From rings to cakes, Costco has what you need for a budget wedding

Shoshy Ciment

Jun 26, 2019, 22:28 IST

From rings to cakes, Costco has what you need for a budget wedding

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The bridal industry is struggling across the board. Both Gap and J. Crew nixed their wedding lines in the last few years.
As younger people want to spend less on their weddings and engagements, the business of bridal stores is in a precarious place.
We explored Costco - our favorite bulk-item superstore - and made a guide to help you plan the wedding of your dreams on a budget.
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Not everyone can afford an "Instagram-worthy" wedding - especially if they're paying for it themselves.

Today, that is often the case. A recent TD Ameritrade survey about wedding attitudes in young Americans shows that four in 10 millennials plan to pay for their own weddings.

At the same time, there's been an overall decline of business at bridal stores. IBISWorld measured that the Bridal Stores industry has grown by zero percent in the last five years. J. Crew ended its bridal line in 2016. Gap followed suit two years later.

Luckily, as usual, Costco has any bride- or groom-to-be covered. From diamond engagement rings to towering wedding cakes, here's our guide for how to plan a discount wedding from Costco.

Almost every wedding starts with a proposal. At Costco, you can browse through a large selection of diamond engagement rings in different styles and sizes. Prices vary from affordable to extravagant — one customer shelled out $400,000 for a diamond ring at Costco this year.

You can also browse through a selection of wedding bands for when you actually tie the knot. Customers can choose from a variety of sizes, styles, and colors.

Next up: invitations. The Costco Photo Center has a large selection of wedding invitations sold in bulk. After selecting the color and design, couples can create their own personalized cards to invite people to their special day.

What's a wedding without flowers? Costco sells packages of garlands, bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages made from roses, ruscus, and baby's breath.

Costco's Meadow Wedding Package has two different floral combinations to choose from. The 20-piece wedding collection includes a bridal bouquet, bridesmaid bouquets, centerpieces, corsages, boutonnieres, a toss away bouquet, and a bag of rose petals — all for $499.99.

For a simple, elegant look, Costco customers can order a 14-piece lily collection for $399.99.

Costco doesn't sell wedding dresses, but at $18.99 each, these white dress shirts are a great option for dressing up on the big day.

Costco sells a variety of simple, one-tier wedding cakes. But there are more options if you want to get creative — one couple created a DIY wedding cake using sheet cake from Costco and flowers from Trader Joe's. It cost less than $50.

For the quirkier couple, this wedding cake composed of gourmet cheese certainly "takes the cake." Cheese lovers can revel in this $439.99, five-tier masterpiece.

Customers can order this four-pound vegetable platter from the Costco warehouse for a healthy food option for the reception.

The average couple spends $25 to $70 per wine bottle at a wedding. Costco has great deals on a large selection of wines. Some wines — like the Simi Chardonnay — can go for as low as $8.99 at certain times of the year.

These "We Do" Belgian chocolate truffles are the perfect hand-out treat for a wedding. A bag of 125 truffles goes for $59.99.

For the centerpieces, Costco has different options for you to get creative. This succulent candle ring ($59.99) is the perfect item to infuse a touch of nature in a wedding design.

Tents are a must for an outdoor wedding, especially in the summer. While you can always rent, Costco offers this 10-foot by 20-foot canopy for $499.99. For a piece of shade in an outdoor reception or as a makeshift wedding canopy, this tent has you covered — plus you can use it again later!

Speaking of garlands, this 6-foot garland is a great option to dress up a wedding table or canopy. Made from salal, huckleberry, and western bear grass, these garlands can be customized with flower additions. A four-pack costs $99.99.

If your venue doesn't include them, this 32-pack of chairs is a cheap way to ensure every wedding attendee has a seat — and these weather-resistant chairs can withstand an indoor or outdoor wedding.

After the wedding ends, Costco Travel offers romantic honeymoon packages for newlyweds to celebrate in paradise. Couples can continue their romantic journey in destinations like Las Vegas, Jamaica, Orlando, and the Dominican Republic.

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