Your wedding reception is where your guests will spend the most time.  As we’ve said before, you should count on spending at least 40 percent of your budget on the reception.  This includes the food, decorations, drinks, music, etc.  But a beautiful reception doesn’t have to break the bank.  Once again, count on your friends and family to help out.  I can’t tell you how many halls I’ve decorated just because someone called.  If you’re a benevolent soul like I am, call in your favors when your big day comes!

Let’s first talk about the flowers and table decorations.

If you’re having your reception in a hall like the Legion or the moose, be prepared to deal with the décor that is already there.  We had my second reception at the legion and there was a multitude of war memorabilia everywhere.  Since war and war heroes wasn’t the focus of my wedding, we found ourselves daunted by the various wall hangings that existed.

What we decided to do was create a lighted wonderland.  We called upon everyone we could think of to lend us their white Christmas lights.  We married at the end of January, so the Christmas décor was freshly put away or still stowed in the garage waiting for permanent stashing until the next season.  We ended up with about 200 strands of lights.

We strung them everywhere – from the ceiling, woven throughout the fichus trees, even framing the confederate soldier uniform.  When the lights went out, no one knew that we were in a memorialized hall to our military veterans.

We brought the battery operated candles from the church and put them on all the tables.  My uncle had some butcher paper that we spread over all the tables for tablecloths and every other one had floating candles in glass vases that we found wholesale at a craft store.

We sprinkled blue glitter on the tables for a little glitz.  If you decide to do this, take my advice, use it sparsely and keep it mostly toward the center of the table!  Glitter can be a huge mess if it’s strewn about too randomly!  It looks great, but some guests won’t be crazy about getting glitter on their “good” clothes!

So what about other decorative ideas at the reception?

Use the bridesmaid’s bouquets to decorate the tables, the head table, or the cake table.  You don’t have to have expensive floral arrangements everywhere to make a beautiful reception hall.  There are many, many alternatives and most can be put together with supplies from the dollar store.  The following suggestions utilize supplies that I found at the dollar store and make for gorgeous table decorations.

Centerpiece suggestion #1:

Buy some glass cereal bowls and place colored glass marbles in the bottom.  Add water half way up and put a floating candle in each.  Instead of floating candles, just add a regular votive in the middle of the marbles.  When the reception is over, the bride and groom will have a matching set of bowls!

Centerpiece suggestion #2:

Get some small terracotta pots and some florists foam.  Pick out some silk flowers in your wedding colors along with some greenery.  Stick the flowers in the foam bunched tightly together and arrange to your heart’s delight!

Centerpiece suggestion #3:

Take a silk rose and separate the bud from the stem. Disassemble the bud into individual petals.  With a clear votive holder and a glue gun, you will glue the petals onto the holder.  Start at the top with the smaller rose petals. Place one petal next to another, with the sides touching slightly.

Once your first row is completed, you can start on the next. Make sure to cover any bare areas at the bottom of the first row, and work your way down the holder until the rose petals cover the entire surface.  Take the leaf from the flower and attach to the bottom of the holder.  This will give the illusion of a lighted rose once a candle is placed inside and lit!

Centerpiece suggestion #4:

Find picture frames of varying sizes.  Gather together your favorite pictures of the bride and groom.  Put the pictures in the frames and arrange on the tables surrounding them by clear glass marbles and some greenery.

Centerpiece suggestion #5:

Get some small baskets and decorate with ribbon.  Print out some index cards that say “Advice For The Newlyweds” and lay them on the table with pens and/or pencils.  Encourage guests to write something on the cards and place them in the baskets.  Surround the baskets with flowers, greenery or pebbles.  This can be a great ice-breaker for people who don’t know each other.  Be prepared, too, for the jokesters in the crowd who may offer up some ridiculous and sometimes bawdy advice.

Centerpiece suggestion #6:

Take small grapevine wreaths and decorate with tulle and ribbon.  Place a bottle of champagne in the center or a bottle of wine from a local winery.  For extra fun, attach a balloon to the bottle.

Centerpiece suggestion #7:

Take two plastic champagne glasses and hot glue them together so that they cross when laying down.  Hot glue four clear glass marbles inside each glass and tie a helium balloon to each.  It will look like there are bubbles flowing out of your glasses as they lay on the table!

We had balloons at both of my wedding receptions.  Not only are they festive and fun, they can help keep bored children entertained.  Most dollar stores have helium balloons they will fill with purchase.  However, you may want to look into a portable helium tank and do it yourself.  I found one at Wal-Mart for $19.99 with balloons at $.99 a bag.  The tank filled up about 40 balloons so that’s one way to save a little money on your balloons.

Want some wacky and unique centerpiece ideas?  We found a couple online for the inventive and fun couples!

Buy glass fish bowls at the dollar store and fill them with – fish!  You can find goldfish pretty inexpensively either at Wal-Mart or a local pet store.  If you have the money, try to find beta fish in your wedding colors!  One word of caution if using live fish:  be sure to give their water lots of surface area to provide enough oxygen.  The last thing you want is a bunch of dead fish decorating your tables.  Let the children in attendance take the fish home – with the permission of their parents, of course.

One couple wanted to be whimsical at their reception, so they collected up all the board games they loved as children – Ants in the Pants, Monopoly, Sorry, etc.  These were arranged on the tables with decorative accents surrounding them.  This can be great for the children in attendance, but don’t be surprised if the adults play with them too.

Another bride wanted to reflect the personalities of her and her groom.  They were “country people”, she says and liked a cold beer on occasion.  She took longneck beer bottles and steamed the labels off of them.  She created their own beer labels on her computer and glued them on with a hot glue gun.  She splatter painted them before attaching the labels and tied each with a piece of twine.  Truly unique, we think!

We like the idea of taking a pint sized Mason jar and wrapping it with tissue paper tying a ribbon around the neck to secure it.  Place flowers in the jar, potpourri or whatever you think fits you as a couple.

If you’re getting married around a holiday, you can come across some fun decorations that celebrate that holiday.  At Christmas, spray paint pine cones silver and gold and surround them with pine sprigs.  Having an Easter wedding?  Use plastic Easter eggs and that annoying plastic grass you put in the Easter baskets.

If you’re having an outdoor reception, decorate around that.  Use lots of live flowers and greenery to reflect the beauty of Mother Nature surrounding you.  If it’s windy, avoid using candles and be sure any balloons are secured so they don’t blow away!

Now that you’ve got the place decorated, you may want to consider using favors as additional decorations.

Pictures are priceless, and you want to be sure you have plenty of good pictures of your special day.  Unfortunately, if you’re on budget, professional photographers can eat up most of your money.  While they are definitely worth the price, they’re not always feasible for people who need to save some money.

So how can you get beautiful photos of your wedding day without breaking the bank?  Let me tell you what we did.

With my first wedding, we were definitely on a budget and in no position to pay the $900 a professional photographer was asking – and that was in 1985!  My mother worked for a local newspaper and asked the head photographer there if he would be willing to take wedding photos for us.

We paid for the film and developing, he took the pictures, and he got to eat and party at our reception.  The pictures were beautiful and we made our own albums at a fraction of the cost.  Today, the local Wal-Mart or photo processing studio will provide you with enlargements quite cheaply.

For my second wedding, we called on family.  You will see this same theme throughout this book when it came to my second marriage.  My husband and I had lived together for 8 years and were not really in need of a formal china service or a third toaster – although we did need towels and sheets!  Most of my family was happy to offer up their services in place of a wedding gift.

My cousin is an amateur photography buff.  She was more than happy to offer up her services to us.  Once again, we bought the film and paid for the developing while she took the pictures and enjoyed the reception.  This was no small feat as just two months prior to my wedding, she found out she was two months pregnant with triplets and was unsure she could even make the ceremony as it was a high-risk pregnancy.

Luckily, she was there and we got some beautiful pictures.  Two months after that, I had two amazing boy cousins and a precious little girl cousin join my family, so even though she offered up her services as our wedding photographer as a wedding present, we still provided her with a gift certificate to a local spa after the babies came as a special little extra for her effort and commitment to us!

So how can you find similar services?  We recommend you start with a community college.  They often offer photography classes, and the students are eager to practice their craft for a nominal fee or even just the experience.  Talk to the instructor, however, to be sure you’re getting the cream of the crop – the top in the class.  You don’t want to take a chance and get the beginner for your big day.

Ask friends and family to see if anyone likes to experiment with photography as a hobby.  Film can be bought in bulk at warehouse stores, so if you have them take a multitude of pictures, you’ll probably get more than several that are exactly what you wanted.

Don’t be afraid to call the local newspaper and ask to speak with the staff photographer.  You don’t have to know anyone at the paper to offer up the chance for them to make some extra money.  Many will perform the service for a small fee as long as you buy the film – some may even offer their services for the experience.

At the reception, place disposable cameras on each table for guests to take pictures at your reception.  A word of caution here:  place a note on the table that asks the adults to please monitor the use of these cameras.  I have been to many a reception where children have gotten hold of these cameras and the bride was left with many, many pictures of people’s feet and – um – hind ends!

Disposable cameras can be found – again – at bulk warehouse stores or even online.  Shop around for the best price and use them sparingly.  If you don’t want to put the cameras on the table, another idea is to place the cameras in a basket at the door as guests enter the reception.  The ones who really care about taking pictures will take the cameras.  Have your guest book attendant monitor who takes them or even have the attendant hand them out to adults only.

When it comes to chic, elegant wedding pictures, nothing beats the look of Black and White photos. Black and White photos can be combined with all of the money saving ideas above. After the wedding, the photos can be blown up and dry mounted for a long-lasting keepsake. Black and white film can be much cheaper than color film as well.

As far as video is concerned, consider what a video will mean to you.  Sure, a video of your wedding is a pretty nice thing to have, but let’s face it, who really watches this video? Your family may watch it once after the wedding is over, and you and your future spouse may bring it out on your anniversary every year, but other than that the most public viewing of your wedding video will probably be at your 50th anniversary party (and by then you will have had to pay a couple hundred dollars to have your video converted to the latest format. ex. DVD)
I think a great way to save a thousand bucks is to ask yourself and family before your wedding, “Who owns a video camera that I know?” “Who do I know who has a hobby of videotaping?” Maybe you know one person who owns a video camera but hates to tape, and another person who has the patience and artistic ability to video, but doesn’t own a camera. Voila! You have your own videographer, if both parties are willing to play their part (and I think you will find that almost everyone is willing to help in whatever small way they can to help make your wedding a success).

Of course, it would probably be a good idea to lay down some rules for your videographer since they are using someone else’s camera (such as, keep the camera with you at all times and don’t let anyone else use the camera, etc.)

Video was virtually unheard of at my first wedding, but at my second wedding, my step-dad wanted a behind-the-scenes role, so he volunteered to man the video camera.  When we got to the reception, he set up the camera on a tripod and caught some very personal moments when the time dictated.

I can honestly say that after 5 years of marriage, I have only watched my wedding video twice.  I’m glad I have it, but if I would have had to pay a large amount of money to have it professionally done, I would be a bit sick.

If you do have a friend or family member do your wedding video, there are many studios around who can cut and splice parts of the video together and add background music later if you want a precious keepsake.  You can do this later, however, when you can afford it and not have to figure it into your wedding budget.

Once the wedding has finished, it’s time to move to the reception.  Let’s consider different way to decorate your reception location.

Music for your wedding ceremony could consist of live or recorded performances.  For pre-wedding music, make a CD of songs that are meaningful to you as a couple.  You can also use this CD for the processional and recessional marches.

Do you know someone who plays the piano or guitar?  Ask them to play for you at your ceremony.  Nothing sounds as poignant as an acoustic guitar playing a beautiful ballad!  Call your local high school or college for musicians.

Recruit someone you know to sing during the ceremony.  If you don’t know anyone who sings, find a place where they’re having karaoke and pick the singer you like best.  Offer them a small fee to sing at your wedding and – VOILA! – You have a vocalist to make your day special!

You want to be sure to have plenty of photos to remember your special day.  Unfortunately, a professional photographer can be a real budget buster!  Read on for tips on how to save with wedding photography.

Speaking from experience, initial bow making can be extremely frustrating. Give yourself plenty of time and practice when you start this craft. While it may take a few tries to finally master it, once you do, you’ll start cranking out the bows fairly quickly. Below are instructions for two different types of bows that can be layered for a more elaborate effect:
You will need approximately 4.5 feet of 1” wired ribbon; approximately 4.5 feet of 6” tulle (more or less depending on how long you want the tails); craft wire, wire cutter, scissors.
The Tulle Base:
1.    Lay the ribbon horizontally. Find the middle of your strip of tulle and pinch together with your left hand.
2.    With your right hand, pinch the tulle on the right side about 8” away from the middle.
3.    Bring the second pinched spot to the center, moving underneath. This should form half of a bow. Pinch together the middle with your right hand.
4.    Repeat the same thing with the left side, only this time instead of bringing the tulle underneath to form the bow, bring it over the top.
5.    You should now have a simple bow. Secure the middle by twisting craft wire around it. If you’d like to stop here, hot glue a silk flower in the middle to finish this simple project. However, if you want your bow more ornate, follow the next set of instructions to add a second layer.
The Second Ribbon Layer:
1.    Lay the wired ribbon vertically on a table or flat surface, moving away from you. Take the end closest to you, bring it up and then tuck it in to form a small loop. Pinch the loop in place. This will be the middle of the ribbon.
2.    Just after where you are now pinching, twist the longer end of the ribbon 180 degrees. Keep the twist tight and “hide” it underneath the middle loop. Grab the long piece of ribbon about 6” away from the middle. Then form a loop by bringing the ribbon underneath and back to the center. Pinch together.
3.    Twist the long piece of ribbon again just after the center pinch. Make an equal sized loop on the other side using the same technique.
4.    Continue making equal-sized loops that rest directly underneath each other by using the same technique. Stop when you have three on each side.
5.    Secure the middle with craft wire and leave some extra wire in order to attach it to the tulle base.
6.    Cut off any tail you might have left over from the ribbon.
7.    Spread out the loops to create the look you desire.
Attaching:
With the extra wire from the second layer, attach the ribbon bow to the middle of the tulle base. Consider adding long wire hooks or extra ribbon to the back for easy attachment to the pews.

You may want to consider using simple floral swags at the end of each pew as well.  These can be found inexpensively and made even more inexpensively!

Many churches have single candle holders that you can use or rent for a nominal fee.  If you are a member of the church, ask!  The clergy has had exposure to many weddings.  He or she might have some terrific, low-cost ideas you may not have thought about!

What we did for my second wedding was an idea I had never seen before.  My mother went to a discount store and found battery operated candles – the kind people put in their windows around Christmas time – on clearance.  They can also be found at craft stores or craft warehouses pretty cheaply.

Mom attached a Velcro strip to the bottom of each candle and got permission from the church to attach a strip to the end of each pew.  We bought a huge pack of batteries and attached one to the end of each pew.  My 8 year old cousin was responsible for twisting the base of each candle to turn them on right before the ceremony – a job she was quite proud of – and we had a gorgeously lit sanctuary!

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, the scenery will be your most dramatic decoration.  Most couples opt for the traditional gazebo or arch when getting married outdoors.  I’ve seen these on sale at a local wholesaler before at a mere $19.99!  You can also rent the archway from a party rental place.  Decorate it with flowers, Christmas lights, or greenery to make it beautiful.

Seating at an outdoor wedding usually consists of folding chairs.  These can usually be found at a benevolent association like The American Legion – excellent place to find seating especially if you’re having your reception there – churches, or community centers.  Even if you have to pay a few dollars to rent them, it will be worth it!

Decorate the ends of the chairs with greenery and flowers to match your wedding bouquets along with strategically placed ribbon.  To set off the “important guest” area (parents, grandparents, etc.) cover the backs of the chairs with simple white pillowcases.

All weddings are made much more special with an added touch contributed by music before, during, and after the ceremony.

We’ve covered the floral decorations for a church wedding, but what else do you need to decorate the sanctuary.  Because you’re on a budget, remember that less is more.  Most wedding ceremonies are short and sweet, so why spend a majority of your money decorating a place where people are most likely only going to be for a half hour or so?

If you want pew bows, they can be made quite inexpensively, but don’t decorate each pew.  Decorate every other one for the first 10 rows or so.  Ribbon for bows can get quite expensive, so doing every other pew is the frugal thing to do.

As far as flowers and plants as decorations are concerned, this can be a great enhancement to your ceremony.  Many churches already have floral adornments on their altars.  If you get married around the time of a church celebration, you may be able to buy a few flowers and take advantage of those that are already there.

For example, around Easter, lilies are the flower of choice in most churches.  Many people will buy Easter lilies in remembrance of their loved ones.  Offer to buy a couple of Easter lilies to add to the existing ones, and you have a beautiful decoration on the altar.

The same applies around Christmas.  Poinsettias are the flower of choice at this time of year.  Offer up a few poinsettia plants to add to those already there and you’ll have some beautiful altar decorations.

Large arrangements on an altar will only be seen from far away. Use inexpensive flowers such as carnations, or large filling flowers such as snowball mums.

If you are getting married in a church, almost all have some type of floral/tree decorations that they have all the time.  All you need to do in this situation is to add a few personal touches and you’ll have a beautiful backdrop for your ceremony.  This is what we did for my second marriage.  We took the artificial fichus trees and arranged them around our other flowers to make for a beautiful altar.

If you are getting married outside, take advantage of nature.  Cultivate what Mother Nature has to offer.  When my cousin got married, he did so at a local park overlooking a lake.  The flowers were in full bloom and it was beautiful.  His wife later told me that she had been out at that park every day for two weeks just to make sure that the flowers would be gorgeous — and they were!

Talk to your venues and see if any other brides have booked for the same day. If the two of you can coordinate flowers and split the cost, you’ll save a lot of money.  I would imagine both of you wouldn’t turn your nose up at saving a ton of money on church decorations and flowers!
Some party rental places will rent large potted plants such as tropical palms or fichus. They visually fill a lot of space, and will help frame your ceremony site or warm up your reception. Best of all, renting a potted plant is far cheaper than buying large flower arrangements. Also, you may consider purchasing these large plants and using them in your home afterwards to get more use out of them.
Almost everyone I knew owned an artificial fichus tree, so I made several phone calls and asked if we could borrow them for our big day.  Everyone was more than happy to offer up their trees and we used them to decorate the reception hall.  More on that later!

Don’t try to move your ceremony flowers to the reception hall.  Many churches require you leave them anyway, but moving large arrangements can be tedious and simply not worth the time or effort.  The last thing you want is to have your reception held up waiting for flowers!

Decorating the place where you will take your vows is just as important as how you decorate your reception.  Let’s look at how to make your ceremony picture perfect!

There are plenty of wholesale stores who will sell silk flowers at a greatly discounted price.  Working with silk flowers is easy and can be done by almost anyone.  My mother put together all the bouquets, boutonnières, and corsages for both my weddings.  She had no professional training.  She simply had a bunch of flowers and some florist tape.  They were utterly beautiful!

Some basic equipment you’ll need are floral wire, floral tape, wire cutters, flowers, greenery, and decorative accents like baby’s breath or smaller flowers.  These instructions are mainly for silk flowers, but can be used with real flowers as well.  Silk flowers can be manipulated much easier than real ones, so keep that in mind!

Tips for creating your own flowers are abundant.  A beautifully simple idea for a gorgeous bridal bouquet is to take several white roses, bunch them together into a bouquet, wrap the bottom with floral tape tightly, and wrap satin ribbon around the stems.  Attach long pieces of satin ribbon to flow down as you hold the bouquet and it’ll be stunning!

You can use this technique with either silk or fresh flowers, and it doesn’t have to be all roses.  For a unique look, try out different flowers in your wedding colors.  You can also buy plastic nosegay holders at many discount stores that make preparing bouquets super easy!

Don’t worry if you can see the tape or wire.  You can always disguise it with ribbon or filler.

For your bridesmaids, you can have them carry the traditional nosegay.  Assemble it in the same way outlined above for the bridal bouquet.  A very elegant look is to have each attendant carry a single flower or a few flowers put together with greenery and ribbon that they carry cradled in their arms.  These are super easy to put together.  Just take a few flowers, greenery, and accents, gather the stems together, wrap with floral tape and add ribbon.

For the boutonnières, simple is best, especially since they will be worn by the men in your wedding party.  Most guys don’t want garish flowers adorning their bodies – it’s just a guy thing!

To put together a boutonniere, take a single flower, add a few green leaves, and maybe a sprig of baby’s breath.  Wrap the stem in floral tape tightly and voila!  Your bout!  You can, if you wish, add a little bit of ribbon, but don’t go too overboard – remember the “guy thing”!

To make corsages, use an odd number of flowers – 3 or 5 is recommended.  Make it just like you would the bout, gather the stems, and add greenery and filler.  You’ll want the corsage to be in a round shape, or a long row.  Once you have gathered all the flowers together, wrap tightly with floral tape and adjust the stems for comfort.  Be sure to add some pretty ribbon for accents.

Many people just aren’t sure how to pin on a corsage, so here’s a most helpful tip for anyone!  The corsage should bend slightly over the collar bone, so don’t pin too far down.  The wearer should be able to tip her head slightly to smell the flowers.

Stick the pin into the fabric at the bottom left corner of the stem.  Weave the pin back out from under the fabric. Push it through about 1 inch, laying it at an angle over the top of the stem.  Stick the tip of the pin back into the fabric on the other side of the stem.  Insure that the stem is tightly in place with the length of the pin pushing it down.  Weave the pin back out of the fabric once more. Be sure that the very tip of the pin does not stick out, nor does it poke under the fabric and touch the skin.

Don’t forget the pins!  Go for the straight pin with a pretty pearl head on it.  They can be found at most craft store quite inexpensively.  Have plenty on hand – just in case!

The flower girl basket is probably the easiest of all wedding ceremony flowers.  Just take a small basket – preferably white – and decorate it with ribbon and some small flowers.  Many local florists will sell you rose petals for the flower girl to strew down the aisle quite cheaply.  If they have some roses they aren’t able to sell that are going bad, they will usually part with the petals at a low price.

Just as important could be the ring bearer pillow.  Want to know how to make your own?  Read on!

The ring pillow from a wedding can become a treasured keepsake of a very special day and a family heirloom as well. Use high-quality materials for the pillow and be creative. Experiment with different patterns, materials and textures before you decide on a final design.

•    Choose two pieces of fabric that each measure between 8 and 10 inches square. Use white or off-white satin, silk or brocade. If possible, use the same fabric and lace that is used for the wedding dress.
•    Choose lace and ribbon to decorate the pillow if desired. The amounts required will depend on how the materials are used. About 2 to 3 yards each of ribbon and lace will be adequate
•    Use two or three pieces of polyester batting as stuffing for the pillow. Each piece should be equal to the dimensions of the fabric squares in step 1.
•    Use a fabric cutting board, ruler and fabric marking pen to mark and measure out two equal squares of fabric. Make all markings on the wrong side of the fabric. Test the pen on a scrap of the pillow fabric to make sure that the marks will fade.
•    Do any embroidery or needlework before continuing to the next step. Add any other decoration to the face of the fabric as well. Embellishments such as small ribbons, charms and delicate lace can be tacked or sewn on to the fabric by hand.
•    Add a lace ruffle to the pillow by pinning the straight edge of the ruffle to the right side of the fabric square that will form the pillow top. Pin so that the edges line up evenly and the right sides (if there is a right side to the ruffle) are together.
•    Pin the ruffle very loosely onto the fabric or gather the ruffle slightly as you pin in order to create a fuller ruffle.
•    Pin the fabric pieces with the right sides together. Edges should match up evenly. Pins should be placed about 1/2 inch apart and should be at right angles to the fabric edges. Make sure that the pinned edge of the ruffle is caught securely between the two fabric layers.
•    Use a sewing machine to stitch three sides of the pillow, 1/2 inch from the fabric edges. Turn the pillow right side out and stuff the batting layers inside. If you would like a fuller pillow, insert additional batting.

•    Fold the edges of the unsewn seam into the pillow 1/2 inch, and stitch closed by hand. Use a slipstitch done by hand or carefully topstitch the edges with your machine.

•    Add a 10- or 12-inch length of 1/4-inch satin or silk ribbon to the top of the pillow. Stitch the ribbon by hand to the pillow at the ribbon’s center point. Add a silk or satin bow made from the same ribbon to cover the stitching. Use the two ribbon strands to loosely tie the wedding rings to the pillows.

Cheap doesn’t mean that your wedding flowers can’t be beautiful. All flowers are lovely no matter what they cost.  They can cost you a bundle, but there are many ways to save yourself a bundle as well.

The first decision to make is whether or not you want silk or real flowers.  We recommend silk flowers because of the ease.  However, real flowers can be a beautiful addition to your wedding.  Keep in mind that real flowers need to be nurtured even up to the moment you say “I Do”.  If you have someone who can monitor the freshness of your real flowers, by all means, have them!  If you want to save yourself and your loved ones a little stress, choose silk!

If you do choose fresh flowers, we recommend commissioning the services of a professional florist.  Working with real flowers is an art that probably shouldn’t be taken on by a novice.  If you do commission a florist, avoid using the “W” word (wedding) as they will most often charge you much more for wedding flowers as opposed to a few bouquets for a random event.  Keep in mind that a professional florist will not save you any money.  They come at a premium price, so be prepared.

Consider ordering fresh flowers from an online wholesaler.  You can get some of the best prices around. However, as we mentioned, unlike at a florist, you will be responsible for all of the prep work of cleaning and trimming them, and keeping them alive until the wedding.

If you’re going for a simple look, you might want to contact a local farmer.  Where I live, there is an iris farm who will sell you bulk irises at a discounted rate.  Find your local farmer’s market and pick up some freshly cut flowers for a simple bouquet.  Consider also picking flowers from your own garden.

Remember that flowers are simply garnishes.  There’s no need to go overboard with nosegays or hand-held masterpieces for the ceremony.  The real stars of the show are you, your intended, and your wedding party.  The flowers simply add to the overall package.

Consider calling a local community college for your flowers.  Many local colleges offer courses in flower arranging.  For a small fee, they may be quite accommodating in allowing their students to “practice” for your wedding at a huge discounted price – often for the cost of the flowers alone.  Just be prepared for what you get.  It might be beautiful, it might be mediocre.  As stated before, don’t place too much emphasis on the flowers – they are simply garnishes.

Of course, making your own flowers is probably the most frugal choice.  But where do you start?  Read on!

The general rule of thumb for guys is that they will mimic what the groom is wearing.  If the groom wears a tuxedo, they will wear similar tuxedos as well.  If the groom is outfitted in a suit, they will wear similar suits.  Remember our previous tip about renting tuxedos.  Usually a rental shop will give the groom his tux rental for free if the groomsmen rent their tuxedos at the same shop.  This can result in huge savings for everyone concerned!

As far as the bridesmaids are concerned, there are several more options to consider.  First and foremost, the style of dress you want them to wear.  Traditionally, bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own wedding attire.  Because of this, you, as the bride, should use good manners when deciding on what your attendants will wear.  Please remember that not all bodies are built alike and not all dress styles look good on all types of people.

In my second wedding, my attendants included my 14 year old daughter (size 0), my baby sister (size 4), and my best friend who would be 8 months pregnant on wedding day (normally size 7, but at the time of the wedding, size who knows!)  My sister found 3 dresses exactly the same on clearance at a department store in the exact sizes we needed.  Two of them were little bitty for her and my daughter, the third one was bigger for my friend but which we altered to fit her “condition”.  Total cost for all 3 dresses — $50!

Shop around are the key words here!  See what you can find with the parameters you have in mind!  And please remember that pink chiffon rarely works well at other places besides a wedding reception!  If at all possible, pick a style that will enable the bridesmaid to wear the dress at other places and other times.  This will make them less reluctant to plunk down big bucks for a dress they’ll wear once and have it hang in their closet until their next rummage sale!

If you know someone who sews, pick out a pattern and fabric at your local discount store and stitch up a masterpiece.

Just as our tips for finding a wedding gown, check out the bridal shops and see what you can find off their racks.  Don’t be afraid to ask for a discounted price.  Many times, they will grant your request just to clear their inventory!

Now that we’re outfitted, what comes next?  Let’s look at the wedding flowers!

The traditional choice for the groom is a tuxedo.

Where I come from, buying a tuxedo is virtually unheard of.  Renting is probably the way to go to realize the ultimate savings on the groom’s attire.  If you were to buy a tuxedo, the average cost would be somewhere between $300 and $500.  This is not exactly the way to go when trying to save money on a wedding!

If you do want to buy your tux, check in thrift stores, consignment shops, and online to find discounted tuxes.  Buying off the rack will run you a lot more money.

Renting a tux will run anywhere from $50 to $100 typically.  That rental will include everything your groom will need to look like Prince Charming.  This means cuff links, shoes, vest, and tie.

Many places offer the grooms tux rental free when the wedding party rents from the same store.  Be sure to ask about a perk like this.

If your groom wants to own his own tuxedo, we suggest a local thrift store or consignment shop.  You may also want to consider a discount wedding store or even online at e-bay again.

Yet another great consideration when outfitting the guys in your wedding party is to have them wear nice suits or even casual slacks and a nice shirt.  Not every wedding party has to be ultra formal; it’s all up to you!

Now that you and your groom are outfitted, let’s talk about those loved ones who will be standing up with you.  What they wear can be just as important as what you wear!