5 Luxury Items Your Small Wedding Budget Can Totally Afford
Brides and Grooms - I’m so with you. Planning a wedding is so freaking expensive. I’m also in the process of planning my own wedding, which is what inspired this blog post! There are so many luxury wedding items that couples think they can’t afford, but they just need to get a little creative! Here’s 5 luxury items that you can absolutely afford on a small wedding budget!
01. One Show-Stopper Floral Element
We all love a wedding filled to the brim with floral, amirite? But you don’t need to blow your entire wedding budget on your floral design. You can still get the same jaw dropping design with one focal point element. That means you don’t need to go all out on your centerpieces! Keep those simple … you’d be amazed how much of an impact bud vases and candles can make on tables. Re-direct the attention and budget to a single installation / backdrop / design that can be re-purposed throughout all the events of the day.
This may mean thinking ahead with your florist about making sure this element of floral design can be moved, if your ceremony space and reception space are two different locations. Keep that in mind as you start dreaming something up!
02. A Decked Out Head Table
It’s so common that clients will come to us with these STUNNING pinterest images, that are usually from a styled shoot. It’s so hard to break it to them that with their budget, having every guest table setting decked out with countless rental items is going to add up to hundreds of dollars per guest super quick. Instead of maxing out your budget on those little details like luxury rental items for every single guest in attendance, narrow it down to just your wedding party at your head table! This is the table that is going to be photographed the most, and will also have your statement floral design element framing it (see #01).
So, yes it’s totally possible to achieve that dream pinterest image that you’ve had your heart set on! Check out local event rental companies, and try to get the bulk of items from the same source - this will not only save you a headache in the long run, but can also save you money on delivery + labor fees.
03. Specialty Drinks
Having custom specialty cocktails seems like such a luxury, over the top detail! It totally can be, but it doesn’t have to be! A really great way to serve your guests your favorite specialty drinks is to limit the bar menu to your two specialty cocktail drinks, a keg, and a choice of red or white wine. You can also limit your open bar to during cocktail hour only, then switch to a cash bar once dinner starts.
04. Live Music!
If having live music vs a DJ is something that’s important on your priority list but you’re concerned about the cost, don’t just write it off as impossible. There are so many different options for incorporating music into your day. If you’re super tight on a budget, most string quartet or small ensembles are perfect for live music during your ceremony only. They typically arrive before guests show up to warm up, then play through guest seating and maybe a song during your ceremony. They’ll usually play until the guests have all found their way to the mingling area for cocktail area.
Another option is to hire a small ensemble or string quartet for your cocktail hour! Keeping the live music to only one or two of these elements of your day is such a great way to make it a smooth transition into DJ’d music later on in the evening.
05. A Day-Of Coordinator
You know I had to include this one. This isn’t even a luxury item, it’s a necessity. Not only will having a day-of coordinator save you sooooo much time and stress in the wedding planning process, it can also save you thousands of dollars. Wedding Planners and Coordinators have countless relationships with vendors in the industry. At Essen, we have an extensive list of preferred vendors that we’ve already pre-negotiated discounts with. If you’re our client, you have access to those discounts.
Not only will we save you $$ on your overall wedding bills, but the work that we put in leading up to your day and on your day is honestly priceless. Think of your day-of coordinator as your very own fairy godmother. We make things happen behind the scenes that you don’t even know about so that you don’t have to stop living in the moment of your big day!
