The 12 best cheap wedding decorations that won't break the bank
Arguably the best part of a wedding is all your bridal party and favourite people in one place, in the sunshine, glass of Champagne in hand, dancing the night away. For couples who spent months planning their big day, the pandemic threw a giant, wholly unwelcome, spanner in the works with many 2020 celebrations cancelled or postponed to 2021.
At long last, normality isn't far off as the government has confirmed that from 12 April, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are permitted for up to 15 people in COVID-19 secure venues, from 17 May up to 30 people can attend and, wait for it, from 21 June, ALL restrictions on weddings and civil ceremonies will be lifted.
Weddings are back in a big way.
As a result, we're expecting a wedding rush later in the year as couples finally get to enjoy the celebrations they have been denied for the past year.
How can I decorate my wedding for cheap?
We won't insult your intelligence, one thing we all know about weddings is they do not come cheap.
One way of keeping costs within budget is shopping smart for decorations, whether it's lighting to transform an outdoor space, floral centrepieces for a dining table of dreams or colourful bunting for making over a marquee.
Look for cheaper alternatives or compromise on things that aren't a must-have. For example, if giant floral table decor is out of your budget, opt for faux designs instead.
Pick up plain, unscented candles in place of luxury fragranced ones and find inexpensive photo booth props to add a humorous touch to any outdoor pictures.
How much do decorations for a wedding cost?
According to the National Wedding Survey 2019 conducted by Hitched, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is £31,974, enough to make your eyes water and seriously consider eloping.
As much as 28% is spent on venue hire alone, so if there's a way to cut costs without losing the special touch to your day we're all for it.
With anything wedding-related, it can cost into the thousands and decorations are one of the easiest places to save without compromising on your dream day.
So we've done the hard work for you and found cheap wedding decorations that look anything but, for indoor, outdoor, backyard and venue occasions, so you can put the rest of your budget towards that two week trip to the Maldives you've had your eye on all lockdown.
Scroll down for our edit of 12 stylish, functional and most importantly, budget-friendly, wedding decorations to buy ahead of your summer nuptials.
Best cheap wedding decorations: John Lewis
John Lewis & Partners Faux Floral Wedding Wreath, £25, John Lewis
Why we love them: This pink and white faux floral centrepiece is a speedy way to tablescape on a budget and can be left as-is for a simple elegant design or dressed up with a candle in the middle and dotted across the table cloth.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Papier
Lemon Tree Menu Cards, £17.50 for 10, Papier
Why we love them: A beautifully simple menu card like this one provides the finishing touch to your table decorations and is made with high-quality paper with an eggshell finish. Each pack also comes housed in plastic-free packaging so it's a big tick from us.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Etsy
Large Wedding Flower Floral Hanging Metal Chandelier, £49.99, Etsy
Why we love them: If you're still keen to have a smaller wedding surrounded by your nearest and dearest, this is a beautiful way to add flowers above your dining table or in the centre of a mini marquee that'll make pictures look extra special without the extra cost.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Amazon
LED Curtain Lights 4M, £18.99, Amazon
Why we love them: Don't underestimate how lighting can transform an outdoor wedding, these LED lights are a lengthy four metres long and are the perfect backdrop for dancing the night away.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Hobbycraft
White Display Easel, £9.75, Hobbycraft
Why we love them: For less than a tenner, this easel is a fuss-free way of displaying your seating arrangement for guests to view when they enter your reception, whether it's an indoor or outdoor celebration.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Not On The High Street
Ginger Ray Boho Themed Flag Bunting Decoration, £6.99, Not On The High Street
Why we love them: Create your own ceiling decor in a plain marquee with bunting attached to the centre and hung across the entire room for a spectacular display on a small budget.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Oliver Bonas
Brass Wall Hanging Display Frame, £19.50, Oliver Bonas
Why we love them: This sweet wall fixture can be used to share your favourite memories from your relationship, from dates to proposals, or you could include all your friends and family. Best of all, once the day is over, you can keep it up at home too.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Paperchase
Rose Gold Wedding Photo Booth Props, £2.50, Paperchase
Why we love them: We all love a good photo booth and there's nothing like a group of you clamouring into a tiny space to take pictures when you've had a few drinks. They'll bring endless laughs in the days after and you can put the polaroids in a scrapbook to keep as a great memory of the party.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Anthropologie
Deedra Macrame Table Runner, £58, Anthropologie
Why we love them: If your theme is rustic or boho-related, this macrame tablecloth is gorgeous for long tables and will pair nicely with gold plateware, amber glass candles and bottles of Champagne, of course.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Ginger Ray
Ginger Ray Copper Frame Wedding Arch, £69.99, Not On the High Street
Why we love them: Just because you're getting married doesn't mean you need to spend thousands on flowers. This minimal wedding arch is lovely if you want something more sophisticated while still being versatile enough to dress up or down with extra foliage or pictures.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Urban Outfitters
LED Solar Lantern Chain, £39, Urban Outfitters
Why we love them: Make use of this lantern chain by decorating trees and shrubbery that will bring a garden space to life when the sunsets. They'll also provide flattering lighting for pictures of the evening festivities and the simple design means they won't overpower other decor you may have.
Best cheap wedding decorations: Amazon
Yueshop 2x7FT Artificial Wisteria Vine Garland, £11.99, Amazon
Why we love them: It's no secret that flowers can be one of the most expensive items when it comes to wedding decor, so stick to your budget and opt for a faux floral arrangements like this one instead. We think it makes a stunning photo prop for at the end of the altar and is just as impressive as the real deal, but with a lot less waste once the ceremony is over.
