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) These days, everybody's doing everything on a budget, including weddings. But that doesn't mean your wedding has to be anything less than the perfect day you've always dreamed of. While it's been said that "less is more", when it comes to planning your dream wedding on a budget, keep in mind that you're trying to get "more for less"! It's so easy to get carried away with your spending when you're planning your big day, especially when there are so many things that you need for the event. So here are a few tips for decorating in style while spending less.
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By doing the decorations yourself, you'll save a lot of money. Wedding & event planners spend a lot more when they're doing the shopping for you. Let's face it, they don't have to be as frugal because they're spending your money! And rentals can be just as pricey. A little sweat equity never hurt anyone, so roll up your sleeves and do as much as you can yourself. Enlist the help of your family and bridesmaids to help you.
Shop for wedding decorations. Look for elegant decorations at affordable prices in colors and styles that you actually like, so that once your wedding is over, you can use these same items to decorate your house! Remember, your wedding is ony for 1 day. Why waste money on things you will never use again? Think long term.
Let's start with color. You can either choose your favorite color scheme (keep it simple - 1 to 3 coordinating colors) or decorate seasonally, depending on the time of year you're getting married. Instead of fresh flowers, which are super expensive and don't last, try synthetic Pip Berry Garlands, for example. These look real and come in a large variety of colors to choose from, including Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter color combinations. Use Burgundy's, Wines, Reds and Greens for Christmas weddings. Use Burgundy's, Reds, Yellows, Oranges, Browns and Greens for Fall weddings. Pastels and shabby chic colors are perfect for Spring & Summer weddings, such as light blues, pale pinks, butter yellows & light greens. Or if you're totally unique and want something more edgy, try color schemes like Black & Tan. And of course, the standard wedding whites & creams never fail for a classic and elegant look.
Once you've settled on your colors, it's time to think about all the places you'd like to have decorated at your event, such as buffet tables, individual table centerpieces, etc. We suggest wrapping your garlands with lights to set a romantic mood and laying them down the length of your buffet table. Use Brown Wire Christmas Lights to light them up. They are perfect because the cord matches the brown stem of the berry garland, so you don't notice it. The light bulbs are white for an elegant look. You don't want to go with colored light bulbs for a wedding, as this makes it too much of a garish atmosphere, and doesn't reflect the seriousness of the day. Plus white lights go with any color, and thus won't clash with your wedding colors. The idea is to enhance the decorations, not distract from them. Another choice for lighting, is Brown Wire Rice Lights, sometimes called Teeny Bulbs. These are not your typical Christmas light shape, but rather a smaller pinpoint of white light. These little tiny lights have a more "star-in-the-sky" look to them, and are a little brighter than regular Christmas lights. They come in several different cord lengths and sizes, depending how many garlands you need to wrap and the length of the area you're trying to decorate. There are even "dancing strand" lights. These have several settings for blinking & fading lights to add a little fun! These are great because they twinkle like stars and look so cozy and romantic. And don't forget, when the wedding is over, take these same garlands and lights and lay them across the top of your kitchen cabinets! It's a space in the home that always needs decorating and at night, it makes the kitchen look super cozy!
You can find Pip Berry Candle Rings and Berry Floral Picks & Sprays in the same colors that match your garlands. Here's where you can really save too. You definitely should have a centerpiece on every table and that can get expensive. We suggest using 4" berry rings around pillar or jar candles on the tables. Candles really add a romantic and elegant touch. If you're not using jar candles, you'll need a drip tray to catch the melting wax. Wooden candle trays can be painted to match your berry ring colors! Color coordination is definitely the key when decorating for your wedding. Berry rings also come in a 2" size. Two inches is the inside diameter of the rings, so they will fit perfectly around a standard votive candle cup. Using votive candles, a lot of them, all over the reception hall adds a very romantic, twinkly flair to the occasion. You may want to stay with unscented candles, so as not to overwhelm your guests. Also keep in mind, that lit candles may not be a good idea if there are going to be small children at your wedding. But in that case, the same 2" berry rings are also the perfect size to use as napkin rings! These napkin rings can also become party favors. You can always play a game to see which guest at each table will get to take home the whole set of napkin rings for that table! (For example, passing a napkin around the table while the music plays, and when the music stops, whoever has the napkin gets the prize! Or you could play musical chairs at each table!) But back to the candles, if you're looking for that warm, romantic glow at your reception, without the danger of real, lit candles, use Battery Operated Wax Pillar Candles. They come in different sizes and colors. They're made of real wax, so they look real, but they're battery operated with an LED flame. They have a large, flame shaped tip that even flickers like a real candle! The tip gives off a warm, amber glow. These are a great choice and you'll be able to use them at home again and again! They're great for use at home, especially if you have pets that you don't want around an open flame! Just replace the battery, which you can get at any department or hardware store.
We also suggest using Pip berry floral picks to make your table centerpiece arrangements. Using coordinating colors, mix & match colors and sizes. This will add color and depth to your centerpiece. Be sure to choose colors in the same family as the berry garlands and candle and napkin rings you will be using, so the room has a consistent flow to the decor. Think about using different and unique canisters & containers to display your berry floral centerpieces. If you're getting married in the Spring or Summer, one great suggestion is a garden themed wedding. In which case, using tin watering cans to hold your flowers is a big hit! Or try tin buckets. They come in lots of shapes, sizes & colors! If you're going for a country or cottage look, you can get creative by using metal milk cans or old fashioned pitchers as flower vases!
An exciting new trend in weddings is to offer cupcakes or mini, individual cakes in lieu of, or even in addition to, the wedding cake. Look for what is called a Cupcake Tree for displaying your beautiful little cakes. Again, presentation is everything! A Dessert or Cupcake Tree has several tiers, getting smaller as they go up. They can be used on the dessert table, or you can display one in the middle of every dining table, with the number of cakes corresponding to the number of guests at each table. This also makes a wonderful wedding favor at the end of the night. Remember, the idea is to give away something that your guests will get excited about and be sure to use over and over again once they get it home. Gone are the days of the candied almonds and labeled matchbooks. Get creative! Do something that will be remembered for years to come! And remember, creativity doesn't have to be expensive.
A great place to shop for wedding accessories that you might not have thought of is the dollar store! If you take your time and really look up and down every aisle, there are great finds that might spark your imagination. They have closeouts on things like books, for example. One of the favors that I gave away at my wedding was a small hard-cover book all about love and romance. It had beautiful poetry in it and famous quotes and everyone absolutely loved it. I had one at each and every table setting. And it was the perfect size for people to pop in their purse, take home and keep on their nightstand to enjoy in the future. I was able to have the clerk call all the dollar stores in my area and set aside 100 of these books for me, all at $1 each. The retail price printed on the back of the book was $8.95! So you will not look cheap! They also sell candy, nuts, even scented lotions, all of which you can re-package by adding some lace or netting, cinching a little ribbon around the top, and tying into a pretty bow. Voila! Wedding favors at an incredible price! These are just a few of my ideas to get you thinking. Now go from here and add your own personal touch!
Visit our ebay store: Outer Banks Country Store
By doing the decorations yourself, you'll save a lot of money. Wedding & event planners spend a lot more when they're doing the shopping for you. Let's face it, they don't have to be as frugal because they're spending your money! And rentals can be just as pricey. A little sweat equity never hurt anyone, so roll up your sleeves and do as much as you can yourself. Enlist the help of your family and bridesmaids to help you.
Shop for wedding decorations. Look for elegant decorations at affordable prices in colors and styles that you actually like, so that once your wedding is over, you can use these same items to decorate your house! Remember, your wedding is ony for 1 day. Why waste money on things you will never use again? Think long term.
Let's start with color. You can either choose your favorite color scheme (keep it simple - 1 to 3 coordinating colors) or decorate seasonally, depending on the time of year you're getting married. Instead of fresh flowers, which are super expensive and don't last, try synthetic Pip Berry Garlands, for example. These look real and come in a large variety of colors to choose from, including Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter color combinations. Use Burgundy's, Wines, Reds and Greens for Christmas weddings. Use Burgundy's, Reds, Yellows, Oranges, Browns and Greens for Fall weddings. Pastels and shabby chic colors are perfect for Spring & Summer weddings, such as light blues, pale pinks, butter yellows & light greens. Or if you're totally unique and want something more edgy, try color schemes like Black & Tan. And of course, the standard wedding whites & creams never fail for a classic and elegant look.
Once you've settled on your colors, it's time to think about all the places you'd like to have decorated at your event, such as buffet tables, individual table centerpieces, etc. We suggest wrapping your garlands with lights to set a romantic mood and laying them down the length of your buffet table. Use Brown Wire Christmas Lights to light them up. They are perfect because the cord matches the brown stem of the berry garland, so you don't notice it. The light bulbs are white for an elegant look. You don't want to go with colored light bulbs for a wedding, as this makes it too much of a garish atmosphere, and doesn't reflect the seriousness of the day. Plus white lights go with any color, and thus won't clash with your wedding colors. The idea is to enhance the decorations, not distract from them. Another choice for lighting, is Brown Wire Rice Lights, sometimes called Teeny Bulbs. These are not your typical Christmas light shape, but rather a smaller pinpoint of white light. These little tiny lights have a more "star-in-the-sky" look to them, and are a little brighter than regular Christmas lights. They come in several different cord lengths and sizes, depending how many garlands you need to wrap and the length of the area you're trying to decorate. There are even "dancing strand" lights. These have several settings for blinking & fading lights to add a little fun! These are great because they twinkle like stars and look so cozy and romantic. And don't forget, when the wedding is over, take these same garlands and lights and lay them across the top of your kitchen cabinets! It's a space in the home that always needs decorating and at night, it makes the kitchen look super cozy!
You can find Pip Berry Candle Rings and Berry Floral Picks & Sprays in the same colors that match your garlands. Here's where you can really save too. You definitely should have a centerpiece on every table and that can get expensive. We suggest using 4" berry rings around pillar or jar candles on the tables. Candles really add a romantic and elegant touch. If you're not using jar candles, you'll need a drip tray to catch the melting wax. Wooden candle trays can be painted to match your berry ring colors! Color coordination is definitely the key when decorating for your wedding. Berry rings also come in a 2" size. Two inches is the inside diameter of the rings, so they will fit perfectly around a standard votive candle cup. Using votive candles, a lot of them, all over the reception hall adds a very romantic, twinkly flair to the occasion. You may want to stay with unscented candles, so as not to overwhelm your guests. Also keep in mind, that lit candles may not be a good idea if there are going to be small children at your wedding. But in that case, the same 2" berry rings are also the perfect size to use as napkin rings! These napkin rings can also become party favors. You can always play a game to see which guest at each table will get to take home the whole set of napkin rings for that table! (For example, passing a napkin around the table while the music plays, and when the music stops, whoever has the napkin gets the prize! Or you could play musical chairs at each table!) But back to the candles, if you're looking for that warm, romantic glow at your reception, without the danger of real, lit candles, use Battery Operated Wax Pillar Candles. They come in different sizes and colors. They're made of real wax, so they look real, but they're battery operated with an LED flame. They have a large, flame shaped tip that even flickers like a real candle! The tip gives off a warm, amber glow. These are a great choice and you'll be able to use them at home again and again! They're great for use at home, especially if you have pets that you don't want around an open flame! Just replace the battery, which you can get at any department or hardware store.
We also suggest using Pip berry floral picks to make your table centerpiece arrangements. Using coordinating colors, mix & match colors and sizes. This will add color and depth to your centerpiece. Be sure to choose colors in the same family as the berry garlands and candle and napkin rings you will be using, so the room has a consistent flow to the decor. Think about using different and unique canisters & containers to display your berry floral centerpieces. If you're getting married in the Spring or Summer, one great suggestion is a garden themed wedding. In which case, using tin watering cans to hold your flowers is a big hit! Or try tin buckets. They come in lots of shapes, sizes & colors! If you're going for a country or cottage look, you can get creative by using metal milk cans or old fashioned pitchers as flower vases!
An exciting new trend in weddings is to offer cupcakes or mini, individual cakes in lieu of, or even in addition to, the wedding cake. Look for what is called a Cupcake Tree for displaying your beautiful little cakes. Again, presentation is everything! A Dessert or Cupcake Tree has several tiers, getting smaller as they go up. They can be used on the dessert table, or you can display one in the middle of every dining table, with the number of cakes corresponding to the number of guests at each table. This also makes a wonderful wedding favor at the end of the night. Remember, the idea is to give away something that your guests will get excited about and be sure to use over and over again once they get it home. Gone are the days of the candied almonds and labeled matchbooks. Get creative! Do something that will be remembered for years to come! And remember, creativity doesn't have to be expensive.
A great place to shop for wedding accessories that you might not have thought of is the dollar store! If you take your time and really look up and down every aisle, there are great finds that might spark your imagination. They have closeouts on things like books, for example. One of the favors that I gave away at my wedding was a small hard-cover book all about love and romance. It had beautiful poetry in it and famous quotes and everyone absolutely loved it. I had one at each and every table setting. And it was the perfect size for people to pop in their purse, take home and keep on their nightstand to enjoy in the future. I was able to have the clerk call all the dollar stores in my area and set aside 100 of these books for me, all at $1 each. The retail price printed on the back of the book was $8.95! So you will not look cheap! They also sell candy, nuts, even scented lotions, all of which you can re-package by adding some lace or netting, cinching a little ribbon around the top, and tying into a pretty bow. Voila! Wedding favors at an incredible price! These are just a few of my ideas to get you thinking. Now go from here and add your own personal touch!
Visit our ebay store: Outer Banks Country Store
Guide created: 07/02/09 (updated 07/03/09)
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