Personal Wedding Style
Twenty-one ways to have a stylish wedding without spending a fortune!
| 1. | For a guest book alternative, consider a tree skirt for a Christmas wedding, a signing scroll for a medieval wedding, a decorative plate, or the matting of a framed picture of the two of you. |
| 2. | Name your tables rather than use numbers. Consider cities or mountain names or something that relates to a favorite hobby. Place the names in 5x7 inch frames. |
| 3. | Use different centerpieces throughout the reception. Vary the heights and sizes of each one but stick to similar colors to tie the room together. |
| 4. | Candles create a very romantic atmosphere and are much cheaper then full floral centerpieces. Bowls of floating candles with a few pretty flowers or rose petals at the base would look fabulous. |
| 5. | Choose personalized favors that say something about you as a couple or use a favorite cookie recipe or hobby as a starting place. |
| 6. | Choose a dress in a simple, elegant style. An over-fussy dress with lots of frills, ruffles or lace, etc. tends to look "cheaper" than a more elegant, less expensive one. Less is more! |
| 7. | Instead of purchasing larger floral and greenery items to decorate the reception, rent them from your local nursery. |
| 8. | Summertime is the peak wedding season for bridal professionals. Consider having your wedding at a different time of year. |
| 9. | Choose a small, but elaborate, cake for your cake cutting and supplement it with plain sheet cake(s) behind the scenes. |
| 10. | Scenting your reception and ceremony areas creates a lasting impression and really sets the mood. Use scented candles, fragrant flowers, or lightly-scented air fresheners tucked into centerpieces or plugged into electrical outlets. |
| 11. | Morning and afternoon weddings are less expensive then evening affairs. A morning brunch reception or an afternoon tea with dainty finger sandwiches means a tremendous savings. |
| 12. | Add drama with richly-colored bouquets in red or purple. Jewel tones are far more exciting then pastels and look beautiful in photographs. |
| 13. | Choose a location with a special meaning or historical significance. |
| 14. | Take flowers used in the ceremony and move them to the reception. Place your wedding party's hand-tied bouquets in vases for instant centerpieces. |
| 15. | Stay simple when decorating the tables. Use white linens, plates, and napkins for an expensive and understated look. White lets the food, favors and table decorations really stand out. |
| 16. | Create a picture board of the two of you for your guests to look at during the reception. Include photos taken before you met and after you met. Include captions and dates. |
| 17. | Consider pre-recorded CD's for dinner-music and dancing rather than a more expensive DJ or band. |
| 18. | Have a buffet-style reception instead of a sit-down affair. Buffets save on the cost of place cards and a waiting staff. |
| 19. | Include your heritage in a special way. Areas might include the food, clothing, colors, music, customs etc. Refer to the Ethnic Traditions theme for ideas. |
| 20. | Save on cost and hassle by having your wedding ceremony in the same room as the reception. |
| 21. | Make an unusual exit from the reception with a motorcycle, speed boat, or horse and carriage, etc. |
Find more ideas and inspiration in our style galleries.
