Chic Wedding - Small Budget
As I've mentioned before, I'm in the midst of helping one of my sisters put together her upcoming wedding/reception. Since she's in college and on a tight budget I'm on the lookout for affordable ways to add the special little touches that make a wedding so personal and special.
Not many of us will be blowing 1M+ on our special day... so with that in mind, I pulled together this wedding look as an example of what is possible with a little forethought, work, and luck... and all on a petite budget too!
For tips and links...
Tip 1: The wedding dress is probably one of the most special and memorable parts of any wedding. This is your time to shine (and your look will be forever captured in all of your wedding photos) so you want to wear something that makes you look as radiant as possible. There are thousands of gowns to choose from... with prices just as varied, and it's hard to know where to start. If you're on a serious budget I recommend that you start by checking out sites such as J.Crew for affordable well-made dresses in a variety of styles (The dress here is the Sophia Long Dress and will only set you back $225. A total steal for a full-length silk gown!).
Tip 2: Bridesmaid dresses. If you've ever been selected to serveas a bridesmaid, you likely have a tragic tale to share regarding a disastrous squabble amongst the would be bridesmaids regarding the preferred style of dress (everyone always wants something different), and the inevitably hideous dress that you were then required to shell out your hard earned cash for. If you're a bride-to-be, let your gal-pals off the hook and point them in the direction of a dress that is figure flattering and piggy bank friendly to all, such as the Mesh Corsage Dresses from Newport News (the flower on the dress is removable and they even sell matching shoes)! For your shoes search for styles within your price range using a price and color specific search on sites such as Zappos or Nine West. These "Arget" Heels are currently on sale for only $49.99!)
Tip 3: Jewelry. If you can borrow a heirloom from your mother or grandmother your adornments will be all the more lovely, but if you can't - look for unique handcrafted or vintage pieces on etsy (or your local estate sales). Try pinning a beautiful brooch onto your bouquet or dress, or use this beautiful set of "Nostalgic Wedding - Vintage Hair Pins" (by seller Original by Lynnette) to draw attention to a beautiful up-do.
Tip 4: I just spotted a new line of truly gorgeous customizable wedding invitation sets at my local Target the other day, and was really impressed. I didn't find the full range online (so you'll have to head into your local store for more options), but the Jean M. Wedding Stationery Collection I've shown here is simple yet elegant, and you can't argue with the price (from $19.99 - $49.99)! Ask a friend with flawless handwriting to help you address all the envelopes (maybe she'll do it as a gift for you).
Tip 5: Give your guests something to remember your day by. Favors that are simple and easily created are ideal. These from Martha Stewart were fashioned from red crepe paper streamers (the kind you can get in any party supply shop)... the instructions can be seen right here. What you put inside is completely up to you and your sweetie. It doesn't need to cost a fortune to be treasured.
Tip 6: Flowers. Real flowers are stunning... they can take your breath away (or was that just when you got the bill)! My favorite tip is to supplement beautifully crafted paper flowers such as these by Laurie Cinotto in place of budget gouging real ones. If you don't want to go completely paper... Try combining natural flowers that are in a lower price range... filling out your bouquet, centerpieces, etc with paper blooms for color and depth.
Tip 8: Yum! Pick a cake design that is simple and sweet...and decorate it yourself (or ask a friend or family member to assist). Read this tutorial and this one for some helpful tips. This cake is simply two rounds placed together (probably with some sort of a filling inside) and can be easily frosted with a basic buttercream frosting (colored to match your palette). The border can be replicated by piping dots with a medium sized cake decorating tip (you can find these in the baking isle at your local Michael's or other craft stores).
I know this isn't nearly everything that you will be thinking about for your big day... but I hope that it inspires you to find creative and thrifty solutions for what is sure to be the most beautiful day of your life.
xox Ez
For more wedding ideas, check out these blogs:
-Snippet & Ink
-Style Me Pretty
-What Junebug Loves
-Something Old, Something New
-With This Ring
-Indie Wedding Guide
If you know of any great wedding blogs not mentioned here, I'd love it if you'd let me know in the comment section below!
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| by Ez Wednesday, April 9, 2008 
Reader Comments (16)
You sound like a great sister. :)