Planning a wedding - on a budget.

I'm getting married in less than 5 months, and I'm finally realizing how much goes into planning a wedding. I'd like to find ways to cut back on costs, but not make our wedding look cheap.

We haven't decided on centerpieces, flowers, or decorations yet, and we're going for a fall theme/farm theme. We're getting married at a museum and the museum has a 1920's farm theme. The actual ceremony is outside (weather permitting, everyone cross your fingers it's beautiful out), and the reception is inside.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what we can do to save money, or just any unique ideas? I'd love to hear them all! :)

Congrats on the wedding. :-) I hope its beautiful!

Congratulations!!! :)

Wow! There are tons of things you can be thrifty about, and have everything still look so beautiful and special! Are you crafty at all; or are your sisters, friends, bridesmaids? Then you could look into making bouquets and boutonnieres from either fresh or silk flowers, and things like pew/chair bows and even favours if you want. With Easter candy sales on, you might be able to luck out on candies or chocolates for favours, even! (not bunnies, LOL, but others not directly holiday-shaped)
For other things, depends upon what exactly you are planning... Do you have colours chosen?

Crafting ideas
http://www.superweddings.com/bridalcrafts.html

This is a great site - has instructions for flowers, etc.
http://www.bridecraft.com/index.html

Offbeat bride - check all areas of the site
http://offbeatbride.com/2009/03/wedding-bouquets

Nice general site
http://www.weddingstar.com/


Good luck!

I love these centerpieces and I think they can be done pretty cheaply...get some long branches...glu on some fall leaves you can buy those at the dollar store or Micheals. The vases will be what costs you the most but Iam sure if you look around you can get good deals. I saw some pretty nice ones, tall at Xcargo a few weeks back.
http://agapeweddings.files.wordpress...ding-decor.jpg

Another cute idea if your having wedding favors for guest is caramel or candy apples! You can wrap them in cellophane and add cute fall themed ribbon. If your really ambitious you can make the candy apples yourself!

Congrats on the wedding. There are a couple wedding threads on SC. I am getting married in September 2011.

Check: http://www.labellebride.com/
she often posts weddings with many do-it-yourself projects that are just stunning!

Congratulations!

One thing that would seriously cut your costs while still being elegant is to get married in the morning and have a luncheon reception, rather than an evening dinner and dance.

Good luck with the planning! You're going to be all-consumed with plans for the next 5 months, and I'm sure it will be beautiful. :)

TY all. The colours are burgundy/red and gold. DUH I should've put that in the original post lol. I do love the centerpieces VeeVee posted, but I'm worried with pieces that tall, they might disrupt conversation between people across the table.

I LOVE the candy apple idea!!!!! That just might be a possibility!!

http://weddings.about.com/cs/bridesa.../a/Country.htm

Some ideas to start planning a country/fall wedding...love the idea of checkered tablecloths, borrowed quilts, daisies and sunflowers!!

Also, like the idea of packaging homemade cookies as the favour....or seed packages with your photo or initials...

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uima...9-CandyBag.jpg

http://www.beau-coup.com/Pictures/se...ing_favors.jpg

http://www.honestflorist.com/thumb.p...pg&w=330&h=376
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O5jClkwww5...0/collage4.jpg

Like this but in yellow or red!!
http://media.theknot.com/ImageStage/...arge_image.jpg

honey for a favour!!

http://s3.amazonaws.com/wedding_prod...f83c947aa7_rwl

http://www.inspiredbythis.com/wp-con...mn-wedding.jpg

http://blog.favorsinthecity.com/wp-c...enterpiece.jpg

http://www.weddingwindow.com/blog/wp...aionBoard1.jpg

pumpkin theme??

http://www.wedding-flowers-and-recep...erpieces04.jpg
with fall flowers???

http://www.bestweddingsites.com/Blog...g_Pumpkins.jpg

Sorry to post so many ideas...I love weddings....my son is getting married this summer and everything is in full swing right now!!

baggypants

Sorry just read your colours...so my ideas are out the window...will see what else I can find!!

baggypants

Have you thought about growing your own flowers?? Since your wedding is in September, worst case scenario you might have to transplant them to planters towards the end of summer to keep until the big day. It's a pain, but seeds/bulbs are far cheaper than flowers themselves.

A nice idea for centerpieces, if you're doing the country theme...is wide mouth mason jars, tie a ribbon around the top, put some moss or something in the bottom with a tealight...or use them as vases for simple arrangements. Place cards could be a shiny red or yellow apple with the name tied on.

Lol...I love weddings...I planned my own wedding three years ago...totally by myself, from 300kms away...did lots of DIY projects, including the favours, centerpieces, table runners, and cupcake display. Looked great, I would love to do it again! It was so much fun :)

Good luck, and take the time to enjoy yourself!

At one wedding I attended, the favours were mini chocolate bars - they made custom wrappers with the bride & groom's name & the date of the wedding. Another wedding, the favour was a cd with some of the songs the groom (a musician) wrote.

My neighbour makes jewelery, she's currently working on a necklace/earring set for each of the bridesmaids & maid of honour for her brother's wedding.

When a dear friend of mine got married, the favour was a Xmas ornament - she got plain lilac ones (her wedding colours) on sale in the spring when the stores were clearing out the stock, then painted her name & the groom's name. as well as the date on them. I put mine on the tree every yr. :)

As for centrepieces, since it's a country/fall theme - how about a pretty basket with apples in it? I remember yrs ago, I think it was a Martha Stewart special that had her making a basket with pears glazed with sugar as the centrepiece.

Look up Martha Stewart's website, the ideas will tumble out at you. Most of them if they are not already DIY, can easily be done DIY.