Decorating on a budget? Nothing comes cheaper than paper and string. It’s what you do with those materials that can transform a room into a wedding venue any bride would be jealous of, regardless of her budget.

looks much fancier than wax paper to me

Grab a couple of extra rolls of wax paper at the grocery store for this project. Wax paper ironed together (3 layers on a dry heat setting) looks very similar to shells, like in this lamp. Stick with the original DIY decorations for hanging chandelier-style decorations, just skip the light bulbs. Or string the wax disks together with plenty of spacing and hang layers from the ceiling for curtain decorations.

streamers add an element of fun

Make a quick trip to the local party store for streamers to extend the paper and string theme to your wedding stationary. Fanfold the streamers and stitch them together then cut into pieces a few inches long. Glue these pieces onto cardstock to decorate table numbers, buffet food labels or escort cards.

bright vellum mobiles

Or splurge on some fancy paper and string and pick up colored sheets of vellum. Cut them into strips and use a sewing machine to run a line down the middle for an easy garland that will brighten up any table.

So you’ve bought your wedding bands. You may think the decision making is over but not quite yet - what are you going to engrave on your ring? There are a number of things to consider when making this decision.

you also have to pick a font..

First, who is going to pick the message? Do you have the groom choose the message for the bride and vice versa? Or do you pick matching messages for the ring set? I like the idea of the couple engraving each other’s rings and keeping it a secret until the wedding day. It gives you just a tiny element of surprise and something to look forward to amongst all the chaos surrounding planning a wedding.

Then you must decided what message to engrave. I think the type of engraving you choose should be very personal and will definitely be a reflection on your style as a couple. It could be something sweet and simple: “Today, Tomorrow, Forever,” You have my heart” or “Our life begins - [date]“. Or it could be an inside joke or something funny: “Mine, all mine!” or “Put me back on!”. Or the messages could be read as a set: (ring one) “Take my hand and we’ll begin” (ring two) “And what we start will never end”. Do whatever feels most comfortable to you - plus no one else will ever see it!

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, it might rain. I know it’s every bride’s nightmare and something you’d probably not like to discuss out loud but we can’t predict the weather so every outdoor wedding needs a contingency plan.

modern take on wedding shoes

Don’t let raindrops discourage you. These weddings embraced the wet weather and look how amazing their wedding photographs turned out! Take advantage of the fact that water is reflective and add a few artistic, angled shots to your photo shoot. Be creative and order an umbrella for two in case it rains on your outdoor wedding – what a creative and interesting solution. Umbrellas add an element of interest to traditional photos so order a few to have on hand in traditional black, clear or an assortment of your wedding color palette.

Just remember your wedding day is about celebrating so if it rains embrace it; your wedding photos will look better with raindrops than tear drops. When planning an outdoor wedding it’s better to be safe than sorry – and what’s a few umbrellas compared to the rest of your wedding budget?

i love modern wedding shots like this one

Wedding flowers can easily eat up a large part of your budget. But modern brides are working on smaller budgets and flowers are an easy element to cut back on. One way to save big on wedding day flowers is to go fake. There are a number of paper or silk flower options that will look gorgeous at your wedding and will last long past your big day. But if you’d like to stick to the tradition of using real, seasonal flowers at your wedding there are other ways you can cut back.

this color combination is gorgeous

Focus the majority of your flower budget on the bridal party bouquets. They are a centerpiece of your ceremony and wedding photos so they are worth the extra splurge. Cut back on your reception table flowers. There are so many options for taking some of the budget off your arrangements without taking away any of the focus. Use non-traditional elements in your bouquets. Rather than all lilies or roses, incorporate some unique flowers from the shop. And don’t worry about every bouquet matching; allow each table to have its own look. If you’d like to stick with traditional wedding flowers put add a modern twist by using interesting vases or just placing a small cluster of flowers in a few spots, which will be much less expensive than one large centerpiece.

got bright and bold or subtle and traditional with small bouquets