Boho Wedding Ideas On a Budget: Ceremony and Reception Themes

 
 

If you’re trying to stick to a budget, a boho wedding is a great theme to use. The laid back vibe lends itself to DIY projects and thrifted decorations. You don’t have to be too picky about every detail. If you’re looking for an easy wedding to plan - a bohemian wedding is a great choice. There’s lots of tips and ideas to help you plan a boho wedding on a budget.

Everything from your clothes to your meal service can be laid back and easy going. Boho dresses, accessories and menswear can be less expensive and easier to wear. Your flower arrangements can be simple and loose. You can choose the details that you like and the easy going style will help it all fit together. That makes it perfect for a laid back couple. 

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The main feeling of a boho wedding is a free spirited, effortless style. Once you’ve decided on a bohemian wedding, you’ll notice that there’s three different looks:

Romantic Boho Wedding

A romantic boho wedding usually uses a lighter color palette, lots of flowers and soft grasses. Your dress can be lacy and flowing. Add velvet ribbons and bridesmaid dresses and you’ll have a gorgeous, romantic feel for your boho wedding.

Vintage Boho Wedding

A vintage boho wedding has a bit of a hippie, festival vibe. Look for vintage lace details for your dress and decorations. Neutral beige, brown and burgundies are perfect color palettes for a vintage style boho wedding.

Natural Boho Wedding

A natural boho wedding has a rustic style. An outdoor venue would be fantastic for this type of wedding. Think about using succulents, cactuses and lots of wood details. Fall colors like burgundy and rust are perfect for a natural boho wedding.

What to Look For at Your Venue

Your venue has the biggest impact on the style of your wedding. Boho weddings have a natural, laid back look. Outdoor or rustic type venues are great choices that can be a lot less expensive than a traditional wedding venue. Look for spaces that have an easy going or casual style.

An outdoor venue would be perfect:

  • State park

  • Nature preserve

  • Campground

  • Beach

  • Farm

  • Ranch 

  • Pavilion

  • Gazebo

  • Apple orchard

If you want your wedding indoors, look for a venue with a rustic vibe:

  • Barn

  • Cottage

  • Cabin

  • Greenhouse

Color Palettes For a Boho Wedding

 
 

Boho weddings can use any color scheme. Most often, they’ll be either a light color scheme or a dark color scheme. A light color palette will have lots of neutrals, like beige, dusty rose and sage. A dark color palette uses richer colors, like burgundy, rust, brown and green.

 
 

Details For a Boho Wedding

Depending on your style, you can choose details that are more vintage, romantic or natural. All these styles will fit a boho wedding. You can find lots of options on any budget. If you’re trying to save money, think about doing some DIY projects. Decorations, bouquets and even food at a boho wedding can be less complicated. That makes it easier to do it yourself.

Food to Serve at a Boho Wedding

Given the laid back style, if you’re on a small budget, you can DIY your food. Make your own food stations or food bars. Or semi DIY your wedding menu - you can order from a local deli or restaurant and set it up yourselves. If you’ve got the budget for a caterer, buffet or family style food service is a good fit for a boho wedding. Look for food that suits your style:

  • Vintage food trucks

  • Vintage trailer bar

  • Food stations

  • Rustic pies

  • Naked cake or semi-naked cake

  • Charcuterie boards

  • Local wine

  • Craft beer

Boho Wedding Decorations on a Budget

You can make or order your own decorations to save a lot of money. Just make sure you’ve got enough time - and help - to set it all up on your wedding day. You can shop at your local dollar store, or search for bargains online. If you’re planning a vintage style you can even look in your local thrift shops for items to use.

  • Geometric arch for your ceremony

  • Teepee backdrop for your ceremony

  • Rugs lining the aisle

  • Rugs as a dance floor

  • Wicker

  • Macrame

  • Driftwood 

  • Pampas grass

  • Feathers

  • Bottles and jars

  • Thrifted glassware

  • Terrariums

  • Dream catchers

  • Flowers and berries

  • Greenery

  • Succulents

  • Cactuses

Boho Wedding Dresses and Accessories on a Budget

Since boho wedding dresses are more casual and laid back, you can often find one for a lot less than a traditional wedding gown. The boho style is usually lacy, with sleeves and a long skirt. You’ll be able to find boho wedding dresses in different styles. Look for a dress with a romantic boho, a vintage boho or a natural boho style.

  • Cream, ivory, champagne or even pink wedding dresses

  • Lacy, flowing skirt

  • Long sleeves

  • Flutter sleeves

  • Off the shoulder

  • Crystal headbands

  • Braids and flowers in your hair

  • Flower crowns with a loose hairstyle

Lacy Boho Wedding Dresses With Sleeves:

 
bride and groom kissing underneath a wooden arch decorated with fall flowers

Bride and groom under a rustic fall wedding arch.

 

Plus Size Boho Wedding Dresses - Sizes 12 to 20, Under $500:

 
bride and groom posing under a wooden arch decorated with sunflowers

Bride and groom at a boho fall wedding.

 

Menswear For a Boho Wedding on a Budget

Just like the wedding dress, menswear for a boho wedding can be a lot less expensive. As a bonus, instead of spending money on a rental, menswear is usually clothes that can be worn again. Depending on your style, you can choose any laid back or casual look for your wedding day.

  • Khakis

  • Dress shirts

  • Suspenders

  • Vests

  • Hats

  • Converse

Bouquets & Boutonnières With a Boho Vibe

To keep your boho vibe going, stick with loose natural flower arrangements. These are perfect DIY projects for your boho wedding. You can use artificial or dried flowers and make your bouquets and boutonnières ahead of time. You won’t need a florist and you’ll save a ton of money. 

Like the rest of your wedding choices, try to choose items that match your style. If you’re going for a romantic boho feel, use some velvet ribbons. If you’re planning a vintage boho look, use some lace to wrap your bouquet. For a natural boho feel, twine or butcher string would be perfect to tie it all together.

  • Velvet ribbons

  • Lace ribbons

  • Twine

  • Butcher string

  • Spray roses

  • Ranunculus

  • Protea

  • Anemones

  • Gladiolus

  • Gardenias

  • Eucalyptus

  • Pampas grass

  • Feathers

  • Berries

Boho Inspiration From Real Weddings

This wedding from The Knot uses a rich color palette with lots of burgundy. The soft flowers and ferns give it a natural boho feel. The macrame and velvet accents make it a little bit vintage. The brides gorgeous headpiece puts it over the top: A Natural, Bohemian Wedding at Woolverton Inn in Stockton, New Jersey

This wedding from Martha Stewart gets a romantic vibe from the peach and rust color palette. The brides off the shoulder dress and braids add a perfect boho touch: A Warm, Boho Inspired Wedding at a Private Lakefront Home in Austin, Texas

This natural boho wedding from Kennedy Blue uses a rich color palette with blues, greens and reds. The flower crown and bouquets packed with eucalyptus, greenery and red flowers complete the bohemian vibe: Diana and Jack's Boho Barn Wedding

Boho Wedding Invitations on a Budget

One attraction of the boho wedding is the easy, casual vibe. If you’re on a tight budget, you can keep your invitations just as casual. You can invite people by email, text or a phone call. If you want to send invitations, there’s lots of choices.

For an inexpensive and easy invitation, there’s some nice options from Amazon. They’ve got that boho look and handwriting them gives you a unique, laid back invitation to send to your guests:

If you’d rather have printed wedding invitations, Basic Invites has a huge selection with great prices and gorgeous boho designs.

Invitations For a Feather Themed Boho Wedding:

Vintage Boho Wedding Invitations - Customize Your Colors:

Rustic Boho Wedding Invitations - Casual Style Kraft Paper With Decorative Antlers:

Last But Not Least - Try To Keep it Simple

Wedding planning can get stressful. If you decide to plan a boho wedding, remember to keep it loose and easy. Pick the details you love and don’t worry about the rest. You can get the overall feel with just some boho flowers and a dress with a vintage vibe. Try to keep things simple and have some fun with it. Don’t worry too much about getting every detail perfect. As long as you end up married - your wedding will be a huge success!

Boho Wedding Planner Book

Planning a wedding on a budget? A boho theme is the perfect choice if you want to DIY your wedding - and save money! The Boho on a Budget Wedding Planner will show you exactly how to plan everything. There’s pages for figuring out your budget, finding your venue and planning your menu. Plus tip sheets and checklists for everything in between:

 
 

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