More and more brides and grooms are asking us how to fit all their dreams and desires into their wedding day on a budget that isn’t as big as it once was. Here’s the good news – it’s totally possible to have the wedding of your dreams on a limited budget – you just need to think outside the box to get there. Sounds like a good time for a quick tip series. This will be Part 1 in a 3 part series – because trilogies are cool and too many tips at once can make you sick, like too much wedding cake in an hour. So here we go:

Ceremony Venue: Set up your ceremony in a large back yard of a friend or family member, or have it at a local park ($50-150). Rent chairs from a party store such as AA Party Rental or Alexander Party Rentals for approx $300 including delivery/pick-up for 150 chairs. Metro Parks Tacoma offers the Rose Garden at Point Defiance during the summer for $400 for 2 hours (chairs included).

Bouquets, Boutonnieres & Floral Arrangements: Local farmer’s markets are a great place to meet growers and florists, and are a wonderful place to find flowers in the summer-time, as long as you aren’t particular about the colors. You might contact a local grower early in the year before they plant their seeds and see if they will grow specific flowers or colors for your wedding. Buying in bulk from a grower will save you big money too. You and your friends could make the flower table arrangements and bouquets during the last couple of days prior to the wedding. You can also find affordable vases at your local dollar store. Talking to a florist early about flowers that are in season during your wedding will help make better decisions and save you money.

Officiant: The cost for an officiant is generally around $200 – if you belong to a church or synagogue, you might ask your pastor or rabbi if they’d be willing to officiate your wedding for free as a gift.

Stationery: Buy make-it-yourself kits from Michaels craft store for around $40 for 50 invitations ($120 for 150). Generally you can find matching place cards, table numbers, thank you cards, and more in the pattern you’ve chosen. They are easy to make and print from your own computer. If you’d like to have raised lettering, you can purchase embossing powder and an embossing heat gun to create raised letters immediately after printing.

Attire: Attending a bridal dress show like the South Sound Wedding Show can net you deep discounts on designer wedding dresses. Or, choose a dress from David’s Bridal in their online outlet section.

Look for Part 2 coming soon. And if you have any tips that you’ve used or like but don’t see here, please comment and share.

If you are starting the wedding planning process and are interested in creating a green eco-friendly wedding from start to finish, here are a few tips and guidelines you will want to follow, to leave your green thumb-print on the world:

Catering – While potentially being quite costly, an organic and eco-friendly menu can be an excellent way to represent to your guests your dedication to health, Earth-sustainability and quality flavor. Choose organic seasonal fruits and vegetables that have not been grown in a green house or been exposed to pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Organic meats such as grain-fed, free-range, hormone free beef, pork, poultry and wild (not farmed) fish are great – and extremely flavorful – options for your menu. Your caterer should also be able to provide breads, pastas and grains made of organic ingredients, and organic hormone free eggs and milk products to suit your guests’ palettes. Additionally, purchasing locally grown food supports local farmers and local small businesses.

Venue – More builders are starting to go green with the construction of new buildings, to achieve LEED certifications and acknowledgements. Check for new buildings in your area that have been built green. This could include being made with recycled material – rubber tire carpet, recycled cement, sustainable or recycled wood, low-flow plumbing fixtures, high efficiency lighting, biodegradable paper materials, or even a green roof to catch the rain and prevent storm water run off. Another option for a green venue would be a natural outdoor wedding – check out parks, mountains/hilltops, farms and gardens.

Invitations/Stationery – From 10% to 100% recycled paper, to vegetable-based low VOC inks, there are many options available which save trees and produce less harmful emissions into the air.

Flowers & Decorations – Potted flowers and plants are the best eco-friendly option to use flowers as decorations in your wedding. Afterward, you can give them as gifts to those who help you at the wedding, or plant them in your own garden as a special memory of your wedding day. Many cut flowers typically used in wedding decorations are sprayed with pesticides to keep the leaves and petals from being eaten by insects during growth. If you decide to use cut flowers, check to make sure that they are VeriFlora-certified, which means that they are not grown under harsh working conditions or covered in chemical pesticides and artificial fertilizers.