So much of what our clients are doing these days is driven by budget. It’s unfortunate, but understandable, that couples that are coping with economic stresses have to compromise their dream wedding plans. That said, there are tricks to follow so that you can still have the wedding that you have always wanted, without creating a financial cloud that looms over your new family.

Take wedding themes for example. We are getting fewer and fewer requests for themed weddings in a traditional sense. Many of our brides are keeping it simple by doing a monochromatic color theme with a vibrant pop of color in the centerpieces. For instance, we just created an all white wedding and used lemon trees as centerpieces. We potted the lemon trees with clear acrylic vases and used lemons to line the pot. Sounds complicated, but it was actually pretty simple and very cost effective.

We also had a couple whose theme was environmental awareness. It was every bit as beautiful as a traditional themed wedding, but we repurposed just about everything. Most of the guests took the bus (yes..the bus!) and bus maps were part of the invitation (on recycled paper of course.) We created centerpieces by using clear glass vases and filling them with sheer sacks of lemons, limes, tangerines, and kumquats. Part of the place setting was a different recipe using each one of the fruits and guests were encouraged to take a bag home with them and try the recipes out. Beautiful and functional.

Of course, there are many alternatives to doing traditional floral centerpieces. We have done “candy bars” using clear vases and monochromatic candies and provided little scoops and bags for the guests to enjoy. For Janelle and Nyk’s wedding in Detroit, we had three tiered stands for centerpieces and filled them with small frames that had photos of the couple. We used floral accents, but it was a great alternative to your traditional centerpiece. The “themed wedding” is not dead, just being rethought.