Elegance doesn’t mean extravagance, but quality has a price. – Sheng

All couples strive to make their weddings beautiful and elegant. Yes, even those working on a tight budget. Actually, you can round-up a number of wedding vendors who can cater to your budget, but the resonating question is ‘Can you get good-quality service from them?‘ Oftentimes, the answer is no.

D and I are on a tight budget ourselves and we’re on a mission to make our wedding something our guests will remember and talk about (in a nice, complimentary way.) Some say it’s not possible, beautiful weddings are expensive no matter how many money-saving ideas we try. Others disagree, including myself. But is it–a polished, tasteful budget wedding– really doable?

I strongly believe it is, but it can’t be done in a single sweeping as large doses of effort and hardwork are required. And to help some budget brides out there planning their own budget wedding, I’ve streamlined a few guidelines that I’ve learned in the process of making my dream wedding come true.

1. Must have, at best, majority of these: TIME, PATIENCE, CREATIVITY, ARTISTRY, IMAGINATION, RESOURCEFULNESS, EYE FOR DETAIL, PEOPLE WHO CAN AND ARE WILLING TO HELP.

2. Focus on your budget and your non-negotiables. Identify the things you cannot compromise from the things that you want but can do away without. Know the difference between essentials and nice-to-have’s.

3. Explore other options. If you’re eyeing high-profile vendors because of their quality services, but knew that they just won’t fit the budget (you shouldn’t be eyeing high-profile vendors in the first place), look for low-key vendors who don’t have their names out yet but have tremendous talent. There will be an element of risk, so make sure to talk to people who’ve tried them and ask for their feedback.

4. Know what you want. It’s hard enough to work on a budget, it’s even harder if you don’t know what you want. Finalize your list of must-have’s, then work from there.

5. Look everywhere. Don’t just go to bridal shops or wedding stores. And sometimes, you can get things cheaper if you won’t say it’s for a wedding. Wedding has become a profitable business and some people charge a bit higher when they know it will be used for a wedding. I learned this when I went to a seamstress. I showed her a picture I got from the Internet and asked how much it would cost to have the gown made. She told me the price. Then someone else approached her with almost the same design, only it’s not a wedding gown, and the price she quoted is almost half of the price she told me. I asked the seamtress why is that so and she said that they have a minimum price for wedding gowns, no matter how simple and easy they are to make. I left her shop, naturally.

6. Be realistic. If you live far from a beach, having a beach wedding is obviously more expensive than, say, a garden wedding. Often, closer to home is cheaper. If you need to travel or get the service of a preferred but out-of-town supplier, make sure that it ends up cost-effective than if you would go to a local source. Know that there are certain things your budget can’t afford. If you really want them, find the next best alternative.

7. Don’t go for cheap all-in-packages. Because more often than not, that’s what they are: cheap, and the reason behind a lot of so-so budget weddings. For me, beautiful weddings are well-thought of and they certainly don’t come packaged as a cheap solution to your limited finances.

8. Ask around. Ask for recommendations, for cheaper deals, for tips. Word of mouth is not the best form of advertisement for nothing.

9. See if you can get freebies. If you’re buying or relying on your suppliers for everything, chances are you will exceed your budget. Try to ask relatives and friends, maybe they have something that you need. Like the perfect bridal car, or a grandma’s classy and vintage veil.

10. DIY, of course. I can’t stress enough how creativity, resourcefulness and imagination will play an important role in this endeavor. DIY wedding projects can range from tacky to stand-out crafts. There are numerous DIY resources and most of them offer wonderful ideas that you can use for your big day. If you fancy a themed wedding, make sure to pick one with materials that are readily available and inexpensive. And if the best project you’ve done so far is draw a straight line, you can ask help from family and friends who are more gifted in the creative department. You’ll be surprised at how many DIY projects you can do for your wedding and how much you can save too.

11. Lastly, the most beautiful wedding is the one that reflects the overflowing love that the couple has for one another. Let that love fill in every hollow spaces, incomplete details, incorrect spellings and imperfect pieces that your wedding might have. So when you look back, you’ll realize everything was perfect after all.

Happy wedding preps everyone!