Love this adorable Oregon elopement ceremony! Just goes to show, even if you can’t afford/don’t want to pay for a big wedding celebration, you can still have a lovely day. This couple opted to splurge on a photographer to capture the day, which I think is definitely money well spent since your wedding day is a day you will never want to forget! There aren’t lots and lots of pretty details in this feature like in our wedding of the week, but I think the happiness on the new family’s faces are the BEST detail ever! Don’t you just LOVE love? xoxo-Jessica

Matt + Jennifer

April 6, 2012

Dallas, Oregon

Polk County Courthouse

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

Our total expense was about $670. License: $54; Reserved courtroom: $100; Bride’s dress: $120; Shoes for bride and groom: $130; Flowers: $12; Photographer: $250

How many guests did you have?

Nine guests total: Five present and four on Skype

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

Our entire wedding day required lots of creativity because other than a set time to meet with the judge, it was impromptu. And that was exactly how we wanted it to be. The details that made our day so special happened without any plans or preparation. From an early morning run to the store for flowers, a stroll in our neighborhood arboretum to collect additions for our bouquet and boutonnières, to calling the bride’s parent’s on Skype at the court room so they could “attend” our wedding, everything felt very personalized and creative.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

The biggest thing we did to save money was to get married at the courthouse. Period. No fuss, no reception, but loads of fun!

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

My advice is that whether you are planning in advance for a large wedding, or are wanting something small and simple, remember to make it your own and enjoy yourself every step of the way. Also, make sure you have a reliable photographer to document your special day so that you can look back and relive those priceless moments.

What was your biggest splurge?

Hiring a photographer!

What was your favorite detail?

One of the highlights of our day was the photo shoot that followed our I do’s. It started at the courthouse, went across the street to a picturesque alleyway and coffee shop, and ended on a bridge at the city park.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Saying our vows to each other was the most memorable part of our day. Even though we repeated the vows as told to us by the judge, we felt they were written for us and we spoke them from our hearts.

VENDORS

Venue: Polk County Courthouse   |   Photography: Tekoa Rose Photo   |   Dress: Nordstrom   |   Food: Safeway

_________________ Thanks for reading Oregon Elopement from: The Budget Savvy Bride

Looking for more budget savvy weddings? Visit our Real Weddings gallery! Need to find some DIY projects to save you money and create beautiful details? Check out our DIY project gallery! Connect with The Budget Savvy Bride on the web: Pinterest :: Twitter :: Facebook ::

Today I have a little different wedding to share with you! The bride worked tirelessly with the help of family and friends to craft the most perfect wedding details- you will love all her rustic decor! The couple focused mostly on their reception and even hired a photographer just to take detail shots of their hard work so that is what I am sharing with you today! All in all this couple spent only around $1,000 on their wedding day. It’s pretty amazing! If you can find a free venue, even if it’s a church gymnasium, you can still turn it into your dream venue with a little DIY and creativity. Hope you enjoy these lovely details as much as I do! xo- Jessica

Amanda + Micky Brown

2.11.12

Appomattox, Virginia : Black Rock Hunt Club

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

$970.23.
This includes :

Bride and Groom shoes – 37.78
bride and groom wedding bands – 138.95
dress – 149.31
building rental – 300
table cloths-  120
necklace and earrings – 12.34
food – 125
brides bouquet 21
decor 58
burlap, ribbon, bottles, jars-free or borrowed
decor- woods and yard
all other decorations were borrowed
cake pops instead of wedding cake was made by family and the stand was made with scrap wood materials that was just laying around

How many guests did you have? 

31 at wedding, less than 125 at reception

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

The woodsy, earthy, natural feel of the wedding matched my country lifestyle. The creative details were from friends and family around me.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Had family and friends help with DIY decorations

What was your favorite detail?

The fire place, elegantly decorated with simple candles. and the cake pops and the display.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Walking in the hunt club building and seeing it transform from a cold concrete hunt club building to the warm inviting wedding venue of my dreams.

VENDORS

If we didn’t make it ourselves, we got it from etsy, ebay or amazon. Our main vendor was Sarah Goodwin Photography, who we hired to shoot detail photos of our reception.

_________________ Thanks for reading Virginia Wedding by Sarah Goodwin Photography from: The Budget Savvy Bride

Looking for more budget savvy weddings? Visit our Real Weddings gallery! Need to find some DIY projects to save you money and create beautiful details? Check out our DIY project gallery! Connect with The Budget Savvy Bride on the web: Pinterest :: Twitter :: Facebook ::

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

I am a giant fan of DIY, not just because its cost effective- mostly since I am a crafty Jane of all trades (artist, graphic designer, photographer etc etc)!

The dress was a Target brand dress I found at Goodwill for about $10.00. As a costume maker and sometimes seamstress I am always hunting for good stuff to alter or reinvent there. If as some sites say you use the dress as a marker for your budget…well my total budget except photography was under $200. Now to find the perfect dress you would have to be on the hunt for some time I have had that dress over a year. I found a great site that was DIY bride inspired, and it gave us great ideas!

I made everything from boutonnieres and bouquets to invitations and the veil!

How many guests did you have?

If you include our Pastor and Photographers- three!

We wanted to elope without being selfish, and so we had a very private intimate ceremony, just us and two of our kids, with a reception planned for cool crisp October- and not worried about the budget there either- my man can cook!

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

Just about everything- we are bird lovers, and so we picked Brian’s favorite bird, the Chickadee, for our announcements and invites to the reception, and the guys boutonnieres. My son Rocko was the Best Guy, and my daughter Oonagh, my Best Lady. Everyone except the bride wore brand new black Chuck Converse Allstars and jeans

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

I think that making my own invites started as a money saver, and I was very worried they would look ‘cheesy’ and cheap- but low cost can still mean classy!

They turned out wonderful though, and I even decided to splurge and buy an embossing kit and stamps for $9 on clearance as an added embellishment to the envelopes and etc- and wow! they looked great. I should note, I already own a very high end photography printer- if someone wanted to design and make their own invites but only had a HP home printer or something most professional printers would print on great quality paper for a really low cost.

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

Enjoy it- enjoy each other and get a good photographer! Do not let concerns over what other people think you should or shouldn’t do worry you endlessly. It’s the basis of the rest of your life together, not just a popularity contest or party!

What was your biggest splurge?

The best wedding photographer in Nashville! Stephanie of La Photographie- worth every penny and more! I have many friends who photograph weddings, and her costs are not as astronomical as I had heard by any means- I cannot stress how much a good capture meant to us. We just loved the pictures, plan on hanging one huge one on canvas over our mantle the pictures truly are all you have left! As a photographer, sure this means something to me, but so many of the women in my friends and family regret their pictures. you do not want to look weird or discolored or just have a bad 3×5 of your big day!!!

What was your favorite detail?

I love how simple and sweet it all was, I love the circus- just not for that day

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

When we both started crying- everything stopped!

Vendors

Photography by La Photographie

I was my only vendor-with huge thanks to “Credit Crunch Bride” and Lisa Freemont Street for hairstyle ideas

_________________ Thanks for reading Brian + Anjeanette from: The Budget Savvy Bride

Looking for more budget savvy weddings? Visit our Real Weddings gallery! Need to find some DIY projects to save you money and create beautiful details? Check out our DIY project gallery! Connect with The Budget Savvy Bride on the web: Pinterest :: Twitter :: Facebook ::