How to add a little wedding luxury without overspending – and how not to!
As a wedding blogger I’m sensing a real subcurrent in wedding media right now – amongst all the noise and AI-fuelled extravagance on instagram, creators and suppliers are calling for authenticity and more genuine wedding content. Yes, we all love to see breathtaking florals, Taylor Swift style – but authentic and achievable wedding styling feels so much more beautiful to share. Inspired by our English Wedding members, here are ten simple, affordable ideas for bringing a little luxury into your wedding, without blowing your budget.
- Choose classic accessories: pearls and heirloom wedding jewellery can be affordable and more meaningful than expensive pieces. Think of timeless pearl earrings which will become family heirlooms over time, or pieces treasured by your mum or grandma.
Freshwater pearl earrings by Carl Oliver Jewellery; calligraphy by By Moon & Tide
- Opt for calligraphy: a beautiful personal touch which, used sparingly, doesn’t have to cost the earth. Place name calligraphy from By Moon & Tide starts at £1 – £2 per guest. Add a handwritten menu or two for gorgeous, understated luxury – and for just £10 each.
- Don’t blow your budget on masses of blooms. Instead choose seasonal flowers, locally grown: ethics is where it’s at and florists working with local growers often have a luxe aesthetic.
- Embrace laid back, all-day wedding wear: day to night doesn’t have to mean an outfit change. Prioritise comfort and quality fabrics over trends, mass market suits and dresses – and start your day mid afternoon so you won’t need to change. And if you want something you can dance in? Wear it from the moment your celebrations begin!
- For elegant signage think fabrics, not plastic. Acrylic (a single-use plastic) is OVER. Fabric and banners are where it’s at. We love Alice Gabb’s custom banners (and everything she stands for too).
Bespoke banners by Alice Gabb
- Clear tables to create space. Clean and minimal styling costs less and screams sophistication (albeit quietly). Soften straight edges with bud vases or simple fabric napkins, but don’t be tempted to add more.
- Opt for chic and elegant over whimsical and rustic. While a rustic barn wedding might sound like the affordable option, styling a space like this can cost more. Whimsical generally means lots of stuff, while chic is pared back – and so is your budget.
- Personalise it: notes mean more than trinkets. Think individual polaroids (or postcards printed at home) with your guests’ photos and a handwritten thank you on the back, as place settings. (Ramp up the luxury with calligraphy, or hand write them yourselves: as a calligrapher I promise they’ll be just as special, if not more, in your own scribbles!) Pop them in mini envelopes or just place them on plates – and they’ll mean more than any favour you could buy.
- Hire your glassware. Wedding hire companies are helping the industry down on waste and single use items. They also specialise in gorgeous glassware and crockery – at an affordable price. Luxury handed to you on a plate. In a plate. As a plate! Literally!
- Cake is optional: but make it a showstopper – no Colins or Connies – sorry. Yes, grabbing a wedding cake from Aldi or M&S is cheap. It can be cute, and we’re not knocking the caterpillars – but luxury they are not. Find a wedding cake designer who’ll create an exquisitely made modern wedding cake: their attention to detail and aesthetics are where luxury lies: not in the seventh tier of a cake that’s as tall as you!
Exquisite modern wedding cake design by Wren Cake Design (Lake District). Photography by Tiree Dawson.
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