by: Candice Lapin
Looking for a few ways to cut some corners this season on your wedding? Well, look no further, we have some perfect recession friendly tips to help you design the wedding of your dreams no matter what your budget.
1. Get a Fake Cake {Then Serve Guests from a Sheet Cake}
You can still hire the baker of your choosing. Work with your favorite bakery to create a sheet cake of your favorite flavors. Have the same bakery then create a “fake” cake that is decorated to your liking! That way, you can splurge on the ingredients but keep your cake within your budget.
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2. Create Your Own Favors
Remember, favors can seem overwhelming but this is the part where you and your hubby to be can get creative on the gift giving. Consider baking some little deserts for your guests. If you are throwing a Palm Springs desert weekend wedding, consider giving away a small cactus in a little container. For those with a beach wedding maybe a mason jar with a real shell. Now that we are turning to fall, perhaps a pashmina with a small note for your female guests to keep warm.
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3. Have a Small Backyard Wedding
Backyard and homespun weddings are back in fashion. Recessionistas that means you can still have your cake and eat it too. Small intimate weddings can keep the guest count down and you budget within reach.
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4. Serve Your Meal Family Style
Hoorah for family style. Now guests can finally get to pick and choose what they want to eat. Plus, no need to make a meal with three elements – steak, vegetable and potatoes. You can now get creative with a meal that offers something for everyone. Think sprigs of asparagus, cut steak, even goat cheese filled ravioli! Or for a different twist, paella, gambas al ajillo, and chorizo.
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5. Create Your Own Arrangements/Bouquets
Bring you girlfriends together for a bouquet making party (click here). Remember you can go as simple as a gardenia floating in water or even some succulents in an arid scape. Or for a simple look pull seasonal blooms like tulips {in a singular monochromatic color}into a tight bouquet, then drop the bouquet into water.
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6. Create Your Own Boutineers from vintage fabric flowers
You don’t have to be a sewing whiz, you just have to wind your way through etsy for this assignments. Consider intricate vintage pins. They make for a great keepsake and they are always in season.
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7. Have your Wedding on a Friday
You may or may not have heard but simply opting to have your wedding on a Friday can really lower the cost of your wedding expenses. Everyone’s fees go down including the venue and the photographer.
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8. Have a Sunday Brunch Wedding
Daytime fetes are a new favorite for weddings. Mimosas anyone? The same rules as Friday weddings apply as well.
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9. Create Your Own Invitations
Who says you have to spend thousands of dollars on your invitations. No us! For the adventurous do it yourself-ers, think about creating your own invitations. All you need to do is find the right font for your theme and get ready, get set, go! For added flourish, talk to a printer about letterpress.
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10. Buy Inexpensive Invitation Suites on Etsy
For those of us, less creative, put yourself in the very capable hands of a graphic designer on etsy.com! With so many artists to choose from, it can be difficult to decide.
Courtesy of Etsy.com
11. Only serve local foods in Season
Keep the seasonality of your food in mind when you select your menu. You can keep food costs lower by making sure your menu matches the season. Foods like strawberries and even lobster have a peak season.
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12. Use Mason Jars instead of Vases
Instead of traditional vases, consider using durable large mason jars. They have an incredible vintage feel that can really make your wedding feel intimate.
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13. Borrow Your Wedding Dress
Ok, recessionistas, this tip is for you. Borrow your wedding dress. That could mean (1) borrowing from a friend in the same size, (2) going vintage and rummaging through family dresses, or (3) renting a dress.
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14. Use Large Oversized Flowers {they look more lush}
You may think this reads counterintuitive, but in fact, you can really make a impact on your wallet by picking flowers that have larger heads. They look more dense and more lush in an arrangement, so you don’t actually have to buy as many!
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15. Pick up vintage table cloths on eBay
For an added flair, instead of renting table cloths pick up vintage table clothes from family, friends or even eBay!
For more tips on cost saving measures, click here.
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