How to throw a glamourous, stylish and over-the-top Wedding

I've decided to put together a guide for any Bride and Groom that want to throw a top-notch wedding on a limited or average budget.  This is for the Bride & Groom that are in love with the show "Platinum Weddings" on WE tv but can't afford a 60k+ wedding. 

10. The most expensive part of a Wedding is the food and drinks.  Keep your guest list small to ensure you get a quality day, not a quantity day.  The more people, the more extras you'll have to cut elseware making your event feel less unique, fun and exciting.

9. Find your theme.  Is your wedding at a Yacht club, Golf club or during the Fall?  Make your wedding feel unique and fun by having a theme that's uniquely you. 

8. Time of day is important.  The least expensive option is to do a Brunch.  You can do light cocktails like mimosa & bloody mary's and not rack up a huge bill as guests tend to drink less this time of day.  The issue you run into with Brunch is dancing.  Nobody will feel like dancing night-club style if it's 2:00 in the afternoon, however for a low-key and nice option, choose light-jazz and setup for a modern swanky feel.

7. Think non-traditional routes for your dress.  While the pretty white Badgley-Mishka Wedding gown in the window of the high-end Bridal Salon is lovely, it's just one day and that many zeros on a pricetag is not what you should be spending on a dress.  If you hate what your mom wore, it's ok.  Try Craigslist, pre-owned dress sites, trunk sales & other sale events.  Don't be afraid to ask for the "floor model" dress that's been tried on or a last year dress.  Remember to include accessory, alteration and bustle costs as well.

6. Balance what's most important.  You can't have everything you want unless you have an unlimted budget.  Make a list and put your top 3 most important things that you want to go all-out for.

5. Don't make guests have to pay for anything.  If you invited friends over you house for a party you wouldn't make they pay for drinks, snacks or anything else.  Same goes for a wedding.  If you have to limit your bar to 1 signature drink, beer and wine, it's ok.  If they're staying over it's also nice to give them snacks so they don't have to raid the mini-fridge.

4. Meet with vendors beforehand & read reviews.  The cheapest may not be the best and the best might not be the cheapest.  Find someone you feel comfortable with.  Read reviews, then give them a call.  When you meet them, they should fit your personality and budget.  You probably don't want a 85 year old man to be a DJ for a crowd of 20-somethings, even if he did get top reviews.

3. Feed your vendors.  Don't forget about them.  They can make or break your day!  A photographer or videographer is running around lugging heavy equipment (sometimes in not-so-great weather).  Feed them.  They'll not only appreciate it, they'll do a better job because they have energy.

2. Make it special.  Find your inner crafting diva.  We all have a style and we all know what we like.  Find your style and do all the DIY you can.  Personalized Menus, napkins, favors and more don't have to be expensive if you do it yourself.  You can even make the process easy by purchasing a stamp with your monogram or theme and using ink, embossing powder or glitter to embelish.


1. The best way to get what you want while working in a budget is to hire an Event Planner or a Day of coordinator.  They can guide you, support you and keep you on track with your budget and your needs.  Stay away from the coordinators at the venue of your choice.  They are there to make decisions that are best for the venue, not the bride and groom.