Wedding on a Budget

If you fancy yourself in a pretty sparkling ball gown with lacy undertones and bouquets of flowers surrounding you, this article is NOT for you. However, for those of you wanting to get hitched and have little or no money to spare all you really need is $60 (for the initial marriage certificate and the process of getting married in front of the judge).

In these times it was a bit harder for us to save up the necessary money, but our wedding cost a total of $175.00. Try to be resourceful and use items you already have around the house, decorating old items to look like new. For example, use old vases, buy some ribbon (or use some that you have at home), and using a pair of scissors to curl the ribbon, then tie it around the vase. Next add a bouquet of silk flowers in the colour scheme of your choice.

I bought a bit of paper products such as paper plates, plastic tablecloths, plastic silverware, and paper cups (all attained from the local Dollar Tree, for only a $ 1.00 a piece). Then, I acquired a small box of bubbles (less messy than the tradition of throwing rice) and laid them next to the bouquets (which I used as centrepieces on the tables). Two disposable cameras were also set next to the bubbles (I thought was nice touch so anyone could take pictures). Again these products were obtained at the Dollar Tree ($1.00) and Dollar General ($8.00) respectively. Pictures were taken before, during, and after the ceremony (on four cameras no less!) mostly by my sister and my mother.

Although my dress is not what I had pictured, I compromised with what I had, a black dress and then bought purple fabric to wrap around me as a sash (yes, our colour scheme was purple and black!). It all came together nicely when I had to have something borrowed: I wore my sisters heart pin and my grandmothers pearl necklace; something old: my dress; something blue: my eyes; and a five pence in my shoe!(that part was very uncomfortable let me tell you!) He wore a purple shirt (which only cost $15 at Wal-Mart) with his pin-stripped black suit and of course black dress shoes.

Fortunately, my husband and I didn't have to pay for the food or the cake (this was paid for by my grandparents as a wedding gift). With the food being prepared by my father, my grandmother and I so we didn't have to pay for a cook or a caterer.

So even though it was an inexpensive wedding, I enjoyed the company of my family and became the blushing bride!