How to Have a Thrifty Wedding

When you think of a wedding, you might see dollar signs. The average American wedding is over 20,000 dollars! I've never had that much money in my life, let alone that much expendible money to spend on a wedding! So think of a wedding of an expression of you, which includes your budget. I'm planning a beautiful outdoor wedding for August, and I'm going to do it for under 5,000 dollars. Take that bridal industry. Here are some thrifty ways to save money on your wedding, without making it trashy. It's easy. Check out some ways below!

Save money by foregoing Save the Dates. The only reason you would want to do this is to alert people because you're getting married on Christmas, or a destination wedding, and will need to plan accordingly. If you're a thrifty bride, you're probably not getting married in Maui, so you don't need to let people know. Of course, people will want to know when you're getting married, so sent out an email with a link to your wedding website so that you can get the date out, without the spending the money on it. Word of mouth, phone calls and Skype are also great ways to save money. Take a picture and fuss it up in Picnik and make it both you and your hubby-to-be's profile pictures.

As long as we're on the topic, save on other stationary as well. Do you need menus for everyone (incorporate one into your centerpieces)? Forgo ceremony programs unless you have a really long, complicated ceremony and want guests to be able to keep up. Not only are you saving a ton of money by leaving stationary by the wayside, you're also saving trees. You, eco-friendly bride, you!

Nowadays, it seems like wedding dresses don't exist for less than 1,500 dollars. They do, you just have to be creative. Have your crafty aunt make it for you. It will be an original design, and a special moment between the two of you. Buy wholesale, this can be risky but if you follow guidelines and take the time to do your research, you can find some really great deals. Finally, think outside of the box. Many wedding dress shops also carry bridesmaid gowns and special event gowns. They come in all colors and styles and you can find a really nice one for about $400 and get it in "diamond white" which is about the color of most wedding dresses. Look fab for cheap! If you NEED a "wedding dress" you can always buy a plainer (i.e. cheaper) dress and add embellishments and accessories yourself. Remember the main goal is to look like a high-fashion version of yourself. So your dress should reflect that, and you can do that in more ways than one. Add sparkly shoes, funky jewelry or a hand maid veil to change your dress into your dream dress. Just think outside of the box, and get creative. Your dress is out there, for your price, you just have to find it!

Remember how cool everyone thought it was when you made your own Christmas presents? Why not wow them again by making your own centerpieces. Floral centerpieces can really add up to big dollars. Make centerpieces out of your favorite collections, with simple candles or vases of candy. If you have favors, use these to add volume to the table without spending extra money. Ask your bridesmaids to help you fill jars with colored sand in interesting patterns, or place painted rocks like a table runner on the tables. Mirrors and candles in combination make a great lighting effect, and add ambiance. Check out my previous hub for more money saving centerpiece ideas!

As previously mentioned- flowers really really add up fast. Reduce the number of flowers by using balloons and streamers to decorate your venues. Give the best men fun buttons (which you could make yourself) to wear instead of flowers and have your ladies carry cute clutches instead of bouquets. You yourself can carry a single or small bunch of exotic flowers so that the effect is stunning, and simple and elegant. Choosing different items to carry and decorate is also a great way to show your individuality. Let that shine through every detail. If you MUST have flowers, reuse your and your bridesmaid's bouquets as centerpieces so that your not putting those pretty blooms to waste.

These are just simple tips which will hopefully help you trim the fat from your budget without looking tacky. It can be done, it just takes a little extra effort and ingenuity. Hope you have a fabulous, fabulously thrifty, perfect day!!