When I got married, we had very little money. Since it was my first time getting married, I wanted something very pretty, but we really could not afford it at the time. My husband was uninterested in a wedding and wanted to just go to the justice of the peace like he did with his first wife. I was determined, however, to have a beautiful wedding, no matter how poor we were. Our total cost for the entire wedding ended up being around $400. Try some of these tips for getting free or cheap items for your wedding.
Wedding Gowns
Your wedding gown can be one of the most expensive parts of your wedding, but it certainly does not need to be. There are several alternatives to big expensive wedding gowns. The most important thing you should do is never, and I mean absolutely NEVER open a single bridal magazine. All they will do is make you want a really fancy expensive gown and the gowns in those magazines cost several thousands of dollars.
Instead of wasting away drooling into an expensive magazine, come up with an idea in your own mind of what you would like. Your wedding dress does not have to be a huge white dress that looks like a frosted cake. All types of dresses are popular these days as well as a variety of colors. If you don’t want a pure white dress, consider other colors such as pastels, silver, or gold.
Your dress also does not need to be an actual “wedding dress.” If you go to a bridal boutique to find your dress, you are going to pay several times more for it simply because store owners expect you to pay more for something that you will be getting married in. Stores know there are big bucks in the wedding market, so stay out of that market as much as you can.
Ross and other closeout stores carry all types of dresses that can be used for a wedding. Evening gowns and different types of prom dresses can be very affordable. You may even be able to find a very pretty skirt and matching top by looking among the regular clothing. Check out regular department stores as well. They carry all types of things that could make a gorgeous wedding gown.
If someone that you know has a wedding gown or evening gown, ask if you can borrow it. This is a great way to get a free dress. Mine was a beautiful vintage dress that was given to me by my mother’s best friend. With just a few alterations, I was able to turn it into exactly what I was looking for. You may know someone with a wedding dress or a prom dress that you can borrow. Most women do not end up keeping their wedding dresses. Consider truthfully if a wedding gown is something that you are willing to pay to have preserved and then stored away forever where it may never be used again. It may be best just to borrow a dress.
Don’t overlook thrift stores. Many people donate their old gowns and prom dresses to thrift stores. Even if something is out of style, it can be altered easily into something really spectacular. Use your imagination when going through the clothes racks. An old dress from the eighties may be stupendous just by cutting off the puff sleeves or removing the lace from the neckline.
If you just refuse to wear a used dress and you definitely want something that looks like a wedding gown, make a trip to an ethnic part of town. We got my stepdaughter’s flower girl dress from a little store in a Mexican community that sold all kinds of lovely but very inexpensive new dresses for things like First Communion and Quinceaneras. Sure, we had to pick through the dresses that looked like exploded Barbie cakes, but we found something that was both pretty and inexpensive.
Wedding Cake
I made my own wedding cake. While this may sound challenging, I can assure you it was no more difficult than choosing, ordering, and then purchasing one. I purchased one very large cake pan and a smaller cake pan from a baking company online for around $10. I used cake mix from a box and icing from a can. It was absolutely delicious and no one was ever the wiser. I used white frosting and decorated the cake with fresh leaves from the garden. You could also decorate your cake with sprigs of green ivy or fresh flowers. You don’t need to be a pro at making cakes. If you just can’t bake, ask someone in your family to make it for you the night before the wedding.
You may also be interested in my article on How to Make Your Own Wedding Cake.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/468918/how_to_make_your_own_wedding_cake.html
Where to Have the Wedding
It’s a great idea to have the wedding and the reception in the same place. This way, no one has to drive around getting lost looking for the reception hall and you won’t need to spend a lot of money renting a limo that you are probably only going to spend less than one half hour in anyway.
If someone in your family has a beautiful house or yard, you might want to ask if they would mind you having the wedding there. This is a big ordeal, however, so only ask if you feel very comfortable with the person. Many times, friends or family who have houses that would be nice to have a wedding in will ask if you would like to have the wedding there. A covert approach may also work just by mentioning to that person that you don’t know where you will have the wedding because you can’t afford to rent a place. If they want to loan you the use of their house, they will take this opportunity to make the offer.
If you would like to have an outdoor wedding, always remember that the weather isn’t always perfect. There is a chance for rain, snow, or mud, so plan on an alternate area for the ceremony and reception in case it rains. Cloth tents can be useful if you know someone who will loan you one, but it may not be worth the time or effort to rent one, especially if you are having a small wedding.
Wedding Guests
Lots of brides want to invite everyone that they know to their wedding. If you would like to save money, it is best to invite only close friends and family. Remember, you will need to put each person somewhere. Every additional guest means one more chair, one more table, several more square feet of space, another wedding favor, and another mouth to feed when it comes to the reception. You may end up spending quite a lot more for extra people. Don’t be greedy thinking the more guests you have, the more wedding gifts you will get. Not all of your guests will give presents and most of the time, the cost of the gift will not be equal to what you spend on the guest at the wedding.
Another big money saver and cost reducer is to decline having bridesmaids or groomsmen at your wedding. This comes from a very old tradition that no longer has meaning. Dressing the bridesmaids and groomsmen can be very expensive, not to mention getting their hair and makeup done and buying their flowers. Not only that, but the bride will have several other people to worry about on her wedding day and shouldn’t have to fret over how her bridesmaids look as well.
Declining to have bridesmaids and groomsmen is also a great way to prevent drama. Some people will be left out and wonder why they were not chosen. Girls will feel resentful over who gets to be the maid of honor. You’ll tear your hair out trying to determine how to make an equal number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. It’s best to leave the wedding at just the bride and groom. After all, it’s only the two of you getting married, not your best friends and brothers and sisters as well.
Flower Girl and Ring Bearer
If you plan to have a flower girl or ring bearer at your wedding, you do not have to be responsible for buying their clothes. Almost all little girls have one nice dress such as an Easter dress or First Communion dress. Ask her mother what she has available on hand and make it plain that you won’t be able to afford a new dress for her. If the mother (or father) wants her daughter in the wedding badly enough, she will usually provide the dress. The same goes for the ring bearer. Don’t forget: little boys look just as cute in their Sunday best. A miniature tuxedo is not necessary. He’ll look adorable in a white shirt and a little clip-on tie.
Wedding Invitations
Wedding invitations are easily made by hand. I made all of mine for around $10 by using a stamp, watercolors, and some blank cards. My motif was a leaf. You can read about how to make your own easy wedding invitations HERE. You can also find handmade invitations in different styles and prices at Etsy.com.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/468871/how_to_make_your_own_wedding_invitations.html
Wedding Favors
With little or no talent, you can make your own wedding favors or you can find nice favors that are inexpensive. Your first trip should be to the dollar store for supplies. You may scoff now, but there are all kinds of good things to be had in quantity for less than one dollar.
Candles are a great idea for wedding favors. You can usually purchase them in packages of ten or more. These can be tied up with a little square of tulle and secured with ribbon. Some dollar stores will sell glass candleholders at three for a dollar. You never know what you will find.
One of my favorite thrifty favor ideas is the paper crane. If you can learn how to fold an origami paper crane, you can make all of your own wedding favors for next to nothing. Many craft stores sell squares of pretty origami paper. You can also order online. Glue a loop of satin ribbon at the top of your paper crane so that it can be hung on a Christmas tree or kept as a decoration. You may also want to print out small notes on your computer that tell the story of the paper crane or how they symbolize good luck. Don’t forget to include your names and the wedding date on the paper.
Candy is always a great wedding favor. This is another of those great things that can be purchased for next to nothing at the dollar store. You may also be able to find great gourmet candies at Ross. Individually wrap candies in squares of tulle for affordable wedding favors that guests can enjoy.
Who Will Marry You?
Consider who will marry you. If you are not a member of a church, you may not be able to find a priest to perform the ceremony. Remember, a priest is not necessary. A judge can marry you as well as a justice of the peace. A friend or family member can marry you for free by signing up with the Universal Life Church under your own religion.
At our wedding, we asked the town judge to marry us. It was a very small town, so he was able to do it on a weekend and charged us only $100. You can save money by doing this instead of having your wedding in a church. You can save even more by having a friend or family member perform your ceremony.
Table Decorations
Table decorations are one of the easiest ways to save money at your wedding. We made our table decorations from curled ribbon, sprigs of fresh ivy from the garden, and fresh leaves and twigs from outside. Dollar store candles also make pretty decorations. You can get glass bowls at the dollar store for pennies and fill them with water with floating candles. It is not difficult to decorate your reception for less than $25. Flower petals are also easily had for cheap. Don’t forget confetti. This can be punched with a hole punch from paper that matches the colors of your wedding décor.
Fresh leaves, river stones, and candles make lovely decorations. For holiday weddings, you can use holiday themes such as colored Easter eggs or sprigs of fresh holly, mistletoe, and evergreen branches. If you are a gardener or know someone who has a garden, ask if you can have or buy their flowers for your wedding. You can get lots of flowers this way for next to nothing and display them on tables in pretty glass vases from the dollar store.
You can also ask someone you know to make your decorations for you or see if you can borrow them from someone who is crafty. Lots of people like to make wreathes and other craft decorations. If you have an aunt or grandmother who is crafty with fake flowers, see if she will provide a few for your wedding as a wedding gift.
Food
The cheapest way to have food at your wedding is to make it yourself. This may sound like a daunting task, but I assure you it isn’t. To make the work go faster, have family members help you. Make all of the food the night before and heat it the next day before eating at the reception.
A buffet-style meal is easiest. Decide what types of food you will want at your wedding. Some weddings go with a theme such as Mexican, Greek, Italian, or Hawaiian. Make a list of the foods that you want to provide. Try to avoid expensive foods such as steak and caviar. You don’t have to spend a fortune on your food for it to be delicious.
Two days before the wedding, do all of your shopping and get the ingredients ready. Make sure that you have enough containers for all of the food. This is where dollar stores become helpful again. You can find all kinds of very pretty serving dishes at dollar stores including plastic dishes and platters made to look like cut crystal. Punch bowls are also great to have at small weddings, especially if there are kids.
Tables, Chairs, Etc.
We got all of our tables and chairs from my grandmother’s Women’s Club. If you are a member of a church or know someone who is, ask if it might be possible to borrow some tables and chairs for your reception. As long as the chairs match, they don’t have to be fancy.
A row of folding chairs can be dressed up for a ceremony by stringing garlands of crepe paper across the backs. You can also find patterns for easy chair covers online if you plan on having only a few guests at your wedding. My grandmother’s group did all of the sewing for chair covers. Table cloths are simple. You can either purchase cheap but pretty ones at the dollar store or you can use plain pieces of white cotton cloth and glue a piece of ribbon around the edges to hide the seam.
Dishes
I was very lucky to have heirloom dishes to use at my wedding. My great grandmother kept a hope chest which she passed down to her daughter and this was passed down to me. It had cut crystal punch bowls, wine glasses, champagne glasses, and glass plates. We were able to use these for our small wedding.
Not everyone has a nice set of family heirloom dishes, however. If you know people who do have pretty dishes or heirloom sets, ask if you can borrow them for your wedding. If there are not enough, you can use sets that do not match. You can make non-matching dishes look very good by alternating tables that have matching sets.
Dollar stores are another great place to get matching dishes. Glass plates, bowls, and wine glasses can be found for next to nothing. You can also find pretty serving ware for less than a dollar that can be used again someday for another function.
Alcohol?
Whether or not to serve alcohol is a big question at a lot of weddings. Personally, I see no reason to serve alcohol at a wedding. For one thing, it’s expensive. For another, there’s always going to be at least one person who drinks too much and you don’t want to end up with Uncle Frank lisping his way through an embarrassing toast or having someone vomit on someone else or get killed trying to drive home. People don’t need to be intoxicated to have fun. If you absolutely MUST have alcohol at your wedding, consider getting just a few bottles of affordable champagne for dinner and toasts. We used sparkling apple cider instead of alcohol at our wedding.
Music and Dancing
My husband is not the dancing type, so I saved face for him by setting up a stereo to play some pretty Irish flute music in the background at our reception. We didn’t have a party atmosphere or dancing. Still, there was a “dance floor” set up. My grandmother made a half-circle of lit tiki torches on the lawn to serve as a dance area.
You don’t have to have a band at your wedding. Only the stuck-up will think less of you for providing lovely music on a stereo in the background of your reception. You can even make copies of the music on CD for next to nothing and give them away as wedding favors. If you are the partying type and have drinking and games at the wedding, you might want to hire a band. If you know someone who plays music, get them to play at your wedding for you. They will work for less (or for free) than a rental band.
There are other great forms of entertainment for weddings besides dancing. At our wedding, we provided a piñata for the kids and let them have at it. Even adults find it fun to watch children swing at a piñata. There are also a variety of wedding and party games that you can play to pass the time instead of dancing.
Wedding Rings
Who says wedding rings have to be made from gold? Ours were only because my husband is allergic to silver, but there is no reason that your rings must be made from gold. Sterling silver wedding rings can start as low as $10 each and come in lovely patterns.
My favorite type of rings are those that are handmade or that are engraved with poetry and special sayings. You can find very lovely, original, and handmade sterling silver rings at Etsy.com.
If you decide to get new rings in the future, you can always switch to gold at another time. A ring is a symbol of your love and togetherness, not a flashy symbol of wealth, so don’t stress if you can’t afford gold. If you absolutely hate silver and want to use gold, opt for 10 karat gold rings which are much more affordable and durable than higher karat gold.
Photographer
A lot of couples make the mistake of trying to save money on a photographer by buying disposable cameras and setting them out on tables. They expect their guests will take lots of candid shots of everyone having fun. In reality, many couples end up with rolls and rolls of film with only two or three pictures on each and lots of pictures of the same people or of the same event from different angles. They end up spending more on disposables than they would have an actual photographer. Leaving out a few disposables is fine, but you really should try some way to get a photographer.
Your first step should be to try and locate a photographer amongst your friends and family. Tell them that you can pay them a modest amount or ask if they might like doing it as a wedding present to the bride and groom. Photographing a wedding is extremely time consuming and will be hard on your photographer, so don’t expect tons and tons of perfect shots. My father is a photographer and I was lucky enough to have him shoot my wedding for me.
If you do not know any photographers, put up an ad on the bulletin board of your local college. A budding photography student would be happy to shoot your wedding for you for very little money. Not only do college students need the cash (little though it may be), they could also use the experience and they will be able to have photos for their portfolio when they are trying to get real jobs after graduation.
Makeup and Hair
If you think you need to have your hair, nails, and makeup professionally done for your wedding, think again. Almost any woman that you know can probably do all of this for you for free and do just as good a job of it. I did my own hair and makeup for my wedding.
Whether it’s a family member or a friend, be sure to ask the person to do your hair and makeup a couple of weeks before the wedding. You’ll want to make sure that you like the hairstyle and makeup job before relying on it the day of your wedding. Don’t go all-out on the makeup. You’ll look like someone else rather than being prettier. I did my makeup just the way I usually do it for a nice event. I looked lovely and I also looked like myself.
When saving money at your wedding, the most important thing to remember is that you must recruit, recruit, recruit! Get as many friends and family members to help you as possible and don’t try to do everything yourself. Get as much done as you can before the wedding and try not to be too picky. If something isn’t perfectly to your tastes, don’t complain. It’s a wonderful gift that your helpers are giving to you and after all, beggars can’t be choosers. If you want it perfect and done your way, pay a professional!
