How To Plan A Budget Wedding, According To The Duggars

The Duggars have as many great tips as they do family members. (We’ll limit it to 10 here, to keep things simple.) A lot of people may not be into their relationship rules, but the family has plenty of practical suggestions when it comes to a budget-friendly wedding–and they are overflowing with fashion and beauty tips. We didn’t find out what miracle, hair-growing conditioner they were using on the latest episode of 19 Kids And Counting, but we did discover numerous ways to stay on budget and look modestly fashionable at your wedding:

Here are 10 tips for a stylish, Duggar-approved wedding:

1. Go with a shabby chic theme and people won’t expect glitz and glam.

If your theme is “Hollywood royalty graces the red carpet” people are going to expect diamond-encrusted cutlery and couture dresses. Jill described her wedding look as “shabby chic” which means you can buy the older, worn (read: cheaper) stuff and people will think it’s great.

2. Get all of the wedding shoes from Famous Footwear.

The prices are good and there are shoes for every member of your bridal party whether you have 4 bridesmaids or 20. If you can get the brand to sponsor your wedding or reality TV show, you might even get them at a cheaper price.

3. Instead of shoes, go barefoot.

Jill said she planned on going barefoot at her wedding. It makes sense. Why spend $800 on Louboutins you won’t even see under your long dress? Plus, you’ll just remove them after you vigorously dance to one Michael Jackson song.

4. Don’t go overboard with the bridesmaids’ dresses.

Take note brides: Jill wanted her sisters to be able to wear their bridesmaid dresses again, and she wanted them to be comfortable. The bridal party chose simple mint lace dresses that apparently cost $30.

5. Get your sister to do all of the alterations on the bridesmaid’s dresses.

Poor Jana. Sometimes alterations can cost almost as much as the dress. Convince a family member that fixing the dresses can be their wedding present to you, and it will cost you nothing.

6. Bridesmaid dress fittings are the best when tea and cakes are involved.

Yeah, you could get chocolate fingerprints on the dress, but everything is much more fun when there’s sugar involved. If you really want to save money, this could serve as your bachelorette party.

7. Aim for “cute, not ugly.”

If your goal is to blow everyone’s minds with every detail from the mason jars to the type of lights used in the venue, you are going to go over your budget (and probably have everyone call you a crazy Bridezilla). Have realistic standards. Think: if it’s not completely disgusting, it probably works, or as one sister said, if it’s cute and not ugly, I’m happy.

8. Long, curly hair is the best option.

Take a look at any photo of the Duggar sisters. If you have been blessed with hair half as good as theirs, leave it down and show that gorgeous mane off.

9. It’s okay to have a few special splurges.

Getting your hair and makeup done is a sensible thing to spend money on. You will be stressed and short on time, so you may not be able to finish the flawless ringlets you know you’re capable of. Go to the professionals.

10. Fake eyelashes are out.

Don’t go crazy on the makeup. You may wear makeup to honor the Lord, but that doesn’t mean the more you wear, the more saintly you will be. Some bridal parties love fake lashes, but if they’re not your thing, don’t wear them, and use the money on hair products.

(Photo: Instagram/DuggarFam)

Iskra Banović

Associate Editor at Blufashion | Website

Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website's content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra's expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.