The Bouqs Weddings can help you keep your wedding budget within reason. Planning a wedding can put quite a strain on your bank account. Weddings can feel overwhelming and become expensive really fast. By the time you have said ‘yes’ to your dress, located a venue, found the caterer, worked out guest count, acquired your marriage license, made a reservation for rehearsal dinner, booked wedding vendors and a photographer…you’re practically out of breath (and money!) You’ve checked every box and signed the dotted lines. Now everything is finally coming together, but you can’t forget that final, timeless detail.
Wedding flowers are not only essential; they are iconic! Don’t become frantic on the days and weeks leading up to your special day. At The Bouqs, we completely understand that the last thing a bride needs on her special day is one more thing to think about. We want to let you in on some clever tricks when it comes to budget wedding ideas, so you can put more money towards the perfect bridal bouquet or a floral archway. We can’t imagine anything more romantic and timeless than a wedding ceremony. Let’s take a look at how to make this day the magical milestone you deserve, without losing your sanity and your hard-earned dollars.
Finding Your Dream Dress
Instead of going to your local bridal shop, head on over to a prom or quinceanera dress boutique. These party dress experts often have white dresses that look just like a wedding dress, at a fraction of the cost. Saving time is a rare gift for any wedding planner, so a simple Google search for ‘white prom dress’ could be just the thing for you. You will be surprised what you can find when you know where to look!
If you shop ahead of time, you can save money on your wedding costs by looking for sales and discounts. Many wedding dressmakers have sales in Winter when there are fewer weddings, and a lot of boutique designers hold trunk sales. If you plan ahead and inquiry around you can often find some great deals on wedding dresses.
Also consider the style of the dress. Custom alternations to dresses can drive up your price like no tomorrow. So think about a dress with a corset-style bodice. Since these lace-up and are built to adjust to individual variations in body type, you won’t need the expensive alterations. Plus they look fantastic!
Choosing the Venue to Host Your Wedding
Where you choose to get married and celebrate afterward can make or break your wedding budget. According to The Knot’s 2016 Real Weddings Study, the combined average cost for the ceremony site and reception venue can run you about $18,000. Luckily there are some trade secrets to make this a lot easier and less expensive.
Destination Weddings
If you’re willing to travel and plan to have a smaller ceremony, a destination wedding might be worth considering! You don’t have to travel to Costa Rica or Fiji for a destination wedding either. Depending on your theme consider options like wineries, ski resorts, or less famous beach locales. You can often find package deals for the reception and ceremony at many hotels which reduces the overall cost. Extra points if you book the venue on a Sunday!
Family and Friend’s Homes
Maybe you want to have your wedding closer to home. There are many options for a location that won’t break your account, such as hosting the wedding at your own home. Or maybe at your cousin’s, who just bought that brand new house with a killer view of the beach. Asking your friends and family to use their property is a surefire way to spare the expense of rental insurance. You also have the advantage of selecting the caterer you want (many venues limit your catering to their exclusive partners) and using your own alcohol (hello Costco discounts).
Unique Rentals
If hosting your wedding at home or on a borrowed property is not an option, consider the increasingly popular Airbnb. You can reserve just about anything through Airbnb. Such as a ranch, cabin, beach house, custom mansions, indoor-outdoor spaces and farmhouses. Choosing places where you can host the ceremony, reception, and offer sleeping accommodations for your wedding party will definitely save you a couple of thousand dollars. You can also find venues near wineries, restaurants, and country clubs if you want to hold the rehearsal dinner somewhere else.
Catering for the Reception
When trying to determine the wedding food cost, the key thing to pay attention to is how you are going to serve it. For the frugal bride, a quick search online can be very helpful. Sites like Amazon have stunning ‘crystal like’ serving trays and dishes for under $50. Did you know that the average catering company can charge up to $30 a meal? One of the least expensive options is to offer your guests a buffet. You end up paying less money for staffing and the price rental. Guests will be serving themselves so you will need to plan a meal with heartier options and a more extensive menu, like soups and salads. Avoid items like seafood, which can be more costly.
Food Trucks
A really fun trend we’ve seen a lot of lately is food trucks! Yep, we are talking about your lunchtime go-to, the street taco truck. Hiring these guys is pretty simple, just be sure to give them at least a thirty-day advance notice. Also, if you wish to include alcohol, consider limiting the bar to a few drinks minimum per guest. A neat way to do this is to issue a drink ticket for each guest. You may also think about skipping the champagne toast. Not all of your guests will like champagne, and it can become a needless expense. Keeping the reception alcohol-free entirely can also save you a considerable amount of money, as the cost per drink is estimated to be $16 each.
If you’d prefer something a little more formal than food trucks, consider a buffet-style dinner. Buffets can save thousands on dinner service from the cost of plated dinners. You won’t have to hire as many servers and buffets give your wedding guests more options in picking the exact meal they prefer. You might also have more options in selecting your wedding menu and save money on not having hundreds of plated lobster dishes imported from Maine. Likewise, you can save money on the cocktail hour by opting for dips and platters rather than small bite-plated hors d’oeuvres.
Seating Accommodations and Centerpiece
When it comes to providing tables and chairs for your event, it can add up very quickly. Factor in the cost of delivery and truck rental on top of it and it becomes downright daunting. However, there is a pretty good chance you could get a local business or charity to loan them to you at little to no cost. Oftentimes churches will have exactly what you need. When choosing your chairs for the wedding ceremony, why not make them suitable for your reception as well? A dual-purpose chair will cut back on a lot of your expenses. For your table, try a circular shape. Not only does this shape work wonders for saving space, but you can fit more people around it, too.
Something Borrowed
It can get pretty pricey to rent flatware and glassware for your entire reception party. Why not let your creativity shine by borrowing every single piece from family and friends? You can mix different dish colors, prints, and patterns for a fun twist to the traditional wedding white. If you’re planning a rustic or bohemian-themed wedding this will enhance your aesthetic and make it fun for family and friends. Another fun suggestion is a decorative piece of tile instead of a plate. You can check out your local hardware store to pick out something perfect and at a fraction of the cost.
Save Your Inspirations
Centerpieces are the main event for the reception table and can cost hundreds of precious dollars. Again, the internet can be a lifesaver in situations like this. A favorite amongst the bridal community is Pinterest. This website is full of DIY ideas shared by other brides, just like you! For anyone with a little craftiness, DIY options allow you to create something completely unique that fits your theme and aesthetic perfectly. Or if you know any other newlyweds, why not ask to borrow their centerpieces instead of spending money on brand-new ones?
Giving the Perfect Party Favors
Let us not forget the gifts for our guests! We know you want to show your appreciation to your guests for all of their support and dedication. But how can you do this, without creating unnecessary expenditures? Instead of those pricey little trinkets that will end up shelved and collecting dust in the coming years, we have an alternate suggestion.
How about something your guest will actually use? Set up a ‘farm stand’ table of delicious and colorful fruit. Set up small baskets that guests can fill up with fruit on their way out! Bonus points: the farm stand pulls double duty as a stunning wedding decoration! For some extra pizzazz, why not grab a couple of tropical Bouqs to adorn the table around your fruit?
DIY can also work wonders here. Try to think of something fun and useful that fits your wedding theme. For instance, you can create custom kitchen magnets for a low cost that will have your guest list remember your special day for decades to come.
Choosing the Entertainment
To make your wedding all the more memorable and add some extra special fun, we suggest hiring a dance instructor instead of an entertainer or DJ! This is also very cost-effective and a sure-fire way to bring the family together. You will come away with incredible photographs and videos that you will enjoy for many years to come. If having a performer is more your style, hiring a wedding band is much more budget-friendly than a DJ. Wedding bands will know hundreds of songs and many of them are very modern and audience-interactive, so everyone has fun!
Alternatively, if you know you have a lot of outgoing friends and family, you can skip excessive entertainment. You don’t need fire dancers and contortionists to have a wedding to remember, you just want your loved ones to have time to mingle and hang out, especially after a tough year.
Wedding Decor and Flowers
Every bride knows that her wedding decorations are just as important as the main event. From lighting to floral arrangements, there is so much out there to choose from. Thankfully there are many budget-friendly options available.
Keep it simple.
Stick with 2-3 types of flowers and one accent. Ordering a wide variety of flowers is a common mistake. Your arrangements will end up looking meek if you do not have sturdy and consistent flowers. Sticking with two hardy, full-bloom types, one delicate variety, and one accent will be plenty for achieving an effortlessly chic style. For example, roses and hydrangeas make for perfect main flowers, ranunculus fill in to add extra elegance, and gypsophila or eucalyptus finish arrangements off with natural abundance.
Enlist Design and Assembly Help
Invite your wedding party to a flower-arranging event the day before your nuptials to help assemble the bouquets. Or if you don’t trust them, (productivity does sometimes diminish after a few blushing bride cocktails…) you can try aunts and grandmothers. They often have a natural touch for the floral arts. If those aren’t options, you can always hire a freelance florist.
Give the flowers some time
Our flowers come straight from the farm, meaning they will still be in bud form, and in need of a little bloom-time. Certain varieties, like ranunculus and lisianthus, may even arrive looking less than perfect. Don’t panic! The flowers just need to be trimmed, then place aside in water for a little R&R after their journey from the farm. We suggest having your flowers arrive three days before the ‘big day.’ This way the flowers will be perfectly bloomed for all those photos.
Wedding Packages from The Bouqs Weddings
At Bouqs we have the perfect flowers to pair with any decor you can dream up. Choose from the brightest and freshest flowers, made exactly with your big day in mind. Our floral wedding services offer budget-friendly arrangements with luxurious quality. Our promise at Bouqs is to make sure you don’t empty your wallet when choosing your flowers. Our packages are much cheaper than your average wedding florist. We can supply your bridesmaid bouquets, boutonnieres for the wedding party, wrist corsages and all your other floral needs.
Choose from our Prearranged Wedding Catalogue for exquisitely crafted Bouqs or mix and match pieces to assembly your perfect wedding flowers, guaranteed to dazzle amongst your decorations. For a distinctive and bold atmosphere that enhances any outdoor backdrop, we recommend our Always collection. With its eclectic red accents and deep green eucalyptus, it’s one of our best-sellers. Our small package includes ten pieces, and our larger option includes 40 pieces; including centerpieces, bridesmaid Bouqs, boutonnieres, corsages, and the bridal Bouq.
Bouqs is a proud recipient of the Couples Choice Awards, two years in a row, courtesy of Wedding Wire. You can be sure when you choose Bouqs for your wedding flowers; we are up for the task and ready to help you create the wedding you’ve always dreamed of.
Shop All
