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Rustic & Budget-Friendly Indiana Farmhouse Wedding: DIY & Cost-Saving Tips

Newlyweds embrace affectionately at their outdoor wedding ceremony

Understated definitely does not make your wedding boring. As you will soon see Brandon and Erika's Indiana Farmhouse wedding was filled with cost cutting ideas and recycled details that created one fabulous rustic event!
You can catch even more of their DIY details, when you visit the full gallery here. Trust us there is plenty more to see from their birds of a feather wedding! All photographed  by Catalina Jean Photography. Bonus!! Keep on reading to see the budget breakdown of this rustic farmhouse wedding. So, great to see how much everything costs.

Bridal details: wedding dress, boots and a flower crown

Elegant feather bouquet resting on a rustic wooden chair

Alternative DiY Bouquet Idea

We wanted to save money on flowers so we made our centerpieces, bouquets and boutonnieres. I searched on Pinterest a lot for inexpensive ideas and came across a beautiful feather bouquet. I was able to replicate that bouquet for about $40 and used the extra feathers and twine for the boutonnieres.

Bride twirling on wedding day with groom near beautiful house

assorted bridesmaids and groomsmen looks @weddingchicks

Man in beige vest with green tie and feather boutonniere

Meaningful Ceremony Vows

Early on, we knew we wanted to write our own vows. We wanted to spend time to consider the weight of the things we were going to promise to each other. Sharing our promises and commitment to each other before our God, family, and friends is something I will always remember throughout our marriage.

Rustic barn with a red roof in a sunny outdoor setting

Rustic wedding decor with sign, invitations, and old barn details

Wedding ceremony and newlywed couple holding hands walking

Wedding love story chalkboard sign with dates and details

Understated & Beautiful Dress

For my dress I really wanted something that was simple, comfortable and affordable. When I went shopping I realized that many bridal gowns were either too sparkly, princess­-like or thousands of dollars.

However, when I arrived at House of Brides I decided to check out the bridesmaid section; there I found the most perfect dress that fit my personality and the style I was looking for. AND, it was only $168!

lace backed wedding dress from House of Brides and flower halo from Emily Rose Flower Crown @weddingchicks

Bride and groom in an outdoor wedding with a feather bouquet

Romantic wedding couple embracing in a golden field at sunset

Cutting Costs For The Reception

Basically we were striving to have a comfy and warm setting for our guests to have fun and feel cozy. Our colors are also warm tones (dark/forest green, tan and browns).

One of our family members recently got married a few months before and they had many decorations left over. We decided to reuse some of the items and make them fit our wedding style. With these decorations and some hidden gems we found at the thrift shop, we were able to save a lot of money on wedding decor!

Elegant barn wedding reception with tables and chandeliers

Rustic wedding decor with Mr & Mrs bottle and reception tables

Read on to see how much this birds of a feather wedding cost. Please note that costs change as the years go by, and prices are subject to change. This is just one couple’s breakdown to give you a rough estimate on how much a wedding like this may cost you.

Budget Breakdown:
We budgeted about $17,000:
Venue­ $4,860
Food $3,000
Alcohol $700
Photographer $4,500
DJ $1,280
Dress $168
Flower Crown $100
Groom outfit $170
Wedding bands $340
Decorations $210
Print materials $125
Guest Favors $208
Hotel Expenses $450
Bridal Party Gifts $50
Honeymoon $1,000 ­

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