Home / Tips & articles
Tips & articles
Practical advice for planning a wedding on a budget, with real numbers and links to the step-by-step guides.

Backyard Wedding Ideas on a Budget: Real Costs, Hidden Extras and a Checklist
What a backyard wedding really costs next to a $12,200 venue, the extras people forget (toilets, tent, power, insurance) and DIY decor with real US savings.

Beach Wedding Ideas on a Budget: What Makes the Look, Permits and Costs, and a $517 Decor Plan for 100 Guests
Beach wedding ideas on a budget with real US prices. What makes the look, what permits cost, where couples overspend and a $517 decor plan for 100 guests.

Boho Wedding Ideas on a Budget: The Look, the Real Costs and a $512 Decor Plan for 100 Guests
Boho wedding ideas on a budget, with real US prices. What makes the look, where it is cheap, where couples overspend and a $512 decor plan for 100 guests.

Cheap Wedding Centerpiece Ideas: 5 DIY Tables Under $12, With Real Costs
Five cheap wedding centerpiece ideas from $3.30 to $11.59 a table, with real US prices, time per table and what you save for 100 guests versus buying.

Is DIY Wedding Decor Worth It? 15 Projects Ranked by Savings per Hour
We ranked 15 DIY wedding decor projects by dollars saved per hour of work for 100 guests. Some pay $190 an hour, others under $3. Here is which is which.

DIY Wedding Favors: What Guests Actually Take Home (and What It Costs)
Which DIY wedding favors guests take home and which stay on the table, with real cost per guest from 12 cents, packaging tips and when to skip favors.

Fall Wedding Ideas on a Budget: What Makes the Look, Where to Save and a $555 Decor Plan for 100 Guests
Fall wedding ideas on a budget with real US prices. What makes the autumn look, where it is cheap, where couples overspend and a $555 decor plan for 100 guests.

How to Save Money on a Wedding: 18 Ways That Actually Add Up
The average US wedding costs $33,000. Here are 18 specific ways to cut that, from the guest list to DIY decor, with real numbers and what not to make yourself.

Rustic Wedding Ideas on a Budget: What Makes the Look, What It Costs and a $590 Decor Plan for 100 Guests
Rustic wedding ideas on a budget with real US prices. What makes the barn look, where it is cheap, where couples overspend and a $590 decor plan for 100 guests.

Wedding Reception Games: Which to Play, When, and What They Cost
Wedding reception games matched to your crowd, venue and timeline, with real DIY costs for lawn games, bingo and a photo booth, plus four games that cost nothing.