15 Fall Wedding Décor Ideas on a Budget (That Still Look Expensive)
Planning a fall wedding and realizing Pinterest doesn't show price tags?
Yeah.
Here's the thing though—you can have a beautiful, cozy, fall-themed wedding without spending a small fortune.
The trick is knowing where to splurge, where to DIY, and how to cheat the "expensive" look on a cozy-girl budget.
So let’s get into 15 budget-friendly fall wedding décor ideas that still look rich.
1. Faux Foliage Garland (Don’t Sleep on It)
Real greenery is beautiful, but it's also expensive and wilt-y.
Grab some faux fall garlands from Amazon, Etsy, or your local craft store.
Twist them down your table runner, your arch, or wrap them around signage.
And add some fairy lights for the
✨ drama ✨.
2. Pumpkins... But Not Orange Ones
I’m begging—please skip the bright orange Jack-o’-Lanterns unless your theme is “Halloween sleepover.”
Instead, grab velvet pumpkins in neutrals, or paint them in your wedding colors.
They look way more elevated and can be reused in your home later (bonus).
3. Candles Everywhere
Nothing says cozy autumn like candlelight.
Skip florals where you can and line tables with thrifted candlesticks, tea lights, and pillar candles in amber or dark glass jars.
Bonus: they double as romantic lighting.
4. Printed Signage Instead of Wood
Custom wood signs are cute but why are they $80? Girl, open Canva.
Design it in 10 minutes, send it to Staples, pop it in a cute thrifted frame.
You’ll look so organized and artsy. (And meanwhile you spent $6. Win.)
5. Dollar Tree Magic (Yes, Really)
I don’t care what anyone says.
Dollar Tree has fall wedding gold.
Think faux leaves, vases, chargers, tea lights, even cute mini baskets.
If you use them smartly (read: not just plop them on the table and pray), no one will clock it.
6. Fake fall leaves as table scatter or aisle drama
You can get 100 silk leaves for like $5.
Use them as table scatter, layer them in your centerpieces, or line your aisle with them.
Cheap. Pretty. No cleanup like real leaves.
And again—Pinterest will eat it up.
7. Cozy Blankets as Decor and Comfort
You know those cozy weddings where they have a basket of blankets that says
“to have and to hold, in case you get cold”?
You can totally do that on a budget.
Grab a few affordable throws from IKEA, fold them pretty, and suddenly your wedding is giving thoughtful fall wedding vibes.
*Oh—and speaking on comfort,
I made a FREE Fall Weather Checklist that covers what you, your guests, and your wedding party should prep for (because fall weather loves to surprise).*
Grab it here ⬇️
8. DIY Dried Flower Bouquets
Fresh florals cost more in the fall. But dried flowers? way cheaper, still cute, and they won’t wilt.
You can buy bunches on Etsy or Michaels, mix pampas, bunny tails, and some muted roses, and arrange them yourself.
Even if you’re not crafty—you can’t mess this up.
9. Amber glass bottles
Save those wine bottles, thrift random jars, and reuse them as bud vases.
Amber or green bottles especially hit during fall.
Stick in a single dried stem or leaf and you’ve got instant vintage-table-magic.
People will think you hired a stylist. (Nope, just had wine.)
10. Burlap or cheesecloth table runners
Those fancy gauze runners?
You can DIY them.
Get some cheesecloth, dye it in tea or fabric dye to match your palette, and drape it all dramatic-like across your tables.
Rustic, dreamy, cheap.
11. Make your own ceremony arch
Rental arches are expensive. But PVC pipe? Cheap.
Cover it with fabric, faux florals, or even fall leaves and voilà:
Pinterest-worthy backdrop.
Add fairy lights if you’re extra (and I know you are💅).
12. Seasonal fruit as décor (and snacks)
Apples, pears, even mini pumpkins = beautiful and edible.
Stack ‘em in wooden crates, use them as centerpieces, or tie name tags to them for table assignments.
Everyone loves an aesthetic and a snack.
13. DIY menu cards in Canva
You do not need to pay $2 per menu card.
Design something simple, clean, and match it to your palette.
Print them at home or at your local printer.
Slip one per plate and everyone thinks you got custom stationery.
14. Thrift it, baby
Thrift stores are full of candle holders, vases, trays, glassware—you just need to have the vision
(and maybe... a little spray paint).
Mismatched is a whole vibe.
If you can commit to the “eclectic cozy” aesthetic, this saves you so much money.
15. Use fabric scraps for napkins or wraps
Can’t afford $4 cloth napkins per guest?
Girl in this economy, no one can.
Get fabric by the yard—linen, muslin, flannel—and cut it into napkins or strips to wrap silverware.
It gives texture and warmth and nobody will know you made it with scissors and a prayer.
So, to wrap it up…
You don’t need $10,000 to make your fall wedding feel magical.
You just need the right mix of cozy, clever, and cute.
And listen, if you want to keep your budget together while not losing your mind, don’t forget to grab our [WEDDING PLANNING BUNDLE] —it has a budget tracker, digital planner, guest list, and countdown tracker so you’re not doing math on a napkin or crying in a Michaels parking lot.
You’ve got this. Cozy fall magic, on a budget? Let’s go.
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