Beautiful Church Wedding Decoration Ideas on a Budget
The BEST church wedding decoration ideas on a budget!
Six years ago, my husband and I had a less than $5000 wedding (it was actually closer to $3000 if you don’t count our rings).
I had to be creative with how I decorated the church and our reception venue (which was in my grandpa’s farm building) because we didn’t have much money. I was only 20 and we had a short engagement!
Read the 42 wedding reception menu ideas on a budget!
Even though we had a tight budget, I don’t feel like I had to sacrifice any quality, and I still was able to make it a beautiful day.
Read below for all my tips and ideas for decorating your church wedding on a budget!
Setting the Wedding Budget
When you are wedding planning, the expenses can add up quickly. So make sure to set the total wedding budget before you start making purchases. Then, keep track of each expense, including what you spend on the church decorations, the photographer, your wedding dress, flowers, etc. This is a super important step in the wedding planning process!
Church Wedding Decoration Checklist
Here are the key areas to keep in mind & what decorative elements to consider when wedding planning. Ask yourself the questions and then create a comprehensive checklist of each area you want to decorate and how you plan to decorate it.
- The church – What church and where in the church will you have your marriage ceremony? The sanctuary, church hall, or other room?
- The alter/front of the church – Do you need flowers? Candles? A wedding arch?
- Seats – Are there pews and do you want to incorporate pew decorations? If there are not pews, do you want to add decoration on the floor next to the rows of seats or on the back of the chairs?
- The back of the church – Do you want a sign that says something like which side to sit down, your new last name, or a Bible verse?
- Entrances – Do you need any decorations near the entrances where your wedding guests will walk in? Will you have wedding programs, a welcome sign, or a guest book?
- The aisle – Will you have an aisle runner, flower petals, or something else?
- Wedding party – What will you choose for the bridesmaid dresses, groomsmen tuxes, bouquets, boutonnières, flower girl dress and flower girl basket, and ring bearer outfit?
- Getting ready rooms – Where will the bride and bridesmaids get ready? Where will the groom and groomsmen get ready? Are decorations needed there? Will food be provided?
- Exit – How will you exit? Do you want your guests to blow bubbles or something similar as you leave the church? Do you need someone to provide transportation and will you be decorating the car?
Choosing the Church
If you aren’t attached to a particular church, choosing a church that has a naturally beautiful setting can save you so much money and effort!
For my wedding, we chose the church I grew up attending, which happened to have beautiful stain glass windows, a beautiful alter display, and wooden pews. Because of this, we got away with very minimal decorations.
Our church already had flowers in the front of the church, so we did not add any decorations to the alter.
My grandma made pew bows, which we placed on every other pew.
We also had wedding programs and a few other personal touches.
DIY Church Wedding Decoration Ideas
If you can think of it, you can probably DIY it. Here are a few DIY church wedding decoration ideas:
- Pew Bows
- Wedding Arch
- Wedding Signs
- Candle Holders
- Flower Arrangements (See below)
Tip: Make sure to start early because DIY projects take time. When I was creating my DIY wedding decorations, I felt extremely crunched for time because I waited until the last minute and I kept making mistakes or running into problems.
Affordable Alternatives to Fresh Flowers
Fresh flowers are very expensive, so that is one thing I decided to forgo in my wedding. Instead, I made beautiful floral arrangements using flowers I bought from Hobby Lobby.
They have a MASSIVE artificial flower section where you can pick the individual flowers you like and bind them together to make your bridal bouquets. I did this as well as cut out small pieces of each type of flower to create the boutonnières for the groom, groomsmen, father of the bride and groom, and grandfathers. Hobby Lobby also has very cheap artificial boutonnières if you don’t want to make your own.
Don’t forget the fake rose petals for the flower girl to toss as she walks down the aisle! This makes the aisle look naturally pretty without an aisle runner.
How to Make Artificial Wedding Flowers
- Pick the flowers you want to incorporate in your bridal bouquets. Choose 3-5 flowers that match your wedding theme as well as some greenery.
- Choose materials to bind to the stems. One option is tulle fabric in one of your wedding colors with burlap sack or satin ribbon on top.
- Arrange the flowers into a bouquet. You will need enough bouquets for each bridesmaid, a larger bouquet for the bride, and a smaller bouquet for a bouquet toss if you choose to do one.
- Trim the stems and use a floral arrangement kit (you can get one for less than $10!) to tape the stems together and secure the flower arrangement.
- Use a hot glue gun to glue the ribbon or other material you chose to the stems to create your handle.
My wedding bouquet is still in great shape, and I love that I get to use it as decor in my home for years and years to come.
Shopping Smart
Regularly stop in thrift stores or search on Facebook Marketplace for wedding décor that you could use. Recently married couples often donate or sell items they used for only one day. You could find almost brand new items at a huge discount.
In addition, don’t overlook the dollar store! Like I said above, you will most likely use most of these things only once, so if you can get it cheaper, do it! You may be able to find tea lights, glass vases, pillar candles, a basket to use for the flower girl, and other materials at the dollar store.
Borrowing or renting things to decorate your wedding is also a great idea!!
Multi-Purposeful & Natural Decor
Even though people usually only use their wedding decor once, it doesn’t have to be that way! If you are mindful, you can choose items that could be repurposed in your home after the wedding or easily resold.
I recommend choosing a simple wedding theme and a neutral color scheme. White flowers and lots of lush greenery can go with any wedding theme in any season and easily be repurposed after the wedding!
I found lots of creative ways to use common items like mason jars, burlap sack, tea lights, string lights, and tulle fabric to make our wedding decorations.
Chalkboards are very versatile and can be used as a wedding sign as well as for future birthday parties, baby showers, holiday gatherings, etc.!
Glass vases or jars from the dollar store with candles make beautiful aisle or alter decorations.
Natural items, like wood slices, evergreen pine needles, and other seasonal things you can find outside work wonderfully, too! We had a fall wedding and used corn stalks from my grandpa’s corn field and hay bales as decoration.
Personal Touches
Make your church ceremony special without elaborate decorations by incorporating personal touches! Photos of the couple or loved ones who have passed, homemade things, and sentimental items can add value to your big day without the extra cost.
Decide if you will add a unique segment to the wedding ceremony, such as a unity candle, unity sand, or foot washing ceremony. If you do, don’t forget to plan for any decorations & materials needed for that.
Budget Friendly Church Wedding Final Tips
Here are a few final tips:
- If your guest list is small, don’t open all the pews for people to sit, so the pews look fuller. If your guest list will only fill half of the sanctuary, then only open the pews in the front half of the church. I had a small intimate wedding and I did not know to do this, so the church looked very empty with our friends and family so scattered and spread out.
- If you can, plan to have your wedding in the spring or fall, so you can save on utility expenses. We had an October wedding, so we did not have to pay the church to have the heat on. Instead, we opened the windows. Try to utilize natural light as well!
- If you are a member of a church, ask if you can have your wedding at your church for free or for a discount. I believe my church charged $500, but since I was a member, I only had to pay a small fee for the church secretary to come in, open the church, turn on the lights, etc.
- You do not need to hire a wedding planner! I would, however, make sure you have a good group of women who have experience planning a wedding (almost anyone who is married!) in your corner to help you remember small details, brainstorm ideas, and execute the planning.
Conclusion
I hope these simple church wedding decoration ideas on a budget inspired you and convinced you that you can still achieve your dream wedding and have a beautiful church ceremony without a big wedding budget. You can make elegant church wedding decorations with simple and affordable materials.
Ultimately, marrying your beloved and allowing your friends and family to witness your union is the most important part of your wedding day! Worry less about the decorations and more about creating a day you can enjoy and feel fully present.
Pin to your wedding board!
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