IT’S EASY TO GET OBSESSED WITH YOUR WEDDING

As soon as you get engaged, it is easy to become obsessed with the latest floral arrangements, gold-plated cutlery and trendy wedding cakes you see on Instagram and in bridal magazines. 

It all looks so gorgeous, and wouldn’t it be great to get the neon sign and the hand-made wedding favors for every guest, including the 10 members of the bridal party? Sadly most brides and grooms don’t have a budget like Hailey and Justin Bieber or such celebs, so let’s look at ways to budget wisely.

THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR

Think about your friends and family and the talents they possess that might help on your wedding day. Can someone make the wedding cake? Is anyone skillful at gardening or flower arranging? How about decorating or DJing? Many people seem to hold a secret dream to be a DJ, so this could be someone’s golden opportunity. Most people will be honored if you ask them for help, so don’t be shy. 

RECYCLE AND RECYCLE AGAIN

Moving your ceremony flowers to the reception area is a great way to reuse the expensive florals you invested so much in. If you have an archway, ask your florist if it can be moved to the reception and used as a backdrop to the bridal table or frame for a flowery photo booth. If the florist knows in advance, this should be easy to arrange. After the ceremony, ask if the flowers can be delivered to a local hospital or retirement (that won’t save you money but will brighten the day of many people). 

DIY QUEEN

You might have an inner DIY queen just waiting to be discovered. Your wedding is a great way to find out because there are so many things you can make, from welcome signs to table seating plans and wedding programs. Check out sites like Etsy with great printable templates and Pinterest, where you can find endless ideas to experiment with.

Finally, make a list of priorities and decide what is most important for your big day. If you are really into music, investing in a quality DJ or great band might be high on your list, while the lighting doesn’t need to be elaborate – pretty fairy lights are just right! When you cut back on the items that aren’t essential or highly important to you, it might be enough to get your budget to where it needs to be. If not, you might think about letting go of some services like just getting photography, but not videography.

No matter your budget, there will be romantic moments, high energy love vibes and your day will be perfection!