The sound of wedding bells need not remind you of scant coins bouncing to and fro in your purse. You can still have a wedding that’s beautiful and awe inspiring without leaving you bankrupt the day after. In fact, you can have a practically chic wedding that doesn’t need a hefty paycheck in order for it to be a reality. Today, a lot of people, most especially celebrities, can go way over the top with lavish celebrations. But if you’re no celebrity but still want to create a dramatic atmosphere or simply just a beautiful one, then you don’t need to fret, for help is near. Below is your step-by-step guide to plan you way to wedding success.

- Make sure that you put all your ideas into words and while you’re at it, put it into paper as well. After listing all the things that you want in your wedding, establish a theme that will be evident throughout the occasion. It can be anything from a romantic garden wedding or even a glamorous one complete with candelabras and sparkling diamonds everywhere – fake of course.

- Being organized is also a necessity. If you’d rather plan your own wedding, then you might as well do it with a professional’s touch. Have a timeline that will tell you when all things must be done and follow it. Being on schedule will make sure that every aspect of the wedding is taken care of. And, if you actually took care of everything beforehand, then you will have those extra hours to just relax, have a good soak in the tub or even a facial.

- Try to be practical with every aspect of the wedding without sacrificing beauty. The decorations, if possible, can be made with the help of family and friends. Or, discount wedding favors can be spruced up by adding touches of rose petals or rhinestones in order to have wedding favors with personality. The important thing is that you don’t let financial restrictions get in the way of an elegant wedding in the making. Making sure that you cut on items that aren’t exactly necessary will help you control costs.

- Recreate a look from a magazine. If you see celebrity-wedding pictures that you think looks absolutely stunning then why not use it as inspiration? Usually, a high profile wedding is beautiful or spectacular because of how different ideas or color were blended to create a stunning image. You need not be an interior designer or a wedding planner in order to have a reception area that’s gorgeous. You just have to pay attention to how the little details completely change the look of a wedding.

- Wedding dresses need not be too over the top or glamorous. The most sensible option actually, is to choose a piece that looks elegant and timeless. It wouldn’t do if you chose a dress – and spent too much money on it – because it was “in” during that time. Just imagine the look on your children’s face if they saw you in something that is cringe instead of awe inspiring. So a simple dress is never a bad choice. You just have to exude confidence and let your inner happiness shine through – that’s the best cosmetic in town that no makeup or face cream can ever measure up to.

- Prioritize, prioritize, and prioritize. If the flowers that you want are not in season, then why not use something that’s easily available instead? If you know how to prioritize, then surely, it wouldn’t be so hard to not over spend. Another good trick is to mix and match. You can match the more expensive pieces with the cheaper ones. For example, you can have generic invites and discount wedding favors. But, if you added little pieces of decorations like pearls, lace and the like, then your invites and favors will instantly have that much needed boost.

As long as you have a bit of creativity, your wedding will go a long way. Knowing how to prioritize is also the key to a wonderful wedding that’s practical and beautiful at the same time. You can call it shabby chic, but to others, your wedding will simply appear as chic.