Wedding decorations on a budget don't have to mean that your ceremony or reception venue will look tacky or cheap. It just means that you are going to have to be a little more crafty and creative!
Certainly, by decorating the church or venue yourself, you will be saving a lot right off the bat. Anytime you require a professional person (florist, planner, etc.) you will usually incur greater cost for labor and usually pay more for material as well.
Find out when you can gain access to the venue to decorate. If allowed in the day before, that will give you plenty of time to decorate. Sometimes this is a lot easier to manage in smaller venues rather than large halls or hotels so be sure to check if it is going to be possible to do the decorating yourself at all.
I would not recommend setting up the decorations yourself if you can only gain access to the venue the day of. There just won't be enough time, you will be rushed and drive yourself crazy with worry.
You don't have to do it by yourself...get your wedding party involved! In fact, why not incorporate a "decorating party" after the wedding rehearsal. This will allow everyone to get familiar with the reception venue.
Supply Sources for Wedding Decorations on a Budget
Dollar Stores - It is amazing what you can find at these kinds of discount stores and for a great price. Candles, small gifts you could use for favors and double as decorations, artificial flowers (watch the quality, though!), table skirts and napkins, etc.
Supermarkets/Farmers Market - If you still want to incorporate real flowers in your wedding decorations on a budget, you could check out the prices for floral bouquets, etc. at your local supermarket or, even better, check out your local farmer's market. These are usually a lot better price than what you will get a florist shop.
Local Craft Store - Check out your local craft store for all the items you might need to make your wedding decorations on a budget. These would include silk/artificial flowers, ribbon, Styrofoam, floral wire and tape, garland, vases and other containers.
Local Material Shops - Check these for any good deals on gossamer or tulle that you might want to incorporate into your wedding decorations on a budget.
The Internet - My favorite party planning plan on the net is Shindigz.com for Wedding Supplies and Favors. Check out what they have to help you with your wedding decorations on a budget.
Ebay - You can find some very good deals on budget wedding decorations on Ebay. Here are some finds right now:
Party Rental Businesses - Check your local yellow pages or internet listings for party rental businesses. Why buy if you can rent. Make sure a contract is in place and make sure you can pay your deposit with a credit card, if possible, so that you have some protection if the business fails prior to your wedding (check with your credit card company).
Your Venue - You might be surprised at what your ceremony or reception location can provide to you for decorations. It never hurts to ask. If the ceremony location is going to be hosting multiple weddings in a day, perhaps you can combine efforts with the other couples to share decorations and the expense.
Sources for Making Wedding Decorations on a Budget
There are a few really good sources for ideas and ways how to use the supplies you find and turn them into wedding decorations.
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