Budget Friendly Wedding Tips - Upon a Star Special Events

VENUES

Thinking about a Spring/Summer weekend wedding? Look at alternatives – off peak and mid week! Sunny Winter days can be glorious and warm here and imagine cosying up by the firepit in the evening. Too romantic! In addition to this, availability is much greater than weekends and there could be savings to be made on not only your venue but other suppliers as well!
Selecting a luxe city venue pushing the financial boundaries? Think regional venues – with so many grand estates, modernised barns and new purpose built event centres, there are plenty of options surrounded in bush, garden or coastal settings.
Don’t have a huge budget for styling? Select a venue with loads of character and perhaps a stellar view or beautiful outlook! The venue will amaze your guests in its own right.

Substantial canapes are an offering for more of a relaxed party vibe and shared platters for a sit down meal without the formality of a 3 course meal. Dessert buffets, dessert canapes and wedding cake as dessert are also time and cost savers allowing for the early opening of the dance floor!
You don’t have to do dinner- think outside the box- brunch or lunch could be a little more budget friendly. Think grazing platters, filled with cheeses antipasto fresh seasonal fruit and of course loads of sweet treats. You can kick on later at a local bar or restaurant if you’re still looking to keep the party going!
These days, you can find just about any food in the form of a food truck! With offerings of woodfire pizzas, paellas or tacos on tuesdays, these options will definitely get your guests talking! Informal dining is really popular now, and the options have become a lot more sophisticated, less courses means less cost.

Go for quality over quantity and have a stylish and delicious single tiered wedding cake. Maybe complement your cake with tantalising dessert canapes or for a little more fun a donut wall!
If a big extravagant artwork cake is to be centrepiece of your reception but you don’t have the budget, then an option for creating the illusion on a smaller budget is to include fake layers (made of styrofoam decorated as normal) to make it more impressive. You could even have a complete fake cake, and serve slices of simple iced cake instead. Always discuss this with your cake maker – they can offer alternatives.
Unless you have won the great Australian bake off, we don’t really encourage baking your own wedding cake (this just sounds super stressful!), you’ve got too many other important things to do! But if a good friend or family member is a pro, and wants to contribute, then asking a friend or family member to do it can save substantially.

Sample sales are fantastic treasure troves for dresses at a discounted price. Follow your favourite designers and boutiques on social media, sign up for their email newsletters to ensure you keep up to date with the latest sales offers and events.
Think Asos, The Iconic . You can pickup beautiful white dresses – perfect for more intimate ceremonies, casual affairs and elopements. So understated yet so chic!
Embrace your something borrowed (or second hand). If you can find a gem from a relative or a little further afield at an op shop, alter it to your style. You can save some money and a have a beautifully elegant vintage gown to walk down the aisle to.

Keep your floral varieties to keep your costs at a minimum. Bulk up your options with greenery or dried foliage to add colour or drama.
Every flower variety is available depending on the season. If you have a particular bloom that you love but it is not in season, be prepared to pay extra. Selecting varities which are available in season are more cost effective and better for the environment.
In keeping within a topic that aligns with the above, Florals that are locally grown are going to be the most cost effective choice. Some varieties are grown further afield (pardon the pun) and can be more expensive to source. Its no secret here we looooove Australian Natives! And there are 2 other additional benefits we love- reducing your weddings carbon footprint and supporting local businesses.

If you really want that live music feel but can’t justify the entire expense for both ceremony and reception, hire an acoustic duo. Perfect for your ceremony and the cocktail hour prior to when the real party begins!
These days it’s so easy to create a killer dancefloor-worthy Spotify playlist for the evening and plug it into speakers. This way you have full control over the type of music played! Just ensure you have one dedicated person to monitor the music- as too many djs (guests controlling the music device) may spoil the party vibe!
Give your guests alternative entertainment options, in case they’re not up for a boogie. Garden games and board games are a fantastic option for not only cocktail hour but throughout the duration of your wedding reception. And why not DIY game? Add a wedding couple pop quiz! Ensuring lots of laughs and really testing the guests how well they know you!

Don’t get overwhelmed by trimming hessian for some table runners or making your own candle wedding favours if you’re not creative. Instead, pick one area of your wedding that you can do it yourself. Whether it is your favours, ceremony programs, table place cards or signage– focus on doing that well. You will feel less stressed and save a lot of money if something goes wrong or doesn’t workout how you planned.
If you’re not fussed about having wedding favours, then don’t have them. Sometimes for what they are, they can be expensive and a lot of them left behind at the reception. If you are going to have them, choose something that is a little more cost effective and sustainable – seedlings or succulents are a great idea or perhaps a monetary donation to your favourite charity is a better option. It will have your guests feeling warm and fuzzy knowing that they have donated indirectly to a good cause.
When purchasing wedding décor, consider what you will do after the wedding. Is it something that can be easily resalable? Or is it going to be hanging around your garage collecting dust for years to come? Check with your venues- they may have a collection of treasures that they have gathered over the years.
Check Marketplace, gumtree or local buy swap sell pages- chances are someone is trying to make a dollar by selling their unwanted wedding treasures from their day.
Hire from a Styling company – these days you don’t have to hire a lot as some venues are so character filled, their style sells itself.

Spending a ton of money on your wedding day won’t prove your love for one another, but it can leave you with no money in the bank. Try not to get caught up in the expense and extravagance of a wedding if you are unable to afford it – It’s completely possible to throw a budget-friendly wedding that’s beautiful, stylish and affordable! And with all these tips in mind, Don’t lose focus of what your wedding is all about: the two of you and your declaration of love for each other amongst family and friends as this will last much longer than the party into the evening… We are happy to offer assistance with your budget and any other aspects of your wedding planning journey that you could be feeling overwhelmed with! Find out more!