Here's how to get married like a star despite a down-to-earth pocketbook. Check out these stylish ideas on flowers, ambiance, gifts and all the other requisites.
Who says only the rich and famous get to have the fancy weddings? You, too, can get married like a star -- without the Hollywood price tag!
The trick is to get inspiration from celebrity weddings and execute the ideas with creativity and thrift in mind.
"Celebrity weddings are a great source of ideas and trends that you can incorporate into your affair for much less money," says Sasha Souza, a well-known wedding consultant to the rich and famous.
For her lavish wedding, "Extra" television host Dayna Devon had handmade monogrammed velveteen cones trimmed with satin and filled with rose petals hung from every chair so guests could shower the bride and groom with petals after the ceremony.
"You can copy that look relatively inexpensively by being crafty," says Souza, who planned the Devon nuptials.
"Use velum that can be purchased at any fabric store to make the cones, stamp on your monogram and trim with ribbon or inexpensive rope to hang from the chairs. Ask your florist to save the exterior rose petals and use those. Exterior petals are often thrown in the garbage by the florist. Instead of spending $800, you can copy the look for $50."
From your wedding cake to the gown, there are many ways to recreate that spectacular celebrity style on a shoestring budget.
Here's how:Wedding gownCelebrities often call upon world-renowned designers to create their wedding dresses. You can find reasonably priced designers who offer similar gowns at a fraction of the cost -- do your window shopping on the Web at sites such as WeddingChannel.com.
"Britney Spears had a gorgeous Monique Lhuillier gown with a trumpet silhouette that cost almost $30,000," says Rosanna McCollough, editor-in-chief of WeddingChannel.com. "It was a tight-fitting, strapless, A-line gown that flared at the knees. You can get the same look for less from wedding dress designer MoriLee for only $500."
Carmen Electra wore an embroidered, beaded, off-white Badgley Mischka gown at her wedding that was rumored to have cost $10,000.
"Looking for a strapless, embroidered A-line, we found a gown that has a similar look at Mon Cheri for only $800," says McCollough.
The wedding cakeA few celebrity clients of wedding consultant Souza opted for miniature wedding cakes for each of their guests over the traditional large wedding cake.
"It's an elegant, but expensive, statement," says Souza.
"Instead of serving individual cakes, you might have one centerpiece wedding cake for each table. It serves each guest at the table and doubles as a centerpiece. It's very cool and unexpected. It's also an interactive and fun thing -- each table could cut their own cake as the bride and groom cuts theirs. It's a classy touch that solves two separate issues -- the wedding cake and the flowers for the centerpiece," says Souza, who was one of the Top 25 wedding-industry trendsetters in 2004.
Carmen Electra had a towering multitiered white wedding Oreo cookie cheesecake decorated with fresh red roses, with 50 to 60 Swarovski crystals suspended on wires and shooting out from each layer. The cake cost more than $5,000.
"It was magical," says McCollough. "But by going to a craft store, you can find tear-shaped crystals for under a dollar apiece, and have your baker recreate the same elegant wedding cake for a fraction of the cost."
JewelryCelebrities often get jewels worth thousands of dollars on loan from famous jewelry designers such as Neil Lane, Fred Leighton and Harry Winston. Jennifer Lopez borrowed a diamond bracelet and necklace from Neil Lane for her wedding to Marc Anthony. Tori Spelling borrowed a beautiful vintage floral brooch for her hair.
"Borrowing jewelry from friends or family or raiding grandma's jewelry box is a wonderful way to create your own distinctive look," suggests McCollough.
Reception touchesYou can add unique personal touches to your wedding that cost very little money. Take a clue from these celebrity touches:
"Anger Management" star Adam Sandler handed out Krispy Kreme doughnuts -- his favorite -- at his wedding. Another celebrity groom had waiters carrying great silver chafing dishes filled with McDonald's hamburgers. "Bachelorette" Trista Rehn had personalized heart candies.
Take these celebrity ideas and personalize them to fit your style.
For instance, you can find "message hearts" that are just as nice for only $6.75 for 16 ounces. You can personalize M&M candies with up to 8 letters, says McCollough. And if the groom loves McDonald's, it's a fun hors d'oeuvre that isn't at all expensive to add.
Instead of a full bar, you can pick a signature drink. One celebrity couple's favorite cocktail was a pomegranate martini. They served a nice white wine at the table and champagne for the toast, but at the bar served only pomegranate martinis. It was their drink.
"It was the biggest hit at the reception," says celebrity wedding planner Souza.
"It wasn't terribly expensive but it was a personal touch that was memorable," she adds.
Favors for guestsOn a tight budget, wedding favors are the first thing to go. But if you really want to give a favor, select something that's very personal.
"One very wealthy client had handmade silk boxes. On the inside was the story of the couple's romance as well as their wedding invitation. They cost $400 each," Souza says.
But sharing a little bit of your love story is a beautiful touch that could easily be done inexpensively in a variety of ways. You could add your story to the "Save the Date" card and print it yourself on your computer. Or, you could have it printed. You could put your wedding story inside an inexpensive picture frame to use as a favor or even use the frames as place cards, suggests Souza.
Britney gave small silver picture frames to her guests, and so did Shaquille O'Neal and his bride, promising to send a wedding picture later, says McCollough.
"Silver frames can cost $100, but you can find inexpensive silver-plated or beaded frames for under $2," she says.
Ambiance"Candlelight creates ambiance," says Souza.
Instead of expensive candleholders, you can buy really cheap juice glasses and put candles in them. You can hit the stores after Christmas and buy jewel-toned candleholders on sale. You can also buy red cut-glass dishes in Target's kitchen section and put water in them and float candles. Don't be afraid to spray paint votive cups in your chosen color, either.
FlowersSome of the celebrity brides add expensive crystals to the wedding bouquets they carry down the aisle. Tori Spelling carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley with antique lace wrapping the stem of the bouquet, as well as Swarovski crystals.
"How many people were actually going to see the bouquet's handle?" asks McCollough. "But it meant a great deal to her."
Brides can do something similar for much less by purchasing a special fabric or snipping a piece of lace from the underskirt of their mother's wedding dress.
"It's a special touch that can double as something borrowed and something old," says the wedding expert.
When Melania Knauss married Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Fla., she chose not to carry a bouquet and instead walked down the aisle carrying a family rosary.
"It was incredibly classy," says McCollough.
Bridesmaid dressesCustom-created bridesmaid dresses might be in the budget for celebrities, but can be too pricey for the average bridal couple and their court. Experts suggest checking out the better department stores such as Macy's, Nordstrom and Hecht's that stock bridesmaid dresses.
"You can save a lot of money by buying bridesmaid dresses off the rack and off season," advises Souza. After prom season, summer and Christmas, you can find real bargains.
Instead of spending $500, you might spend $50. Many brides are choosing shorter-length cocktail dresses that are also less expensive.
"One California bride had a friend fly back east after Christmas to a Hecht's where she found Ralph Lauren dresses in silver and gun metal at huge savings. She bought the dresses right off the rack at $50 apiece and even bought a few extra dresses and still saved really big," says the wedding event coordinator.
Or, instead of choosing the identical dress for your bridesmaids, choose the same color dress but different styles that flatter each figure, says McCollough.
"Britney chose burgundy red gowns in slightly different styles. This is a great idea so your bridesmaids can find gowns they feel comfortable in," she says.
Britney's bridesmaids' dresses cost $3,000 each, but you can get the same look in a beautiful burgundy red for $100 to $200.
Wedding plannerMost celebrities hire a wedding consultant to help plan their dream wedding and coordinate all the details. But consultants can be expensive -- some charge as much as 15% of the total cost of the wedding or a flat fee that can sometimes hit six figures.
"If you can afford to do so, it's a great option. But if you can't hire a wedding planner for the whole affair you might consider hiring someone for the day of the affair.
"This way if something goes wrong, someone else is there to take care of it. To have someone else deal with the catering manager and all the other logistics leaves the bride and groom free to just enjoy themselves," says McCollough.
Bridal party giftsTori Spelling and Britney Spears each gave their attendants pink Juicy Couture jumpsuits that cost $99.
But you don't have to give an elaborate keepsake -- just something fun and trendy. If you can't afford a $99 jumpsuit, you can buy tank tops or thongs. They can even say "bridesmaid" on them.
Britney's groom, Kevin Federline, gave his groomsmen $100 Tiffany sterling silver money clips. It doesn't have to be Tiffany, but you can have the same look and spend $25 to $35 each, says McCollough.
"The idea is to take elements from celebrity weddings and do it your own way. Let it spark your imagination," McCollough suggests.
"Regardless of how much money they spend, whether the affair is formal or casual, the celebrities I've worked with make the event something about them and something they really love," says Souza.
"You can do the same, whether it is the colors you choose, that special drink or a fabulous wedding cake. You can focus on one thing and make it memorable. That will have your guests talking about your wedding for months to come."
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If you're on a tight budget in your wedding you can still have a beautiful and celebrity-like wedding. Use your imagination and be creative.
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