in doubt, remember that you can always hire a wedding dress! Hire dresses will be in good condition, they’ll look fabulous, and they won’t take up room in your closet once the wedding is over!
2. WEDDING FLOWERS
Shop around at different florists to find a good deal on wedding flowers. If you know your flower budget, communicate this to the florist and see what they can do for you – you’ll be surprised how even the cheapest bunch can still look amazing.
Opt for smaller bouquets, rather than larger ones; these will be less expensive, but will still look gorgeous.
If you’re not picky about your flowers, consider ordering your bouquets online; make sure you have a backup plan though, in case something goes wrong with the delivery.
3. WEDDING RINGS
Stick to traditional, yellow gold wedding rings if you’re on a budget; this will generally be more affordable than white gold or platinum.
While it might be nice to have diamonds, these aren’t always necessary; forego stones if they’re not in your budget, or consider smaller diamonds instead of a large rock.
Buy your engagement and wedding rings in the one place and see if they will give you a deal or discount.
4. WEDDING VENUES AND RECEPTIONS
In general, stay away from ‘formal’ wedding venues (like hotels or function centres), where venue hire can be expensive; instead, consider smaller spaces like bars, restaurants or historical houses.
Consider having your wedding ceremony in a public space, like a beach, a winery, or a park; the fees for hiring out a spot will be much less costly.
Ask around to see if any of your friends or relatives would be willing to ‘lend’ you their gardens for the ceremony and/or reception.
Exchange expensive 2 or 3-course meals for a cocktail-style or buffet-style reception; this will save you lots of money while still providing great food and drinks for guests.
If you must have a dance floor, forego costly DJs or live musicians, and simply make your own music mix instead; if you have an iPod or something similar, you can easily hook this up to a sound system.
5. DIY-ING BITS AND PIECES FOR YOUR WEDDING
There are plenty of things you can DIY when it comes to your wedding. Doing it yourself can be lots of fun and will usually be much more cost-effective. You can DIY:
- Decorations and table centrepieces – Try floating candles, decorating your own vases, or putting a photo box at the centre of each table.
- Wedding invites and other wedding stationery – Simply buy the stationery, design them, and then print them yourself!
- Your own wedding cake – If you’re not a great cook, ask your friends and relatives to help, or consider making something easy, like cupcakes.
- Photos – Ask around to see if any of your guests are great at photography or if they have any photographer friends; even photography students can produce some great images.
- Catering– If your wedding is at a home, you can ask your friends and family to help you withDIY catering, such as organising a BBQ or making finger food.
