Cut your DIY wedding budget with after Christmas sales!

Today I spent a few moments wandering through the Christmas sales at a few local stores looking for nothing in particular…but last year it was a different story.  You see we were planning a wedding and what better time to pick up things than when they are on clearance.   Nope, we weren’t planning a Christmas wedding but you’d be surprised the things you can pick up this time of year.  So I thought I’d quickly post a few of the ones we used or popped into my head while looking through the leftovers.

Solid Color, Metallic, or non-holiday specific wrapping paper - I always buy clearance wrapping paper after Christmas and use it through-out the year for birthday presents, etc.  Target has a wonderful selection of stripes, solids, plaids, and even pastel non-holiday specific wrapping paper in their holiday selection.  But if you have a wedding coming up in the next 11 months think about it for…

• use to wrap wedding party gifts and then spice it up with clearance ribbon!
• thinking of doing DIY envelope liners…wrapping paper works great and you can get almost 100 from some larger rolls of wrapping paper.  I especially love the thicker metallic wrapping paper from Hallmark as envelope liners!

Solid Color, Metallic, or non-holiday specific ribbon, raffia, and beaded garland - Because I like to dress up packages with grosgrain and other nice ribbons, I always buy clearance ribbon after Christmas & other holidays.  I typically wait until it is 75% off and even through really picked over, I always find several rolls to use through-out the year for birthday presents, etc.  This stash came in super handy last year when I was able to use raffia I had on hand for our rehearsal dinner centerpieces, and when wrapping groomsman gifts.  Here again think solid colors, stripes, or metallic.

• use to spice up wedding party gifts
• use to hang various wedding signs (chair signs, etc)
• raffia works great with mason jars for a rustic theme and can be picked up for as low as a quarter right now!
• will your favors have tags attached?  Now is a great time to pick up ribbon for that project as well
• what about your programs, will they be bound together with string or ribbon?  Yep, thinking ahead can save you a few $$

Candles & LED Tea Lights- many stores have solid candles they mark down as part of their holiday clearance!  You can find these really cheap at places that don’t typically carry them…like Home Depot.

• Solid colors like ivory, white and red (if it’s part of your theme) are often pennies in the clearance section.  I picked up a large bag of tea lights last Christmas for $1.00 and we used them with our Ikea votive holders and mason jars come June.
• Need LED tea lights for votives or to light paper lanterns? Check out Home Depot, they have packages of 6 for $3

Decor & Various other items from Online Sources – You can often pick up other items like vases, votive, frames for table numbers etc.  You just have to think outside the box.  Here are a few links from various places to get you thinking

• Centerpiece photo boxes - Black or Walnut – $7.48 each – Use to hold photos and the table number and then drop a random container (even a tin can would work, since you won’t see it) in the middle to hold your DIY flows to tie it all together. Gift them to family members as fun pencil caddy for the office or sell them afterward and cut your costs even lower!
• Red Cupcake Stand – Great for a shower or cupcake display.  Anyone having a red & turquoise wedding…this would be adorable on a turquoise table cloth or with turquoise cupcake wrappers. (edit: sold out online, but still in my local store)
• Envelope Liners – Don’t want to worry with making your own?  Paper-Source has some really fun ones on Clearance!
• Martha Stewart Glittered Chandelier Cutouts – $19-24 – Gold and Sparkly and fun to hang from trees, rafters, etc.  There is even a table top version
• Cocktail napkin holder $12.00 – This could be a fun addition to a signature drink bar setup, and then something you could actually use in your home afterwards!
• Monogrammed Lunch Tote – $9.00 – This would make a fun and useful bridesmaid or hostess gift and for this price you could also include a gift certificate to your favorite lunch hangout (for those days when you just need to go out to lunch)
• Envelopes, Paper, Etc. – Check out Paper Source’s sale section for some fun deals on envelopes, craft kits, program kits, labels, etc.  I picked up our Save the Date envelopes this way last year, also if you live near a store they typically have a sale section in the store!
• Monogrammed Crystal ornament – $3.99 – You could use these as gift tags for bridesmaid’s gifts or even to hang on manzilla branches with table numbers on them.
• Red Square Vases – Great for someone with a red theme and come in various sizes!
• French Wire Cake Pedestal – $9.95 – I LOVE this and wish we had it back in June for our rehearsal dinner.  I’m trying to convince myself I still need it for Thanksgiving, etc.  It would be fun for a cake/pie buffet or to display cupcakes, etc.

Do you have any after-holiday shopping tips to help save money through-out the year…wedding planning or not?