Now that you’ve selected the date, it’s time to think of a wedding theme.  The time of year your wedding will be held will probably factor into your theme in some way, but in order to keep your wedding under budget, you will need to forgo extravagance.  Here are some themed ideas that can lend to a beautiful theme yet still be low cost – if you shop carefully.

Live animals or insects. Doves and butterflies are absolutely beautiful and stunning in weddings.  If you shop around, and keep to a small number, you can still use these and stay under budget.  Prices will vary and are usually based on how many animals or insects are released, or how they are presented.  If you absolutely must have doves in your wedding, stick with just a single pair that the bride and groom will release.  Packages for pairs of doves range around $100, but having 10 or more additional doves released in addition to the pair will increase this price exponentially.  Butterfly packages are priced similarly and sometimes if you choose a package where you release several out of one box, it is cheaper than having them boxed separately, so keep this in mind.

Outdoor weddings. If you are holding your wedding outside – like my husband and I did – this opens up opportunities to choose a more casual theme.  Do you want a beach theme?  If you live near a beach and actually want to have your wedding on the beach, there may be regulations and restrictions, and you may even need to obtain a permit.  But if you are having your wedding in someone’s back yard, you can use decorations purchased at craft stores, party supply stores, and even the seasonal isle at your local big-box store if you shop before summer begins, to provide a beach-like feel.  And you can invite your guests to wear casual clothing of their choice – a Hawaiian print dress and sandals, print shirts and cargo shorts and flip-flops, for example.  This would also help you save on your wedding attire, if you also wear a pretty white dress that one would be more likely to see on someone walking on a beach rather than down the isle in a church.  Not to mention that everyone will probably be a lot more comfortable not having to wear stuffy formal attire!

Flowers. flowers are pretty much synonymous with weddings.  It’s rare to attend a wedding and not see a single flower.  But you can use flowers as your theme in addition to just being decoration on your husband-to-be’s lapel or the bouquet in your hands.  The key to keeping costs down, however, is to limit your use of fresh flowers.  Use silk flowers for decorating the tables with the centerpieces, for decorating the head table or the reception and buffet tables.  If you’re really pressed for cash, use silk flowers and make your own bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres.  They may not be as pretty “up close” as real flowers would be, but you also will not need to preserve them if you want to keep them as a reminder of your happy day.

Essentially, try to keep your theme simple, and use creative substitution to help keep costs down.