Having recently(ish) been through the crazy, fun, stressful, and exciting wedding planning period called “engagement”, I thought I’d put together some money saving tips that I’ve learned (some the hard way, I’m afraid). I am by no means any kind of an expert. I’m just looking back on my wedding planning weeks and taking note of how I did really well in some areas but pretty terrible in others.
There are so many different aspects to wedding planning and a gazillion things to think about and make decisions on, but for this post, I’m focusing on two things: color and clothes. In part II, I’m going to go through things like decorations, food, venue, etc. but wanted to start on something easy and fun.
One thing to keep in mind with all wedding shopping - if something is labeled as “wedding” it will probably have a higher price tag. Know your prices and shop smart.
Starting off with colors:
The Wedding Dress
My dress was ivory. And it was gorgeous. But when the bride’s decked out in ivory, white is out. Now everything up on stage and anywhere near the bride - groom, groomsmen, flower girl, ring bearer, tablecloths, etc. - has to match. And it’s really hard to find an ivory men’s shirt. Unless having a cream-colored dress has been your dream for years, think about sticking to a pure white. It will make your life so much easier.
Clothes and Jewelry
Clothes and Jewelry
Before we were engaged, Kris asked me if I preferred silver or gold jewelry (hmmm, wonder what was on his mind?) and I told him gold. The ring he purchased is the most beautiful engagement ring I have ever seen. And yes, he got it in gold. So of course, my other wedding jewelry had to match.
And the bridesmaids had to match mine. But white gold is in and while there are a so many gorgeous options in that color, it’s pretty hard to find delicate, gold wedding earrings and necklaces. I searched many different stores. It was discouraging at times, but we finally stumbled upon a little store in a mall in Portland that had exactly what I was looking for. While I’m super glad I stuck with the gold jewelry, if you can’t decide between the two, go for the one that will give you more options, saving you time, hassle, and money.
And the bridesmaids had to match mine. But white gold is in and while there are a so many gorgeous options in that color, it’s pretty hard to find delicate, gold wedding earrings and necklaces. I searched many different stores. It was discouraging at times, but we finally stumbled upon a little store in a mall in Portland that had exactly what I was looking for. While I’m super glad I stuck with the gold jewelry, if you can’t decide between the two, go for the one that will give you more options, saving you time, hassle, and money.
Similarly, when planning the color for bridesmaid and flowergirl dresses, it can help immensely if you chose a color that’s in style and you’ll find that color dress in every style, in every size, at every store.
Flowers
Flowers
We opted to go with fresh flowers and I really wanted coral roses. But in order to get the exact color I was looking for, I’d have to pay almost 3 times what normal pink roses would cost. My mom ended up getting pink and orange flowers and they were absolutely stunning together! If you pick a more common color, like pink or red, it will be much easier and cheaper to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Trendy Decor
Trendy Decor
Right now, the rustic chic “Pinterest” wedding decorations are in style. And that makes it really easy to find pieces that go along with that vibe very inexpensively at Target, Amazon, Hobby Lobby, Dollar Tree, and just about every other store out there. Also, since this look is super popular, you probably have friends who decorated with this style in their weddings and would be willing to let you use some of the decorations.
Now, on to wedding clothes:
The Bride
Now, on to wedding clothes:
The Bride
(This is one section that I’m inwardly cringing at because I put a lot of money into my dress. More than I should have. But that’s behind me. I still love my dress.) First place to look is second hand stores, even Goodwill and Salvation Army. Not a huge chance of finding the perfect dress, but if you do, you’ll get it for a killer deal! Another place would be a used bridal store (like Adorned in Grace in Portland). There are many options and the prices still are amazing (my sister found her dress for $100). Before you shop at a bridal store, set a budget so you won’t be tempted to trying on dresses $2000 above your set buying price.
Generally, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents of the flower girl/ring bearer purchase their own clothes,which is so helpful with keeping down wedding costs! But try to be nice and not pick something outrageously expensive that these special people will probably only wear once.
Bridesmaids
Generally, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents of the flower girl/ring bearer purchase their own clothes,which is so helpful with keeping down wedding costs! But try to be nice and not pick something outrageously expensive that these special people will probably only wear once.
Bridesmaids
You could be a superwoman and sew all your bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, but I really don’t recommend this unless sewing is super relaxing and fun for you. Unless you’re having someone else make the dresses, this adds a huge amount of stress to the bride and any sisters/friends helping out (I know from experience...up all night the night before the wedding sewing…) I ordered my bridesmaid dresses from Eshakti. The dresses are reasonably priced ($50-$75), and are custom made for you. There are limitations - they don’t have a lot of colors and the styles change a lot. (So order all the dresses at once) Another idea is to pick a color and have each bridesmaid find their own dress. This works really well if you want black dresses (what my sister-in-law did) but the variety of styles and shades is super fun in other colors, too. Just make sure the dresses don’t clash. ;-) Have the girls choose their own shoes by giving general guidelines (i.e. black sandals).
The kids
The kids
For your flower girl(s), ask the parents to find a fancy white dress and she’ll be totally adorable up on stage. If white isn’t your color, check out Amazon for awesomely priced and totally adorable little girl dresses ($15-$40). The ring bearer’s outfit can be purchased at Target, Walmart, Fred Meyer, online etc. - you can keep things simple with slacks and dress shirt or dress him up with a little suit.
The Guys Groomsmen these days don’t always have to wear tuxes, or even suits for that matter! Vests, ties or bowties, and suspenders are really popular, and even slacks, dress shirt, and tie look very sharp! If going with a suit for your groom, purchase that at JC Penny’s - there are so many awesome colors and cuts for around $200.
The Guys Groomsmen these days don’t always have to wear tuxes, or even suits for that matter! Vests, ties or bowties, and suspenders are really popular, and even slacks, dress shirt, and tie look very sharp! If going with a suit for your groom, purchase that at JC Penny’s - there are so many awesome colors and cuts for around $200.
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