Weddings aren’t cheap but they don’t have to be expensive. By practicing a little creativity, you can still have a dream wedding without needing to apply for a loan. All it takes is knowing where and how to cut corners so that everything still looks nice without looking cheap.

You Don’t Need Flowers
While beautiful and fragrant, fresh flowers are extremely expensive. This doesn’t even take into account how they’ll affect your guests’ allergies and the fact that they’ll be dead in a matter of days. In short, using real flowers is a money sink with no return on investment. Instead, either invest in fake flowers or opt for cloth accents. Both can be used again and cost far less than any live flowers, no matter if they’re in season or not. If you’re still insistent on flowers, however, head to Costco or a similar wholesale club and buy whatever flowers they have in bulk. The price point will be much cheaper.

Mismatch the Plates
You don’t need fancy plates to eat your food off of. After all is said and done, your guests will be talking about the food and alcohol more so than the type of plate they ate off of. Instead, collect cool plates from the local thrift store to go with a mismatched yet classic look. Then, once you’re done with them, you can donate them back to the stores you got them from or add them to your own home collection.

Little Lights
One of the most overlooked decorations at any wedding is the lighting. Requiring special stands, placement and wiring, opting for any kind of special lighting beyond those harsh fluorescents can really set a wedding budget back. Luckily, most venues come with at least one other lighting option free of charge. Sometimes the DJ even can provide a nice choice. If not, think about investing in a few strings of white Christmas lights or tall lamps that can be placed around the venue to create a magical glow.

Recycle
If you have your ceremony in one location and your reception in another, use as much of the ceremony’s décor in the reception room as possible. The aisle garlands can quickly add beauty as table centerpieces. Runners can be hung along the walls to add an extra bit of color. The welcome sign can be transformed into the seating chart. The more items you can transition, the less you’ll have to pay for décor.

Linens
Guests don’t need to eat on silks. In fact, guests care more about the color than the material, meaning you’d make a much bigger impact offsetting the light plates with a dark blue linen than a light purple organza. Linens are also sturdier and cheaper, keeping your guests at ease. No one wants the pressure of having to eat over a fancy table cloth, afraid to spill even the tiniest bit of their food.