Budget Bride: Wedding Planning Tips for the BEST Day!

I'm a firm believer that the focus of your wedding day NEEDS to be on each other and the love that you share rather than having the most expensive details to impress your guests. People will always remember the couple's love story and beautiful way that they committed to pursue each other for a lifetime far more than every little detail, so the pressure to impress is totally off! Celebrate your new marriage the way you want and know that a timeless, beautiful wedding that emphasizes your love for each other is TOTALLY in your budget!

1. Determine your budget priorities as a couple!

Being on the same page with your soon-to-be-husband about where you want to put the bulk of your money is a must. Everyone has preferences on what to prioritize and working together to make sure you are as aligned as possible will help your new marriage! Is top notch photography that you will cherish forever your number one? Or the aesthetic videographer that will create the most dreamy little movie of your day? Or the stunning romantic vineyard venue at sunset? Or the destination honeymoon trip of a lifetime? Or gourmet entrees that are five star restaurant quality? Pick one or (maybe) two and set them as a goal to save for and prioritize, and push less important things to you lower on the list. My husband and I chose timeless, natural photography as a must have and a relaxing honeymoon trip to Cancun, Mexico to cherish newlywed life!

2. Enlist help from your friends in lieu of a wedding gift!

More often than not, your friends would LOVE to help in any way they can on the day you marry the love of your life! Reach out to loved ones and ask if they would be willing to help with different tasks that day as their wedding gift to you! So many people have so many unique talents and generally love to share them. My sweet friend owns a baking business and baked us the wedding cake of our dreams and my sister-in-law was so kind to create a stunning charcuterie board as our appetizer which was absolutely delicious! It takes a village to pull off a wedding and the more help you can get, the better!

3. Simple decor is really all you need!

A few dried greens and cohesive colored decorations really go a long way! Decor should enhance the beauty of the day, not be the focal point. Whatever your wedding style, keeping your little details simple will save you a lot of money and avoid looking overly cluttered. Look for thrifted or inexpensive items that you love and incorporate them into your gift table or table scapes paired with dried greenery!

4. Find dresses that work for you and your budget!

Times are changing, which is a good thing! Long gone are the days where you needed to shop from 'bridal' stores, where everything is much more expensive! If it has always been your dream to go with all your bridesmaids and try on dresses then by all means do it; but know that you do not HAVE to go that route if it isn't as important to you! The internet has created endless options that aren't marketed as 'wedding dresses' or 'bridesmaid dresses', but totally work for the occasion! It was important to me to gift my bridesmaids their dresses so that they didn't have to spend as much money on the wedding. They gave me their sizes and I waited until the boutique I was ordering from had a BOGO 50% sale on all their dresses, and snagged each dress for $45! There really are no rules when it comes to where or what dresses to buy!

5. Add fun, inexpensive details that bring you both joy!

An element of fun thrown in here or there will only amplify the joy of your wedding day! My husband always wanted to wear a top hat for some fun photos when he got married, so that was a detail we intentionally incorporated because it was important to him (and I got a cute little one on a headband to match)! Whether its a funny photo prop, unexpected first look surprise, or silly selfies together after the ceremony... you will always cherish the time and attention you took on your wedding day to just make each other LAUGH!

More money spent on your wedding does not mean more happiness in marriage. By focusing on what matters most on your wedding day (your spouse!), you will look back with fondness on the day that you committed your lives to each other and be filled with thankfulness! It really is all worth it, happy wedding planning!