These days, it may seem impossible to have an affordable and elegant wedding.
The two adjectives of “affordable” and “elegant” may seem like polar opposites, if you really think about it. Weddings are expensive. It may seem almost impossible for things to be elegant if you’re watching your budget. In order to make your wedding classy, you need to spend money. It’s as simple as that, right?
Wrong.
It is totally possible to have an affordable and elegant wedding. All you need to do is find the right venue, prioritize what is really meaningful to you and your partner, cut out the fluff you don’t need, be selective with your guest list, and be very strategic with your dollars. You don’t need to do every little thing, either. Picking and choosing just some ways to have an affordable and elegant wedding can go a long way. You can have the wedding of your dreams, and stay in budget, if you’re intentional.
20 Ways To Have An Affordable & Elegant Wedding
This post is going to share with you twenty ways to have an affordable and elegant wedding. None of the ways are revolutionary. Just about anyone can do any of them, if you are open to it. I promise that there will be ways to achieve both goals in this post that will appeal to just about every couple. You just need to stick to a budget and being strategic with your wedding. More on all of that later.
Let’s get into it!
1. SET YOUR BUDGETARY PRIORITIES
The number one way to have an affordable wedding is to set your budgetary priorities. Cut out what doesn’t mean anything to you. Cut out what doesn’t mean much. Splurge on the items that you absolutely need to have, and either save on or omit what’s left. You can have an elegant wedding with just a few important components, you don’t need to blow your budget on absolutely everything.
2. FIND A VENUE THAT IS NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL
If you are getting married in a beautiful location, you can save a lot. Garden weddings can mean that you save on flowers. Indoor weddings with a gorgeous view can save you on photo backdrops. Some wedding venues come stocked with natural lighting, or a beautiful focal point. This alone can add elegance without extra costs.
3. LIMIT ALL TRAVEL INVOLVED
Travel can be a hidden wedding fee that no one really considers. So, reduce your need for travel. Get married close to home. No matter where you live, there is likely a beautiful venue within a drive away. Avoiding hotel fees, plane tickets, and even gas money can add up. This allows you more money to spend on your wedding, adding to the elegance opportunity.
4. ONLY INVITE THOSE WHO REALLY, REALLY MATTER TO YOU
We all know this. Guest list matters. Not just because every head costs money, but because the group itself is important. Weddings can become less and less affordable and elegant with each additional couple. Too many kids, or too many plus one’s, and you can blow your budget big time. Keeping things smaller and intimate can add up, and enhance the experience for everyone.
5. RENT YOUR WEDDING DRESS
You know one way to look amazing on your wedding day, with an expensive gown, and still keep things affordable?
Rent your wedding dress.
I once wrote a whole post about this, and you can find it here. The great thing about renting a wedding dress is that you can suddenly wear something that may have been out of your budget. Plus, the companies who supply rental wedding gowns are skilled at cleaning and prepping the gowns for the next wearer. If you’re not too sentimental about keeping your gown, this can be a great option for you.
6. SKIP FAVORS AND PROGRAMS
Even weddings without favors and programs can be elegant. And, you’ll save some money while you’re skipping these things.
Here’s the thing. If favors, or programs, or whatever, does not appeal to you, don’t spring for it. This goes for bathroom baskets. Welcome bags. Fresh flowers. A veil, even. Missing a few of these elements won’t crush your wedding. It may even help things be streamlined.
7. CONSIDER POTLUCK OR DIY DESSERT
Okay, okay. Stick with me.
Elegant weddings can exist with a potluck or DIY dessert spread. I mean it.
It’s not like you’re asking your guests to bring their famous potato salad or anything like that. However, if you ask your favorite aunts to bring their most delicious baked goods, they will likely oblige. And, the spread may be even better than if you had a professional provide it. At a very, very low cost.
8. BUY YOUR DÉCOR SECOND HAND
You know how to get the biggest bang for your buck, wedding-wise?
Buy slightly used items.
People will buy items, new items, and sell them at very deep discounts after just one use. You can often buy second hand items even cheaper than if you rent them. This can apply to plates, vases, linens, just about everything. It’s a good method to having an affordable and elegant wedding, when the right finds are found.
Need tips on buying or selling items after your wedding? Check out this post.
9. HAVE A HEALTHY MIX OF FRESH AND FAKE FLORALS
Fake flowers have come a long way in the last few years.
Not only are they more affordable than fresh flowers, but they last forever, and unless you’re actually touching them, you often can’t tell the difference.
So, take advantage of them. Bury fake flowers in a bouquet surrounded by fresh flowers. Adorn your arbor with fake flowers. Put them in your centerpieces, or hang them up high. No one will be able to tell. Promise.
10. DON’T SKIMP ON LIGHTING
Lighting is one of the easiest and most cost-effective things you can do for your wedding. It belongs on a post about having an affordable and elegant wedding because it’s, well, affordable and elegant.
Need more information? Check out this post on wedding lighting. The gist is that you can easily set up moveable lights and place them strategically around your wedding, creating a romantic and intimate ambiance with the push of a button. From spotlights to twinkle lights, you have options.
11. ENSURE EVERYTHING LOOKS COHESIVE
There is a time and place for weddings that are mismatched and have clashing patterns. If you want your wedding to have an elegant look, the time and place for mismatched is not for you.
For example, items at your wedding should have a theme that ties them together. If at all possible, the people working your wedding should wear ties and accessories that match your wedding. Maybe there are pops of the same color or pattern throughout your wedding. Every little inch of cohesiveness adds up.
12. HAVE NICE CHAIRS
Let me tell you, the chairs that came with our wedding venue were not good.
Our wedding venue was good. The venue itself was beautiful. It was a destination wedding kind of location. But the chairs. Oof. They were awful.
And they had to go.
Look, here’s the thing. You don’t want office chairs at your wedding if you’re going for an elegant feel. You also don’t want plain fold up chairs. Have nice chairs. Or at least dress them up with coverings and ribbons and things like that. It doesn’t have to cost a lot, and the impact will be there.
13. BORROW ITEMS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
From accessories to furniture, borrowing can help you achieve that elegant look without costing you money. Yes, you need to be organized about borrowing and returning items. And, yes, it will require more effort and participation from your friends and family than if you just buy everything yourself. But, it will help you get what you need at a great (zero) cost. So look into it.
14. KEEP YOUR CENTERPIECES SHORT, OR VARIED HEIGHTS
You know what can really blow your budget? Tall centerpieces. And you know what? Guests don’t really care about them.
So keep them short. Or keep most of them short, and some of them can have height. You’ll save money, and your wedding won’t waste precious dollars on something that won’t leave a lasting impact on your guests.
15. DON’T FORGET ABOUT CANDLES
Just like with lighting, candles can have a low cost and a huge effect on a wedding. Don’t forget that they could be an option for yours.
Even if your venue doesn’t allow a real candle with a flame, you can still create a lovely ambiance with battery operated candles. Strategically place them around, and you’ve got the effect you’re looking for that will give you the affordable and elegant wedding you want, at a price that works.
16. USE CHARGERS UNDER PLATES
Before our wedding, my now husband had never heard of a charger.
If you’ve never heard of a charger, or don’t understand the point, let me tell you about them. Chargers are the useless plates under the real plates. They are a place holder, so to speak. They are often clear, gold, silver, or can even match your wedding colors. Are the necessary for a meal? No. But they do create an elegant look at a table, for not much effort or cost.
17. PUT MIRRORS BEHIND LARGE FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS
Basic interior design trickery here. Mirrors can double the impact of just about anything. So use them.
If you have floral arrangements at your wedding, see about placing them in front of mirrors. Not only does it look great, but your florals will double in size, immediately. Such an easy win-win when it comes to your wedding décor, and budget.
18. DIY NAME SETTINGS WITH LABELS AND A PRINTER
You know what looks cheap? Bad hand writing.
If you are doing name settings at your wedding (essentially, putting people’s names where they are sitting), you’ve got to make sure it looks good. An affordable way to do this is to get clear labels, a nice font, and simply print them off. Place the labels on folded paper and there you go. It will look good, and not cost you very much at all.
By the way, name settings are not a requirement for an elegant wedding, but they do elevate things.
19. LIMIT YOUR COCKTAILS TO ONE OR TWO SIGNATURE DRINKS
Booze can cost a lot of money if you’re not careful and intentional with it.
Of course, an affordable and elegant wedding can be achieved without signature drinks at all. Or, without hard alcohol. However, if you want alcohol at your wedding, and want to class things up, a couple cocktail options or a signature drink can do just the trick. Keep it simple, keep it streamlined, and that will help keep it affordable.
20. KEEP YOUR RECEPTION SHORT
Last tip!
Receptions can add up the costs of a wedding, really quick. There’s the added time to rent the venue, plus longer rental times, more food needed, and more drinks ordered. By cutting your reception down by just a couple hours, you can save a lot of money. Plus, your wedding may seem even more elegant because your guests will have more quality over quantity, and the experience won’t outweigh it’s welcome.
THOUGHTS ON HOW TO HAVE AN AFFORDABLE AND ELEGANT WEDDING
Friends, I hope the tips in this post will help you have an affordable and elegant wedding. The trick is to find ways to cut costs without reducing the experience of your wedding for your guests. Cutting out things that guests don’t really care about, escalating small items, and being strategic with décor can all help. Happy wedding planning!
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