So many styled shoots look incredible, but often there’s hundreds of pounds worth of flowers/expensive props/ designer everything involved which makes it unreachable for many couples. So when Maddie from Sonnet Weddings and Events got in touch with this gorgeous ‘80s prom-themed shoot completely with decor that only cost around £30, we jumped at the chance to showcase that you don’t need a lot of money to decorate a wedding.
“I have had an idea percolating for a while to create a huge papier mache arch,” she told us, “which started with trying to brainstorm super cost-effective ways to make large-scale decorations. As the crazy pink arch started to take shape and each individual piece was designed and created, the kitschy ‘pink pink pink’ theme came together and all the other vendors ran with it!”
“We were able to create two very different vibes (a la ceremony + reception) with different styling for the clothes for the models – the poofy, over-the-top, princess, cupcake dress look felt very 80s prom AND the pink dress with a veil and sneakers with tall socks was a little more rock n’ roll and casual. I know a lot of couples that I work with like to have a second (more comfortable especially for dancing) look to change into after dinner or whenever things get a little more informal.”
“I think it can be super overwhelming as a couple to fill a big blank venue space and make it feel very you. Especially on a budget! If you can find inexpensive materials and set aside the time to work with them, you can totally do it.”
“I loved the process of papier mache (and I got my neighbours and husband to help with creating and painting the pieces) and there are endless possibilities to what you can make. We used a copper pipe structure and TONS of duct tape to attach the papier mache pieces to make an arch, but you could also use papier mache (or even just painted cardboard) to make signs (like the baby it’s you sign), smaller decorations for tables, or a backdrop for a photobooth. You control the colours, shapes, fonts, and vibe so it’ll definitely be cohesive and feel like you!”
