The Budget Savvy Bride » Budget Savvy Wedding of the Week

Classic Plum Wedding

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:04:05 +0000

I absolutely LOVE this classic Plum wedding shot by the talented Kristin Vanzant photo! The photos are so gorgeous! I love the bride’s advice to slow down and enjoy the journey, and to really do your research. Don’t assume a venue is out of your budget- make the calls necessary to find out the info, you could surprise yourself! Hope you enjoy this wedding as much as I do!!! xoxo- Jessica

Jonathan + Whitney

October 16, 2010
Knoxville, TN.

Wedding was at Holy Ghost Catholic Church and reception was at BridgeView

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

Our budget was $9,000

Breakdown:
Dress (including accessories) $1000
Photos $1050
Reception Venue/Catering/Cake $4000
Invitations $270
Flowers $500
Wedding Music $450
Reception DJ $650
Wedding Planner $350
Videographer $380
MISC Items (Wedding favors, reception décor, programs, etc) $300

How many guests did you have?

120

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

Jonathan and I wanted to incorporate our late grandparents into the reception, so we tried to keep their memory there by putting pictures of them on a bookshelf behind the cake. I think this definitely added a very personal and memorable aspect to the wedding.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

The biggest thing that I did to save money was try to search for the best deal I could find for everything. This included my invitations, save the dates, wedding décor, etc. For the save the dates I searched the web for ideas and we finally decided to go with post cards from Zazzle. This alone only cost us about $70.00 not to mention a stamp for a post card is cheaper than a stamp for a card so we saved money going that route. I also saved a ton of money with our reception décor. Every weekend I would literally try to go to every craft store, wholesale store, or discount store searching for cheap vases, candles, picture frames, and lanterns to find the best deal. Doing this cut down a lot of cost for décor and I was actually able to bring every idea I had to life.

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

My best advice for planning would be to really take the time to stop and enjoy every single minute of it. Sometimes you become so wrapped up in the planning that you forget what the day is really about. People always say that this day goes by in an instant, but I don’t think until it is your day, do you really understand this. So my advice is to slow down and enjoy the whole journey!

What was your biggest splurge?

My biggest splurge definitely was our reception venue. Having a wedding in Knoxville in the fall is a challenge in itself with trying to compete with college football. So every girl tries to book her wedding on the one Saturday that there is an away game or a by-weekend. Right after I got engaged and after we decided on a date, picking and reserving the reception venue was the first thing I wanted to nail down. I had a couple of things in mind, but somehow came across this beautiful space that overlooked the Tennessee River in the heart of downtown and I just had to have it. I had known that this space used to be a restaurant but that it had closed down a few years back. I went home and did some research and found out that you could rent the space and that they also did their own catering, which was perfect! The only thing I was worried about was that it would be out of our price range, but after calling and more research I found out that it was totally in our budget. After having our reception here and hearing all of our guests say how beautiful it was, I am definitely glad we decided to splurge on it.

What was your favorite detail?

My favorite detail was incorporating fall into all of the wedding details without going over board and tacky on the décor. At my reception I definitely wanted it to have an intimate feeling, but yet have fall integrated into that. I had lots of fall decorations including lanterns, glass pumpkins, mums, etc.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

My most memorable moment of the day would definitely be after arriving to the reception venue before we went inside, my parents and aunt and uncle stayed back to toast Jonathan and I and to give us their special marriage advice. That moment just stuck in my mind as one of my most memorable from the day, because it was just so special for us to be able to spend those couple of uninterrupted minutes with them.

VENDORS

Photographer: Kristin Vanzant Photography // Event Planner: Absolute Wedding Perfection // Dress Designer: Allure Bridal // Floral Designer: Echelon // DJ:Gary Loe Productions // Transportation:Knoxville Area Transit // Venue: Bridge View // Submitted via Two Bright Lights

_________________ Thanks for reading Classic Plum Wedding from: The Budget Savvy Bride

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Destination Budget Wedding by Lone Pine Photography

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:18:19 +0000

Love that this couple was able to have their wedding for just $4,000 – and it was a destination wedding! They kept things intimate which REALLY helped saved them money! Check out the bride’s advice and experiences below! xoxo-Jessica

Anthony + Jessica

August 10, 2012

Neptune Park – St. Simons Island, GA

What was your budget? Please give us a breakdown of how you spent your budget– rough estimates are fine!

Expenses: Park Rental: $80

Flowers: $350

Cake: $300

Cake Topper: $65

Stationery: $100

St. Simons Elopements (Ceremony, 50 chairs, guitarist): $1,400

Dress with veil: $500 (Mori Lee)

Dinner Reception: $1,800 (our families covered this expense)

Decor and other expenses: $200

Photography: $850

Total Expense for wedding: Less than $4,000

How many guests did you have?

Around 30

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

The biggest thing I did to save money was having a dinner reception at a local restaurant. The restaurant owner was so nice to work with and we didn’t even have to pay to rent it. We had such a large party tht the restaurant was closed to the public at 8pm for our dinner. The wedding consisted of only close family members and our best friends, so they each opted to pay for their own meal so we could have an excellent dinner while mingling with out of state family.

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

Be sure to allow more than enough time for photos. Once the day is passed, you can never take another photo on your wedding day. Take your time and take plenty of photos! Also, if it is a destination wedding, be sure to give a few family members certain duties to do on your special day. Do not try to put out decorations yourself because you will not have time and you won’t want to have to worry about it on the day of. Some of my decor didn’t get placed out because I didn’t want to ask others to help me- in hindsight, I wish I would’ve asked for help!

What was your biggest splurge?

My biggest splurge was all of the small expenses that goes along with a destination wedding. Hotel rooms, food, traveling expenses or other items like that add up really fast!

What was your favorite detail?

My favorite detail of my wedding was my cake. It was not a traditional wedding cake. It was chocolate cake with all pink and orange butter cream icing. (Our favorite kind of cake!) The cake topper was what really made it special and even more unique. Anthony and I met in flight school and both have our pilot’s license so when we found an aviation related cake topper we knew we had to get it. It was an airplane with the groom in the front flying, the bride in the back and “Just Married” is written on the back of plane.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The most memorable moment of the day was saying our vows. My husband was so beautiful and I could see the excitement in his eyes. It was if no one else existed. I loved every second of it!

Photographer: Lone Pine Photography // Dress Store: Bride Beautiful // Hair Stylist:Hair Unlimited // Floral Designer:Lily of Angeles // Reception Venue: Ocean Lodge // Musicians: Terry Thrift // Event Planner: St. Simons Elopements//

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

_________________ Thanks for reading Destination Budget Wedding by Lone Pine Photography from: The Budget Savvy Bride

Stunning Budget Wedding by Sunglow Photography

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:23:21 +0000

I absolutely ADORE this stunning budget wedding by Sunglow Photography! This wedding is definitely luxe for less – just check out that chapel! Isn’t it gorgeous!? I love the classic glamour- it is truly stunning and the photography is just gorgeous- I love the documentary feel it has to it. Niki has quite alot to share about their day so I’ll leave it to her- be sure to check out her advice and tips! xoxo-Jessica

Niki + Ross
February 23, 2013

Ceremony – Wesley Chapel, FL at our church where we both work, Victorious Life Church

Reception – Ybor, FL at The Don Vicente Historic Inn

What was your budget?

$15,000 total budget
Dress- 900 (500 for alterations) 1,400 total
Tux Rental – 200
Reception includes venue fee for 4 hrs, plated dinner & drinks for 135 guests – 6,000
Decorations – 2,600
Photography – 2,100
Videography – 500
Limo – 350
Florist – 300
Candy Bar – 600
Cake – 450
DJ – 400
Hair – 100

How many guests did you have?
Ceremony Guests – 300
Reception Guests – 135

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

We had our cake made by our good friend and incredible baker – Nicole Pino-House. I searched on pinterest and Ross and I fell in love with this cake -

Also, it was great to have my hairdresser, Nicole Urso from Danielle’s Hair Studio, there the morning of to do my hair, my mother’s hair and my mother-in-law’s hair. My mom and I have known Nicole since I was 13. She has done my hair for every homecoming and prom and has watched me grow up. It was so special to have her there on our big day, and she did exactly what I pictured. She worked in my Nana’s beautiful hair clip into the half-up/half-down hair do. My curls lasted all night long and I felt like a princess!

My mother in law, Donna Mann, created much of the décor and personal touches that were seen throughout our wedding. She did all of her creating all the way from North Carolina and had her amazing husband package it in a van and drove it all the way to meet us in FL a few weeks before the wedding.
She made all of the centerpieces at our reception. We alternated centerpieces at the tables. Half were white feather stands and the other half were burgundy rose ball stands. She used silk flowers from amazon, crystal gems and feathers from Michaels, and she even gathered twigs and spray painted them gold to give accent to our feather centerpieces. Here are some shots of our centerpieces 

My mother in law also created 4 large white roseball stands for pieces of décor in our wedding ceremony in our church. She saw the idea on pinterest and then created it to go with our color scheme for the ceremony. There were two of these at the front of the center aisle and two at the front of our stage. We rented most of the other décor for the ceremony form Elegant Events in Spring Hill, FL. The ceiling draping is what really transformed that room from a bland church activity/all-purpose room to a beautiful wedding venue.

Donna also created all of the bouquets – One for me to use, one to be thrown at our reception, the bridesmaids got beautiful silk sprays, and even our flower girl got a baby bouquet. I loved the idea of silk flowers because they can be kept by the bridesmaids, used as décor, or sold at www.tradesy.com (formerly called The Recycled Bride) …they also look just as beautiful as real flowers, in my opinion!

One of my friends, Jayce Day, who I have known since he was 5 years old, is extremely creative. He paints, he sews, he can make earrings, headbands, headpieces, and much more. He helped us save money by creating my bridesmaids hair clips and pearl earrings. We looked for ideas on pinterest and bought the supplies at Michaels. Black feathers, pearls, jewels, black flowers, and black lace that hung just over their right eyes.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
We saved in a number of ways. Because my husband, Ross, is the children’s/middle school pastor at Victorious Life Church, we were able to use the church as our wedding ceremony venue without charge.
Also, having a crafty mother-in-law and a few talented friends, really helped us cut costs. We still ended up spending quite a bit on decoration because we had many places to decorate. Not only did we transform the multi-purpose room in our church, but because we did not have a big enough budget to invite our 300 guests to our reception, we used our main church lobby for a “Meet and Greet”. We brought in a bit of our “old hollywood glam theme” into this room where we offered cookies, petite fours, and drinks for all the guests.
You can see the black draping and candelabras behind us (with roseballs made by my mother-in-law of course)

Some of the projects we tackled that saved us money:

When we got engaged we began thinking of our dream wedding and we always thought it would be fun to have a photo booth at our reception. Once we priced out the necessities, we didn’t have the extra space in our budget for a photo booth, so, with the help of my good friend Kat, we created our own in the downstairs area of our reception at The Don Vicente!
We bought simple props from the Dollar tree and our friends and family had a blast dressing up and taking photos!
We also always thought a dessert bar would be wonderful, but we stayed in budget by creating a candy bar instead. We rented some jars, bought candy from Big Lots and Walmart and we even purchased some smaller jars from Goodwill to create the look we wanted.
We were also able to save by being blessed with friends who are incredible singers. Instead of hiring a wedding band for reception entertainment, we had our friends from college, Jamie and Jessica sing a comical “tribute” to Ross and I!
After we changed into our get-away clothes, ready to get on our flight to Ft.Lauderdale, we were able to have a fun fireworks exit. We simply looked on line and found really affordable sparklers for all our friend and family.

We even were able to give our guests bubbles, thanks to my husband’s step mom who gifted us with adorable bride&groom bubbles, to use for our exit into our limo at the end of the Meet and Greet.

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

Stay calm and have fun! Always have fun, the whole entire time.You will never be able to re-live those few months of planning. I am so, so happy we are married, living together, and making married couple memories…but I also and thankful I have amazing memories of planning, pinterest-ing and dreaming with my mom and bridesmaids about the style and theme of our special day. My hubs and I were best friends first and we have a very similar style so we made a lot of decisions together. In those last few weeks before the wedding, things can get a little crazy, but remember to laugh in the craziness. Also, remember to stick to the budget you decided on in the beginning. Do not feel like you have to have certain things in order to get married. Our wedding was not traditional at all and did not include every single element that others thought we “had to have” and needless to say we are happily married and loved every moment of our wedding.
Oh…and for sure – get a wedding planner! (Or like I did, get two wedding planners!) Haha. My mom has two awesome friends who are also wedding/event planners, which helped more than I could ever image. Overall, as long as the wedding itself never becomes a priority over the relationship you have with your “soon to be hubby”, then the wedding planning process will bring you closer and build such anticipation for that special day.

I would encourage any couple – never settle for something you don’t love, there are other options out there and when you piece things together yourself, it makes it more special to see it all come together in the end. It was nothing short of perfect.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our photography was where we chose to splurge and it was completely worth it. Dustin is so accommodating, patient and as you can see – extremely talented. Ross and I knew we wanted to use him for our wedding minutes after looking at his website. The way he captures love stories makes you feel like you are a part of your very own fairy tale. We are so thankful for him.

What was your favorite detail?

All of the personal touches made by people we love that brought our personalities and style into every aspect of our day. If you can, use those closest to you to bring intimacy to the day with those little details, it makes a world of difference. I loved being able to look around and know that my mother-in-law and friends created so much of our wedding décor.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

It may be a common answer, but the most memorable moment of our wedding day, for us was when I was walked down that aisle to meet him. That was the same “aisle” I was walked down by Ross when we led me into a room of 100 family and friends in April, 2012, to surprise propose to me…the center aisle of the room was lined with real candles (just like it was for our wedding ceremony) and he placed the ring in a jar of crystals (which were also a huge element of our wedding decor) on top of a tall black table and had our awesome tech guy place a spot light on it. The moment I linked arms with my dad on our wedding day and heard our song, “Forsake All Others” By William Fitzsimmons I could not stop my tears. My heart was racing out of my chest, not because I was nervous, but because I was so happy. I knew that in just moments, we would be starting our forever. (Side note – Starting Forever by Corey Crowder is the song we used as our first dance…which we had sung/played live by two of our close friends at our reception).
All of these personal touches made that day nothing short of perfect.

VENDORS

_________________ Thanks for reading Stunning Budget Wedding by Sunglow Photography from: The Budget Savvy Bride

Blue and Yellow Plantation Wedding

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:01 +0000

Spring is in the air! It’s technically been Spring for a few weeks now but the weather here in NY is just starting to get the memo! That’s why looking at this sweet, classic wedding just makes me so happy! The sunny yellow and powder blue color scheme just makes me think of daffodils and blue skies. I really enjoyed the details from this wedding and think you will, too! I love the chalkboard art they created and that the bridesmaids wore cardigans with their dresses- it just has a sweet, vintage vibe to me! Hope you enjoy this wedding as much as I do! xoxo- Jessica

Jesse & Amber

October 27, 2012

Gallatin, TN

Rose Mont Mansion | Epic Event Centre

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

Our original budget was $5,000 but we ended up spending close to $8,500

Wedding Venue: $1,000

Mansion (to get ready/first look) $500

Catering: $2,224

Dress: $850

Suit: $160

Toms: $470

Flowrs: $900

Cake: $360

Decor/gifts/invites: $1880

Total: $8344

How many guests did you have?

Approx. 125

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

We definitely wanted the wedding to be ‘us’…from the venue and food to the invites and shoes! The bridal party wore Toms and we based the blue used in our wedding on the logo! I also created a graphic that we used throughout the wedding to help tie everything together (a mason jar with a+j inside).

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Jesse and I made the invitations and a lot of our own decor – some decor was handed down to us from Grandparents. We also had a lot of help from family and friends (moving, decorating, coordinating, etc). They were all so terrific throughout the year of planning and on the wedding day!

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

My best advice would be to get the ‘big things’ taken care of first (venue, food, dress, etc) so you have time to focus on all of the ‘little things’. Those are the most important and help make your wedding YOU.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our biggest splurge was probably Rose Mont Mansion. We knew we wanted a location to get ready and to do our first look. We ended up renting the mansion for 4 hours that morning. The wedding venue and food were already understood – even though that was the biggest chunk of our budget.

What was your favorite detail?

Actually, I have two: The dragonfly pin on my bouquet of flowers in memory of my Grandpa, and a chalkboard painting we had made with our silhouettes and favorite quote.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Definitely the first look! I am so glad Jesse and I were able to have that moment together…I will always remember the look on his face when he turned around and saw me for the first time on our wedding day!

VENDORS:

_________________ Thanks for reading Blue and Yellow Plantation Wedding from: The Budget Savvy Bride

DIY Barn Wedding

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:00:04 +0000

I just adore this wedding! So many fun details and lots of great budget savvy DIY ideas! I especially love the wheat centerpieces- definitely a great budget-savvy idea! I also love the seating card display, their ribbon ‘wedding wands’ and the lovely lanterns as decor! Hope you enjoy this installment of the BSWOW! xoxo-Jessica

Ricky + Jenn

October 19th, 2012
Bloomsburg, PA
The Barn at Boone’s Dam

What was your budget? Please give us a breakdown of how you spent your budget.

$12,000 -here’s a breakdown:

Venue (included ceremony, wedding cake, dinner catering and appetizers, non alcoholic drinks and mixers) – $7,000

Save the Dates / Invitations / Programs / Place Cards / Guest Book – handmade / designed my own – $50 in paper supplies

Flowers / Center pieces – crafted together my own floral arrangements & decorations with the help of my mom – silk flowers from Hobby Lobby and lots of burlap! – $800

DJ – $450

Photography & Videography – $2650.00

Hair & Make-up- $115.00

How many guests did you have?

128

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

Designed a wedding logo with our initials that I tried to incorporate in everything like the invitations, save the dates, and programs
Used pinterest for much inspiration! Handmade wooden signs, place cards, center pieces, picture frames with quotes, table numbers
Handmade a tree swing (with our wedding logo burned into it wrapped in a heart) that I hope to hang in a tree at our home now that the wedding is over
Crafted all floral arrangements, ceremony decorations were all handmade, even created the boutonnieres for the guys
Used alot of burlap throughout the wedding theme, hand cut and crafted it for the table runners, chair sashes, place cards, ceremony decorations, “here comes the bride” sign which my flower girl and ring bearer carried during the ceremony.
My mom had hand sewn our wedding date into the inside the bottom of my dress as my “something blue”
My bridesmaid wore boots! Love boots! I even wore boots on my wedding day!!
Served Rita’s Italian Ice (with vodka surprise) as our dollar dance shots – that was my husband’s great idea!
Steph, My husband’s sister and my Bridesmaid, planned an “Enchanting After Wedding Bar Crawl” through down town Bloomsburg. She created ticket invites where she mapped out all the greatest bars, a time schedule (to which we followed to the T) and placed them at our guests tables . My husband and I with our Bridal Party, family and friends (dresses, tuxes and all) bar hopped all night through town!
My husband got creative and changed the traditional “tapping of glasses” for the couple to “kiss”, to shouting “CAWWW” like a raven or crow. As I was skeptical about this idea, I created a sign for each table with a brief instruction on how to get us to “kiss”, and as soon as we were announced and to our seats we hear… “CAWWW”! My eyes were wide open with surprise and Ricky and I looked at each other laughing, then happily kissed! The CAWWs of coursed continued through dinner and made for a good laughs and memories!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We tried to save money by “crafting” the details that we knew we could make ourselves for half the price! We had been engaged for almost 2 years before our wedding, so we had plenty of time to work out the details just as we had visioned our dream wedding to be. Time is money, and in this case 2 years of planning saved us money in our pocket!

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

Now that all the planning and big celebration is over, I advise couples to remember that the day is about you and your love for each other. And while planning your wedding to keep your focus on just that. It can get hectic and stressful, but you’ll miss out on the fun parts if you don’t just step back and re-focus. The one thing that I wished I had done more of on my wedding day was take more pictures with the guests that celebrated with us! And the other thing I would have done was to add that extra hour of dancing at the Barn!! I didn’t want the fun to end.

What was your biggest splurge?

Photography & Videography – it was one of the things that I knew I wanted the best of and was willing to spend a little extra! And I’m so glad I did! Photos and video is what you have left when the day is all over and I wanted to make sure to capture as much of it as possible!

What was your favorite detail?

Ricky loved the food – chicken and waffles for dinner! For me, I think there were so many little details that added up to being the best day ever! We had guests come up to us telling us that we really made every little detail a part of who we are as a couple which made for a really unique wedding!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The time shared with family and friends on such a special day…everyone had ear to ear smiles!

VENDORS

_________________ Thanks for reading DIY Barn Wedding from: The Budget Savvy Bride

Gorgeous Outdoor DIY Wedding

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:17:52 +0000

It’s time for another fabulous budget savvy wedding!! I knew I had to feature this outdoor DIY wedding as soon as I saw it! The vibe, the colors, the community- it all just touched my heart. I love when people include their friends and family in the day and use the ‘it takes a village’ approach to make their day happen. I think this wedding reminds me a bit of my own wedding, maybe that’s part of the reason why I love it so much! From the community aspect, to the simple florals, to the disposable cutlery and plates, to the fun and silly bridal party- there’s just so much I LOVE about this wedding! And the fact that they were able to pull it off for just over $12k with 250 guests? Now that’s some budget savvy amazingness Hope you enjoy!! xoxo – Jessica

Anna + Taylor

August 11th, 2012

Corvallis, Oregon

Corvallis Calvary Chapel

What was your budget? Please give us a breakdown of how you spent your budget.

$12,500

$900-Corvallis Calvary Chapel for venue and music

$1200-Special Occasions (chairs, tables, chafers, serving utensils, linens, and delivery and pick up)

$250-wedding dress and alterations

$500-flowers (including bridal bouquets and 100 centerpieces)

$120-wedding hair and consultation

$40-tanning package

$200-stamps for invitations

$0-invitations (they were a gift)

$200-bridesmaids accessories (tights, necklace, and $10 towards dress for 6 bridesmaids)

$1200- food

$150- drinks

$250- chair sashes

$250-250 paper lanterns

$250-300 canning jars for drinks

$800-bamboo plates

$xxxx-photographer - She saved $1000 by booking 1 year in advance! Almost 50% savings. (The photographer asked us to omit the special pricing to avoid confusion.)

$400- bambo utensils

$100-100 glass vases

$200-programs

$300-thank you gifts for people who helped

$100-ribbon for decorating vases

$100-music from itunes

$940-decorating misc

$50-wedding jewelry

$100-bowties for groomsmen

$2350-I can’t remember!

$0-cake, it was a gift as well

How many guests did you have?

250

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

Oh boy-the “theme” of the wedding was based on the idea that it was a community event where people felt like they were important to us. We chose not to have a head table because we wanted to be a part of the festivities, not set ourselves apart. Personal aspects: we sang the doxology before we started the ceremony (guests included); we served breakfast for our meal; family style seating (NO seating charts); we wrote our own vows and people still quote them to us to this day; the wedding was at 10:00am; my cousin who has Downs Syndrome gave the opening prayer; farmer’s market flowers for centerpieces that guests then got to take home as favors: 100lbs of blueberries in chinese takeout carriers that guests got to snack on:………and the list goes on.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

No alcohol, found a sample dress off the rack that was originally $1000 and got it for $200. Also, I didn’t have a caterer even though we served a full meal.

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

Don’t be afraid to ask people to help. Match their skills to your need. Everyone wants to feel like they contributed. My cousin designed the invitations and my aunt took care of the dessert table and they got to feel like they were important, which is also key for eliminating drama…two birds with one stone.

What was your biggest splurge?

Ironically, the bamboo plates. I wanted something that could be thrown away, but that wasn’t paper or plastic. People didn’t know they were disposable, so they tried to clean them and stack them!

What was your favorite detail?

All of them! I can’t pick.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

When I got down the aisle and was delivered to Taylor, we looked out over the guests and all sung the Doxology together. A cello accompanied and it was the most emotional moment of the whole day. Everyone I loved most in my life was smiling and singing and thoroughly enjoying a moment of true community.

VENDORS

Eugene Pavlov: photographer | Special Occasions: rentals | New Morning Bakery: bacon and cinnamon rolls | Sassy Onion: hashbrowns | The Retreat: hair

Everything else was through Etsy or other random companies. I could not have done any of this without the efforts of about 30 willing helper bees (they literally set up the whole wedding in 3 hours!)

_________________ Thanks for reading Gorgeous Outdoor DIY Wedding from: The Budget Savvy Bride

DIY Library Wedding in Maine

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:00:33 +0000

I’ve got quite a treat for you all today! This lovely DIY library wedding has tons of book-themed details and was pulled off for a great price! The couple got married at a library, hosted around 30 guests and did it all for around $4,000! I love how they incorporated books into their decor in many creative ways- so simple and budget friendly! Hope you enjoy this savvy wedding as much as I did! xoxo-Jessica

Vanessa + Brenden

November 24, 2012

Bailey Island, Maine – Bailey Island Library Hall

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

We kind of built our budget around our needs, but we said no more than $5,000, and we came in around $4,000!

Venue- $1050 total (although $350 of that was a refundable deposit)

Attire- $800 for my dress and $400 for his suit

Photography- Was $460, but with a few of Walla Photography’s promos it ended up at around $360

Catering- We had a bit of a gift with this one, as our caterer was a friend and former employer. This all ran about $1000 (and the food was great!)

We decided to self-DJ our own wedding which turned out great (although I would DEFINITELY say to passowrd protect your computer haha!), so that didn’t cost anything.

Our decorations were mostly things we already had- old books (Brenden’s family and mine are readers), ball jars, buttons, etc… There was a little bit expended for extra decorations, but for everything we had to buy, decoration costs ran under $500 (not sure of an exact figure as Brenden’s parents got some stuff and made centerpieces to surprise us, but I have a basic idea of the pricing).

How many guests did you have?

We invited 50 people and about 30 came to our wedding.

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

We included a lot of our personal aspects into our wedding! First off, we planned the whole thing around language in literature. We first met in a German class (complete happenstance, as neither of us needed the class for our major), and I sat in front of him. We only started talking because I needed to share books with him as I hadn’t gotten mine yet. Sharing that book allowed us to be partnered up, talk, and meet up to do homework in the library together. I didn’t buy the book for an extra month after that. Books, language, and literature have been a big theme for us, so we planned around that. It also made decorating SO budget savvy! The centerpieces were stacks of older books with table numbers on top, and our flowers were made from the pages of older books where the binding couldn’t be rescued. This was a great intersection of cost effectiveness and a meaningful style. and from there, it became even more personal. Friends, family, old bosses, and new faces really pulled together to help make our wedding personal and intimate. For example, our catering was done by one of Brenden’s former bosses and friends. So we got to be very intimately involved in its planning, and on the day of, we got to see familiar faces who beamed with happiness while we got food. All in all, our wedding was nothing but us, our marriage, and the people we love. It was great!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Haha, sorry I kind of said this above, but I’ll be more specific:

1.) Paired down!- I mean everything, guest list, extra decorations, extra desserts, big venue, etc… It makes you really think about what you need. And all of the little stuff we chopped that I was apprehensive about- no one noticed it.

2.) Involved friends and family- As I mentioned, we happened to know our caterer, so that helped A TON!! My soon-to-be-new mum and dad helped us make decorations, and our parents and closest friends helped us set up.

3.) GO OFF THE BEATEN PATH!- I can’t stress this enough. Our caterer is someone who runs a tavern, but he also made us a great wedding day meal! He also knew the baker next door and got us a great deal on desserts. We got married in a Library Hall. It’s technically a historic building, and few weddings happen there, but it was affordable, and absolutely stunning (I mean, warm, walls lined with books, high ceilings, fireplace,etc…). We made our flowers out of paper. This can be tricky, but you’ll save on floral costs (8 bouquets and 8 boutonnieres cost me about $150 and about 15 hours of work total), and I’ve kept one of the bridesmaid’s bouquets on my dashboard for the last few months, and it makes me smile every time I see it Another thing that we did was look at our college announcements on my school e-mail account. That’s where I found the announcement for our photographer- who is incredibly talented and who, in launching a business, was a very price savvy option.

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

Don’t worry, be happy! And if you two are happy with something, don’t let anyone bully you into something else, even if they have the best intentions. Everyone wants to either sell you something or make your planning process easier by offering things, material or otherwise. If you two are happy, you’ll be happy when it’s over.

What was your biggest splurge?

Catering cost the most, but that aside, probably my dress.

What was your favorite detail?

I loved how warm and romantic everything felt. It was hectic, but great.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Meeting a lot of new family for the first time! They were so warm, welcoming and caring! Plus, all of my grandparents passed away either before I was born or when I was very young, so meeting my partner’s was extra lovely. They acted like I had been their granddaughter all along! In general, our friends and family were amazing. I wouldn’t change a thing!

VENDORS:

Photography: Walla Photography | Officiant: Maria Northcott (amazing!) | Caterer: Jeff Hunt at The Narrows Tavern | Venue: Bailey Island Library Hall

_________________ Thanks for reading DIY Library Wedding in Maine from: The Budget Savvy Bride

$10,000 backyard wedding

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:48:18 +0000

I’ve got another lovely wedding for you today from the talented Krista Lee Photography! One thing I love about this bride’s advice is that she realized that photography was a priority to her, and spent over 1/4 of her budget on photos and yet still had a lovely day by DIYing and finding ways to save in other areas. One of the *hardest* places to cut costs is the venue, so Malory was savvy in using the property of a family member to throw their wedding. Not everyone has family with gorgeous riverfront property but there are DEFINITELY non-traditional and out-of-the-box venues that you can use for little to no cost that would save you a bundle– definitely something to think about! Hope you enjoy this lovely wedding!! xoxo- Jess

Clint + Malory

May 19, 2012

Savannah, TN, at a family member’s home.

What was your budget? Please give us a breakdown of how you spent your budget– rough estimates are fine!

We never actually sat down and said, “okay this is our budget” but we both agreed that we did not want to go over $10,000 and $5,000 or less would have been absolutely amazing. We didn’t quite make the ‘under 5 grand’ mark but we gave it a good go!

Flowers- $650 (this included some real flowers and silk flowers, my aunt is amazing and helped with the arrangements and decorating)

Catering- $1,500 (We did light finger foods as it was so hot that day, and my grandmother made homemade lemonade.)

Wedding and groom’s cake- $400 (Well, actually Clint opted for cupcakes instead of a full out cake.)

Wedding paper (save the dates, invitations, programs, etc.)- $700 (My programs were totally DIY which saved a ton!)

Tent/table/chair, etc. rentals – $1,800

Photography- $3,000

Wedding party gifts- $200

Miscellaneous decorations – $200 (We hit up a ton of sales at hobby lobby and local flea markets)

Music- $0 (Clint was friends with the band so it was a very nice wedding present to us!)

Wedding attire- $1000 (My dress and Clint’s tux were gifted to us from my awesome grandmother, and the wedding party paid for their outfits. My best friend’s sister did hair and make-up as a wedding present also.)

How many guests did you have?

We had between 75-100 roughly

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

Our overall theme for the wedding was rustic/southern chic which was perfect since we grew up in a very small southern town, it seemed only fitting. We tried to do as much DIY as possible to add a personal feel. Our programs were all DIY with the help of Microsoft word, a local printing shop and my awesome bridesmaids. Clint hates sweets (I know right!?) so he opted for cupcakes instead of a big cake. To help distinguish these cupcakes as his, I took simple white labels and printed helicopters on them (he’s a pilot) and wrapped them around toothpicks to make little cupcake flags, super cute and easy. Another personal aspect was in my bouquet. I used a single red rose in the middle in honor of my great-grandmother who was not with us to share the day. We were very close and her favorite flower was the red rose. It was so nice to have her there with me! My bridesmaids wore beautiful teal colored dresses except for my MOH who wore a nice shade of green. I wanted her to really stand out. My beautiful cedar arbor that was used in the ceremony was built by my husband himself. He went out into the woods and cut the trees down and everything, which made for a very interesting day!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Of course the DIY projects saved, but the biggest help was not having to pay to rent the venue. We are also so blessed to have amazing family members and friends with awesome resources and talents!

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

Do not let anyone tell you it is too early to plan something or get something done. With wedding planning, it is never too early to mark a detail off your checklist. Also don’t ever forget whose day it is.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our biggest splurge was our awesome photographer. Clint and I both decided early on that images of our day were a top priority, and I must say, it was such a wise decision. We now have beautiful images that we can look back on for years to come.

What was your favorite detail?

We loved that everything was so casual. It seemed like our wedding was exactly what we wanted, sounds silly right because how else would it be, but it just seems like we heard so many horror stories about weddings going wrong or doing things just because someone else wanted it. Our wedding definitely represented us and how we are, and the southern chic décor tied in with our small town roots. We could not have asked for a better day.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The wedding ceremony started out with a bang. Clint works for an EMS helicopter service as a pilot, so in honor of our wedding day, one of his fellow pilots flew and medic crew flew over real low which was such an awesome moment for both our guests and Clint. Of course, saying “I do” was pretty amazing as well!!

VENDORS

Bakery: Sweet Cravings by Wendy | Flowers: Modern Florist | Photography: Krista Lee Photography | Band: House of Mercy | Rentals: Party Pros

_________________ Thanks for reading $10,000 backyard wedding from: The Budget Savvy Bride

DIY Lodge Wedding

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:00:16 +0000

We’re back with another wedding of the week! This Montana wedding has lots of fun and creative details– the couple managed to host 280 guests for only $11,000! Very budget savvy! I love that they spent a significant portion of their budget on their photographer- and it definitely paid off! These photos from Patchwork Photography are simply gorgeous! xoxo-Jessica

Maren + Aeric

August 18, 2012

Great Falls, MT

First Alliance Church (Ceremony) | The Elks Lodge (Reception)

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

Budget: $10,000 but we ended up spending more like $11,000

Photography: $3,000

Food: $3,000

Venue: $500

Alcohol: $600

DJ: $500

Bride’s Dress (shoes, veil etc): $800

Bride’s Maid Dresses (shoes): $300

Flower girl dresses (shoes, details): $150

Flowers: $500

Tuxes: $300

Décor/other details: $500+
How many guests did you have?

280

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

After looking at some different wedding blogs and photos, it didn’t take me long to decide that I wanted to go for a vintage feel. I’ve always loved vintage, simple things and thought it would be perfect for our wedding. I had also developed a sort of odd infatuation with old doors and furniture which we incorporated into our décor. Oh, can’t forget to mention our treat table!! I love sweets so it only seemed appropriate that we have a treat table. Aeric and I each chose two of our favorite treats to share with our guests. It was a big hit and, I have to admit, I most definitely indulged in several lemon cookies throughout the evening. So yummy!!
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

I don’t know that there was any one big thing we did to save money. It was more just little things here and there like finding reasonably priced bridesmaids dresses and having the guys wear jeans instead of renting the whole tux. We also made our own boutonnières, had simple, inexpensive table decor and a friend who graciously volunteered to make our cake; all of which helped us keep costs down.

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

Oh gosh, the million dollar question. I would say make it the day you want it to be no matter what. If you have a vision, or a dream, make it happen. I really wanted a vintage, shabby chic type wedding. Unfortunately, in an attempt to accommodate everyone and do what I thought would be the easiest, I compromised hugely on my reception venue. I’m still bothered by it. Also, I would reduce the number of guests by at least 100. We had nearly 300 guests and it was overwhelming.

What was your biggest splurge?

While food and photography were by far our biggest expenses and accounted for more than half of our budget, I’d say my biggest splurge was on flowers. I didn’t do a lot of flowers, but I that was one thing I knew I wanted to be sure I was happy with and I definitely was. The flowers turned out beautifully!

What was your favorite detail?

Our treat table! I’m a huge fan of sweets and treats so we had a table with two of Aeric’s favorite treats and two of my favorites. It was fun and definitely my favorite detail.
What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The ceremony for sure. I feel like it had the personal touches that I really wanted from the songs (one of which I wrote), to the musicians, (all friends and family), to the message given by the pastor.

Vendors:
Photographer: Patchwork Photography | Florist: My Viola Floral Studio | Caterer: Deb Hudson with Golden Corral | Cake: Kathy Vincent | Brides Dress: Designer Mori Lee, purchased from Marshell’s Bridal Aire &Tuxedo | Grooms shirt, vest and tie: Kauffman’s Menswear ~ Great Falls, MT
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_________________ Thanks for reading DIY Lodge Wedding from: The Budget Savvy Bride

Purple + Grey Wedding with Books as Decor

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:00:32 +0000

Loving this colorful wedding from The Burks! I have a special place in my heart for all geekdom, so I couldn’t help but love the shot of the groomsmen exposing their super hero tshirts underneath their tuxedos- so fun! And I always love when brides use books as decor! Hope you enjoy this wedding of the week! xoxo-Jessica

Josh + Jessica

June 15, 2012

Greenville, NC at Reimage Church and City Hotel & Bistro

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

Cake -$260

Reception Venue & Catering for 140 ppl – $3500

Ceremony venue with sound techs – $400

Dress with Alterations – $800

Veil – $5 (we made our own)

Shoes – $5 (TJ Maxx sale)

Favors – $75 (we donated to a charity)

Flowers for Bride and bridesmaids – $110 (we made our own)

Invitations – $148 (we bought ours from Michaels and Hallmark will print a box of invites for $10)

Officiant – $50

DJ – $40 (we used music we already had and paid a friend to DJ)

Bridesmaid Gifts – $200

Photographer – $1800

Event Rentals (pipe and drape) – $200

Groomsmen gifts – $240

Live Band for Ceremony – $300

Total: about $8500

How many guests did you have?

We ended up with approximately 130 guests when it was all said and done but had planned for 150

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

We used old books and candles of all sizes for our centerpieces. My husband and I are avid readers and so most of the books came from our a collection. A few we picked up at second hand stores and thrift shops. We borrowed the candles and holders from a friend who’s daughter had recently been married.

The other thing that was very important to us was the music. That’s why we chose a band for the ceremony and had all our own music picked out for the reception.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

My mom and I are very crafty and we did A LOT of things our selves. My mom and sister set up all the centerpieces, we made the bouquets, the invites, all the favor cards at the tables, etc.

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

Make your budget first! And be realistic, the last thing you want is to get your heart set on something and realize you can’t afford the dress of your dreams AND a photographer. In your budget, prioritize what’s important to you. For us it was having good photographers and as a result that took up a good chunk of our budget.

Lastly, saving money is easier than you think – having our wedding on a Friday night instead of anytime on a Saturday saved us over $1000 on the reception venue and $1000 on our photography. Recruit friends and family to help you DIY favors and decorations.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our photography! We had to convince my parents on this item actually. With photography, you get what you pay for. We wanted really great pictures and knew those wouldn’t come cheap. Turns out, we managed to get a really great deal with The Burks and got $1800 photography by amazing, professional people that look like we should have paid at least twice that.

What was your favorite detail?

My favorite detail was all the details! The eclectic modern theme was everywhere (my mom has a really good eye for that) we had old glass bottle soda caps to mark what each guest was eating (my husband is widely known for his Sundrop addiction) and used old books for our centerpieces because we both love to read. Our additions to the reception space gave it a clean modern look. The whole thing felt very us.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The most memorable moment might have been Josh and I’s first look. With our time schedule we had to do all the photography before the ceremony and I wouldn’t have done it any other way! I was so nervous and excited and freaking out that day and as soon as I saw Josh I felt very calm and happy. We were able to get some amazing couple shots while the sun was still out and I’m so glad we got to be right with each other when we first saw each other instead of fighting back all that emotion in front of everyone at the ceremony.

VENDORS:

Meet The Burks Photography – meettheburks.com

City Hotel & Bistro – cityhotelandbistro.com

_________________ Thanks for reading Purple + Grey Wedding with Books as Decor from: The Budget Savvy Bride