How To Get Hitched On A Budget

When the big day comes, usually a big receipt comes with it: Dress, flowers, venue, the food... it all adds up in a big way. So on behalf of our low-budget brides (or any bride, really) out there, we asked the best wedding bloggers, including StyleMePretty, Once Wed, and 100 Layer Cake, for their tips on how to achieve a stress-free, special, and low-budget wedding without having to scrimp on style.

Style Me Pretty: According to the ladies from Style Me, "When it comes to creating a budget friendly wedding it's essential to decide where to save and where to spend. Photography? Food? Your dress? Stationery? Flowers? Decor? What are your priorities? Once you know, the rest of your choices will fall into place." So in short, a decisive bride, is a happy bride!

1. “Think about what you already have available, what you can borrow, and what you can reuse. You might already have some throws or pillows at your disposal. A little borrowed mercury glass here, a few candlesticks there. Voilà. Eclectic-chic. Now, the venue. We've seem countless adorable backyard celebrations decorated to the nines with nothing more than the items from around the property.”

2. “Create focal areas at your event. Your whole wedding doesn't have to be filled to the brim with details, but creating areas that are heavy on charm and personality is a great way to get the most from your goods. Give some extra attention to areas such as the head table, dessert tables, and a lounge area, then keep individual tables more simple and clean.”

3. “Consider using inexpensive flowers in abundance. They have a huge impact.”

4. “D-I-Y. This is a great way to cut costs and still add a ton of personality to your day. There are literally thousands of adorable DIY projects out there. We've seen budget savvy brides and grooms DIY everything from their invitations and favors and to their flowers and decor. Before deciding what D-I-Y's to tackle, think about your timeline and the people involved. If your friends and family are on board, you might be able to manage a much larger project than if it's just you and your fiancé. Just be realistic about the tasks you take on.”

1. “Cakes, pies, and desserts: Enlist your family to help you make them or go to your local baker that doesn't specialize in wedding cakes. When in doubt, don't mention the pies you're ordering are for your wedding, and you won't get the 'wedding markup.' “

2. “Have a small intimate ceremony/reception: By limiting your guest count, you're able to design a wedding that's exactly how you envision it, without sacrificing your plans to accommodate tons of people. Throw a big party later to celebrate your marriage,. This could save you bundles, but you'll still get the wedding you want plus the party with your extended family and friends. “

3. “Get creative with your centerpiece decor. You don't have to rely solely on flowers. This bride used homemade cakes made by her family!”

4. “Creating big drama and a focal point of your wedding with an inexpensive resource like paper. This couple used rolls of receipt paper as their ceremony backdrop. Another couple used paper to create giant flowers for the bride's bouquet and to decorate their reception area. Whoa. “

Once Wed: Since 2008, Emily Newman's bridal brainchild has been bringing tips on "love, beauty, art and the sweet day that the weaves them together."

1. “Keep the guest list small.”

2. “Put more of your energy and budget into finding a venue that can do most of the aesthetic work for you.”

3. “Think creatively about how to make it your wedding rather than just a wedding.”

1. "You don't have to wear a wedding dress."

2. "Diamonds are so. over."

3. "Don't skimp on the shoes."

4. "Only invite the people that you actually want to hang out with."