Ingenious Ways to Save That Your Guests Will Never Notice

We appreciate a lavish wedding as much as the next gal – mountains of oysters, heaps of flowers, champagne fountains. But while we think weddings are a worthwhile way to blow some dough, you also don’t want to start your forever-after deep in the hole. 

Over the years, we’ve learned a few crafty compromises you can make to your budget that no one will ever notice. Even better, sometimes it’s the less expensive DIY elements of your day that really stand out from the crowd and make your wedding memorable. And the icing on the cake is that getting by with a little help from your friends and fiancé often makes for quality bonding time and lifelong memories. 

Rings

Before you even begin planning the wedding, you’ll be all a-flutter over the ring. Well, the days of diamond-solitaire world domination have come to an end. While many brides still prefer the classic diamond engagement ring, others opt for a style that’s less pricey, more suitable to their personality, or both. Some thoughts: 

• Sapphires, rubies and emeralds are colorful alternatives to diamonds that can also be less expensive.

• Many brides choose to wear one special ring instead of separate wedding and engagement rings.

• Stacking rings are a great way to gradually acknowledge your milestones as a couple, such as engagement, wedding, anniversaries, kids. They can all feature different stones and designs and can be worn together or separately for different effects. They can also be quite a bit less expensive that a traditional engagement or wedding ring.

• Many jewelry companies have upgrade policies, where they’ll set a new, larger stone into your ring down the road, if you choose to go that route.

 Decorating

The extent to which you can stretch your decorating budget is directly proportional to the amount of time you’re willing to put into communing with your inner decorator. But before you panic over your lack of artistic ingenuity, remember that simple is best here. You can do this. Consider: 

• Tables need nothing more than candlelight to truly sparkle. Small clear-glass votives are inexpensive, easy to come by, and can be neatly grouped or scattered haphazardly for equally charming effects.

• While we’re on the subject of lighting, get yourself some strands of small white holiday lights. Wrapped around potted trees, columns, railings or other architectural elements, they bring soft, romantic light to the scene.

• One more lighting idea – Japanese lanterns. With their warm glow and clean lines, they bring an element of gorgeous minimalist design to the space. They are available in white, as well as tons of bright colors that will match any decorating or color scheme.

• Think about alternative flower sources and about putting together a crack team of arrangement helpers. Rather that huge, expensive arrangements, consider smaller arrangements of single, less-expensive varieties. White or yellow daisies are a whimsical nod to the wild for a summer wedding, for instance. Also, take advantage of wild blooms, grasses, and the spoils of friends’ gardens. Casual arrangements of whatever can get your hands on look beautiful and delightfully unfussy. Groups of single flowers in bud vases or other small containers have a cool designer chic.

• Don’t overlook craft store booty. While all of that shiny, scented stuff can look overwhelming on the shelves, you can dress a truly elegant table with the individual elements. Garlands of shiny red, gold or silver beads can be wound around dishes or framed family photos, and they beautifully reflect light, especially when interspersed with votive candles. Bags of glass “stones” or beach glass can be used in flower arrangements, candle hurricanes, or even scattered on tabletops. Wire or Styrofoam rings allow you to create your own wreaths for doors, mantels or centerpieces.

These ideas are just a beginning. Think creatively and take advantage of the talents of family and friends for more ways to save. We guarantee that the more do-it-yourself elements you employ, the more personal, emotional, and memorable your event’s going to be.