One of the hardest aspects of planning a wedding is finding the balance between getting what you want vs staying on budget. ITM Weddings is here to help – we are going to help with sharing ideas on how to make a big impact on a small budget.
We are going to focus on the decor and atmosphere for the wedding.
Lets start with the venue – a lot of the time couples would lean towards a community hall for a cheaper option however, when it comes to the overall look of a venue starting with a ‘blah’ slate is not always the best option. By choosing a beautiful backdrop the amount of decor can be lessened for a wow factor. That being said the food and beverage costs can add a lot, keep that in mind when looking at venues. Bringing in your own catering and bar staff can help cut down on costs rather than having it included in the venue package. You will want to ask yourself questions when picking a venue like:
What is included in the cost?
Does the venue provide tables, chairs, staff ext.?
How accessible is the venue? Will guests need taxi, bus or other car pooling options?
What timeframe (set up and takedown) is allowed?
Do they have preferred vendors?
How many guests are we inviting? Does it fit our wedding size?
Are there good photo locations on site or close by?
What insurance do they require?
Outdoor vs Indoor? Is there a plan B encase of bad weather?
Where will the bridal party get ready? What about transportation between locations?
Can the ceremony be at the same location? How far is the ceremony from the reception?
Who will be doing the decorating and clean up?
The venue is the starting point for the wedding, take your time when choosing the right location for you and your fiancée. It will most likely be the largest portion of your budget, don’t get overwhelmed when doing the research and site visits. After picking the location(s) everything else will slowly fall into place.
Wedding Decor – Lets start by asking yourself some questions:
What style do you like? Western/country, modern, elegant, garden party, vibrant, colorful, boho?
What colors do I like? Do I like matching or eclectic?
Are you having rectangle or round tables?
Are you having a buffet, plated or family style dinner?
How much room do I have on the tables for decor?
How many tables do I have? Are they going to all look the same?
Head table or sweetheart table?
Am I allowed real candles?
Does the venue provide any decor or lighting?
Do I want to rent, buy or DIY decor?
When we have a full wedding planning client one of the first things we ask them to do is start by creating a wedding Pinterest board. We tell the bride to pin, pin, pin! Go a little crazy and pin all the wedding decor that you like even if you don’t think it goes together. After that we go through all the photos and find the common themes which will create their wedding theme and decor base. We suggest you do the same – there are so many beautiful wedding ideas it’s understandable when a bride can’t decide what they want for their wedding day. Please keep in mind that a lot of the Pinterest photos are staged or have massive budgets. Our goal is to take that Pinterest board and make it a reality for your wedding and within your budget.
A trend that is gaining popularity that is not only stunning but can save you some cash as well is lighting. We love flowers but they also come with a nice price tag however, creating a romantic atmosphere can be accomplished with candles, twinkle lights, up lighting, hanging lights or other creative lighting. Mix in some colorful napkins, floor length table clothes and a few flowers or greenery and you can create a stunning wedding that will leave your guests saying WOW!
You can try adding colored candles for a unique twist on a classic idea. Having no color is another way to create an elegant wedding, like the photos of the white table below. We also love different fabrics for runners, table clothes or napkins such as velvet or satin. We always suggest having floor length table clothes for a more elevated look or try using beautiful tables that do not require covering.
A few other money saving tips:
Skip the favor’s, a lot of the time guests do not even take them home. If you want something guests would appreciate try a photobooth, candy bar or a complimentary cocktail.
We do suggest having a late night snack, especially if you are planning on having a killer reception. That being said you do not have to do anything fancy, keep it simple with comfort foods such as pizza, tacos in a bag, beef on a bun, mac and cheese or even order in MacDonalds.
What you can skip on is the cake. It is no secret that wedding cakes are becoming less popular, we suggest cupcakes, donuts or a dessert bar that people will actually enjoy.
Keep the stationary simple. If you are going to DIY anything try your hand at creating and ordering your own invitations and signage. Spray painting picture frames to match your wedding color or looking on wedding Facebook groups for pre-loved signage will save on the wedding budget. Online invitations are picking up popularity however that is a personal choice, I know there is something traditional about mailing a paper invitation.
What money saving tips do you plan on using? We will be posting more money saving tips in future blogs so make sure you are following us on social media!
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