Wedding Resources

Could someone offer advice for planning a nice fall wedding with limited budget?

I am getting married in October 2008. I have a limited budget and I am trying to think of great ideas for decorations, food, well everything. I have selected a place, we have a minister, and my colors are going to be burnt orange, golden yellow, and burgundry. What should the wedding party wear? How should I pick a flower girl and ring bearer from a family with lots of young kids? I have 4 girls and he only has 3 guys can we make that work? I have family members already feeling left out and I don't know why because I have let everyone know I will except any help I can get. I don't know what to do? I want a church wedding but I am about to throw in the towel and just go the the JP. Could someone please give me some wedding ideas and advice? I am trying really hard to not stress out but it's really taken a toll. Thanks in advance for the help!

Public Comments

1. The wedding is your day and YOU and the spouse do ANYTHING you want! Tradition is meant to be broken and changed, who says you have to have equal anything and use everyone in the family??????? ALSO remember the wedding is one day the marriage is a LIFETIME so put your effort into the marriage and just do your best to have the wedding the way you want it!
2. yes you can make it work with 4/3 attendants. wow how to pick a flower girl... it may sound silly but pull a name from a hat so it's totaly random and nobody can say oh you picked their kid bcse you like them more than mine you can't please everyone. just please yourself and hubby. we aren't doing a church wedding, we are having an outdoor wedding in sept. we are having a judge marry us (bcse here in del the jp's charge judges don't) i think your party should each pick a color- red for one, orange for other and golden for someone else... that way you have a crayon box effect... all complementary but not all in the same color dress. i love that look. are you catering or diying your food? maybe turkey, gravy, roasted new potatos in butter and garlic with chives baked ziti with salad green beans and maybe a creamy pea salad or ramen noodle salad (super yummy i can email recipes) on the side decorations... use nature as your base. get sturdy vases... fill with river rocks and leaves (spray with clear spray paint to add shine and keep them fresh looking) stick branches in them and swag bead garland from the branches- you can even coat them with craft glue and sprinkle crystal glitter on them to add sparkle. few votives around the base and they should look great get tulle from walmart or online in a few shades of your wedding colors to swag your cake table, head table, gift table and any other important table. add some white christmas lights under for added twinkle and shine if you are having favors... look on ebay for the seller- ideabus- he can make you an auction of favor bags in all your colors for super cheap. tell him natalie sent you for a deal. fill with non spooky but fall colored halloween candies hmmm i have lots of other ideas... email me
3. Okay... fall wedding... here we go: I'd try to get in touch with some farms in your area and find out if some of them can provide you with cheap deco items for your fall wedding... you know - corn husks, sunflowers, pumpkins..... You can go to cheap places like WalMart or Target and buy Fall Mums in your colors for decoration. Then you can allow your guests to take them home after the ceremony. You're actually in luck - fall deco is muuuch cheaper than traditional wedding deco - especially if you shop wisely. You'll be able to find many cute things like table decorations, candles and sometimes even table cloths as cheap as your local dollar store once the fall season starts. You may also want to go around the places that sell fabrics and keep an eye open for those $1 a yard bargains. You might be able to find a fabric that'll work perfectly as table covers for a ridiculously cheap price. Once fall starts, take lots of walks around your wooded areas and start picking up the first red maple leafs and everything else that's started to color. Get a couple of phone books and press the leaves. You can spread them onto the tables as colorful accents and even glue them onto the place cards. As to your wedding party: To keep your bridesmaids happy, I'd go with perhaps a brown or nice burgundy for the dresses. If you want them to be even happier, hand them the color swatch and let them pick their own dresses in the appropriate color. You can find some of the same color fabric and make sashes for the men in the bridal party to tie around their waists. That'll bind everything in nicely. And don't worry about the number - that's something only really picky people care about. For the ring bearer - I'd go with the youngest boy who can walk well already. The youngest three girls can be flower girls. If you go with age, you won't offend anybody because everybody can see that you didn't pick just who you like. If you lay out a general plan of how to decorate, you can ask for help throughout your family. Instead of just saying you'd like help, ask for specific tasks: Somebody to organize the invitations, the place cards, somebody to get deco items, somebody to maybe bake a cake? (pumpkin or carrot cake would offer itself for the season) People will feel more included when they have a specific task to do. Good luck - I'm sure it'll be beautiful!
4. You might want the wedding party to wear burgundy. The girls could later alter their dresses and the color would be great to wear again for other occassions. Nobody says you must have a flower girl or ring bearer so if there are lots of kids and you don't want a situation of choosing one over another - you are free to leave them out! Look into affordable wedding venues. Have brunch, lunch or snack reception instead of dinner - saves ALOT of money!
5. The key is to keep it all simple. The best way to save is to keep your guest list down-just invite the closest family and a few friends. Have people that you know supply things such as: you could use a friend/relative to be the DJ and if you know someone who bakes you could have that person do your cake... There are many ways to cut corners. You could have your bridesmaids pick out the dresses at a department store in the color you want instead of going through a bridal gown/formalwear store. You don't have to have a ring bearer or a flower girl if you don't want to. You can do your own hair/makeup or get a friend who is good with that stuff to do it for you. You don't need all of the fancy items to have a great wedding day. There are plenty of discount bridal suppliers online. I like Oriental Trading Company-they have a great selection. You and your fiance should just do what seems right for the both of you. It is your special day. If you are inviting your family to the wedding isn't that enough for them? They should feel special that they get to spend the day with you and celebrate your new life with your fiance. Good luck!
6. For decorations go to BeeBows.Net