Any wedding ideas for a bride on a budget?

Question

I am on a budget, but I would like my wedding to be nice. Does anyone have any cheap ideas for favors, decorations, centerpieces,etc? Any good websites or stores in northeast ohio?

Answer 1

Favors aren't really necessary, and most people won't even notice that they're missing. I'm planning my wedding currently; I couldn't find a favor that I thought 200 guests would really enjoy and use, so I decided to skip favors and put that money toward something that will be more noticeable.

If you can make your own centerpieces, you'll save a lot of money. If there's a Costco near you, you can buy roses in bulk, and buy short vases on ebay (also in bulk if you want them to match, or you can buy them in different shapes as long as they all complement each other) to hold the roses. If you are willing to forgo flowers, buy A LOT of candles in varying heights (but I would stick to a single color, like ivory). Put several candles at varying heights in the center of each table, and sprinkle the table with rose petals (you can buy these from a florist, or a grocery store, or maybe also Costco) so that you still have the nice smell and look of flowers.

If you need to decorate your ceremony space, do it in such a way that the decorations can be reused in the reception space. A regular ceremony (i.e., not a full Catholic mass) is pretty short, so it's a shame to spend a lot on decorations that your guests will only see for a short while. You can do a lot with tulle and candles.

Check out theknot.com, weddingchannel.com, diybride.com, and Martha Stewart Weddings for some great inspiration and instructions.

My favorite book is "Bridal Bargains," which is only $10 on Amazon. It devotes a chapter to each area of your wedding and offers great tips on how to save a significant amount of money. Here is the latest edition, from October 2006: http://www.amazon.com/Bridal-Bargains-Throwing-Fantastic-Realistic/dp/1889392227/sr=8-1/qid=1170043913/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-6118376-5326200?ie=UTF8&s=books

This page on theknot.com has a compilation for many brides' ideas for a beautiful budget wedding: http://talk.theknot.com/BOARDS/User/Profile.aspx?UserID=89098&MsdVisit=1.

Choose your venue carefully. In many instances, it's actually more expensive to have a home wedding because you need to rent tables, chairs, china, linens, a tent (in case of inclement weather), etc. yourself, and it's pretty stressful. Many restaurants and hotels are a much better deal, and they're doing much of the legwork for you. If you can have a lunch instead of dinner and offer only a soft bar, you'll save quite a bit.

Happy planning!

Answer 2

I'm having the same trouble. One store that has been really great for finding deals for ceremony/reception decorations and the whatnot is Old Time Pottery. There is one in Clevelend, if that's in your area. We decided to use mostly candles for our centerpieces (candles.net is a good website for that), and we found all of the candleholders and vases at Old Time Pottery for only a couple of dollars each. We also found some nice pillars for the altar for about $7.50, which seems to be a steal! They're big stores and have a ton of stuff there - you can find almost anything, so I definitely suggest checking them out.

Answer 3

1. Have a simple reception - a coctail party rather than a sit-down meal. DJ rather than band. This will probably be the most expensive part of the wedding.
2. Have the photographer for the ceremony only, then pass out disposable cameras at the reception and ask guests to take pics and leave the cameras.
3. Have a small wedding party. The fewer the attendants, the less flowers you need.
4. Use only candles to decorate the church.
5. Shop and shop for your dress. I got mine for under $400.

Answer 4

I'm getting married in April and I've done a lot of research on this because I'm on a budget. Here's a few tips.
1. Decorate everything you can yourself.
2. Hobby Lobby, Hobby Lobby! You can get very nice fake flowers, ribbons, vases, ect., for half off at HL. They have big time sales on every week.
3. For centerpieces use candles instead of flowers! Best place to buy candles and votive holders is Cudge.net. They have the best price for candles. I got over 300 for $121 this includes the glass holders.
4. Instead of a sit down dinner have a cocktail reception.
5. Serve tea, coffee, and water, and have champagne, or sparkling grape juice available for toasts!
6. For favors you can buy cute little boxes at michaels for 19.99 per fifty. Fill them with hershey kisses and tie a ribbon around the box.
That's it I hope this helps!

Answer 5

I've been shopping for the same things! I just got centerpieces, which is a red glass vase with a floating candle and a stand and little white plastic flowers for $4 each at Big Lots. I plan to get some strings of plastic flowers and combine it with white tule and little white lights for the main tables, most of which you can buy from a dollar store, the ones where things are actually a dollar. White tule you can get cheap at Walmart. Yahoo has a lot of centerpiece pictures you can look at to get ideas if you want to make your own. Also, Michaels has a lot of glass pieces you can use, smaller ones around a dollar up to a little larger/taller for $4.

Answer 6

I think you have Dollar Stores, and Dollar Tree; they have some really great things and very reasonable. -- just a $1.00!! I've also seen people make favors out of a Hershey Kiss and just put glue it to some cards with you names and date of wedding, saying thank you for sharing our special day. You can print them up on the computer for next to nothing. I'm sure others will have many good ideas too.

If you haven't already planned your reception, skip the meal. Everyone can enjoy wedding cake and punch/coffee/tea. There is nothing wrong with that, and often the wedding cake does not even get eaten because your guest are full from the dinner.

Enjoy the preparation!! Enjoy the Wedding!! and most of all - - enjoy your lives together!!

Good luck with your wedding.

Answer 7

You could copy a nice picture of you two and use it on homemade invitations. Go to a scrapbooking or craft store to get ideas for invites. Use your wedding colors as a base for them. You could do chocolates (most grocery/department stores will be discounting LOTS of stuff after valentine's day) for the centerpieces. They look really nice in little votive holders or spread out on charger plates. Also dollar stores are great for decorations.

Answer 8

I got engaged in Jan.16 and got married Feb.22...only a month to plan...I invited only 100 people, closest friends and family, we had the ceremony in my cousins empty house which she had for sale, decorations and favors I bought at Michael's,Joans fabrics,as centerpieces I just bought white roses and put them in vases that I purchased at Dollar Tree I tied a white ribbon on the vase, anyhow I spent about $ 3k on the whole wedding ( including our clothes ) I was on a budget too.As wedding favor I bought small silver candle holders with a vanilla scented candle tied a pretty white ribbon around it, they were very nice,simple ( I purchased these at Michael's ) Our invitations we bought the invitations at Michaels and printed them at home...they turned out really nice and elegant.....Good Luck !

Answer 9

Weddings on a budget can be nice! Limit your guest list and try to have the cermony and reception at the same sight. If you can't use the same flowers from the cermony at the reception. Opt out of floral centerpeices and go with candles(less expensive) Party favors: bubbles, or thank you nots tied with ribbons!! You can also do some really nice print yourself invitations. Try www.Weddings.com

Answer 10

www.indiebride.com

Look under the cost cutting forum.

I just coordinated a wedding for my best friend's daughter. About 70 guests, ceremony in my back yard with reception at our local club house. Altogether was about $900, and we had a live band and we fed everyone! Of course, we had a lot of talented people who helped us for free, but we bought most of the decor at the Dollar Tree, used supermarket and wild flowers, made our own bouquets, and the bridesmaids wore their own clothes. It was informal, but very cool. I was the photographer, and my friend let us borrow his classic caddy limo for the transportation. We thought we were stylin'!

Tulle is elegant and cheap. Everyone has white lights. We used some antique candelabras, borrowed, huge potted ferns and plants, borrowed, beautiful tablecloths, borrowed, and nice serving dishes, some borrowed. Just ask your friends and family, you never know what someone has that you can put into use!

There is no need to spend a fortune to have a beautiful wedding. (But do be prepared for quite a bit of work!)

Good luck!