Throughout your wedding planning, you’ve probably scrolled through Pinterest for an hour or two (or 12) and admired the jaw-dropping decor and florals of your dreams. But not everyone can afford a celebrity-style wedding day.

 Fortunately, there are things you can do to have your dream wedding without breaking the bank. We’ve put together some tips for creating a stunning ceremony and reception.

Choose a gorgeous venue.

If you want to plan a wedding that will make your guests’ jaws drop, book a venue that will shine in photos and in person. An already lovely venue will require less décor and will make for a beautiful background in your wedding photos.

When touring venues, pay attention to the architectural details, lighting, ceiling, and even walls/ floors—these seemingly unimportant details will show up in every image of your big day. Specifically keep an eye out for details that match your wedding day style (think crystal chandeliers vs. wagon wheel fixtures) and neutral colored walls, floors, and ceilings.

If you’re planning an outside wedding, look for a venue with great natural views, such as a flowering garden, a park on a lake, a field with an amazing view of the sunset. You don’t want to see much evidence of civilization, as it will take away from the luxury outdoor/ nature feel.

Be thrifty—and thrift your décor.

Schedule an appointment with a décor provider. Oftentimes, renting what someone else has is more time- and cost-efficient, not to mention less stressful, than buying, organizing, and assembling all of that stuff yourself.

If renting isn’t for you, stop in to your local thrift stores regularly to look for secondhand items you could use for your reception. Be sure to keep an open mind and think about ways you could repurpose items into unique centerpieces or signage. Mismatched vintage items such as old books and lamps, lace and pearls, and candlesticks can make for very classy décor.

You can also ask family and friends if they have any slightly used—or even unused—wedding décor that you could borrow or buy at a discount. If you know anyone who recently got married, chances are they have boxes of wedding décor sitting around that they’d love to pass on to you. Watch wedding swap sites for similar deals.

Make sure your colors pop.

All-white may be in style but keeping everything monochrome can be costly and make for dull photos. Add pops of color on simple items to brighten up your décor. Consider colorful placemats, ribbons tied around vases or napkins, or even bright dessert plates to add a little fun and visual interest.

Be conscientious about florals.

Flowers can single-handedly take your wedding from drab to fab. Be purposeful about your floral choices and worked with an experienced florist. If you splurge on only one floral item, the bouquet is where it’s at. Because it will be in (almost) all of your individual and couple portraits AND is portable, your photographer can use that one bouquet to accent so many otherwise forgettable shots. (See next point for more on that.)

Regarding floral centerpieces, vary the height throughout the room. This adds more dimension, makes the tall pieces all the more grand, and guarantees that flowers will appear in most of your wedding day portraits.

Also, an experienced florist align your colors and your style with your budget. He/ she can use extravagant, expensive florals in one area, and then supplement more basic flowers in others, making sure you get lavish beauty in all the right places… but without breaking the bank.

Invest in an awesome photographer.

The best photographer can make even the simplest wedding look amazing. Choose a professional who’s a master of lighting and setting up shots and talk to them about what you want from your wedding photos. After all, your photos are the one thing that will remain to remind you of your wedding for years to come.

With a little thought and planning, you can create the wedding day of your dreams, and have Pinterest-worthy photos to remind you of that day for the rest of your life. 

We’re excited to be the Quad Cities region’s FIRST all-inclusive wedding blog and vendor directory! We are celebrating all things love in the QCA and helping couples plan their happily ever after!

Dream it. Plan it. Love it.