Tuesday 12 March 2013

A Spring/Summer Irish wedding on a Budget


So Spring is near and Ireland is clearly deep in recession- we all know about it, everyone talks about it all the time. It isn't going to get any better soon and we have accepted this. There is no need for us to skirt around this subject anymore, it is what it is and there is no denying it.

Ireland has changed and our attitude to money and what we have has changed as well. We are buying less and making do with what we have. We are upcycling our furniture (why buy new items when a lick of paint and some pretty new drawer pulls can reinvent it!), and our clothes (out has come the sewing box, we are cutting, adding ribbon and embellishment and giving our clothing a second life). Gone are the days of second hand snobbery, we now call it 'thrift' and it's trendy!

You can find this DIY tutorial here

We are still falling in love and no amount of money or lack of can change that fact. We are still getting married, but it can be an expensive ordeal. We don't want our special day to land us with a miserable overdraft which will hang over us for the next few years, so what is the solution? D.I.Y weddings, that's what! Plan out your budget and see what you can do yourself and for all the things that you can't try to support your local and national shops and Etsy Ireland sellers to try to put some money back into the country.

There is so much talent out there to inspire you, get creative and put your own personality into the finishing touches. Make memories- instead of looking back at the day and thinking about the typical meat and two veg hotel dinner that you had you could think about the delicious buffet that your loved ones and friends helped to prepare using local ingredients and recipes from your family, made with love and friendly banter?



Your wedding will be a day to remember so why not pay attention to the little details and make it as special as you can? Here are some inspirational pictures, and you can find some more ideas on my Pinterest board here. I especially love the key idea- so many people have lots of old keys lying around and ribbon is so cheap. You can get so creative with wedding favours- order hessian bags in bulk and fill them with homemade dried flowers, homemade chocolates, fill little bottles with homemade scented seasalts- the options are endless.









If you have bought items from Etsy Ireland sellers and used them in your wedding get it touch, let us know! Also if you have any other ideas or tips please leave a comment below. In the meantime, here are some treasuries to show you what beautiful products our Irish Etsy Shops have on offer. Happy planning x


'A Spring Wedding' by PetalToPetal

A beautiful selection of products from Irish Etsy Members that would help to make a stylish and unique wedding. From bridesmaid gifts to materials for a DIY wedding to suitable wedding gifts.


Purple/White Ivory/Blue Lobe...
$16

Miniature Irish Church Hand ...
$25

Rhinestone Flower Brooch, Vi...
$45

Something Blue (Wedding Toke...
$6

Real Cultured Pearl Silver F...
$65

Bridal Shower Necklace - Let...
$28

Granny's China, Printed ...
$98

Real Cultured Pearl Silver F...
$70

Gorgeous JUST MARRIED Weddin...
$67

EllenVintage Opulence Gold &...
$75

3 Meters of Vintage Filet La...
$30

Silver Chrysanthemum & Purpl...
$20

Gold script love collar tips...
$5

50 Pretty tags for invites, ...
$12

SALE 50% OFF, Love Hearts, m...
$41

'A DIY Wedding' by PetalToPetal

Planning your wedding yourself? Here is a selection of beautiful supplies from Irish Etsy Shops which will help to make that attention to detail on your special day both unique and beautiful.


3 Meters of Vintage Filet La...
$30

50 Pretty tags for invites, ...
$12

5 x New Hearts Love Charms P...
$1.25

Cotton Linen Yarn from Irela...
$14

40 Mixed Buttons - White
$3.5

10 Antique Silver 4 Leaf Clo...
$1.5

Wide Silver Trim Squares wit...
$12

Pearl and Crystal Bead Trink...
$3.17

Wedding Cape Cloak Knitting ...
$3.2

50g White Pearl Finish Opaqu...
$1.25

10 Antiqued Silver Plated Ho...
$1.5

25 envelopes - ribbed brown ...
$3.5

Vintage style milk/juice bot...
$2

50g Clear Transparent Glass ...
$1.25

Crochet Dress Pattern PDF Vi...
$3.2



'Mayflowers and a Summer Wedding' by ICAlien

Romantic wedding designs from the Irish Etsy Team.


Ivory Hair Piece with Pearls
$50

Bridal Cuffs 1920's Rose
$175

Wedding name place cards/hea...
$4

Freshwater Pearls Wedding Br...
$52

Natural Linen Handknit Shawl
$45

Vintage style pendant with J...
$14

Odette Hairpiece(right) , Ha...
$28

Custom Personalized Vintage ...
$50

Tiny Pink Spring Flowers Hol...
$23

Áine Bridal Babydoll - SIOD...
$280

Drop Earrings - Sterling Sil...
$20

White/Ivory Necklace. Weddin...
$18

White "Tree of Life&quo...
$6

Rustic Wooden Hanging Heart ...
$5

White lace Flowers, Daisy Em...
$3

White Silk Bow, Cape Dress, ...
$199

4 comments:

  1. This is so true! Even if money were no object, a wedding will be so much more special and personal if the couple and their friends and family have contributed ideas, decorations, food etc, rather than having the expensive "wedding industry" package. A low budget is a great creative opportunity rather than a restriction!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely article and very true. My own wedding was ten years ago (I was a child bride honestly) and I did a lot of bits myself to save money. Made the invites (I used a wax and seal and ribbon on the front), made the favours (scented mini candles wrapped in tulle with ribbon. I paid my wedding dress off month by month and bought as much on sale as I could. The littles things saved a fortune, of course if I did it now I'd do it very vintage tea party style, lots of bunting and flowers!

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  3. Lovely thanks for the input ladies :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Really great ideas! I'm getting married next year so lots of great ideas as I don't want to spend a lot. At the moment i'm on the hunt for wedding venues in West Cork but after that it will be full steam ahead with reception planning and these ideas will really help!

    ReplyDelete