How to Create a Luxury Wedding Theme on a Modest Budget

Dreaming of an elegant, high-end wedding but working with a more modest budget? You’re not alone. While luxury weddings are often associated with designer gowns, extravagant venues, and lavish décor, creating a sophisticated and stylish celebration doesn’t have to come with a jaw-dropping price tag. With a little creativity, some savvy planning, and a focus on the details that matter most, you can achieve the luxe aesthetic you’re after—without the financial stress. From affordable venue choices to DIY décor and smart styling tricks, this article will show you how to create a wedding that feels luxurious, no matter your budget.

The words “luxury wedding” might conjure up images of opulent decor, exclusive venues, and designer wedding dresses straight off the pages of Vogue, but for most couples, the hefty price tag that goes with the luxe vibe means that their dream wedding stays exactly that, a dream!

If you’re dreaming of a luxury wedding, but your bank balance is screaming elope, then fear not - we’re here to tell you that with a bit of creativity, you can bring all your elegant wedding ideas to life without breaking the bank!

Wedding Planning: luxury for less

If you want a luxury vibe for your wedding, there’s no escaping the fact that there will probably be some big expenses involved. Start by getting clear on your priorities for your wedding day - perhaps that designer dress and tailor-made suit are at the top of your list, or maybe a fancy wedding venue or that edgy reportage wedding photographer are your must-haves. Agreeing on the big-ticket items before you start the planning process means that you’ll have a good idea of your budget for the rest of the wedding and should help stop those costs from spiralling!

Luxe attire that fits your wedding budget

If a designer wedding dress or suit is a top priority, then the good news is that it’s literally never been easier to achieve a luxury look for less! You’re probably already addicted to Vinted and Depop, but you might not have heard of Vestiare or The RealReal - these platforms are exclusively for buying and selling secondhand luxury fashion, and that includes wedding dresses and suits!

If pre-loved designer wedding outfits are still beyond your budget, don’t underestimate the effect a bit of tailoring can have on a high-street suit or dress. A nip and a tuck here and there from an experienced seamstress can work wonders!

Dress code for luxury weddings

A formal dress code is an easy way to create an elegant atmosphere for your special day instantly, and the best part is that it’s free (for you, at least - winner!). The sight of every single one of your wedding guests dressed to the nines is guaranteed to bring a luxury vibe to your wedding day, plus the photos will look chef’s kiss.

The idea of a black tie dress code can be pretty daunting for guests, so give them some hints, especially if formal dress isn’t their strong suit! If you want a glitzy Gatsby-esque vibe, then don't be afraid to say so!

DIY luxury wedding stationery

Your wedding stationery will help to set the tone for your big day, but you don’t need to spend big bucks on a stationery designer when platforms like Say I do and apps like Canva exist! With hundreds of pre-made templates to choose from, you can bash out your save the dates, wedding invitations and name cards for a fraction of the cost. If you’re going for printed stationery, choose a nice thick cardstock but use a budget online printers, and hot tip: you can DIY a foiled finish using a laser printer and a laminator for added luxury!

Though printed save-the-dates and wedding invites are definitely more luxurious, if they’re not a spending priority, then you can save even more money by sending digital invitations instead. Use your chosen design elements throughout your custom wedding website to give your guests a nicely cohesive experience.

Choosing the right venue

Your choice of wedding venue is going to make all the difference when you’re going for a luxury vibe - museums, orangeries and other historical venues do some of the heavy lifting by offering inherent charm and baked-in luxury, meaning you’ll spend less on decor. Minimal decor in a higher-end or historical venue is always going to look more luxe than splashing out on floral arrangements and table decor in some generic hotel.

If you don’t mind when you get married, keep an eye out for wedding venues that offer weekday or out-of-season discounts - a midweek wedding in October could save you hundreds!

Your luxury wedding reception

When it comes to luxury wedding decor, Pinterest is your friend - there are loads of budget-friendly easy wins where luxe decor is concerned, but here are some of our favourite creative ways to save:

DIY luxury table decor

You’ll make big savings by ditching the fresh flowers and the traditional head table decor. If your venue allows it, using lots of white pillar candles with some nice foraged greenery like eucalyptus instead is a cheap and effective way to create a luxurious ambience! In fact, put candles everywhere - you can never go wrong with candles!

Affordable wedding entertainment

Rather than shelling out for a string quartet for your special day, put together a few playlists with different vibes depending on your musical tastes. For the drinks reception and meal, you go for something low-key that can play in the background, like classical strings or low-fi beats. The evening entertainment probably isn’t the place to scrimp if you want to get everyone on the dance floor, but if your budget is really tight, you could always call in favours from friends in lieu of wedding gifts - after all, we've all got that one friend who thinks he’s Fatboy Slim, right?!

Wedding food and drink on a budget

Whilst you might not want to cater the whole wedding yourself (who wants to spend their wedding morning making hundreds of hors d'oeuvres?!), you can easily take control of the evening food without too much hassle to save some cash! With a bit of styling, sharing platters or charcuterie boards look decadent and are easy to put together yourself, or if that’s too much effort, then renting a food truck for the night is likely to be a bit more affordable than a traditional wedding caterer.

When it comes to the drinks, supplying your own alcohol is the way to go - sure, the venue might charge corkage, but you’ll still save big bucks! Switch out the traditional champagne toast for Prosecco, and hunt down some bulk buy bargains - you might even be able to return any unopened bottles after the wedding! For added luxury, create your own Prosecco tower using champagne coupes from Ikea.

Lastly, a traditional wedding cake is a big expense you can easily do without - skip the traditional cake cutting and serve miniature desserts, or make a tower of shop-bought macarons for an easy DIY that will look great!

Other creative ways to save money

If you’re still struggling to envisage how to create your dream luxury wedding on a budget, consider paring things back and planning an intimate luxury wedding or micro wedding. Reducing your guest list to 20 of your closest family and friends could mean you can afford an exclusive private hire venue complete with a fine dining experience. If a micro wedding doesn't fit your vision, then another great way to make big savings is to change your timeline - a late afternoon or evening ceremony will mean spending less on food, drink and entertainment!

Pulling off a luxury wedding on a tight budget might seem like a tall order, but with a bit of creativity and resourcefulness, it’s entirely possible. Remember, the most luxurious weddings are those filled with love, joy, and the people who matter most - everything else is just the icing on the (DIY macaron) cake!