Budget Savvy Wedding Planning

When the Twilight madness first started, I avoided it like the plague. I hadn’t read the books. I didn’t go see the movie. It just didn’t interest me. And then, I spent an afternoon at my sister’s place last year and she wanted to watch. I have to admit – I loved it! I have since bought and read all four books.   And yes – I totally love the idea of a Twilight themed wedding!

First – a little eye candy – A friend of mine who also happens to be a cake decorator (Tantalizing Treats) posted this picture of a Twilight themed cake she made for a client. I love how she worked all four books into the design while still keeping that clean, simply look.

Now – let’s go back to the book and look at the different aspects that make up a Twilight wedding and see what budget friendly tips we can drag out at the same time.

Make A Grand Entrance:

Alice used thousands white lights and bows to decorate trees along the long driveway into the Cullens’ estate where Bella’s wedding took place. This is a great way to set the scene and build excitement as guests arrive. And – it could also be a great way to make a big impact on a budget. Chances are you will have plenty of friends and family members willing to lend you their clear Christmas lights and if you need more, these can often be rented for a fairly small price.

The Dress:

Bella’s wedding gown was a vintage style  early 1900′s gown with modern updates to the train and veil. InStyle recently had a number of designers submit sketches for what they thought Bella’s gown would look like. Here are a few of my favorites:

For a budget bride – the key is to look for something with that elegant, vintage feel. True vintage styles are a great place to start but new gowns with soft flowing fabrics and touches of lace are also a great choice. Here are a couple of my favorites from House of Brides:

Penelope from the Wtoo Collection ($435 on House of Brides), Emily from Jessica McClintock ($290 on House of Brides) and T833 from Jasmine Couture.

The Music:

Live, classical music is a must for any Twilight themed music. Rosalie played Pachelbel’s Canon prior to the ceremony followed by Wagner’s traditional march.  A piano is also a great touch in honor of Edward. If you have a limited budget, a great selection of prerecorded classical music is an affordable alternative. If finances allow you may want to incorporate some live music into the ceremony and opt for a DJ and prerecorded music for the reception.

The Flowers and Decor:

While many Twilight inspiration boards use the White and Red tulips from the Twilight cover – Bella’s bouquet was actually all white with roses, orange blossoms and freesia.  The ceremony area was decorated with hundreds of white flowers and white ribbon with white satin covered chairs.  The ceremony took place in front of an archway covered in white flowers and more ribbon.  Now – budget brides are probably cringing at the price of all those flowers – but there are alternatives.   Start with the chairs – white chair covers can be rented and that already creates a big impact.  Play up the white theme with a white aisle runner (rent) and white silk flower petals (ebay).  For a great DIY project, how about lining your aisles with all white versions of these carnation toparies using silk carnations for big impact without big cost? Draping white tulle is also another great, affordable way to add to the all-white glamor.

What do you think? What things would you incorporate into a Twilight themed wedding?