Wedding Ideas

If you are planning a wedding on a budget, then you are probably planning to start your life together on a budget, too. Think ahead carefully about what you might need in order to maximize the usefulness of your budget wedding registry. Before you start drooling over the enticing catalogs of your favorite expensive kitchen stores, take stock of what you already have. If you each already have a home, then you probably already have some duplicate items that you may want to sell or give away. Regardless of the situation, it is best to make a list of what you need first, then think about what you want, and then start looking at the catalogs and websites to craft your budget wedding registry.

Budget Wedding Registry Tips

Items to Choose

1. Select long-lasting, high quality items for your wedding registry. Don’t choose items just because they are inexpensive, because then you may need to replace those items in a few years.

2. Select solid colored or neutral patterned pieces when you are choosing items that will be around for a lifetime. If you ask for high quality white dishes, for example, it will be much easier to match those dishes to different seasonal décor or your own changing tastes over time.

3. Do choose items for your registry in a variety of price ranges so that none of your budget wedding guests feel left out.

4. In addition to more practical items, consider asking for some memorable items that will always remind you of your wedding each time you look at them and the person who gave the gift, such as a really beautiful wooden fruit bowl or handmade pottery mugs.

5. If you’re already pretty well set for items for the kitchen, bed, and bath, then don’t forget to consider having a honeymoon registry instead to help pay for your budget honeymoon!

Items to Avoid

1. It can be tempting, but don’t ask for a bunch of fancy appliances that are likely to gather dust. If you’re not likely to make homemade pasta or funnel cakes but once in a blue moon, you may  be best off asking for a multi-purpose electric griddle and borrowing the other items from a friend on occasion.

2. Don’t select items that are so expensive or fragile that you would be too intimidated to use them – or that none of your guests would be able to afford!

3. Just because you’re planning a wedding on a budget doesn’t mean that you don’t have an eye for quality! Items that are too inexpensive or cheaply made, such as particleboard furniture, is not long-lasting and may not make it to see your first child, let alone your grandchildren!

Photo credit: craiglea123

If you haven't discovered Pinterest yet, it's time that you do. The site allows you to share the beautiful and interesting things that you find on the web quickly and easily. It's free to register on Pinterest, and it's incredibly useful for discovering creative budget wedding ideas. 

Start by visiting Pinterest.com and start a free account. Select the people whose pinboards you want to follow (both friends and those you don't know personally). Then create pinboards for the topics that interest you, such as "Recipes," "Ideas for the Home," and, of course, "Wedding Inspiration." With the click of your mouse, you can now pin the photos you discover on the web and repin photos that other people have shared on their boards. One word of caution: Pinterest is seriously addictive.

Here are 5 ways that you can use Pinterest to plan the budget wedding of your dreams:

1. Save-the-Dates and Invitations

The easiest way to decide on the style of Save-the-Dates and Invitations is to look at a variety of examples and see what catches your eye. Do you prefer a modern design, or a more classic one? Splashy or understated? Whether you are planning a destination wedding or a homegrown event, you'll find inspiration for wedding planning on a budget.

2. Engagement & Wedding Photography

You may have rolled your eyes when you've seen run-of-the-mill engagement and wedding photography. Make sure to avoid cheesy poses yourself by finding creative shots on Pinterest and showing them to your photographer. Get ideas for props you can use in your engagement photos, such as chalkboards for writing fun messages, and start brainstorming unexpected settings. Give your photographer suggestions for uncommon wedding day poses and shots to capture.

3. Wedding Decor

Pinterest users (or "Pinners") share wedding decor ideas galore. Find pictures of gorgeous place settings for indoor or outdoor weddings, sweet wedding favors, and simple flower arrangements. You're sure to find the perfect accents for your budget wedding, including eco-friendly and DIY options. .

4. Bridal Style

You'll find many different ideas for bridal style on Pinterest. Pictures of wedding dresses range from elegant to simple to funky. You'll find ideas for wedding day shoes, jewelry, and styles for every kind of hair. There are even accessories that you can make yourself if you're wedding planning on a budget.

5. Honeymoon

What kind of honeymoon would you like to follow your budget wedding? One of the biggest benefits of Pinterest is that it displays a plethora of beautiful photos side by side. You can browse through them and decide whether you'd like to save or splurge on your honeymoon, and what kind of experience you'd like to have. Do you want to lounge on a tropical beach? Go camping in the wilderness, or ride the roller coasters at a Disney theme park?

BONUS - 6. Follow My Trio Rings!

My Trio Rings has created a number of pinboards which cover unique engagement and wedding rings spanning the entire web in addition to pictures of the latest ring styles and designs in the industry and by My Trio Rings. Follow the pinboards to see updates to these boards!

To look for wedding ideas on Pinterest, hover over the "Everything" option on your home screen with your mouse, then choose "Wedding & Events" from the drop-down menu. You can also use the Pinterest search bar to search by keyword for a specific type of item.

Happy pinning!

Last edited; 4/18/2012. Photo credit: Pinterest

As you are planning for your budget wedding and deciding what your priorities are, consider that your wedding day will be a beautiful day, but it is also likely to be a busy day. Make sure that you are making plans that will help you make budget wedding memories that will last a lifetime.

Make Budget Wedding Memories for a Lifetime

1. Get Married When You Both are Ready

When you are thinking about picking out an affordable wedding ring set and planning a wedding, make sure that you are both ready to get married and commit to each other for a lifetime. Read these tips to help you decide whether you two are ready to take the plunge.

2. Choose Real Diamonds

When you are selecting an affordable wedding ring set, be sure to choose real diamonds. Real diamonds are certainly more expensive than alternatives such as cubic zirconia, but fake diamonds do not have the strength and history of real diamonds, and they are not likely to last a lifetime. If you want to save money on real diamonds, simply consider purchasing diamond cluster rings that are part of an affordable wedding ring set from a reputable online jeweler. This is a wise investment at a great price, and it will last you a lifetime.

3. Hire a Professional Photographer

Many wedding planners and brides who have been there would agree that one of the most important things to NOT skimp on during your budget wedding planning is photography. If you want to share your wedding memories with your children and grandchildren in the years to come, then hire a professional who knows how to best capture your special day on film. In addition to ordering prints, it is also worthwhile to splurge on digital copies of your wedding photos, so that you can be sure to preserve those memories for a lifetime.

4. Preserve Your Dress

If you might want to pass your wedding dress on to a daughter or granddaughter today, don’t just throw it up in the attic. Protect your budget wedding dress investment by taking your dress to the cleaners or to a bridal shop to get it preserved in a special airtight box that will help your dress last much longer.

Photo credit: Instant Vantage

It is not unusual for companies to create and market budget wedding knock-offs – dresses and jewelry and other wedding accessories that strongly resemble diamond cluster rings worn by royals or gowns worn by celebrities. After this year's marriage between Prince William and Kate Middleton, for example, many designers copied Kate's wedding gown and her sister Pippa's bridesmaid dress to create budget wedding gowns more widely available to customers for less money.  

What is less common is for the designer of the object in question to also design a knock-off. However, designer Sarah Burton, who designed Pippa Middleton's draping silk dress, has just released a knock-off of her original design, which features a zipper in back, unlike Pippa's original buttons.  

This knock-off dress, however, is not exactly a budget wedding dress. Instead, it costs over $3,000 to purchase – out of the price range of many brides. The Bridal Association of America reports that an American bride pays an average of $1,500 on a wedding gown, even if she is not on a budget. So spending over $3,000 on a knock-off designer gown is indeed far beyond the reach of many. If you are planning a budget wedding and hoping to save money on a variety of items such as wedding gowns and diamond cluster rings, then perhaps avoiding such knock-off gowns in general might help you save a little money. If you make selections based on your own personal style, it could be far less expensive than trying to imitate the style and taste of someone famous, who probably has a great deal of money to spend on wedding accessories without thinking too much about a budget.  

Alternately, you may just want to avoid the big-name jewelry and gown designers altogether and instead browse the styles of lesser-known retailers who can offer the same quality at a much lower price.   What are your tips for sticking to your wedding budget without compromising your style?

Photo Credit: Flickr (www.chicagofabulousblog.com)

Perhaps you aren't a very by-the-book kind of person. Perhaps walking down a straight aisle in a white strapless gown in front of 100 guests just isn't your fantasy wedding. Perhaps you feel a little bit uncomfortable about registering for 12 place settings of china on your wedding registry.

If you don't fit in the typical $25,000 wedding box, never fear! From an original trio wedding ring set to creative wedding gifts, from unconventional wedding ceremony sites to eccentric wedding cake choices, there are a lot of different ways to make your budget wedding your own. Here are three ideas to get you thinking about a different kind of wedding registry.

1. Eclectic Budget Wedding Gifts

With such websites as My Registry or Amazon, you can create one single registry with a variety of different lovely and unconventional items from local family businesses, your favorite environmentally friendly companies, or even your favorite homemade items from stores like Etsy.

2. Intangible Budget Wedding Gifts

Perhaps you both already have your own homes and already have a lot of stuff. You may be planning to downsize rather than scale up after yourwedding, with a trio wedding ring set being the only new item you wish to bring into your home. If that is the case, consider a honeymoon registry to fund the trip of your dreams or perhaps a charitable gift registry to help people in need, rather than feeling committed to a more conventional registry populated with hand towels and waffle makers.

3. Homemade Budget Wedding Gifts

If the best present would be having your guests give of themselves for your wedding gift, then consider asking friends to prepare and bring their favorite dish for you, either for a potluck reception or to stock your newlywed freezer. Or ask a friend to host a wedding shower to which everyone brings a favorite plant from their garden to help get yours started. If you're crafty and have crafty friends and family, consider asking each wedding guest to create a quilt square for you. Just send a small square of plain fabric in each budget wedding invitation and ask family and friends to use fabric, fabric pens, embroidery floss, or other washable materials to create a special square that you can incorporate into a memorable wedding quilt.

What are your unique weeding registry ideas?

Photo Credit: Flickr (MRS TWINS)

It seems like there is an app for everything these days – getting restaurant reservations, quizzing kids on spelling words, checking traffic conditions, and so much more. In today's increasingly digital world, many people spend much of their day glued to a cell phone, even at work. Now if only you could find an app to help you select the perfect inexpensive wedding ring set before you pop the question!

Believe it or not, you can get a free wedding proposal app in the iTunes store for your iPhone, which also includes tips about selecting an inexpensive wedding ring set.

Additionally, there are many popular free or relatively inexpensive budget wedding planning apps that might be helpful to you and your spouse-to-be as you try to keep track of your wedding budget and wedding plans.

1. TheKnot.com offers a free wedding planning app, Wedding 911, with popular wedding advice from TheKnot.com as well as the ability to post questions for input from fellow app users, anytime, anywhere.

2. iWedding is a more pricey purchase, at $6.99. It includes features such as planning and tracking a budget, managing guest lists, and staying on top of to-do lists.

3. A different budget wedding app that you may choose to purchase is the $4.99 Bride Guide, another app which purports to be a comprehensive wedding planning resource, from budgeting to buffeting. You probably only want one of these more comprehensive budget wedding planning programs, since it might get confusing to switch between programs.

4. Keep on top of your budget wedding dress shopping with iBridalGown, a virtual dress-shopping helper which you can purchase for $3.99.

5. If it is your registry you are working on, apps such as the free Amazon Mobile might be a good resource for keeping your gift ideas all in one place at your fingertips.

What apps have you found helpful in your wedding planning?

Photo Credit: Jim G

Pachelbel? Tchaikovsky? Beethoven? Mendelssohn? Many brides and grooms feel perplexed when they hear all of the options available to them, even if they are choosing to have a traditional budget wedding. Many people fret about finding an affordable wedding ring set, but that process can actually be far easier than finding affordable wedding music.

Perhaps you feel equally out of your league. As you start to make decisions about your budget wedding music, you may wish to consult comprehensive guides from The Wedding Channel and TheKnot.com. Both sites offer comprehensive wedding music guides that list a wide variety of music options for all the different parts of your budget wedding ceremony and reception, including a variety of different musical styles.
Additionally, if you are having a church wedding, your pastor or your organist might already have a small selection of standard music they use in weddings at the church. A few popular wedding ceremony hymns include “Amazing Grace,” “For the Beauty of the Earth,” “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” and “Day by Day.” A soloist might sing more beautifully, but you will save money if you ask your guests to sing your hymns of choice during the ceremony. And the more familiar the song, the more lovely the sound will be.

Many wedding planners strongly recommend sticking to professional musicians and professional DJs for your wedding, but as with hunting for an affordable wedding ring set, your budget is your budget. If the best ceremony music you can afford is singing hymns with your guests, embrace that and make the best of it. The same is true if your budget wedding reception music needs to be an iPod playlist of your favorite songs played over a loudspeaker. But before you resign yourself to a purely DIY music approach, consider these possible sources of affordable wedding music:

1. University music students
2. Talented friends and family
3. New DJ’s
4. Church organists and choirs

What music are you most excited about including in your wedding?

Photo Credit: A. Vivaldi

You probably don’t like the idea of importing the rigid gender dynamics of the Victorian Era into your own wedding and marriage. You probably also don’t want the added expense or diminished privacy of a female chaperone accompanying you on your honeymoon. But if a budget wedding is on your mind, there are many bygone customs that just might fit the bill.

1. Host a morning wedding.

For much of the Victorian Era, it was the law that weddings take place in the morning. A morning wedding could be an excellent choice for your budget wedding, because it might make the venue less expensive to rent, since morning weddings are not as common today. Also, a wedding breakfast could be significantly less expensive than a meal at another time of day, since there would be less expectation of alcohol or expensive meat or seafood entrees. Light pastries and fruits, for example, could be an economical choice for a wedding breakfast.

2. Use vintage clothing and décor.

You may be able to find a vintage look wedding gown from a thrift store or antique store for a much better price than at a modern wedding boutique, or you may be able to borrow one from a costume rental store. White was not a common wedding gown color during the Victorian age, so you could also cast a wider net and look for a range of pastel shades, which would give you more budget wedding dress choices. Just be certain to pair your dress with a long lace veil, a fashion started by Queen Victoria herself.

Whether you choose a new diamond cluster ring or vintage wedding jewelry, look for more intricate, old-fashioned styles.

For your wedding decorations, look for intricate and frilly touches at garage sales, antique stores, and even in Grandma’s attic. Those old crocheted doilies could be re-purposed for centerpieces at the reception tables. Some stores might even let you simply rent or borrow such used decorations inexpensively rather than buying them.

3. Go easy on the flowers.
 
The bride only needs a small, tightly clustered budget wedding bouquet for an authentic Victorian wedding. Instead of expensive, exotic flowers, pick simple flowers with sentimental meanings. White carnations, for example, signify pure love, while red roses indicate true love. For an authentic Victorian touch, add some ivy to the bouquet like Queen Victoria. She started a tradition of planting wedding bouquet ivy, which symbolizes endurance in the language of flowers, and passing on cuttings of the ivy to her children and grandchildren in later years. Besides, fewer flowers mean more attention on your diamond cluster ring!

Photo Credit: Le Petit Poulailler

In today’s fast-paced world, flexible bargain hunters can often find amazing deals on anything from clothing to vehicles to travel to food. However, bargain hunting is not an exact science. When it comes to planning a budget wedding, it would not be smart to wait until the last minute looking for the best possible deal, not find a deal, and then need to go far over your budget in order to find a caterer or other service provider available at the last minute.

No, the best idea is to plan ahead. From picking an inexpensive trio wedding ring set to booking a venue, sooner is generally better. If you have more time to plan a wedding, then it gives you the time for things like getting a ring resized or a dress altered without the stress (and added expense) of needing a quick turnaround, and it gives you more of an opportunity to look around for the best deal before you absolutely need to make a decision.

How Planning Ahead Saves Budget Wedding Bucks

1. Purchase your budget wedding dress several months in advance. This gives you plenty of time to order the dress without paying for more expensive shipping and handling. Most bridal stores do not sell off the rack, so it often takes several weeks for your dress to come in. This also gives you more time to shop around for a good deal or to hire a seamstress to copy a designer dress for you at a much more reasonable cost. And if you need alterations made, having a few months as a cushion also saves you from having to pay significantly more to a tailor for a rush order.

2. Select and order your inexpensive trio wedding ring set with months to spare before the wedding. Ordering ahead allows you the luxury of time to choose the right rings for your budget, saves you money on shipping, and gives you the chance to get the rings resized if they don’t have the perfect fit when they arrive.

3. Allow yourself plenty of time to shop around for the venue, caterer, photographer, etc. that will give you the best value for your money. You might even have the time to take on a few DIY projects to save a little cash. But at some point, you will need to make a decision and commit to your choices. The perfect deal may not be out there, but at least you won’t be trying to scramble at the very last minute to find a professional and reasonably priced wedding photographer who isn’t already booked. And if you are not in a rush, you can make plans to book an off-season budget wedding to save even more money.

What are your tips for planning ahead to save money? Share them in the comments.

Perhaps you are determined to buy your own budget wedding dress. But think about it this way – it is something you will only wear for one day, and then it will live in your attic forever. Your possible future daughter may not want anything to do with wearing your dress. It is a lot of money to spend on a gown that may only ever see the light of day one time.

Some brides are making a different budget wedding decision. They are choosing to rent anything from a budget wedding dress to a designer wedding dress, rather than try to buy or make one. If you are interested in an expensive designer look, this can be an excellent way to pull it off on a budget, while keeping the memories and the photos long after you return the dress. And your guests never have to know that you didn’t purchase the gown!

Sites such as Rent the Runway offer a wide selection of designer dresses and accessories. RTR does not specialize in weddings, but with over 35,000 dresses and 20,000 accessories available for rental much more cheaply than you could buy them, you’re sure to find something that fits the bill for yourself or even for your bridesmaids. When you’re finished, just mail your rented items back in an envelope, and enjoy the memories of your designer look!

Similar sites include Bag Borrow or Steal and Adorn.com. Adorn.com actually specializes in renting out diamond jewelry to brides. You obviously don’t want to rent out a trio ring set, which will be an important keepsake and accessory throughout your marriage, but you might like to select from a wide variety of diamond earrings, bracelets, and necklaces that could complement your diamond cluster wedding and engagement rings. After investing in a trio ring set, you might not have much money left over in your jewelry budget, but you, like many other modern brides, might have room in your budget to rent some stunning diamond jewelry just for the big day.

Would you consider renting a wedding dress or accessories for your wedding day? Share your thoughts in the comments.

One of the best ways to stick to your budget wedding plans is to plan a wedding in the fall or winter, when fewer couples are tying the knot. Many wedding planners agree that choosing to get married in the off season is an excellent way to save money. So after you order your affordable wedding rings online, pop the question, and start thinking about budget wedding ideas for a fall celebration.

Here are 3 fall budget wedding tips:

1. Decorations

Instead of shelling out a lot of money to the florist, consider using seasonal flowers and foliage as decorations at your fall wedding. Ask your favorite local florist if you can pay a small fee to rent potted seasonal flowers, such as mums, to decorate your ceremony or reception venues. Choose a flower color that will coordinate with your bridesmaid dresses. Or purchase inexpensive glass vases for each table at the reception, and fill the vases with small branches of colorful fall leaves and grasses collected by friends and family. Better yet, choose an outdoor venue and let the beauty of the natural world serve as your free decorations.

2. Food

Work with your caterer to create a budget wedding menu that includes fruits and vegetables that are in season. This choice is better for the environment and may also save you a fair amount of money by selecting produce that is plentiful and available at this time of year. Butternut squash, pears, and tangerines are just some of the bounty of the fall harvest. Butternut squash bisque, a mixed greens salad with tangerine dressing, and pear tartlets all sound delicious and seasonally appropriate for a fall wedding.

3. Attire

If you get married in the fall, you may benefit from bridal stores attempting to mark down the wedding gowns they still have in stock after the spring and summer wedding seasons. If you are having an indoor wedding, then a sleeveless wedding gown will still serve you well for a fall wedding. If you are planning an outdoor celebration, then you may wish to find a coordinating lacy shawl or elegant shrug to stay warm. If you find a more elaborate shawl, then it would likely be best to opt for a very simple gown. Or perhaps you wish to find accessories that will coordinate with your affordable wedding rings.

Photo Credit: Flickr (Dani Lefrancois)

With all of the extreme tropical weather (and earthquakes!) in the United States over the last few weeks, thousands of weddings have been disrupted or postponed. One problem with these recent weather patterns is that making last-minute plans often derails budget weddings with large, unexpected expenses. According to CNN.com, the average American wedding already costs over $25,000, and a huge percentage of that tab is composed of sunk costs that will be lost if the wedding does not occur on the day it is planned for.

There are some venues that offer wedding insurance for a fee, to help recoup costs in case of a tropical storm or other unexpected problem. However, many of the costs of a wedding are paid outright for perishable goods. Brides and grooms who are affected by tropical weather may lose money on flowers or food – and then might need to purchase those items again at a later date if they postpone their wedding. Often, a performer or venue will still charge even if the wedding did not occur. Budget weddings can’t withstand that kind of last-minute expense. In some cases, the alternative might be to have a room full of beautiful flowers and a table full of delicious food, but very few guests to enjoy it, if weather conditions make travel difficult.

So what are the savvy bride and groom to do? Here are 5 strategies:

1. Avoid hurricane season. Although you can’t plan for an earthquake, you can absolutely schedule your wedding outside of hurricane season, which conveniently also avoids the expensive peak wedding season. This is helpful if you are planning a wedding on a budget.

2. Explore cancellation and insurance policies. Find out the cancellation / postponing policy for the wedding venue and all of your vendors as you are planning a wedding on a budget. Be certain that you are comfortable with those policies in case of a natural disaster or other problem. If any offer an insurance policy, consider purchasing it if the terms are acceptable to you.

3. Weatherproof your honeymoon as best you can. Beyond budget weddings, severe weather can also disrupt honeymoon travel plans. You may wish to purchase travel insurance policies or plan travel for a time of the year when tropical weather is unlikely.

4. Have a backup plan in mind before disaster strikes. If you are flexible and already have a plan B in mind, then you are less likely to have to pay a premium for last-minute changes.

5. Keep your wedding simple. If you are planning a wedding on a budget, avoid elaborate perishable flower arrangements, for example. Choose a venue that will not need such expensive decorations that will go to waste if you need to change your plans.

Photo Credit: Flickr (Sister72) Jackie

The flower girl has been a traditional member of the wedding party since ancient times, when she represented the bride blossoming into womanhood. The flower girl is usually a relative of the bride or groom between the ages of four and eight. She walks in front of the bride and throws flower petals during the wedding processional.

Does this tradition fit into your budget wedding plans?

A flower girl is not very expensive. It is easy to create your own coordinating flower basket or find one inexpensively. You can buy packages of fake flower petals from a craft store, or you could easily tear off real ones from a couple of flowers that coordinate with your color scheme.

These days, most couples don’t even pay for the flower girl dress. It is generally the parents of the flower girl who purchase the dress. Many brides select a coordinating flower girl dress at a bridal shop, but those can be expensive. If you’d like to make a budget wedding choice, you may wish to choose a dress from a non-wedding store that has a color or pattern or style that coordinates with the bridesmaids for a much lower cost to the flower girl’s family.

The other costs for having a flower girl in your budget wedding would simply be another head at the reception and a small thank-you gift for her participation.

Some brides prefer not to have children in the wedding party, though. The traditional flower girl and ring bearer (who carries the his and hers wedding ring set on a pillow) can be adorable, but they can also add an element of chance. Sometimes children forget their rehearsed roles, walk in the wrong direction, or make other mistakes in their performance. (This writer became infamous for coming to a dead stop at the head of the aisle as a seven-year-old and sobbing loudly until the bride herself came to rescue her.) If you would be upset rather than charmed by such an incident, then you may wish to forego the flower petals and ask an adult member of the bridal party to carry the his and hers wedding ring set. The decision is up to you.

Photo Credit: Flickr (edenpictures)

You’re almost there. You ordered your inexpensive trio ring set many months ago. You’ve gotten a great deal on a budget wedding venue for the big day. You ordered a delicious bargain wedding cake that looks like it cost a pretty penny. The budget wedding dress of your dreams is even in the bag.

But have you started to think beyond your budget wedding? Where will you travel on an inexpensive honeymoon without blowing all the money you saved on your wedding? Here are three ideas.

1. The Caribbean

Depending on what part of the country you live in, the Caribbean may seem out of reach. But sometimes travel websites offer amazing vacation packages to the Caribbean from an airport near you, especially during the off-season. Caribbean cruise packages also sometimes go on sale, and their all-inclusive packages might be a great deal if they sail from a port near you. Tobago and Aruba are rumored to be cheaper than many other islands in the Caribbean, especially if you stay off of the beaten path. You may also wish to consider the U.S. Virgin Islands, where you will not have to pay currency exchange rates or sales tax on any of your purchases.

2. A Nearby Luxury Hotel

If you want all out decadent relaxation on your honeymoon, remove the high travel costs. Honeymoon at a luxury hotel that is within driving distance, and splurge on gourmet meals, couples massages, breakfast in bed, and a room with a hot tub or a fireplace rather than on gas or plane tickets. This nearby hotel could also be a great destination to relive your honeymoon and celebrate anniversaries in the future.

3. A State Park

If you are outdoorsy, escape from it all in a secluded state park cabin. Cabins usually run far below $100 per night, and they generally come equipped with bathrooms, kitchens, and climate control. Be certain to reserve your cabin in advance, since state park cabins are often very popular as an inexpensive getaway. Be certain to pack your own champagne, picnic supplies, and easy but romantic foods to eat. If you’re planning on doing any serious hiking, you may wish to leave your inexpensive trio ring set in a safe place in the cabin so that it doesn’t get dirty.

What are your ideas for budget honeymoon destinations?

Photo Credit: Flickr (roughedge57)

As you are planning a wedding on a budget, you may be thinking about some unconventional wedding or proposal ¬ideas to save money or to express your personality. It turns out that you are not alone. Three couples have recently become YouTube sensations as a result of their unusual surprise proposals and weddings. (Warning for grooms-to-be: most women will agree that a surprise proposal is an exciting prospect. Many women would not be as happy about a surprise wedding.)

1. Surprise Proposal

A Georgia man created a video of himself asking his girlfriend’s dad for her hand in marriage, and he arranged to have the video played during the previews when his girlfriend went to the movies. At the end of the trailer, he ran into the movie theater and surprised her with a proposal in front of the entire theater, which included many of her family and friends hiding in the back. This video has now gone viral on YouTube. Not all women would be excited about such a public proposal, but if you are planning a wedding on a budget and have a shy bride-to-be, you could easily modify this idea to use your own home video equipment and play a similar film for her on your own television as a creative and inexpensive surprise.

2. Surprise Wedding 1

A Canadian man who was planning to elope with his girlfriend to Las Vegas instead orchestrated a surprise budget wedding for his bride-to-be behind their favorite restaurant with the help of friends and family. By carefully taking note of her preferences over the course of a year, he was able to create a wedding that was very similar to what she might have planned herself. When she showed up at the restaurant ready for a meal, he led her to her wedding dress instead. Many women would prefer to plan their own budget wedding, but this groom was very careful to create a special day that matched his bride’s taste. If you decide to use this idea, keeping it small and simple is probably the best strategy.

3. Surprise Wedding 2

An unconventional Massachusetts couple recently decided to plan a surprise budget wedding together. However, the surprise was not for one of them but instead for bystanders at a shopping mall. They chose to organize a “flash mob” wedding. In their invitations to family and friends, they printed simple dance moves and instructions for participating in their public wedding. When the wedding started all of a sudden in the middle of the mall, both invited guests and unknown shoppers participated in their special day. This is a creative idea that could save a lot of money on such things as venue and decorations, but it takes a lot of planning (and special permission from the owners of the mall).

What other unconventional wedding or proposal ideas have you heard about?

Photo Credit: Alex Indigo (Flickr: alexindigo)

While some couples in Hong Kong are taking budget weddings to another level by tying the knot in McDonald’s, most Chinese couples spend extraordinary amounts on their weddings, including in the latest trend of elaborate pre-wedding photo shoots. Several months before the big day, couples put together pre-enactments of the event, dressing up in rented bridal gowns and tuxes, renting out a church, and hiring a photographer to capture those crucial marriage moments. Such performances can cost up to $10,000, which falls on top of the more traditional wedding expenses. Many couples choose to document a variety of staged experiences that incorporate several costume changes, and some couples even travel to exotic locations for these photo shoots, adding to the cost. Brides and grooms are seeking to capture fantasies rather than candid moments, and because of that, few pictures are actually taken on the day of the wedding.

In the U.S., the emphasis is on the big day itself, and anyone organizing a budget wedding knows that photographs are a crucial part of capturing the magic. As you plan your own budget wedding, consider a few alternatives to the high cost of wedding photographers. Here are a few suggestions:

1) Ask a trustworthy or artsy friend to take photographs.

2) Find a package deal with a local photographer who would be willing to do both your engagement and wedding photos.

3) To supplement professional photographs, leave disposable cameras on your guests’ tables during the reception to add more candid shots to the mix.

4) If there are shots you want to make sure you have, plan them out before the wedding day, and let your bridesmaids, groomsmen, and family members know when and where you’ll need them. You’ll save your photographer’s time, thus saving money.

5) Ask recently married friends for their budget wedding tips. You want to be sure you have beautiful images of the day without spending an arm and a leg.

Photo Credit: Jakob Montrasio

As you plan your budget wedding, devising ways to pinch pennies here and scale down there, you may not have considered moving your venue to the nearest fast-food restaurant. But in Hong Kong, where elaborate weddings routinely cost couples more than $40,000, a new trend in budget weddings seems to be gaining popularity: McMarriages!

Since January, Hong Kong-based McDonald’s franchises have opened themselves up to hosting weddings, with several planned packages for brides to choose from. The basic package costs only $1,300 (a bargain in today’s wedding-crazed environment) and includes rental of the space, a catered dinner, party favors for the guests, organized games led by perky employees, a wedding cake constructed out of individual apple pies, and, for a few hundred dollars more, a wedding dress made of white balloons. For a Hong Kong couple planning a wedding on a budget, such a set-up is ideal.

Sound crazy? In Hong Kong, McDonald’s doesn’t carry the same stigma of cheapness that it does in America. Couples that have taken advantage of the package deal so far have expressed how grateful they are to be able to share their happy day with friends and family in a fun atmosphere. In Hong Kong, taking a business client, a dear friend, or a first date to McDonald’s is perfectly ordinary, and many couples share rich memories of their times at a local chain.

While Americans may not be ready to abandon the church or large hall in favor of a fast-food restaurant, couples planning a wedding on a budget could certainly gather a few tips from their Asian neighbors. Why not forgo the elaborate wedding cake for something simpler and easier to serve, like cupcakes? Instead of forking over several thousand dollars for a fancy wedding venue, what about relocating your budget wedding to a beautiful state park or fun community center? You don’t have to get married at McDonald’s to save a few dollars!

What reasonably priced wedding venues have you heard about?

Photo Credit: Ian Mutto

Whether you say your vows on a secluded beach in the summer or in a large church in the winter, the music helps set the mood at any wedding. Even if you are planning a wedding on a budget, you will want to choose music that sounds beautiful, complements your wedding location, and expresses the personality of you and your future spouse. Here’s how to find music that can do all three without breaking the bank.

1. The Ceremony

If you are planning a wedding on a budget at a church, it is possible that you might be able to get a good deal on music provided by the church. The church organist or pianist might be willing to play music for your ceremony for a reasonable fee, or perhaps a few members from the church choir would be interested in performing. Other options for traditional music for your budget wedding ceremony include calling around to ask local music teachers or music students who might like to earn some extra money. Or perhaps you have a musically talented friend who would be willing to perform instead of buying a wedding present for you. If you are really tight on money, you might also consider simply purchasing a nice recording of popular wedding music, such as Pachelbel’s Canon in D, to play on the sound system at your budget wedding venue.

2. The Reception

You are likely to want your budget wedding reception to include festive music and dancing. You might be able to hire a good DJ for a few hours for a reasonable price, especially if you call around. If you find a new DJ who is just establishing their business, they may be likely to offer you a special discount in appreciation for helping them get started and spread their name around. Other couples who are planning a wedding on a budget find friends to play music at the reception or even create a mix of their favorite songs to play through an iPod or laptop on the venue’s sound system.

3. Prioritizing

As with any budget wedding, the key to sticking to your budget is prioritizing. You may not be able to afford a renowned string quartet for the ceremony and a full band for the reception. However, you can choose what aspect of the music is most important to you. If live music is very important as you walk down the aisle, then consider saving money by hiring a DJ or creating your own playlist for the reception. Being able to make such compromises will serve you well in your marriage in the years ahead.

Photo Credit: Alice Carrier

You have found the perfect wedding dress to wear at your budget wedding. And since you are carefully planning a wedding on a budget, you were even able to get a great deal on the dress you wanted. However, don’t cross the wedding dress completely off of your to-do list quite yet. Before you hide your dress in a closet for the big day, you may want to take the dress with you to a specialty lingerie store or department store. Even though you are trying to save money for your budget wedding, it is important in invest in the right undergarments to wear with your wedding gown. It will be hard to look like a million dollars in your two hundred dollar gown if you have an obvious panty line or visible bra straps. Here are some items you may wish to shop for before the big day.

1. Bra

These days, it is hard to find a wedding dress with sleeves. Most wedding dresses today are sleeveless or strapless, and they are often designed to show some skin. This can make it difficult for women to find the right support to wear under their dress. Fortunately, many specialty lingerie stores and department stores carry innovative bras that give support without showing over your gown. Be certain to actually bring your dress with you to the store to try on the various options that might work best with your dress. If you can’t find the right option in a store, many seamstresses can also alter your gown to have hidden bra cups sewn into the top of the gown. If you are handy with a needle and thread, you might even be able to sew your own bra cups from a fabric store into the lining of the top of the dress if you are intent on planning a wedding on a budget, but be aware that this option might give you less support than a freestanding bra.

2. Underwear

If your wedding gown has a fuller skirt, then it is unlikely that you will have a panty line that is visible to your guests. However, if your dress is more form-fitting or made from a thinner fabric, then you will likely want to find underwear that is as invisible as possible. Many stores carry underwear that does not have a panty line. You will also want to consider color. An underwear color that is drastically different from your skin tone or from the wedding dress color is likely to be visible unless you have a very full skirt that hides it.

3. Shapewear

Many wedding dresses have built-in corsets or other structures that help to flatter your figure. If your wedding dress is made from a lighter weight fabric and does not have built-in structure, then you may want to purchase shapewear that can help smooth unflattering bulges into submission. This is another situation where you may wish to bring your budget wedding dress with you to be sure that the undergarments are not visible through the dress because of their shape, cut, or color.

Photo Credit: kf0nz1

Anyone who is planning a wedding, and especially someone who is planning a wedding on a budget, can benefit from gathering creative ideas from other people’s weddings. Budget weddings can be made more personal with inexpensive ideas from other cultures or even from popular wedding movies. So make some popcorn and cuddle with your fiancé on the couch to watch a movie about weddings to start the ideas flowing. Here are a few movies to get you started.

Love Actually

Love Actually is a romantic comedy that features the intertwining stories of several different couples. Early in the movie, Peter and Juliet’s wedding includes a delightful scene. After Peter and Juliet are married and turn to walk down the aisle together as man and wife, the curtains of the choir loft open, and a choir begins to sing the popular Beatles song “All You Need is Love.” Several of the wedding guests are in on the surprise and stand up to join in the song, playing instruments such as flutes, saxophones, and even an electric guitar. Such a musical event may be quite difficult to orchestrate in real life, especially for a budget wedding. However, you could use this scene as inspiration to come up with a way that your musically talented friends could participate in your wedding. A group of your friends might agree to play a favorite song during your ceremony or reception, perhaps in lieu of a wedding gift.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

In My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Toula struggles to balance her cultural traditions with a more mainstream wedding. By including her sometimes crazy family in the wedding plans, Toula is able to save money by taking advantage of family heirlooms such as traditional Greek Orthodox wedding crowns from her grandmother. She is able to take advantage of family connections with different retailers around town, and she even has lots of help from her large family as they all do each other’s hair and makeup before the wedding, saving a great deal of money. If you are planning a wedding on a budget, use this movie as inspiration to get you thinking about how you can honor your family’s cultural traditions and also get help from family members who have specific skills that might be useful and save you money.

What other ideas have you seen in the movies for planning a budget wedding?

Photo Credit: Corey Ann