[Christl]

I want to be able to have all the bridesmaids dresses the same and my mom to walk me down the isle. I want the groom and grooms men to be dresses nice. We have a 6 month old daughter and we want her to be the flower girl. We really do not have the money for anything big, but I do want a nice wedding. Help us please.

[J_9]

Weddings do not need to be expensive to be beautiful. You should know that etiquette says that the bridesmaids should purchase their own dresses. Find one that the girls can wear after the wedding. The guys are also responsible for their own clothing.

There are some gals here who did a "do it yourself" kind of wedding at very low cost, I hope they will chime in soon.

[J_9]

Of all of the weddings that I have been in, including my own 2, it was always the responsibility of the bridesmaids and groomsmen to fork out the dough for their own duds. That way they get to keep their clothes, and that is why I suggested getting a design wherein they will be able to wear the dresses for other occasions as well.

[fatuesday]

I want to be able to have all the bridesmaids dresses the same and my mom to walk me down the isle. I want the groom and grooms men to be dresses nice. We have a 6 month old daughter and we want her to be the flower girl. We really do not have the money for anything big, but I do want a nice wedding. Help us please.

Christl,
If you don't have specific ideas of what your wedding should look like, you can have a beautiful ceremony within a budget.
For the wedding gown, check out the discount places. There are also boutiques that sell previously worn gowns at deep discounts. Another option is a white (or other color) dress instead of a wedding gown. Whatever you feel comfortable in. For bridesmaids dresses, as J-9 said, bridesmaids customarily buy their own (same goes for groomsmen), but the considerate bride chooses a dress in within the tastes and budgets of her party. One option buying bridesmaids gowns is to just go to a department store or dress store and find a nice, simple dress that everyone can live with. You'll often come out cheaper that way.
For decorations, less is more! A few flowers can make as much of an impact as a ton for much less moolah. Costco and other wholesale stores often sell discount wedding flowers. Another option is to choose an atypical flower – no roses, calla lilies, etc. – because wedding flowers are always more expensive. Even if you do go with one of the typical flowers, you may find that the same arrangements may be much cheaper if you never mention the word “wedding” to the florist. One very elegant and inexpensive option is candles and silk flowers. A pillar candle in the middle of a table with a ring of silk flowers around it is a beautiful centerpiece (try buying wholesale from sites like Pillar Candles at Discount Prices. {Square and Round}, Discount Candles 6" to 6½", http://www.barnloftcandles.com/). As an added touch, you could place round frameless mirrors under the candle/flower arrangement. You can usually buy them fairly cheap at a craft store like Michaels. For the ceremony, bridesmaids can carry small nosegays or a single bloom instead of a bouquet, and carnation boutonnieres on the groomsmen look as impressive as rosebuds. If you're Christian, you may want to consider carrying a bridal Bible instead of a bouquet, or, if you are Catholic, a rosary instead of a bouquet (I'm not Catholic, but I've heard that this has been done. No offense meant if it's not considered appropriate!).
When considering colors, you may be able to save money (in dresses, decorations, invitations) if you choose a family of colors (shades of green or all pastels, for example) instead of one color.
For food, your family church or a local church may cater the reception for much cheaper than what you would pay a caterer or a hotel. Also, you may be able to have the ceremony and reception at a church and eliminate a location fee. If a full meal is just too expensive, consider a cocktail reception with fruit and vegetable trays and maybe hot hors d’oeuvres, or a breakfast reception (breakfast food is generally much cheaper). Most guests will be fine with that as long as it’s time-appropriate (don’t go with a cocktail reception at 6pm, because people will expect to be fed. Try 2pm instead) and you mention it on the invitation. Everyone’s familiar with the cake trick now. Order a nice, small wedding cake for the cake cutting, but serve a sheet cake to the guests (as long as it looks somewhat like the cake, no one will notice). And, for the sheet cake, I’d go with the wholesale stores again-Costco, Sam’s Club. They’re inexpensive, and I think they taste better than most bakery cakes.
For music, you could consider creating a reception CD instead of hiring a band or a DJ. Download (legally, of course!) about 5 hours of your favorite songs (it’s not as much as it sounds), and burn a CD. You can rent decent music equipment for a reasonable price (most of your guests probably won’t notice the difference between an okay set of equipment and top-of-the-line, but your wallet will). You could create another CD with first dance, mother/son, father/daughter songs, and ask a friend or cousin to manage the music and MC. For the rest of the party, just let the other CD play.
For photography, consider local schools, especially community colleges. You may be able to hire a photography student for much less than you would a professional photographer. Same thing for videography. Also consider putting disposable cameras (buy in bulk at Wal-Mart for about $3 each) on each table so guests can take wedding pictures for you.
If you’re looking to shave costs, I’d eliminate alcohol. It’s a matter of personal taste, but I don’t like to see a cash bar at a wedding – either full bar, or nothing at all. But, that being said, I don’t think alcohol is absolutely necessary. One option is to just have a champagne toast as the only alcohol. And go with the cheap stuff. You can get pink champage for as cheap as $3/bottle. If you’d like to add an inexpensive and elegant touch, add a strawberry slice to each champagne glass. Don’t forget sparkling cider for those who don’t drink alcohol.
For invitations, there are a lot of low-cost alternatives nowadays. Target offers printable invitation sets from $20/box (usually 25-50 invitations in a box). And, remember, you only need enough invitations for each household, not for each guest. So, if you’re planning a wedding for 100, you might only need one box of invitations. If you want to save money on postage, instead of having people return response cards, direct them to a phone number (preferably a reliable friend or relative, not you) and your wedding website to RSVP (check Weddings and wedding planning! Wedding dresses, engagement rings, wedding cakes and more. and other wedding sites for a free personalized wedding website). Another way to save postage cost (although many would argue it’s tacky) is to have thank-you notes prepared and placed at each seat for the reception. Any etiquette expert would tell you that it’s imperative that you hand write a note to each guest after the reception acknowledging the gift they gave you, but I think most guests would appreciate receiving a note from the loving couple expressing their thanks at the reception. Bonus, add a Hershey’s Kiss or some other individually-wrapped candy to the thank-you note, and its your wedding favor!

Hope these tips help!

[gypsy456]

Christl,
If you don't have specific ideas of what your wedding should look like, you can have a beautiful ceremony within a budget.
For the wedding gown, check out the discount places. There are also boutiques that sell previously worn gowns at deep discounts. Another option is a white (or other color) dress instead of a wedding gown. Whatever you feel comfortable in. For bridesmaids dresses, as J-9 said, bridesmaids customarily buy their own (same goes for groomsmen), but the considerate bride chooses a dress in within the tastes and budgets of her party. One option buying bridesmaids gowns is to just go to a department store or dress store and find a nice, simple dress that everyone can live with. You'll often come out cheaper that way.
For decorations, less is more! A few flowers can make as much of an impact as a ton for much less moolah. Costco and other wholesale stores often sell discount wedding flowers. Another option is to choose an atypical flower – no roses, calla lilies, etc. – because wedding flowers are always more expensive. Even if you do go with one of the typical flowers, you may find that the same arrangements may be much cheaper if you never mention the word “wedding” to the florist. One very elegant and inexpensive option is candles and silk flowers. A pillar candle in the middle of a table with a ring of silk flowers around it is a beautiful centerpiece (try buying wholesale from sites like Pillar Candles at Discount Prices. {Square and Round}, Discount Candles 6" to 6½", http://www.barnloftcandles.com/). As an added touch, you could place round frameless mirrors under the candle/flower arrangement. You can usually buy them fairly cheap at a craft store like Michaels. For the ceremony, bridesmaids can carry small nosegays or a single bloom instead of a bouquet, and carnation boutonnieres on the groomsmen look as impressive as rosebuds. If you're Christian, you may want to consider carrying a bridal Bible instead of a bouquet, or, if you are Catholic, a rosary instead of a bouquet (I'm not Catholic, but I've heard that this has been done. No offense meant if it's not considered appropriate!).
When considering colors, you may be able to save money (in dresses, decorations, invitations) if you choose a family of colors (shades of green or all pastels, for example) instead of one color.
For food, your family church or a local church may cater the reception for much cheaper than what you would pay a caterer or a hotel. Also, you may be able to have the ceremony and reception at a church and eliminate a location fee. If a full meal is just too expensive, consider a cocktail reception with fruit and vegetable trays and maybe hot hors d’oeuvres, or a breakfast reception (breakfast food is generally much cheaper). Most guests will be fine with that as long as it’s time-appropriate (don’t go with a cocktail reception at 6pm, because people will expect to be fed. Try 2pm instead) and you mention it on the invitation. Everyone’s familiar with the cake trick now. Order a nice, small wedding cake for the cake cutting, but serve a sheet cake to the guests (as long as it looks somewhat like the cake, no one will notice). And, for the sheet cake, I’d go with the wholesale stores again-Costco, Sam’s Club. They’re inexpensive, and I think they taste better than most bakery cakes.
For music, you could consider creating a reception CD instead of hiring a band or a DJ. Download (legally, of course!) about 5 hours of your favorite songs (it’s not as much as it sounds), and burn a CD. You can rent decent music equipment for a reasonable price (most of your guests probably won’t notice the difference between an okay set of equipment and top-of-the-line, but your wallet will). You could create another CD with first dance, mother/son, father/daughter songs, and ask a friend or cousin to manage the music and MC. For the rest of the party, just let the other CD play.
For photography, consider local schools, especially community colleges. You may be able to hire a photography student for much less than you would a professional photographer. Same thing for videography. Also consider putting disposable cameras (buy in bulk at Wal-Mart for about $3 each) on each table so guests can take wedding pictures for you.
If you’re looking to shave costs, I’d eliminate alcohol. It’s a matter of personal taste, but I don’t like to see a cash bar at a wedding – either full bar, or nothing at all. But, that being said, I don’t think alcohol is absolutely necessary. One option is to just have a champagne toast as the only alcohol. And go with the cheap stuff. You can get pink champage for as cheap as $3/bottle. If you’d like to add an inexpensive and elegant touch, add a strawberry slice to each champagne glass. Don’t forget sparkling cider for those who don’t drink alcohol.
For invitations, there are a lot of low-cost alternatives nowadays. Target offers printable invitation sets from $20/box (usually 25-50 invitations in a box). And, remember, you only need enough invitations for each household, not for each guest. So, if you’re planning a wedding for 100, you might only need one box of invitations. If you want to save money on postage, instead of having people return response cards, direct them to a phone number (preferably a reliable friend or relative, not you) and your wedding website to RSVP (check Weddings and wedding planning! Wedding dresses, engagement rings, wedding cakes and more. and other wedding sites for a free personalized wedding website). Another way to save postage cost (although many would argue it’s tacky) is to have thank-you notes prepared and placed at each seat for the reception. Any etiquette expert would tell you that it’s imperative that you hand write a note to each guest after the reception acknowledging the gift they gave you, but I think most guests would appreciate receiving a note from the loving couple expressing their thanks at the reception. Added bonus, add a Hershey’s Kiss or some other individually-wrapped candy to the thank-you note, and its your wedding favor!

Hope these tips help!

I love the fact that you are being so creative within limitations... and I think that it will all make it much more personal.

It's the thought that counts.

Wonderful suggestions.
Well done!!

[ncgirl_21]

I'm getting married in October and I'm on a very tight budget also, depending on where you live I may have a few suggestions as to where you could hold your ceremony and reception. If you have a craft store like Michaels around you can get a box of 50 invites for 15.00 and make them yourself. EBAY is where I got my wedding dress a top designer gown that would have costed 1500.00 for 200.00 its also prom season right now so once prom dresses go on sale you might find a good deal there, if you have a clothing store like Ross or Tj Max check there I got my bridesmaid dressses for 30.00 each and the bridesmaids paid me back. I've made my own bridal bouquets. For the reception you could have a potluck dinner and have each family attending to bring a covered dish. Go to the dollar store and get toasting glasses and dressing them up the way you want. Instead of having a photographer ask a good friend to do the pics it works out nicely if they have a digital camara cause then you can go to the kodak website and get them developed and 4x6 are only .15 and just for joining you get 20 prints free. Have disposable camaras on the tables at the reception for guest to take pics with 1 per table is plenty. I could go on and on if you'd like to see pics of what we've done message me and I'll gladly send pics. I have a lot more ideals also. WHENS YOUR WEDDING?? Wedding Dresses, Weddings, Bridal Hairstyles, Gifts, Favors, Honeymoon, Cakes, Flowers, Supplies, Planning has a great wedding website you can use for free and your guest can rsvp there.

[vlee]

Every time I was a bridesmaid I had to buy the dress... a real bummer if it's awful and will never be worn again! But one wedding I was in the bride actually told everyone what style and color dress she wanted them to purchase... from the JC Penney catalog! So it was only about $90 and it isn't something that couldn't be worn more than once. You got a lot of brilliant ideas above (wish I had read that before my wedding!) and sadly I have nothing else to add.

[vlee]

Oh, yeah, I've seen a few disposable cameras per table and guests were asked to take impromptu pics all evening. My husband and I wanted video of our wedding and reception. We took tapes guests had created, uploaded them on the computer, and cut and cropped video with all sorts of really cool effects and music with an editing program we purchased for $50.

[ncgirl_21]

Oh, yeah, I've seen a few disposable cameras per table and guests were asked to take impromptu pics all evening. My husband and I wanted video of our wedding and reception. We took tapes guests had created, uploaded them on the computer, and cut and cropped video with all sorts of really cool effects and music with an editing program we purchased for $50.

You could also have a family member or close friend with a video camara videotape the whole thing for you and maybe they'd do it as a wedding gift for free and have some of the guest wish you luck while at the reception.

[robertsqueen]

My wedding only costed $500, we had the ceremony at my grandmas house in her backyard. Then we had the reception at a local hangout. My aunt made our cake, and we made the decorations and food. The wedding was beautiful. You don't have to spend thousands for a nice wedding. I was watching bridezillas and I was shocked this woman spent 250, 000 on her wedding. That is crazy lol. We paid for the bridesmaids dresses, and we got them for cheap. Just make sure to look for bargains. I got my wedding dress for 100.

[robertsqueen]

As for pictures we put disposible cameras at every table, and boy did those pictures turn out interesting lol.

[grammadidi]

Some money saving ideas:

Invitations: Buy nice paper from a place like Office Depot and print your own. Hand deliver as many of them as you are able to instead of mailing.

Wedding dress: Buy second hand. Try posting on both a Cheapcycle and a Freecycle group in your area for one. Even the Salvation Army stores get them in.

Also, keep it simple! A simple A-Line dress will be much cheaper than one with layers and layers of material and intricate beading.

Bridesmaid dresses: They purchase their own - again, choose a simple dress.

Wedding Ceremony: You will probably give the officiant a set fee or a donation to the church. It is usually cheaper to do that than a city hall wedding. You could also pay for an organist/pianist, however, don't rule out taping your own music and having a relative or friend be in charge of it. For my wedding, I went to a local music store and asked the owner if he would play. He charged us $75.00 for the processional and recessional, played some taped music for me while we were signing the documents, then, because we were longer than expected, filled in the time with playing, as well.

Flowers: Simple, simple, simple! Try a bouquet of daisies with a nice trailing ribbon. If the wedding is in the spring, use tulips, peonies, hyacinths &/or freesias instead. The latter two smell incredible! You can also grow and pick spring flowers for the reception tables, and for decorations on the top (false) layer of the cake.

Have several uses for your flowers. Use your church flowers and bouquet as table decorations for your cake table and head table if you go that formal.

Go to a smaller florist shop in your area and explain your dilemma. Ask what they suggest and how much it will cost. You may be surprised!

Favours: Go to the dollar store or a Hallmark outlet (or a similar place) and purchase some fold your own gift boxes. Decorate the top of them by gluing some small dried flowers and ribbon or tiny beads. Line the boxes with tissue paper and fill with mini-peppermints from the bulk food store. Include a little thank you tag signed by you both (you can buy them or print your own).

You could also give a hand made Christmas ornament or a clear ornament with a sprig of spruce with a couple of artificial red berries if your wedding is near Christmas. Check out some crafting sites for other ideas.

Another idea is to use a cheap (again, dollar store) shot glass with water and flowers matching your bouquet (ie: daisies) in each one as party favours. These will double as table decorations.

Gifts for Bridesmaids/Groomsmen: Inexpensive tickets to a sporting event (baseball?) or movie passes for the guys; an inexpensive bracelet, pair of earrings, or brooch for the gals.

Meal/Drinks: Buffet dinner or BBQ with home made non-alcoholic punch. You could also buy a keg of wine and/or beer, but then you get into liquor licences and liability.

Speak to some local caterers to enquire about an inexpensive package that might include the hall, punch, meal with wine, after dinner drinks (including bartender and licence), a DJ, cake and decorations. A buffet or BBQ will be cheapest.

For my daughter's wedding we had it partially catered (buns, butter, various sandwich meats, veggie trays, fruit trays, etc.) and we supplied the rest (coffee, tea, meatballs & swedish meatballs in slow cookers, trays of frozen lasagna & various salads) and it worked well. You can ask friends and family members to help out.

Music: In this wonderful modern era all you have to do is burn music onto some discs and play them... OR... have a small laptop and good speakers with a lot of music on it and someone to play DJ. For my daughter's wedding, we created the whole evening's entertainment by taping all the music in the order we wanted it (ie: first dance, father/daughter dance, last dance, removal of the garter music, etc.) and labelled them all so that if someone else was changing the tape they would know which one was to go in next.

Venue: Ceremony can be done at church, home, a local park (you may need permission) or greenhouse, etc. The reception can be held at a picnic shelter in a state or provincial park, someone's home, or a rented hall.

Photography: Ask everyone to bring their camera and offer to pay for double prints. Ask everyone with digital cameras if they will make you up a disk if you provide one. Most will do it without taking the disk and/or money for the extra prints.

Hope some of these ideas help!

Hugs, Didi

[insummer]

We went to a $90,000 wedding a few months ago and then to a $2500 a short time after that. The $2500 was the nicer and more intimate of the two - held in a personal atmosphere. All the invitations were handmade, the wine was purchased on eBay for a fraction of the costs and bridal party was pretty but more casual than usual. They only had one bridesmaid and one little flowergirl to keep things simple and music was all on pre-prepared and burned cds.
Also it was an afternoon tea wedding - which avoided the huge expensive sit down dinner. They served a beauitful light lunch / afternoon tea and kept it all very romantic and intimate. There were 50 guests.

[Dchdman]

A big church wedding is not always suited to all people. I say just go out and have a look around your area for a place that is memorable. My friends had there wedding in the rose gardens in our town and then hired out the pavilion for the reception later on that day. The most expensive think was a couple of hundered dollars for catering and pavilion hire. Other sites that some people go to for weddings are, Beach weddings, Gardens or Parks including National parks, Sometimes the zoo Etc. It all depends on how you want your wedding to look on the day.

If this helped rate it

[ncgirl_21]

Another piece of advice I'm getting married on the outer banks the ceremony site I think is stunning and since it's a public park we don't have to pay a fee if there's a real nice public park you like and then rent a community building I know most of them are cheap free-150.00 or so