Small Budget Wedding Ideas That Still Feel Full

My wedding was arguably the best day of my entire life. We also managed to pull it off on a shoestring budget. Sure, it helped that we had a relatively small guest list, along with friends and family members willing to help us with some of the more creative DIY ideas.

As far as I'm concerned, weddings should be about two people vowing to share their lives together and their closest loved ones coming together to celebrate them.

You don't necessarily need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to achieve that. That's why I put together a list of creative ideas to help you achieve your dream wedding without needing to break the bank.

DIY Flower Arrangements

This one is great if you're creatively inclined and don't feel like spending thousands at the florist. Most DIY flower arrangements can be done relatively cheaply with mason jars, seasonal wholesale flowers and using greenery as filler.

The possibilities are endless, so the type of arrangement you choose will depend on the aesthetic you're going for. It's also a great way of getting the wedding party involved in designing and putting together gorgeous arrangements.

Repurposed Wine Bottles for Centerpieces

Most people tend to discard empty wine bottles. But if you're like me and like to get as much use as possible out of everything, well, those empty bottles will feel right at home as table centerpieces if you're going for a rustic aesthetic.

If you're planning something like a barn or outdoor wedding, the possibilities for those empty bottles are basically endless. You can paint them, use them as vases for dried flower arrangements, or, my personal favourite, place fairy lights inside them, which will look amazing for the evening reception.

Backyard or Park Venues

Opting for a backyard wedding definitely has some immediate perks. You'll be getting married in a familiar location (whether it's your own backyard or a loved one's who was kind enough to host), you'll save a fortune on venue hire, and you'll have the freedom to implement the exact decorations you want. It obviously involves a lot more work and planning, but it's worth it.

Alternatively, people get married in local parks all the time. Natural outdoor spaces come with the "decorations" included in the form of stunning landscapes. As long as it doesn't rain, you can choose to hold the ceremony at your local nature reserve and then head back to your own backyard for the reception. There's magic in simplicity.

Paper Lanterns for Lighting

I love paper lanterns. They're inexpensive and manage to bring an air of magic to any setting. They're also quite a versatile option for your evening reception, as you can choose from an array of colors and hang them pretty much anywhere.

Second-hand Wedding Dresses

The notion of getting your wedding dress second-hand might sound less than appealing. But when you think about it, the dress is also among the biggest expenses in a wedding. And 99.9% of brides will only wear theirs once, meaning a second-hand one is basically new.

I understand this idea isn't for everyone, but it's worth considering if you want to get a designer look for a fraction of the cost. I recommend buying the dress one size bigger than you need, then investing in a tailor to get it perfectly altered.

Homemade Wedding Cake

If you have a friend or family member who's really good at baking and willing to put the effort into making your dream wedding cake, I would recommend you give them a call first. However, even if you don't know anyone who's a whiz around the oven, making your own cake isn't exactly the most complicated of jobs.

There are plenty of recipe books and social media guides on how to make and decorate beautiful cakes. Choosing to DIY is also a fantastic way of making sure your favorite flavors make it to the dessert table. If you and your future spouse are huge fans of chocolate cake, why wouldn't make it a part of your wedding?

Just make sure you spend a good amount of time on doing a few "practice runs," especially when it comes to the decorating part. Other than that, have fun with it.

Spotify Playlist Instead of a DJ

If you're planning an intimate ceremony followed by a small reception with only your nearest and dearest in attendance, hiring a DJ is probably an unnecessary request. Instead, pick a list of meaningful songs on Spotify that will just enhance the event's ambiance.

You can even ask your guests for their preferred tunes and incorporate those into your playlists, making sure everyone gets to enjoy music they love.

Friends Officiating the Ceremony

This idea can work beautifully if you have an extroverted friend who's already an ace at public speaking. It adds a nice personal touch to the ceremony and gives the officiant the opportunity to include insights and even some inside jokes that normally wouldn't make it into the ceremony. Not to mention, it can save a lot of money by not hiring a professional.

Your friend will need to get ordained. The process is usually straightforward and can be completed online. However, the exact regulations and guidelines will vary depending on your state.

Online Invitation Services

When I sent my wedding invites, well… I felt completely buried in paperwork. That might be a slight exaggeration, but it took hours upon hours to pick the invite design, quadruple-check the wording, stuff them in envelopes, and write down every guest's name and address. Yes, I did handwrite on the envelopes because I wanted everything to feel a touch more personal, and I'm pretty sure it's what caused my carpal tunnel.

Now, you can skip a huge chunk of all that repetitive work (and help the climate in the process) by simply opting for an online invite service. Sites like Greenvelope and Paperless Post allow you to customize all aspects of your wedding invitations and then send them automatically to your guests' emails, complete with an easy-to-fill RSVP form.

It's an easier way to stay organized and can cost significantly less, as you're not paying for the paper, the envelopes, or the postage fees. Just keep in mind that you might still need to send traditional paper invites to older guests who may not have internet access (or may refuse to use it).

Potluck Style Reception

A potluck-style reception will fit perfectly with the rustic aesthetic (think barns or backyard weddings). It offers a more laid-back experience than the fully catered alternative, and it's a great way to have your guests share their favorite dishes in a meaningful way.

It also requires a bit of careful planning; the last thing you want is to find that everyone decided to bring potato salad. Don't get me wrong, potato salad is great, but you probably want a bit more variety. An online sign-up sheet is a great way of coordinating who brings what.

Brunch or Lunch Wedding

There are no set rules that say wedding receptions must be held in the evenings. Actually, the brunch option is becoming increasingly popular.

The menu and the venue hire often cost significantly less, and because of the time of day, you're less likely to have to deal with guests who have had one too many.

Homemade Decorations

We've already touched on some homemade decoration ideas in this list, but the truth is that the possibilities of making your wedding truly your own are endless.

As a couple, you want your day to fully reflect your style and creativity, and that's exactly what crafted projects like paper garlands, personalized chalkboards, or even a hand-painted sign can achieve. Whatever your talent is- say you like to crochet or paint- there's a way of implementing it into your wedding.

Local Food Trucks

Food trucks are becoming an increasingly popular option for outdoor weddings, and there's a very good reason for it.

It often works out cheaper than traditional catering (starting as low as $10 per head) and gives off festival vibes. Bear in mind that many food truck businesses require a minimum spend, so that's something worth discussing before signing a contract.

Cash Bar with Signature Cocktail

Cash bars at a wedding are slightly controversial, but at the same time, open bars are incredibly expensive and often cause issues with some guests overindulging. To soften the blow, you can include a signature cocktail guests can enjoy at the start of the evening, and even pair it with a limited number of drink tokens.

Fake Flower Bouquets

Fake flowers might be even more controversial in the wedding planning discourse than the cash bar. But they do have some advantages worth considering: they cost significantly less and last longer, so you can keep your wedding bouquet as a forever keepsake.

Social Media Livestream

This one is less about saving money and more about including the people who are unable to attend in person, like any friends or relatives who live abroad. It's easy to set up a livestream session on platforms like Facebook or Instagram, but I would highly recommend asking a tech-savvy guest to handle that side of your wedding.

Ideally, you'd have someone making sure the camera (or most likely the smartphone) is capturing the event smoothly.

Thrifted Wedding Attire

I know I've touched on second-hand wedding dresses at the start of the article, but the truth is there's an entire thrifting industry centered on wedding attire.

You can find high-quality bridesmaid dresses, wedding dresses, and suits at your local boutique. There are also online stores that specialize in breathing new life into barely used wedding attire.

Keep reading

• Wedding Band vs DJ: Who Should Play at Your Reception?
• Who Do You Tip At A Wedding?
• How To Plan a Wedding on a Budget of $1000: 11 Useful Tips