You’d be surprised at the innovative and inexpensive ways you can accessorize your wedding. From programs to flowers to favors, the savings can add up! With a little advanced planning and some creative thinking, you can shave hundreds to thousands of dollars off your budget while maintaining a beautiful ambiance.
Don’t bother hiring someone to design and print your program. If you can type on a computer, then you can do it yourself.
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Print copies of your own homemade programs from your computer, or copy them at your local printer.
Programs can be as simple as a sheet of pretty paper (placed on each guest’s seat) listing the members of the wedding party, those who are doing readings, and short descriptions of other elements relating to the ceremony.
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Consider using your programs as nice souvenirs instead of buying favors.
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To save money, place one program on every other chair at the ceremony, or have ushers distribute one per single, couple, or family at the entrance.
Shop around. Price ranges and packages will vary greatly, and you may be pleasantly surprised to find that smaller vendors are more flexible with their prices.
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Read the fine print of the contracts, and ask lots of questions. As experts, florists can often suggest cost savings or small touches that you may not have considered.
I had a friend who was trying to break into the floral business do my flowers. We had the largest, most beautiful centerpieces that were made of exotic flowers on pedestals sitting on mirrors with votive candles around them. The flowers in the huppah were also extraordinary. We had forty dining tables, a cake table, head table, guest book table, plus all the bouquets (eight attendants each plus moms, etc.) and huppah, and greenery at the ends of the aisles all for under $2,000.
—Barbara B., Irvine, CA
Look at photo albums of the florists’ work in addition to some of their live arrangements.
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Come prepared with floral images that you have collected from magazines and Web sites.
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Bring a color swatch from your dress and bridesmaid dresses so the florist can offer you economical tips to complement your color scheme.
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When you have narrowed your choice to a few florists, have them give you the dates of their current scheduled events and locations where you can take a peek at their live work.
Ask for reference letters or thank-you notes the florist has received from previous clients.
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Call their references (usually bride’s or mother’s of the brides) to get personal feedback.
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If you have total confidence in your florist’s taste and abilities and you want to save the most, allow him or her to select the freshest and cheapest flowers available the week of your wedding and make your arrangements from those that are least expensive.
To eliminate delivery fees, impose on a friend to transport your flowers.
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Consider finding a floral-school student or new florist who is breaking into the field who is seeking experience. You’ll get better prices.
Give florists your budget up front, and be sure they can work within it.
Hand-tied bouquets are becoming popular for the wedding party. Good news: They cost less than the traditional plastic florist bouquet holders and look as though they were freshly picked for the ceremony!
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Instead of elaborate ribbons, tulle, and flower bundles, consider having the bridesmaid’s bouquets be fresh-cut flowers tied with a simple satin ribbon.
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Consider carrying one simple, large flower such as a calla lily tied in a beautiful ribbon as the bouquet or three large sunflowers, or use this idea for the bridesmaids’ flowers. It is classy and cost-effective.
One bride had an usher give a single flower to each guest sitting closest to the aisle before the ceremony began. As the bride walked down the aisle, she literally collected her bouquet from her guests. The maid of honor quickly bundled and tied all the flowers together for her.
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Mix fresh and preserved flowers in the bouquets to save on costs.
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If you are carrying silk or dried flowers, be sure to have a sachet of potpourri attached to the handle of the bouquet, or use a scented spray to enhance the bouquet’s aroma. This costs almost nothing, but adds a nice touch.
Follow an ancient custom: Include ivy in the bridal bouquet, which is inexpensive and can later be planted in your garden as a living reminder of the wedding celebration.
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Eliminate bouquets for grandmothers and mothers of the bride and groom. Instead, opt for a single stem for them to carry.
If you do your own flowers, beware that it is more time-consuming and time-sensitive than you might realize. Do you really want to be stressing over flower quality, quantities, or refrigeration the few final days before your wedding?
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If you do decide to do them yourself, for budget and time considerations, your best bet may be potted plants, bowls with a few floating votives and flowers, or silk arrangements.
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Order fresh-cut flowers through your local grocer or home-goods wholesale supplier. You may be pleasantly surprised by their prices and quality. (Or, order premade centerpieces and bouquets directly through them.)
I made my own table-number plaques at a paint-your-own ceramics studio. I used two-by-two-inch ceramic tiles and on the front painted the table number (using different designs on each one: hearts, plaids, etc.). On the back, I printed our names and wedding date. I had the ceramics store drill two holes at the top of each tile, and then strung organza ribbon through them and hung them from the centerpieces. They were a huge hit, and it was special to have done them myself.
—Kelly B., Washington, D.C.
Potted topiaries—climbing ivy designed around mesh frames in specific shapes—are a fun alternative to floral centerpieces. Add some ribbon or a few attached flower blooms to spiff them up.
I did my own flowers with small, green, ivy topiaries that I decorated with white twinkling lights and gardenias. I planted them in generic, terra-cotta garden pots that were 99 cents each, and I spray-painted them gold. The centerpieces served as a door prize for the guest at the table who had a penny (which the caterer had placed) under their saucer. I enjoyed the process so much, and people raved about my creations, so I actually broke into the flower business after my wedding and pursued a new career as a florist!
—Jennifer R., West Palm Beach, FL
Flowers and candles floating in a fishbowl or clear glass vase are also simple, inexpensive, yet pretty ways to decorate your table.
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One bride who had an “island/nautical” theme wedding used live goldfish as her centerpieces. A guest at each table took them home as a favor.
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Add a drop of food coloring to clear vases or bowls for a color-coordinated effect that complements your wedding scheme.
Consider using silk flowers. They can be prepared far in advance, and you don’t have to worry about them wilting at the reception.
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Look into renting ready-made floral centerpieces that can be used one time for a fraction of the cost of fresh flowers.
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When the ceremony is over, reuse the loose-cut bridesmaids’ bouquets by putting them into prepared fresh-water vases to serve as the centerpieces for the reception and to decorate the cake and head tables.
If your wedding ceremony or reception occurs near a pond, pool, or fountain, use floating flowers and candles. The effect is dazzling and romantic, and the cost is minimal.
1. Avoid orchids and roses—they are the most expensive flowers.
2. Avoid white flowers as they show brown edges easily and are harder for florists to work with (and therefore more costly).
3. Use less costly flowers and greenery as filler such as carnations, daisies, baby’s breath, ivy, and fern.
4. Select flowers that are in season for your wedding.
5. Try to use flowers that are grown locally so you will save on the shipping costs built into flower pricing.
6. Consider using potted plants as centerpieces instead of fresh-cut flowers. Better yet, grow them yourself in advance of the wedding. Plus, they can be replanted in your (or your guests’) garden later.
7. Moss serves as a great filler for holes in arrangements or to hide dirt at the base of pots and green foam centers.
8. If you live near any farms, see if they have fresh-grown flowers for sale. They can cost a fraction of the price of even the cheapest wholesalers.
9. Spray-paint branches to use as filler.
10. Ask friends who live near the site if they have gardens and would be willing to donate cuttings from them to be used for your wedding decor.
Balloons are cheap, fun, colorful, and festive. They match any decor and can be arranged easily as centerpieces, around chairs, aisles, and more.
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Cost-effective alternatives to floral centerpieces include balloons and confetti; baskets of fresh fruit, gourds, and autumn leaves (if seasonal); pretty tissues, fabric squares, or gift wrap; flat circular mirrors with votives arranged on top; or a few framed pictures of the bride and groom in fun scenarios, arranged in a circle facing the guests.
Candles and votives should be used everywhere, from centerpieces to other parts of the reception area. They are much less costly than fresh flowers and create a romantic ambiance. Tea lights are cheap, too, and can burn for hours both indoors and out.
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Tall candelabras with their bases garnished in greenery or with vines and flowers climbing up the base offer a dramatic effect and save on the cost of flowers. Many sites already have candelabras or other floral containers that they use as centerpieces for events that you can use or borrow for your event free of charge.
Use one wide, tall candle (or grouping of various-sized candles) as your centerpiece and decorate the base with tulle fabric or ivy, or even sit them on a round mirror. Voilà! A simple, frugal centerpiece, with few frills and very little fuss!
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Fresh fruit arranged in bowls or baskets, vegetables, cornucopias filled with seasonal leaves, branches, gourds, or other items pertaining to the region where you get married also work as centerpieces for a fraction of the cost of fresh flowers.
I got this idea from a New York City window display and modeled my homemade centerpieces after them. I bought thirteen tall, wide glass vases found at a floral mart for $2.99 a piece and filled them with water. Any clear container will do, though. In three jars I placed a dozen lemons, three more with oranges, three with apples, three with limes and the head table had a larger jar with a mixture of the eye-pleasing, colorful, whimsical, inexpensive fruits. These served as my unique, summertime centerpieces for a brunch wedding. At each table, a lucky guest went home with the centerpiece as a wedding favor.
—Rachel S., New York, NY
Tiny vases with individual flowers in them serve as an inexpensive centerpiece when grouped together and also double as a nice favor for guests. You can find tiny glass or ceramic vases for under a dollar at wholesalers, flea markets, and even through your grocer.
The flowers that decorate the ceremony site can be transported to the reception.
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Use the bridesmaid bouquets to adorn the cake-cutting table so it looks nicely decorated for photos.
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Save on flower and greenery costs by getting married in a garden or other outdoor setting.
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Use greenery such as ivy, fern, and vines on church pews, huppahs, and trellises or large flower blooms to cover more surface area and get more bang for your buck.
Tulle, that scratchy crinoline fabric, can be purchased by the yard rather inexpensively at most fabric stores. It can be knotted, draped, or tied in bows around chairs, pots, a wedding canopy, and as aisle or pew markers.
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Rose petals, confetti, glitter, or shaved chocolate all work as inexpensive table accents to scatter around the base of your centerpiece.
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Twinkling white lights can be borrowed from any friends who use them to decorate their homes during the holidays. If you plan to use these lights, begin to gather them in advance. They are virtually free and make for a beautiful effect!
Dim the lights in the reception room to add romantic ambiance and set the mood. Dimmer lights may also mean less focus on your decor, food, and centerpieces so you can cut back a bit on these items.
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Getting married around a holiday may solve your decorating worries. Many halls are already covered in flowers, decorations, and other festive accents to acknowledge the particular holiday.
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Find out if another wedding is occurring around the same time as yours, and contact that bride to see if there are any decorations, flowers, or other rental costs you can share.
I had a Disney theme wedding and used Disneyland snow globes as my centerpieces surrounded by Disney characters and small flower vases. For table assignment cards, I used Disney photo magnet frames with each guest’s name and table number inserted. Guests later took these magnets home as favors. The cost was much less than flower arrangements and printed table cards.
—Kim F., Fort Lauderdale, FL
Inexpensive homemade wedding favors include painted napkin rings with your names and wedding date; cookies, fudge, or chocolates wrapped in tissue or clear cellophane with ribbon; or tiny potted plants.
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Instead of the typical Jordan almonds wrapped in tulle, some couples give guests a packet of flower seeds with their names and wedding date attached; guests can plant the seeds at their homes in honor of the wedding.
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Make your own wedding favors. Arts and crafts stores have many inexpensive trinkets, beads, lace, sequins, and pearls. They even carry small figurines that can be painted to go atop your wedding cake or in centerpieces. If you have creative friends or family members, enlist their help!
Purchase boxes of tiny undecorated bottles of bubbles; then add your own ribbon around the neck of the bottle. They serve as great favors, and guests can blow them during the ceremony or as you exit instead of throwing rice or flower petals.
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Golf tees, pens, pencils, or key chains with your name and wedding date printed on them can be ordered in bulk from many mail-order companies, catalogs, or Internet sites for a very low price.
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Buy miniature chocolate bars in bulk and remove the outer printed wrapper on each. Then tie a ribbon that corresponds to your wedding colors around the foil inner wrapper and put one at each place. Or, make your own personalized labels on your computer with a message to your guests, meaningful quote, poem, or scanned photo.
Make your own chocolates or lollipops using molds purchased at a crafts store. Hearts, flowers, doves, or other romantic shapes can be tied up with pretty ribbon or wrapped in cellophane bags.
Purchase adhesive magnets, peel back the adhesive paper, and attach any photo, computerized message, or image for personalized reminders of your event.
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Use tiny tea light votive holders, costing under $1 apiece, on your tables, and send them home with your guests as favors.
Other inexpensive favors include plastic picture frames; fancy coffee beans or tea leaves in a bag or mug; bath soaps; a special message, quote, or poem rolled up in a homemade scroll tied with ribbon; or a cassette tape or CD with your favorite songs in a personalized box.
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Make a contribution to a charity of your choice, and announce to guests that in lieu of favors, you and your groom have made a donation in honor of your wedding day and guests.
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For do-it-yourself souvenir matchbooks, purchase plain white matchbooks in bulk and add a computer-made adhesive label with your names and wedding date. Or, scan a photo of the two of you onto labels to adhere to the matchbooks.
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Put a sticker or special marking underneath one chair or coffee saucer at each table, and announce that the person in that seat may take home the centerpiece arrangement as a favor.
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The cheapest favor of all: Eliminate favors altogether!
We did not give favors to everyone. This is a tradition that people can cut back on unless the favors are really wonderful, in my opinion. We did cut compact discs, though. My husband loves music, and his friend had a burner. We printed our own liner notes from a computer program and a cover that corresponded with our wedding program cover. We gave the CDs only to good friends and family. We still get comments about the mix, and people wonder when we are cutting our next album—probably for our first anniversary!
—Sarah S., Algona, IA
Q. My friend is suggesting I use silk and plastic flowers to save money. Is that too tacky?
A. Using artificial flowers instead of fresh flowers is not tacky, as long as the flowers you choose are attractive—many times people can’t even tell the difference. The bright side to that is you’ll be able to easily preserve them … forever.
Another option is to go to the grocery store or buy your flowers wholesale. Or, you can skip flowers altogether and use balloon bouquets, fruit bowls, or other less expensive arrangements. If you go with something you can re-use, you have a constant reminder of your special day.
