I caught a special wedding presentation on HGTV (one of my favorite channel stops). The show’s lucky couple was looking to recreate the look of a high-end wedding without the high-end price tag.

While the planned event was a garden wedding, the show was full of some really great ideas for anyone looking for some alternative ways to wow. Want the look of those wonderful fabric tents or those romantic hangings? Instead of renting, the show’s host, Karen McAloon, purchased inexpensive netting type window dressing from a local store. Hanging the panels swag style across the yard’s gazebo achieved the same lovely feel as the pricey rental tent options.

One option I really liked was replacing the wedding cake with adorable wedding cupcakes quite prettily arranged in a multi-tier tower. Who missed the cake? It didn’t look like anyone did from what I saw! The bridal couple still managed to get their first wedded bite smooshed in the face! Heh!

Even if you aren’t planning an outdoor wedding, the premise of the show was think outside the box! There are a lot of substitutions that can go a long way towards stretching your budget dollars.

Want more ideas? Check out HGTV’s “Weddings on a Budget” website article.