It’s that time of the week again– time to share another beautiful budget wedding with you! I love this wedding for so many reasons! This is the first Wisconsin Wedding we have ever featured here on BSB! (Still trying to get wedding features in all 50 states– didn’t achieve it last year but hope to do so this year.) I love that they made this wedding happen for under $10k and had 150 guests! I also love that the groom got in on the DIY action– that’s awesome! And I love love LOVE the picture in the snow– isn’t that magical? I know we’re getting into warmer months of the year but I couldn’t resist posting this wedding. Marie has lots of great ideas for saving money on your wedding so definitely be sure to check out her advice below! Thanks to Marie & Ryan for sharing their special day with us! xoxo- Jess

Ryan + Marie
11.19.11

Ceremony: Hudson, Wisconsin (Trinity Lutheran Church)
Reception: Roseville, Minnesota (Radisson Roseville)

What was your budget? If you are able, give us a rough breakdown of how you spent your budget.

Initial Budget $10,000

Hair and Makeup $200

Cake/Cupcakes/Candy & Cookie table/Cake Pops $235.99

Catering $4,543.72

Ceremony Music (organist) $100.00

DJ $125.00 (for the channel mixer) a friend did the actual DJing (such an awesome job!)

Dress and such Bride $244 My mom bought my dress (which was such a great deal at $160)

Attire Groom $40 (his shoes) Ryan was able to get his Tux rental free

Flowers $360.74 (125 hot pink 50 cm roses, 200 white 50 cm roses, Assorted greenery 8 bunches, Gypsophila-million star 6 bunches, Sales Tax$18.14 and vases from goodwill & ball jars)

Invitations/Save the Dates/Wedding Programs/Thank You’s $331.17

Rings $311.68

Minister $200.00 (free will donation)

Gifts for parents and wedding party $629.54

Photo Booth $851.64

Photography $1,068.75 and

Wedding Planner $200.00

Grand Total $9,441.95

How many guests did you have?

150

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

Ryan made the ring pillow as well as Lego man cufflinks for all of his groomsmen, the ushers and the ring bearer.

I took old cigar boxes and redecorated and personalize each of them in to keepsake boxes for all of the bridesmaids, flower girls, the ring bearer and my attendants (it was just so much fun!) We also took wood hangers and added wire names (so much fun but a bit hard on the hands..) for everyone who was involved in the wedding-32 people total!

We made small pom poms in white, hot pink and lime green for the ceremony.

Ryan’s dad made us a Wine Box (for the wine box ceremony)

The day before Ryan’s mother and my bridesmaids and I made all the corsages, boutonnieres, bouquets, centerpieces and the alter flowers. The flowers were supplied by Sam Club and I couldn’t have been happier with the end result!

For the reception we made bigger pom poms in the same colors to hang from the ceiling, painted vases in navy, white and lime green, mason jars with lime or hot pink baker’s twine and buttons tied around it, we made small buttons (pin backed with the button maker we purchased from American Button Machines) with photos of our dogs as well as a few of our engagement photos for favors.

A sign for the dessert table that said “sweet love.” We used some of The Wedding Chicks printable to label the different desserts. And speaking of desserts ours were all homemade except the (wedding cake and the cupcakes) including m&m cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, ginger snaps (made by Ryan’s grandma) and sugar cookies. We also had a family day to make 3 different types of cake pops for the dessert table which included the flavors of chocolate peanut butter, white cake with cream cheese frosting and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. They were such a hit!

One of our groomsmen made three kinds of home brew for our wedding and also bottled it for our wedding party and (for the first time) he made labels for his beer with custom photos of Ryan and I.

The husband (and good friend) of one of my bridesmaids made the finger print guest book (as a side note he also rocked the music as our deejay!)

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We made all the decorations ourselves (pom poms and spray painted vases) Also we created the flowers bouquets, corsages, alter flowers and center pieces at the reception

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Remember that your family may have a million questions/suggestions for you and how to plan your day which might get overwhelming. Take into consideration that they just want your day to be as fantastic as you want it to be and thank them for all of their input. Also remember to take time away from planning and spend time with your soon to be Husband/Wife on a date night or walk.

What was your biggest splurge?

The photo booth that we rented. Snapz Photo Booth did such a wonderful job!

What was your favorite detail?

I just loved the entire day it is so hard to pick just one! Although, the dessert table was super awesome, the music was awesome (both Ryan and I are not dancers and found ourselves out on the dance floor quite a bit!) and the photo booth was so worth the money especially checking out the photos after our wedding!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

I have a few. First was seeing my husband for the first time and having a minute to talk with him before the ceremony. Second was being able to get married in the last church my deceased grandfather was a minister in as well as being able to wear my grandmothers (refashion) veil as well as the necklace that she gave me when I graduated college and carry a pin of my other (deceased) grandfathers’ it was so nice to be able to have all my deceased grandparents with me in some way.

And although we are not Jewish Ryan’s Best Man and one of our Users are and at the reception we and our guests were treated to a very special dance the Hora, or chair dance, which according to theknot.com most likely derived from the tradition of carrying royalty on chairs. A few strong and brave guests hoist the bride and groom high above the crowd on chairs to the infectious sounds of “Hava Nagila”. Friends and family dance around in an ecstatic circle as the elevated couple tries not to look (or fall) down. IT was Awesome!

VENDORS

Photographer: RJ3 Photography  |  Venue Reception: Radison  |  Favors: American Button Machines   |  Flowers/Cupcakes: Sam’s Club   |  Venue Ceremony: Trinity Luthern Church, Hudson  |  Photobooth: Snapz Photo Booth

Well gals, I have something FABULOUS for you this week as a giveaway!! Up for grabs is a stunning and versatile accessory from Olia Zavozina! Olia Zavozina is a Russian bridal and menswear fashion designer based out of Nashville, Tennessee. Her flagship boutique is in the heart of Music City near Music Row. She is featured in bridal boutiques nationwide and is gaining an international presence. Olia’s Royal Elegance collection uses only 100 percent natural fibers and luxurious fabrics. Creating a custom gown is a unique and unforgettable experience for your big day. All of Olia’s dresses are made to order, allowing the bride to choose her favorite neckline, train length, color and fabric, making it truly a one-of-a-kind gown.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Olia and her team through various industry events and networks here in Nashville, and this business has major heart and passion. Her work is pure couture quality, but you can still get a completely custom gown with luxurious fabrics for much less than some of the larger design houses out there. Her custom gown design starts at $1,500– and considering the types of fabrics and the amazing attention to detail that Olia puts into these pieces, this really is an amazing value. Olia’s work is TRULY stunning — I’ve been wowed by her designs and the incredible craftsmanship put into every gown. Just check out these designs below, featuring the fabulous prize that one lucky reader will win this week!

More from Olia herself: “Planning my wedding was a disaster, starting with the dress.  Like most of you, my wedding came at a very busy time of my life, I was finishing up my masters while working part-time. With limited time, I wasn’t able to design my own gown and I didn’t enjoy my bridal gown shopping experience.  The boutiques were limited in the options they offered… everything looked the same and it was hard to have a clear mind.  Being a fabric guru, I required a silk gown.  Being in school, I required it to fall in my budget!  My requirements were not being met.  I decided at this time for me to take my frustration from the experience  and my knowledge of business and start my own bridal line!

One of my first decisions about my bridal line was to be able to offer many fabric options to brides.  Every woman deserves to have the gown of their dreams and be able to afford it.  Whether you are conscious of it or not, there are fabrics you prefer over others. Obviously there are looks you prefer over others as well and some of those looks can only be properly achieved through using the right fabric. So with the right fabrics, the right look and you feeling comfortable, the gown of your dreams will be the one you don’t ever want to take off!

After deciding to keep my focus on a large selection of fabrics and budget friendly prices, I needed to focus on designs.  So I started offering custom bridal gowns.  It really moves me to tears every time I’m sitting with a bride who has had a particular dress in mind and I am able to sketch out a design and bring it to life for her within her budget. The bridal requests and custom designs are the foundation of the Royal Elegance Collection.  Whether being inspired by a bride or designed specifically for one there is a bit of each of my brides in every dress! “

The prize:

One of Olia Zavozina’s Diamond Queen Belts

The Diamond Queen Belt is made from Swarovski crystals with a luscious and interchangeable silk duchess ribbon sash. It is retailed at $475. This versatile piece can be worn as a belt, head piece or necklace.

Talk about gorgeous! This piece could be an heirloom to pass down to generations. If you have a very simple gown, imagine the way this gorgeous belt could totally transform your wedding day look! It’s just stunning!

How to Enter:

‘Like’ Olia Zavozina on Facebook!

‘Like’ The Budget Savvy Bride on Facebook!

Visit the Olia Zavozina website and browse her collection of gowns and accessories. Leave a comment here with the name of your favorite style.
(My personal favorite is the Britt, pictured below! I’ve already told ya how I am loving peplum!)

Entries will be accepted until Thursday at 11:59 PM CST. Winner will be announced as an update to this post on Friday! Good luck ladies!

Lauren!

who said: “Liked both on facebook. The Victoria with Italian lace is my favorite, it has everything I am looking for!”

Congrats! We’ll be in touch to get you your prize!

Happy MONDAY ladies! Hope you all had a most FABULOUS weekend! I’ve got some fun news, we are opening admissions for a new group of Bride Bloggers to share their budget weddings here on BSB! Our current group of brides is almost done with each of their weddings, so it’s time to bring in a new group!! We are looking for five budget savvy brides who are currently planning their weddings to blog and share their experiences, tips, and DIY projects with the community here at BSB.

What we are looking for:

• Brides who have at least 3 months left in their planning.
• Brides who have a budget under $15k, the smaller the better!
• Brides who plan to DIY alot of aspects of their wedding and are willing to share tips, tricks, and tutorials.
• Must be willing to share recaps and budget breakdowns, openly and honestly.
• Must be well-written, with an open, friendly, engaging blogging style
• Must be able to commit to one post per week. (Posts can be submitted ahead of time and scheduled to accommodate this.)

Please answer the following questionnaire and submit it via email to jessica(at)thebudgetsavvybride.com along with a sample post (you may link to a post on your own blog if you have one that serves as a good example of your writing.) I will accept applications until Friday, April 20, at which time I will review all entries. Those who are chosen will be contacted via email by Monday, 4/23.

Application:

Name, age, profession:

Fiancé’s name, age, profession:

Wedding date:

Wedding Location:

Residence Location, if different city from wedding:

Wedding Budget:

Anticipated budget breakdown (rough estimates are fine):

Highest priority, budget wise:

DIY projects you plan to tackle:

Wedding Color scheme, theme, style:

Why do you want to be a bride blogger for The Budget Savvy Bride?

Can you commit to one post per week?

Thanks for reading- can’t wait to hear from you!

Wishing our lovely bride blogger, Maggie, the most wonderful, happiest wedding day ever! We are all thinking of you and Matt today as you celebrate!

Please leave the happy couple lots of love in the comments

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ATLANTA

Brides Against Breast Cancer™ Nationwide Tour of Gowns

NEW YORK CITYThe Wedding SalonMonday, April 23rd The Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City
The Wedding Salon has an amazing show lined up with some of the top names in bridal including The Registry at Bloomingdales, Carlo’s Bakery, Disney Fairy Tale Weddings and many more.  Brides-to-be will enjoy cake tastings, honeymoon giveaways from The Ritz Carlton and Mexico, goodie bags and much more. The first ten BSB readers to register will receive complimentary tickets by going to weddingsalon.com and registering for the New York event by using the code BSBC!

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Want to give something a little more personal than a wad of cash or a check but still want the receiver to be able to spend the gift as they’d like? Check out GiftCardLab.com – it’s a great resource for brides, grooms and guests alike. Create a completely customized Visa card with one of your own photos or a note of encouragement. Cards can be used wherever Visa cards are accepted. I thought it was an interesting twist on the cash gift or generic gift card!