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