How to Have a Memorable Wedding on a Budget

This is a collaborative post by Ellie Jo with budget-friendly wedding tips.

Any bride will tell you that there is immense pressure when it comes to pulling off their wedding. From making sure they have covered all angles to ensure there is no family drama. It can be exhausting.

Many brides will agree that whatever your budget may be, wedding planning comes with its fair share of problems. But overall all couples have the same thing in common, they want to have a memorable day for both themselves and their guests. 

However, it can often be the smaller details that can make the biggest impact. There are big elements of the day that you will already take on, such as the guest list and the venue, your dress and even the date.

The smaller details can often be the things that people remember the most. The favors, how they felt entertained, the food and the atmosphere, to name a few. With that in mind, here are some of the details that can transform your wedding. I hope they inspire you. 

Planning a Wedding on a Budget

The favors

When it comes to deciding on your wedding favors, it can feel like a tough decision to make. There are so many options out there from charity donations to sweets and miniature alcohol bottles. If you are particularly crafty, then Pinterest has some amazing ideas. But traditionally the wedding favors were seen as your way of thanking your guests for sharing your special day with you.

So it’s worth spending a little time thinking about what would be appropriate. Your wedding favors can be the icebreaker amongst your guests as well, and a talking point. Especially if they happen to be sat on a table with people they don’t know. It is a detail that could transform the day. 

The stationery

Your wedding stationery can be such a small detail but can have a strong impact. From your wedding invitations through to your place settings, making the theme continue is vital. People also consider having some personalized order of service cards or a wedding program which is a great detail for the ceremony. Allowing your guests to follow exactly what is going on. It might be an essential feature, especially for a lengthy service.

The wedding stationery you use for the big day can be something a lot of brides overlook. This is because they can often overthink it, or just forget. But, the stationery you use can set the tone for your day. Your invite is a guest’s first indication of your day. It may give them a clue to your theme or color scheme. It offers them insight. Which is why it shouldn’t be something you overlook.

Spend some time on this and see how your guests react. You are kick-starting your wedding in the right way. Some people like the idea of ordering stationery, but you could use your creative flair and make some DIY ones. There are plenty of stores that can help sell the card and accessories needed to create beautiful wedding stationery. 

The entertainment

Many people spend more time thinking about the entertainment these days. Entertainment isn’t just about hiring a DJ anymore; it’s about considering having a band play, or even just a singer. It’s about creating entertainment for those quieter moments. Like the drinks reception or between the wedding breakfast and reception.

Things like photo booths are becoming more popular, with people hiring out companies to do them or even creating their own versions. This is quite simple to do when researched. However, some other entertainment options could be a magician that makes his way around the room during the food. Or a caricature artist creating portraits of your guests as the day goes on.

The options are endless, but these little details could make your day flow better. Entertainment is often associated with the main party at the end, but if you are wanting to keep the guests engaged in your day, then creating an atmosphere at other points could help you to do that. 

A sparkly dance floor and unique decorations

Who doesn’t want their dance floor lighting up, and not just with your amazing moves? A sparkly dance floor is becoming popular amongst weddings that are wanting the wow factor. It is worth considering to give your nighttime party that extra bit of sass. You can hire them out easy enough, or many wedding venues have them to hand.

You may even want to think of other unique decorative features such as big light up letters, which are becoming popular, a chocolate or alcoholic fountain that people can marvel over and enjoy or even just a unique place to hold the gifts and cards like a post box, for example.

You may also find that you gain some inspiration from celebrity weddings. Let’s think back to the lavish wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. While many of us do not have their budget, some of the ideas of the lavish ceremony can be replicated. One of those is the flower wall. This could be simply made using an MDF board and getting crafty with a glue gun and flowers.

However, it is becoming a popular trend, so you may find services offering something like this for hire. You could choose it as a backdrop for pictures. Or simply behind you on the top table. But it is a unique decoration idea and one you can replicate into your wedding. 

A candlelit venue

If you happen to be getting married in the winter, then something that can be lit by candlelight should be something you should take full advantage of. As the sun sets earlier, you will find you have a darker room sooner. This is where candlelight can make an amazing ambiance to the room and atmosphere. It’s a cheap way of decorating a room but provides so much mood and light that all your guests will want to replicate the look. Many people love the romance associated with candlelight, so again it can go a long way to helping you create the atmosphere of your big day. 

The drinks and the speeches

Weddings are traditionally all about bringing the couple together, so don’t forget the small details of providing things like welcomes drinks. This could be a signature cocktail you create or choose, or just a glass of wine and a bottle of beer if you prefer. Some like to offer a glass of bubbly stuff on arrival which can be a great touch. Whichever option you choose, ensure you think about what will work for your guests as well as what represents you as a couple.

Another thing to think about would be drinks during the wedding breakfast, will you offer wine on the table? Small gestures like that can help a guest enjoy the day, as attending a wedding can be an expensive affair.

Last of all, you have the speeches to think about, and this could be a great opportunity to offer up another glass of bubbles to toast the people giving the speeches. On the subject of speeches, you may want to decide who will be giving them. Is it going to be the groom and the best man? Or will it give you a chance to thank people for attending your day and to share your thoughts? Many are going against tradition now and making this part of the day much more personal to them. 

The food

Finally, one tip is never to scrimp on the food. You want to ensure that your guests have a great day then feeding them with good food is one way to seal the deal. The food element is such a big part of the day that it is important to ensure that you make a good choice.

Taking dietary requirements into account is a detail that specific guests will appreciate. Making sure there are vegetarian options, or that guests with allergies are considered. There are many different options you can consider when it comes to food.

You could have a traditional wedding breakfast where you all sit down to enjoy a three course meal, or you can prefer to choose something a little more informal like a buffet option. There are a lot of options, and some even choose to have street food vendors and make the wedding breakfast section of the day a much more relaxed affair. The food can be a huge expression of who you are as a couple, and also be an important aspect and memorable part of the day. 

So there you have it, some of the details that you could enhance for your wedding when it comes to creating your special day. Thankfully the internet is full of more suggestions of small things you can do that would have a lasting impression on your guests. However, one of the last things to remember would be to enjoy the process of creating your day, it will, after all, be one of the best days that you have. Let’s hope this will help you during your wedding planning journey.