Vintage Weddings: From Frugal to Fabulous

Outdoor summer weddings are a popular choice for the bride on a budget.  Go from frugal to fabulous when you plan a vintage-themed outdoor wedding.  Here are some fabulous frugal tips how to make your vintage wedding day dreams come true on a limited budget.  

Have a Stand-Up Wedding

One of the most beautiful and memorable weddings I’ve attended was a Native American wedding where the guests stood in circles, around the bride and groom, holding hands, joining in the ceremony with the promise as the community to support the marriage.  Casual weddings don’t require seating; saving the budget for dinning arrangements if desired.  The guests will feel more a part of the wedding!

Frugal Flowers and Floral Arrangements

Take a look at your overall budget and get creative with your dollars!  One of the largest costs is for flowers.  Have a unifying theme for your containers and get creative with your flower choices.  Using all vintage milk glass containers will give you the common theme necessary to tie different flower choices together.  You’ll see a tremendous cost saving if you use small potted flowers from a garden center such as pentas (pictured) planted in a variety of sized and shaped milk glass.  Think out of the box and use goblets, compotes and candy dishes for your potted plants.  These can be “planted” way in advance of the wedding date.

Your florist will know which flowers are in season and readily available for your wedding date; make sure to check with them prior to making cut flower choices.  Short stemmed roses are much less expensive than the long stemmed variety and an even more frugal choice would be mums.  Perhaps you have a friend with several hydrangea bushes who would be willing to provide you with a supply for your wedding.  Think out of the box!

By saving on table and buffet arrangements you can splurge on the special flowers for the bridal party.  Making buttoner’s isn’t as difficult as it may seem and they will last overnight in the refrigerator if you use a sturdy flower such as carnations.  The necessary supplies are inexpensive and readily available in many craft and big box store as well as online.  Don’t stop there; recycle the bridal and bridesmaids bouquets; again milk glass is the perfect opaque container to hide the stems and make wonderful centerpieces.  With just a little extra effort your flowers can be everything you’ve ever dreamed of!

Dressing the Bridal Party

Choosing your wedding gown and the dresses for the bridesmaid’s is one of the most important decisions to make and one of the areas where vintage offerings will take your wedding from frugal to fabulous!  There are many special vintage dresses available online.  By choosing a color palate and overall style for the bridesmaid’s dresses instead of a single dress will allow each bridesmaid to choose a dress shape which is perfect for her.  Not only will it make the wedding party more interesting visually, it will keep the cost down.  The search becomes a fun bonding experience instead of a chore to find a single dress which will compliment every figure.  Most vintage online sellers have had their dresses dry cleaned and are ready to wear.  You may want to research ahead of time a seamstress who can accomplish any altering necessary for a perfect fit.

The Reception

Instead of a sit down dinner with a fully stocked open bar think smaller bites or serving family style instead of a huge buffet or cocktail party.  Depending on the time of day and how long you’d like your guests to stay menu offerings can be as simple as what you would see at high tea or as fun as a barbecue or pulled pork sandwiches and salads served family style.  A homemade coconut wedding cake on a special cake plate with individual coconut cup cakes for the guests could be an elegant replacement to an expensive bakery shop wedding cake. Instead of an open fully stocked bar; serve beer and wine.  By limiting your offerings you can better control your budget and do away with a full time bartender.

Choosing vintage table coverings over renting plain linens from a rental company will keep your dollars from flying out the door never to be seen again and turn your selections into an investment in cherished vintage linens or lace which can be used over and over.  If vintage linens or lace aren’t something you want to collect, try using unconventional sources for table coverings such as vintage barkcloth or recycle barkcloth curtains like those shown above or vintage quilt tops.  Creating no sew hems is easy if you use an iron and fusible webbing available at sewing centers and craft stores.