Bang for Your Buck

We’re a Fan!

If you’re marrying outdoors, it’s hard to beat paper fans as a favor. They’re charming and practical, come in tons of hues (orange, yellow, pink, blue, green, purple…) and cost less than a small latte. These fans from Asian Ideas (asianideas.com) are $1.25 each; less when you buy in bulk.

Fab Fakes

For most of us, dropping a few thou on diamonds is not an option. And yet your everyday hoops won’t cut it with a satin ball gown. One solution: fakes from Fauxsie (fauxsie.com), like these Heirloom Lace Chandeliers. The tiny bezels, droplets and intricate weave mimic the look of antiques—for $175. The classic design means you’ll love them for life.

Stamp Ease

And now, a tribute to the rubber stamp. No matter what your theme—pinwheels or poppies—you can order a stamp to match for under $10 (impressrubberstamps.com), then choose ink in your wedding colors (metallics, too) to personalize save-the-dates, ceremony programs, place cards, paper-napkin rings, menu cards, ribbons, favor bags—even a paper aisle runner (buy extra ink!).

A Vera Good Deal

Brides who’ve fantasized about wearing a Vera Wang gown but were stymied by their budget should check out this steal: For $2,890—that’s about half the cost of her most crave-worthy wedding styles—you can walk down the aisle in this dark ivory sheath with ornamental seaming and velvet petals embroidered on the neckline. Starting this year, you’ll find a sprinkling of lower-priced gowns in the designer’s collections, a dream of a deal for anyone who’s ever imagined herself looking very Vera.

Plastastic

The fastest way to upgrade a backyard party is with stemware. These plastic Triangle goblets, $38.99 for six, by ZakDesigns, laprimashops.com, are hefty to the touch, light on the wallet. Going potluck? Invest in melamine trays and bowls, from $13, by ZakDesigns, and deliver them to your team of cooks the day before the wedding—your buffet will have a clean, cohesive look. After the party, you can divvy things up among a few family members—or keep it all and have picnic gear for a decade or two.