Low Key but Luxe: How to Have a Budget Wedding that Still Looks Fancy AF

Ellie Kime

January 18, 2019

If there’s one thing we know to be true in wedding world ‘19, it’s that engaged couples are looking to save as much money as they possibly can. In fact, some reports coming though at the moment state that the £25k ‘average’ wedding budget that’s thrown around by the media may have in fact decreased to something much closer to £12k in the last year or so (thanks Brexit, thanks Trump). However, what that doesn’t mean is that 2019 couples want their budget savvy weddings to look cheap, far from it in fact. Rock n Roll brides in particular are, if anything, becoming even more creative and experimental with how they pull off a killer wedding on a budget. Today, our friends at Most Curious Wedding Fair are here to tell you how to do it.

Poirot-Themed Wedding at a Vintage Motorsport Museum with Tiny Tony the Miniature Pony!

Ellie Kime

Nikki Van der Molen

January 17, 2019

When a bride describes the inspiration for the wedding as "a fun episode of Poirot with lots of tiny animals", you KNOW it's going to be an alternative wedding, and an amazing day! Frankie and Chris (or Jaffa as most people call him) got married on 5th October 2018 at The Brooklands Museum in Surrey. It was the home of an old Motorsports racetrack but is now a museum for vintage vehicles - cars, planes and buses. 

Simple Yet Elegant Brixton Wedding with just 25 Guests

Kat

Joséphine Elvis

January 4, 2019

Love. Family. Keeping things Simple. These were the three key things Vanessa and Clotilde wanted to focus on for their July wedding. They said their vows in front of only their nearest and dearest at the quirky venue, Downstairs at the Department Store in Brixton. Afterwards they hosted a joy-filled reception at Upstairs at t the Department Store, a brand new restaurant and bar. They didn't want to spend a lot either, with their budget maxed out at £5000.

Mississippi Beach Wedding with a Vera Wang Dress and $1 Bridesmaid Dresses!

Ellie Kime

EJR

November 24, 2018

Krissy and Mike describe their outdoor wedding as "kinda romantic, southern, nerdy and unique all in one" - sounds cute and right up our street!

Laid Back Vegan Picnic Wedding on a Tuesday Afternoon

Ellie Kime

Luna Palm

November 3, 2018

Louise and Jack celebrated their marriage with a super lovely vegan picnic in the park with their little girl, and gave us all a masterclass in how you truly can have a day that's only about you and your love.

Glitter, Skulls, Flamingos & Sombreros: A DIY Day of the Dead Wedding

Kat

Lucie Watson

October 29, 2018

Claire and Tom went for a Mexican/Day of the Dead theme for their July wedding. Complete with sugar skulls, piñatas, flamingos and sombreros, they planned their day with a £5000 budget. They also had a few geeky video game touches (particularly on their cake) such as Fallout and zombies and some Lego used in the terrariums!

Laid Back Bohemian Garden Wedding with a Barefoot Bride and a £300 Budget!

Ellie Kime

Bond

October 28, 2018

Zoe and Perry's wedding was a minimal budget, maximum happiness kinda day. They created a laid back, fun, bohemian day with loads of cute, cheerful decor that was entirely 'Zoe and Perry themed', and overall they only spent about £300 in their own money, with the rest coming from donations and contributions from their pals.

Intimate & Colourful, Skateboard Wedding with a Personalised, Embroidered Wedding Dress

Sophie Cooke

Emma Logan

October 4, 2018

Annabel and Nash met at a Halloween party in 2009, bonding over hungover KFC the next day, and their mutual love of skateboarding and mountain boarding! The couple also share a love of the outdoors, adventure and a laidback attitude to all that they do.

Budget-Friendly Midsummer Night’s Dream Elopement

Kat

Erin of Boston

October 2, 2018

Gemma and Brian chose the intimate setting of Minute Man National Park in Concord, MA for their September elopement. They invited just 12 guests to witness the ceremony and have a meal with them afterwards. The easy-going bride rented her dress and did her own hair and make up on the day.

Kitsch, Colourful, Mid-Century Wedding Party

Kat

Kieran Collins

October 1, 2018

Robyn and Ash were legally married in Vegas at the Chapel of the Flowers but they wanted to host a big party when they got back to Yorkshire for all their family and friends. The party had a really low key, retro and kitsch vibe, hosted at their local community centre. The flowers came from a local flower market, the cakes were from various supermarkets and the stationery was made by the bride. Instead of a fancy meal they served wood-fired pizza and the night ended with - who else? - an Elvis impersonator! 

Pot Luck Backyard Wedding… Where They Filmed a Music Video!

Kat

Sositha Ling

September 16, 2018

You are just not READY for the wedding that's about to hit your eyeballs. After we featured Nancy and Boogie's beyond cool fashion editorial inspired engagement shoot last year, I had a sneaking suspicion that their wedding would be similarly amazing... and it turns out I was bang on the money.

Goth Punk Budget-Friendly Wedding

Kat

Michelle Wood

September 14, 2018

Inspired by punk rock, Day of the Dead and Culture Clash, Amy and Niall planned their August wedding on a £5000 budget. They included nods to their Scottish and Italian/Indian heritages as well as elements that defined them as a couple such as serving a fully vegetarian menu. The family-only ceremony was held at Bedford Town Hall with their low key, DIY reception hosted at The Pavilion in Bedford Park.

Gothic ‘Shit Show’ Ranch Wedding in Los Angeles

Kat

Marco Tombstone

September 3, 2018

Vanessa and Vincent didn't want a theme for their October wedding, even going to far as telling people who asked that their theme was "shit show" (LOL) but undeniably, by bringing their own likes and personal style into their day, they created a wedding that reflected the bride's gothic aesthetic and the groom's family values.

Crazy Pink Las Vegas Elopement

Kat

James Westray

August 28, 2018

A bride in a blush pink tutu skirt, the Las Vegas desert as a photo backdrop and a budget of just €2000 - yes, that's right, you are able to bear witness to one of the coolest weddings we've ever had the pleasure of publishing!

Winter Wedding with Copper Accents and Star Wars

Kat

Jenny Macarè

August 4, 2018

Kerry and Dan didn't have a pre-determined theme, they just wanted to include little bits of everything they love. Little nods to lots of different elements came together to produce a wedding that felt totally 'them'. From the Star Wars posters as table markers, to the homemade cake, DIY flowers and all the decor that they did entirely themselves. They were massively inspired by the weddings featured on Rock n Roll Bride and of course, good old Pinterest.

Edgy Arizona Desert Elopement

Kat

Sarah Price

July 28, 2018

Caitlin and Matthew did what many engaged couples dream of - they ran away and eloped! They wanted their wedding to be about the two of them and their love, without all the politics and drama that we all know can go into planning a big wedding! They were hitched at Superstition Mountains in Apache Junction, AZ.

Rockabilly, Sailor Jerry & Tattoo Themed Pub Wedding for £2000

Ellie Kime

Purple Pear Tree

July 3, 2018

When the couple met via an Instagram account called "The bearded pantie droppers", you know it's going to be a good wedding. And you'd be right - Rose and Matt's rockabilly pub wedding day was a glorious melee of everything they loved including donuts, tattoos and Sailor Jerry. Not only that, but it was all done for £2000. TWO. THOUSAND. POUNDS!

A 1960s, Thrift and Feminist Wedding

Erin Balfour

Photos by Jess Rose

June 3, 2018

Lizzie and Kyle's wedding day was full of things that were personal to them as a couple, a ton of DIY, and some canny thrifting, all of which kept their budget low and the feels high.

Laidback Vegan Wedding in Brighton

Erin Balfour

Brook Rose

April 24, 2018

Violet and Jacob didn't choose the plant life, the plant life chose them. And that's why their super chilled Brighton wedding day was a totally vegan affair with tons of gorgeous donuts, pizzas and other goodies. They married in a low key, intimate ceremony with just 35 guests at Brighton Town Hall, with part one of their reception following in the coffee shop where they first met. By approaching their styling in a laidback way and their family and friends all pulling together to provide various services, they managed to create this gorgeous day for under £5,000.

Artistic DIY Nashville Farm Wedding with a $3000 Budget

Erin Balfour

Alexis Haggerty

April 18, 2018

Lovebirds since just after high school, Gabi and Jacob, also known as Stinky and Barnes, married at home on Little Belly Farm in the coolest most laidback ceremony that shows what might happen if an art gallery met a music festival. There was tons of DIY done by their friends - even down to having their guests bring their own food and booze. Because of this generosity, the day only cos the couple $3,000. Their friends loved that it was more like a big party where the couple happened to be getting married rather than a straight-up formal wedding too!