Wedding Decorations/ Set up

I know you had mentioned you can't afford to hire one, but what about hiring one just for your wedding day and not to help plan all along the way? So that way you can fully explain your vision and know that person will have it set up how you fully want and expect it to be.
It was not in our budget to hire a full on planner, but we were able to hire our day of coordinator just for the day of for $550.

If you can't afford to hire a vendor, then you and your future spouse will be the ones doing the set up. Unless a family member or friend offers to perform this service, I wouldn't ask them to do it. It's a lot of stress and work! It's better to simplify your setup/vision so that you can fit it into your wedding day schedule. Less is more, as far as decoration goes.

Day of coordinators would be much cheaper than a full on planner. But I've also been involved in weddings where the wedding party helped set up after the rehearsal and a couple where the bridal (bride, bridesmaids and brides family) party helped set up before hair and makeup