There are many factors to consider when setting up your wedding budget. One such consideration is deciding what percentage of your available funds will be allocated to each item. Nonetheless, there are areas of your ceremony where you can include stunning ideas that won’t break the bank.
Getting married in the fall is already an ideal time to utilize the environment and create a magical setting. By incorporating an autumn palette into your aesthetic, you’ve set the scenery before you’ve spent a dime.
Here are three fall wedding ideas for couples on a budget:
#1 Rustic Wedding Invitations
To bring a sense of romance and homeliness to your wedding, think about going for a rustic vibe on your invitations. This theme is perfect for bringing charm and creativity to your invites without having to expend much of your finances.
According to Yeahweddings.com, wedding invitations can cost roughly $400 overall to get made. This is due to factors such as printing paper, accents, décor, and how simple or elaborate your designs are. Fortunately, a rustic invitation idea allows you to reduce costs because of its customized approach.
These invitations can be made by hand with a few friends or family members using simple fabrics and materials, such as wood, lace, pressed flowers, and cork. These items can easily be purchased from a local craft supplies store.
Make sure to choose an elegant design beforehand to make sure the end result looks neat and professional. Here are some ideas to get your spark your design ideas:
- Wooden plaques with invitation details engraved in black or gold ink
- Two-toned paper invites with lace overlays tied with brown burlap rope
- ‘Message-in-a-bottle’ glass bottle with cork lid and one sheet invitation inside
#2 In-Season Menu
Choosing in-season food for autumn will make use of available local produce. Doing this will make it easier for the wedding caterer to source and supply ingredients and, thus, reduce catering costs. Such foods perfect for fall menus include apples, cranberries, sweet potato, turkey meat, pomegranates, tomatoes, carrots, and pumpkin.
There are plenty of family-friendly meals to order or make with your own catering group, from warm and hearty soups to indulgent comfort food that combats the autumn chill.
Baked snacks and small treats like pumpkin tarts and creamy tomato shooters with grilled cheddar sticks can be served as pre-reception mini appetizers. These can be served whether you opt for a buffet or plated servings.
Aim for a flavor combination of sweet and salty such as:
- Sweet Potato Rounds with Ricotta or Maple Syrup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Apple Cranberry Pie
- Bacon-Wrapped Dates
To top it all off, start a wooden campfire as evening sets in and the weather reaches its chilliest. This will also be the best time to bring out smoked dishes, roasted pork, or a wood oven pizza. As part of your dessert menu, you can create a s’mores bar by setting up a bowl of marshmallows next to gold skewers for guests to roast around the fire.
#3 Outdoor Décor
Autumn is known for displaying beautiful colors and foliage that you can take inspiration from. Think crimson, burnt orange, bronze, gold, burgundy, and brown. The best locations that highlight these color tones are venues that prioritize the outdoors.
These weddings can take place on farms, in forests, and in countryside manors. Even your backyard under an open marquee will suffice for a small budget.
With these locations providing a natural backdrop, they become part of the décor. Due to this, you won’t have to spend as much buying and crafting decorations when they can be bought or gathered from outside.
Such ideas include:
- Hollowed out pumpkins stuffed with autumn leaves along the side of the aisle
- Pine cones in mason jars strung together by fairy lights on the backs of chairs
- Citrus fruit bouquets in glass vases filled with water as table centerpieces
To get the best quality out of your decor, you may want to embellish your natural objects to make them look special and uniform. So, if you’re going to use a citrus fruit bouquet, cut them in half to show off their bright color and have them glazed. An option for the pine cones is to hand-painted them in colors of the red and brown spectrum.
Conclusion
A fall wedding is an ideal time to make use of the natural beauty surrounding your venue. By doing this, you can lessen the amount of money you’d usually need to spend on décor. Furthermore, selecting materials and fabrics that can enhance the colors of autumn will bring your invitations to life.
It will also give you a chance to create something cost-effective and handmade. Take advantage of the produce growing in autumn to craft your menu, so the cost of your food is lower. Moreover, dishes that are homemade or family-friendly will cover your guests’ flavor palettes and tastes without the need for expensive cuisine.
With the amount of money saved in the areas of invites, food, and décor, the rest of your wedding budget can be assigned to your preferred splurge areas.
