Planning a wedding takes a lot of time and money. And if you don’t want it to take a lot of money, it’s going to take more time.
If you’re like most people now-a-days, the average amount spent on a wedding, $30,000 makes your jaw drop. You probably don’t want to spend that much, but you also might not want to cut out the wedding completely. A nice party with friends and family shouldn’t cost $30,000, should it? And with all the other financial considerations of getting married-name changing, account merging, possibly taking on your partners’ student loans, cutting costs can quickly become top priority.
One of the best ways to cut costs is to DIY large parts of your wedding- décor, gifts, favors- pretty much everything that’s not a skilled trade. Even some of those can be DIY, like using a backyard or park as a venue, providing your own food, and playing music through your own speakers.
There are some considerations to take when DIY-ing though. For one, the members of the wedding party will probably have to do a lot more work. Secondly, when you’re sourcing materials for handmade items, you have more freedom of choice, but you’re also sometimes limited in what you find, especially when your budget is restricted. This can lead to some difficulties in matching colors. Below are some tips for dealing with these two issues, specifically when it comes to bridesmaid accessorizing:
Provide Your Bridesmaids with Jewelry
Most bridesmaids these days are expected to pay for their own dresses, but that doesn’t mean that you as the bride can’t still contribute to their wedding ensemble! Find local crafters who can customize jewelry that your bridesmaids will love! If they’re alternating dress colors, you can alternate accessory colors correspondingly.
Another option is to find a bridal party jewelry set that matches your colors. This allows you to get all the jewelry all at once and save on shipping!
Think about What Looks Good
Everyone has their own style. Usually this style corresponds with what makes them look good. If your bridesmaids hate their dresses or accessories, they won’t be happy. If they’re not happy, they won’t look as good in your photos. So pick out accessories that fit their style. If you’re getting everyone scarves or hats for the reception, think about the style that fits each person’s face shape.
Give Everyone Fabric Swatches
If you have multiple people looking for décor, accessories, suits, dresses, etc, then you need ALL the fabric swatches. Any decent dress vendor will provide you with swatches. Some etsy stores even let you order swatches before buying the dresses to make sure it’s the perfect color.
Make sure each person has a swatch of each color. This will prevent them from picking up a “mint” table setting that doesn’t match your “mint” bridesmaids’ dresses? What is mint, anyway? Ask 10 wedding vendors and you’ll get 10 different examples.
Invest in Spray Paint
If you’re going to have a bunch of hard-goods like picture frames, a solid backdrop, and other décor, I suggest getting a bunch of spray paint. This will be so much easier than trying to find all these items in matching or complementary colors. Take your fabric swatches to the paint store to get the perfect shade!
These are just a few tips for accessorizing your bridesmaids and your wedding. What are some money-saving tips you’ve picked up? Share in the comments!
