Mood: charming elegance
Palette: seashell pink and white
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Top row from left: Kate Spade “Nico” dress from Nordstrom, foldover clutch by Claire Vivier, save-the-date from Paperless Post, cocktails with drink stirrers from Martha Stewart Weddings
Row 2: tulip-topped square cakes and scallop hors d’oeuvres both from Martha Stewart Weddings, glass candelabra from CB2, tulip bouquet from A Country Farmhouse
Row 3: pocket squares from Martha Stewart Weddings, grosgrain ribbon ring from Doyle & Doyle, art space from Airspace via The City Sage
The Idea: Food is one of the biggest places to save in a wedding budget, which is why these inspiration boards have largely focused on alternatives to traditional sit-down dinners. Today’s board presents the idea of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as an elegant way to make nice with your wallet.
The Paper: Though I think formal invitations are appropriate and appreciated, digital save-the-dates are perfectly acceptable and a great way to save money. Paperless Post offers a number of charming designs, some of which are even free (their pricing system seems unnecessarily confusing to me, but bottom line is: they have attractive, customizable options at affordable rates).
The Fashion: “Bridal alternative” is basically a term for a white dress that doesn’t cost as much as most wedding gowns, and lots of department stores carry them. All I know is, it’s a great option if you’re willing to think outside the box when it comes to traditional wedding wear, like with this adorable Kate Spade dress for $468. Bella Bridesmaid is another great place to look for less expensive bridal gowns. This gives you a little wiggle room for fun accessories like a chic foldover clutch from Claire Vivier for $156 (that you can definitely use again!).
The Decor: Candles are a beautiful way to light a room, and they can be significantly cheaper than flowers. If your venue allows, decorate the room with glass candleholders from CB2 for a modern look – the one pictured here is only $20, and can double as a gift for your bridal party.
The Flowers: When Ryan and I had our civil ceremony at City Hall the day before our church wedding, my cousin’s partner brought me a beautiful bunch of white tulips to carry that she had picked up at the grocery store that morning. If a professionally designed bouquet isn’t a priority for you, opting for whatever’s in season (and available at your local market) and tying it together yourself is one way to help out your budget (this is especially true if you have lots of bridesmaid who will also be carrying flowers). Let pocket squares take the place of boutonnieres, and double as groomsmen gifts – you can find some for under $20, or if you’re the crafty type, you can make them yourself with a favorite fabric.
The Food: As with a dessert reception, as long as your guests know what to expect, and the reception is held in between meal times, it’s perfectly okay to serve passed hors d’oeuvres instead of a full meal. Small bites are also a way to include more expensive ingredients that might be cost prohibitive in an entree, such as scallops or truffles. If your caterer and/or venue allows you to BYOB, find out if you’ll be able to return unopened bottles to the store – why pay for what people don’t drink!
Other Details: As I’ve said before, I’m a big fan of easy DIY projects. The drink stirrers in this board are made by simply folding a piece of washi tape over a wooden skewer to create a cute little flag. Easy peasy! Make enough to adorn all drinks, or just a signature cocktail.
Today’s the last day of this budget-friendly series. I hope you’ve enjoyed them! I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section – did you enjoy these inspiration boards? Were they helpful to you? Do you have some budget-friendly tips that I missed?
If you like this budget-friendly inspiration board, you might also like:
Board #184: Cocktails & Hors d’Oeuvres
Board #276: Keep It Simple
Board #355: Apricot and Rose Gold
Bella Bridesmaid is a sponsor of Snippet & Ink.
