Another lovely wedding here for you this week by the talented Rachel Archer Photography! The bright colors and fun photos from this Blue and Yellow North Carolina Wedding just make me smile! Mara and Adam took the ‘it takes a village’ approach to planning a wedding and had family and friends contribute to various aspects of their day to keep costs down. Rachel did alot of budget savvy shopping and thrifting, and even got her dress on consignment. Overall they were able to pull off a lovely wedding for only $5k! Hope you enjoy this feature! xoxo-Jessica

Mara + Adam 

April 19, 2012

Asheville, NC,
Ceremony at Mount Carmel Baptist Church; Reception at Biltmore Lake Clubhouse

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

Our budget was no more than $5,000. The breakdown is as follows:
Wedding Dress: $400 (from a local consignment shop)
Bridesmaid Dresses: $40 a piece from ASOS.com, clearance section. We had 8 bridesmaids.
Flowergirl Dresses: $30 from Ebay store, we had 2 flowergirls
Groom & Groomsmen: Tuxedos cost $80 a piece with a total of 9
Church for Ceremony: $200
Flowers and Decorations: $750, we used a friend that offered her floral gifts for free. As for decor, friends and family donated their time and items. I wanted cobalt blue vases and we found a TON of them at yardsales, Goodwill stores and had some in our own homes. The arch in the church my mother bought herself for us to have.
Food: $800, this was our most expensive part of the wedding. We outsourced the appetizer finger foods to a local caterer who did a fabulous job. Adam’s aunt made our cake for free, the large fruit and cheese platter was donated by a close friend of the family as well.
Reception Site: $600, we could only rent Biltmore Lake’s Clubhouse through a friend who lived in the community. The reception site had tables, chairs, wine goblets and other items that we were able to use at the reception
Music: A friend of ours came down and DJ’d for us for $200
Invitations: Made in house by us!

How many guests did you have? About 250

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding? All of our families talents were incorporated to give our wedding a special flare to it.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money? Used our family talents, we got lots of items for free or discounted majorly! Including our cake, reception site, decor and flower services. The whole wedding day was put together by our family and friends. The decorations were found at second hand stores or borrowed. The reception location was “borrowed” from a friend who owns a home on the property. The dresses were purchased online at a discount.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side? Not to let anyone influence your special decisions, including who your bridesmaid is, where you want to have the wedding and what YOU want. It is YOUR day and treat it that way. Also to keep calm and carry on.

What was your biggest splurge? Food!!

What was your favorite detail? Everyone pitching in and giving of their special talents to add to our wedding.

What is the most memorable moment of your day? Singing with my husband during the ceremony

VENDORS

Photographer: Rachel Archer Photography | Venue: Biltmore Lake in Candler, NC  | Catering: The Artisan Cafe

_________________ Thanks for reading Blue and Yellow North Carolina Wedding by Rachel Archer 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 ::

I have a lovely little wedding for you today by Carrie Butler Photography in Utah! This couple chose a reception location that was already lush and beautiful with flowers to save on the cost of decorating. I just love the warm, sunny, happy feeling that this day seems to encompass. I hope you enjoy this wedding as much as I did! xo- Jessica

Ashlee + Jonathan

American Fork, Utah

Mount Timpanogos LDS Temple.

What was your budget?

We were hoping for under $5,000. Photography was $1500 and flowers were $500. We payed $500 for a neighbors backyard as our reception location. My dress was $800. My husband’s suit (which he needed anyway) was $200. $500 for announcements. Total decoration cost was incredibly less because the reception site was so lush and beautiful. I spent $200 on our cake. We did 2 different sheet cakes & and ice cream bar to keep cost down, but also because it was summer! It was a perfect cool treat! Family members & members of our church helped with the serving as volunteers. Our family members did the decorating.

How many guests did you have?

We had probably close to 300-400 guests

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

We added a few of our own touches to our reception. One of those things was karaoke! On one of our very first dates we sang karaoke with Jon’s sister Lorissa. We got up and sang the duet “A Whole New World”. We had no idea at that point where our relationship would go. We decided that would be a perfect piece of us to share at our reception. Another touch involved the fact that my husband Jon loves Superheroes, always has. He and his groomsmen secretly had superhero shirts on under their white shirts and at a certain point during the reception we slipped away and the men ripped open their dress shirts to display their superhero pride. This was one of our favorites!  And lastly, just before leaving, I pulled out something that my husband had been talking about since we had gotten engaged, but didn’t think I would ever do: I pulled out a Spiderman pinata. Spiderman for Jon represented his childhood and to me, his Bachelorhood. On it I wrote “Jon’s Bachelorhood”. He allowed me to take the first couple swings at it since I was the one responsible for it’s destruction. Then he stepped up and in one swing broke it to pieces (it was filled with hugs and kisses…which is what he gave up his Bachelorhood for!) Those were our creative touches!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We had our reception in a backyard and used very simple decorations (like burlap and baby’s breath and ribbon). We also antiqued cheap frames that we’d gotten and hung them from the trees.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our biggest splurge was our photographer, which is what we wanted and planned. We knew the pictures would last us all our lives.

What was your favorite detail?

My favorite details were the flowers and the warm/romantic feel created from the colors and simple decorations.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Walking out of the big double doors of the Temple and greeting our family and friends as husband and wife. And our karaoke song! (Jon adds: The most memorable moment of the day for me was definitely the pinata–Ashlee and I had agreed that we were going to leave at 9. At 9:05, I was preparing to go when Ashlee tells me that they had a pinata for me. Seeing the Pinata and realizing the significance of the situation was an amazing experience. I was literally destroying my bachelorhood that night. What an amazing thought! It also was a perfect example of the thought and care that Ashlee puts into everything that she does. It was a perfect way to end the reception, my bachelorhood, and begin our new life together.

Contributors: Cake + Ice Cream: BYU Creamery  ||  Photography: Carrie Butler  ||  Hair:  Jamie Johnson  ||  Florist: Marianne Seale  ||  Dress: Abella Bridal  ||  Seamstress: Debbie at the Hale Center Theatre in Orem, Utah.

_________________ Thanks for reading Utah Wedding by Carrie Butler Photography: Ashlee + Jonathan 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 ::

I love SO many things about this wedding! The super happy color scheme, the laid back feel of the day, the yard games, the S’MORES bar!! Oh yes, I said, s’mores. So fun! This wedding really focused on the important things – the couple did alot of DIY and even hired vendors who were trying to build their portfolios to keep costs down. Hope you enjoy this edition of the budget savvy wedding of the week as much as I do! -xoxo, Jess

Lauren and Ben

June 16 2012
Dakota Lodge in West St. Paul MN

What was your budget?
Our budget was around $5000- I would say we made it a little under.

How many guests did you have?
160 guests

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
We kept it very in the family.  My sister and his sister were the bridesmaids and his dad and brother-in-law were the groomsmen.  My usher was my cousin.  And my 4 month old nephew was our “ring bear” (yes, we had him wear a crochet bear hat down the aisle).

One of my favorite details was when my husband wrote a sweet message on the bottom of my wedding shoes.  So romantic!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
All of our decorations were hand-made by myself and my husband with the help of our family for assembly.  He used photoshop to make our save-the-dates, invitations and wedding programs.  I searched Craigslist for mason jars and used tons of craft store coupons to stock up over time.

We used a very talented photographer who was building his portfolio to save on money there (we got the rights to our photos so we could use them however we wanted).  I bought my dress at a consignment shop and had it custom-tailored.  We had a friend of the family make our cake and we decorated it ourselves.  Our florist was a recent graduate also building her portfolio so we got the flowers arranged for at-cost price!

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
Take advantage of time and family support!  We were engaged for a year and a half and nearly every weekend was spent working on something. It was much less stressful than a last-minute crunch to get it all done.  It all came down to the details which is why I think our wedding was so special.  We were so thankful we had the help of our family and friends to tie it all together!

What was your biggest splurge?
I hired a professional hair and makeup artist to get us all ready for the big day!  She came to our venue and made it stress-free!  As part of their gift I bought each bridesmaid a full hair and air-brush makeup package.  Well worth it!

What was your favorite detail?
I really loved all the mason jars!  From decorations to drinking glasses they just added a touch of fun to everything.  One of my favorite moments was walking outside seeing people eating s’mores, playing bean bag toss and drinking from mason jars!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?
The start of the wedding dance: I shared a special song with my new husband, followed by my dad and then my grandfather.  All three of the best men in my life!

VENDORS
Photography: George Hausler Photography ||  Location: Dakota Lodge || Flowers: Randa Roo Roses  ||  Music: Pro Light Sound DJ  ||  Cake: Ann Flann  ||
Hair/makeup: Nicole Patterson  ||  Officiant: Paul Menard  ||  Catering: Dana Torborg

_________________ Thanks for reading Minnesota Wedding by George Hausler 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 ::

When Elizabeth of Stockroom Vintage wrote me last week to share her wedding with me, I shed a few tears while reading her email. In short, all the best laid plans and ideas that had been swirling in Elizabeth’s head while planning her dream wedding were completely overturned when she found out her father had terminal cancer. With help from their families, Elizabeth and Will scrambled to plan a new wedding on short notice and tried to focus on only those things that were of utmost importance- celebrating their love with the people they loved! In the end they cut their budget in half and managed to pull together a meaningful, personal day that was filled with so much love. Elizabeth got to have her father walk her down the aisle and dance with her on her wedding day, and that meant more than any expensive flower arrangement or designer vintage gown ever could. I think this is a good example of how important it is to keep things in perspective when planning your big day. You can read more of Elizabeth’s story over in this article she penned for HER magazine.

I love that they hired a food truck instead of a caterer, employed the help of their family and friends to help make the day happen, and that Elizabeth was so in love with her photographer that she splurged to have her travel to join them at their new wedding location. In the end, the photos really speak for themselves and captured the love and tenderness of the day. Elizabeth has since turned her love of vintage items into a rental business– you can check out her site and inventory here. I hope this story and the message behind it touches you as much as it did me! xoxo- Jessica

Elizabeth + Will

July 16, 2011
San Antonio, Texas

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

Total: $4,767

Breakdown:
Elizabeth’s gown (David’s Bridal): $499
Accessories: $85 (Shoes (cheap mall find), vintage-inspired enamel bracelet from Macy’s, Target cardigan)
Vintage brooches (worn by bride and given to bridesmaids as gifts): flea market finds from bride’s own collection
Sweater clip and headband from Etsy: $55
Hair and makeup: $195
Will’s J.Crew suit, Johnston & Murphy shoes, shirt and tie: $500
Will’s vintage locket pin (Etsy): $17
Monogrammed cigar cases for groomsmen: $105
DIY invites: $40 (Elizabeth bought 50 authentic library check-out cards from Etsy for $5, filled them out by hand, stamped them with the wedding date and then folded paper sleeves for them. The other $35 went to craft supplies, envelopes and postage.)
Craft supplies, vintage lace tablecloths and misc. décor: $180
Food truck/catering: $670
MoonPie Favors, treat bags and custom stickers: $50
Bartender: $75
Photography (and airfare for photographer): $1,536
DIY flowers: $115
Chair rental: $70
Alcohol: Free (donated but would’ve cost about $500. We overestimated how much liquor we needed for our signature cocktails, an old fashioned and a French 75, so my Dad ended up re-shelving six unopened bottles. In all, we only opened one bottle of gin and one bottle of bourbon…so we recouped half of the original cost in the end.)
Homemade desserts: $75

How many guests did you have?

35

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

I wanted the wedding to have soul and a sense history—and to reflect my undying love of vintage. It was important to Will and me not so much that guests were floored by lavish displays or by how much we shelled out for fancy things, but that they came away from the day thinking, “That wedding was so them.” So we infused every corner of that house with our favorite vintage pieces. We used a working typewriter I found while thrifting as our guest book, and we scattered vintage train cases and luggage about. We used tons of pieces from my milk glass collection and an assortment of my vintage vessels, vases and Mason jars. I adorned my cardigan with vintage brooches and a retro sweater clip, and I wore a handmade headband that featured reclaimed bits of vintage jewelry. Can you tell I’m obsessed with vintage?

But a huge part of that “soul” also came from our desire to honor the people we love. Will’s mother Carol passed about a decade ago, and it was important to us that she was a big part of our day and that we remembered her in sweet, joyful ways. We used the vast collection of vintage Nancy Drew novels she gave Will to add interest and height to table displays. We featured pink carnations, her favorite flower, throughout the space. And my favorite: A few weeks before the wedding, I gave Will a vintage Fleur de Lys brooch pin that I found on Etsy. He chose two favorite photos of his mom to place inside, and he wore it on his suit jacket instead of a boutonnière. He carried his mom above his heart all day. That locket is now one of his most prized possessions.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

I live with a “make do and mend” mantra, and I didn’t think our wedding should be any different. We used lots of vintage pieces we already owned and loved (many of which are now available to rent here in Nashville through my company, Stockroom Vintage). Plus, when my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer—and the doctor bills piled up—I couldn’t even think of splurging. I was concerned with doing all I could to prolong his life, not with the size of my bouquet. So we cut our original budget by more than half and prioritized. At first it was daunting, figuring out how to make it all work for about $4,000. But throughout the whole process, Will kept saying, “When you do things for the right reasons, it always works out.” And that was so true.

Within days of making our decision to move the wedding, calls from our guest list of friends and family trickled in. My brother Lucius and his wife Keri agreed to host the ceremony and reception (and to clear all of the furniture out of the first floor of their home!). Will’s uncles on his mother’s side wanted to make footing the bill easier, so they helped pay for the food truck. My mother is an amazing cook and seamstress, so she baked all of the treats for the dessert table and helped me craft everything from vintage fabric bunting to handmade paper garlands. My dad and stepmom donated all of the booze for the bar from their liquor store. Our friend John officiated the ceremony and gifted us with some awesome vintage serving pieces we used at the bar. My niece Sequoia and sister Naomi, my maid and matron of honor, flew in from Oregon with some gorgeous paper lanterns and handcrafted paper flowers. And Will paid for his wedding garb with savings bonds given to him by his grandparents on his father’s side—he’d been saving them to buy something special since his grandparents passed when he was at the of age of 6! There was just this groundswell of love and support around us. In the end, our wedding felt like a community effort, and that made it even more meaningful to all of us.

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

Well, you know I’m going to say, “Go vintage!” Weddings tend to be a time of such excess. And that’s OK, ladies—it’s like the biggest party you’ll ever throw! But it doesn’t mean you have to create a lot of waste or spend tons of money on items you’ll have no idea what to do with when the ceremony is over. That’s why I launched Stockroom Vintage. I wanted to make it easy for brides to nail the vintage look—or rustic, farmhouse, industrial or what have you—without logging tons of hours in the thrift store or busting their budgets.

Also, remember that stress does freaky things to your body. I had to have my dress altered—three times! Once the dress arrived, I put it in my closet and left it there. When my mom asked me to try it on a few days before the wedding, she zipped it up and that sweetheart bodice fell right to the floor. Those last-minute alterations were stressors I didn’t need. And the last thing you want to worry about on your wedding day is whether your strapless dress will end up around your ankles as you’re saying your vows.

What was your biggest splurge?

We decided to fly our photographer, Stef Atkinson, in from Nashville. Sure, a plane ticket isn’t the biggest splurge ever, but our budget was tight. It was never a question in my mind though. From the first time I stumbled upon Stef’s site and found out that she shared my love for film photographs (she shot our wedding with a Holga camera and Instax for instant prints in addition to digital), I was hooked. When our plans changed, I couldn’t give her up. I knew I’d miss her terribly.

Really, her task was enormous. She knew that her shots might be the last family photos we’d have with my dad—and they were. Can you imagine that pressure? But she captured the mood of the day so perfectly. And she’s so dang talented! Since the wedding, I’ve contracted her to photograph Stockroom Vintage’s styled shoots, to design my website and create my logo. I’m so incredibly loyal to her because her talent and creativity always blows me away.

What was your favorite detail?

Definitely the food. A week before the wedding, my mom pulled my vintage Betty Crocker Cookbook off my kitchen shelf and handpicked some delicious vintage-inspired dessert recipes. The day before the wedding, she and her friend John (who also doubled as our wedding officiant!) baked all day in my brother’s kitchen. My mom crafted dozens of the most gorgeous miniature treats—rum balls, coconut tarts and lots of cake balls. When I saw the dessert table, I wanted to squeal. It was better than I ever imagined—and let me tell you, those rum balls were potent and they disappeared quickly.

I also adored our caterer. With the wedding taking place at my brother’s home in Texas, I didn’t want to crowd the kitchen with a catering staff. And I didn’t want to force our guests to endure a sit-down dinner outside in the sweltering Texas heat. A food truck was the perfect solution. I found Wheelie Gourmet online and fell in love with its retro paint job. I would’ve booked them on that alone! Then I started emailing with Rachel Hajji, the owner, and she was just the sweetest. Her father had undergone treatment for cancer as well, so she understood when I emailed her and was like, “I don’t have time to the taste the food, but I trust you. What time can you pull into the driveway?” We surprised our guests with the food truck, and it was a total hit. We had Mediterranean sandwiches, sweet potato fries and the most refreshing Moroccan mint iced tea.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

There were so many moments. Any doubts I had about getting married in a house rather than a big venue melted away when Will and I stood at the “altar” (a.k.a. the living room fireplace) and all of our guests were within arm’s reach. I could see the looks on their faces—their tears and laughter. There was so much love in that room, and just this sense of gratitude and appreciation that we could all be there together. Oh, and when Will and I saw each other for the first time. I felt like twirling in circles to show off my dress, and I couldn’t get over how GQ he looked. That embarrasses him, but hey, he’s a hottie! When he sang “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds to me during our first dance, I melted. I’m so very smitten.

And then, of course, the time with my Dad. He passed away less than a week after our wedding, so that day is still so close to me—so much so that I still never know if I’ll laugh or cry when talking about it. But there were so many little moments that meant so much: The look on my Dad’s face when he saw me for the first time in my gown. Dancing with him to an Elton John song as we both tried our best not to cry and failed miserably. And the moment when he and I were alone in the kitchen before walking down the aisle. He chose that seersucker suit and bow tie—like he had this vision of how he wanted to look for me on that day—and for a moment I felt like I did when I was little, looking at him and thinking, “That’s my Dad. He’s so handsome.”

VENDORS

Photography: Stef Atkinson  |  All vintage décor: Stockroom Vintage   |   Food truck: Wheelie Gourmet    |   Wholesale flowers: San Antonio Flower Co.    |   Other vintage and handmade elements from Etsy:   Flower Garden Headband: Be Something New   |   Mother of Pearl Sweater Clip: Gemmaz Gemz   |   Fleur de Lys Locket: Karen Elmquist Vintage

_________________ Thanks for reading Elizabeth + Will : Texas Budget Wedding by Stef Atkinson 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 ::

Love this sunny, personal beach wedding! Can’t believe they pulled it off for $5,000! I thought the ‘shoecheck’ at the beach wedding ceremony was very clever and cute! This wedding looks cheerful and oh-so-fun as captured by Emma Poliquin! Thanks to Erin & Troy for sharing their special day with us!!

Erin and Troy McNutt

June 12, 2010

Clam Bay, Nova Scotia

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

Our budget was $5000, we had just recently purchased a house and are in the midst of renovation and we didn’t want to have to get a loan to get married.

Venue and Linen Rentals: $370

Food and Wine: $1100

Bride Attire: Wedding dress $500, alteration $90 and DIY Fascinator $8

Groom Attire: Rented vest $24, khakis, dress shirt and sandals from Old Navy $60 and tie $25

Photographer: $1700.

Officiant: $125 for ceremony and $25 for rehearsal

License: $120

Rings: $445

Flowers: 75 stems of spider mums at $1 each and 16 potted Gerber Daisies for $3 each = $125

Wedding Cake: $70

Favors: $60, $.75 per sapling wrapped in burlap with “from Mr.  & Mrs.” Ribbon

Decorations: $155, this was mostly paint for all the different DIY’s, lanterns,  burlap for tables, BBQ kit supplies, Frames for Thank you Poem, round place mats, cake toppers.

Invitations: $12 for postage, I designed invitations and save the dates

Vintage car rental: $35

How many guests did you have?

We were blessed with 56 of our closets family and friends.

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

We did our very best to make sure that the whole weekend a reflection of us as a couple. Our theme was planting our roots as a new family so there was a lot of focus on family. The ceremony was on the beach and we asked the guests to all go barefoot (including Troy and I) and bring blankets for sitting on the beach. So we had a shoe check on the beach. During the ceremony we had the members of our bridal party as well as our mothers read a line from a hand fasting ceremony. It was an amazing moment, having the most important people in our lives remind us why we are together.

At the reception our guest book was a fingerprint tree that a friend drew for us. It is our modern version of a family tree and a constant reminder of our family’s support. Our favors were saplings, I wrote a poem saying thank you to all our guests and asking them to plant this tree and watch it grow and thrive as we will. Our desert table was a selection of homemade desserts that family and friends offered to bring. The photo booth was the biggest hit; it was just a funky sheet that I picked up, a large frame I painted white and some fun props. Everyone got into it, even my ninety year old great aunt. After the reception we had a fire back at the cottage laughed and cried until the wee hours of the morning.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We did as much as we could ourselves. We put the biggest amount of money on the food and the photographer. All the other aspects we either reused things we already had or kept an eye out for sales and we were not afraid of asking people to donate or lend. All the invitations and save the dates were free, I designed them myself and a printing company that I use all the time through work printed them as a gift. The vases on the tables were all given to use and I spray painted them white. The table numbers were free from a wood pile and we painted the numbers on them. The seating chart was free, it was a window my mother had and we traced the names on with a white paint pen. All the signs; for the photo booth, shoe check etc were painted on the old wood from our cottage, the flags were scraps of fabric attached to fallen birch trees. The flowers were fairly cheap we ordered spider mums from Costco for a dollar a stem and then picked up potted Gerbera daisies for $3.00 each on sale at a local grocery store. The biggest cost saver was that we worked with the existing décor, the venue had blue tablecloths and white and blue dinnerware, it was cheaper to work with that then try to change it and have to rent linens and dinnerware. The list goes on and on, but we also didn’t want to go ever board with decorations we wanted people to enjoy their surroundings that helped keep costs down.

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

Please don’t be afraid to ask for help and stick to your plan. I realized very late in the planning game that I needed help, my DIY list was growing and my time line was shrinking. Once I asked for help people started showing up at the house to help, it made the planning more of a family affair. Once you and your husband decide how you want your day to be, don’t hum and ha too much, you will drive yourselves crazy and stress yourselves out. Take all the advice you can get but don’t be afraid to say no, this will be your day and you should be able to create it and remember it the way you both had dreamed.

What was your biggest splurge?

We put the biggest amount of money on the food and the photographer. Lets be honest food keeps everyone happy and the photos are your memories frozen in time.

What was your favorite detail?

I loved all the details. It was gratifying to my husband and I to look around and see our hands in everything around us as well as our guests enjoying it all. But our favorites were the fingerprint tree, the dessert table, the photo booth and the BBQ survival kits. We had traditional BBQ food, so ribs pulled pork and chicken, very messy. The kits had bibs, wet naps, mints and tooth picks.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

I have two favorites; the first was when Troy and I saw each other for the first time. We decided to do our photos before the ceremony. It would help with the nerves and it is also when you look your best. Troy was standing with his back to me and I walked up behind him, with a huge grin from ear to ear. Once he turned around the photographer just disappeared and it was just the two of us. The next 45 minutes was just us, we had time to talk, laugh and cry, and it was perfect. It was the only time that day that we were totally alone. The other one was after the ceremony, while we were waiting for the witnesses to sign the certificate I asked my new husband to walk with me for a minute and we walked down the beach away from everyone, stopped and turned to each other and just started to laugh. To this day we don’t know why we both laughed, that’s just us I guess.

VENDORS

Venue: Heritage Village Memory Lane
Photographer: Emma Poliquin
Bridesmaid Dresses: Sears
Favors: Seedlings from the trail shop

{all photos by Emma Poliquin}

_________________ Thanks for reading Erin + Troy by Emma Poliquin 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 ::

Details, details, details!! The moment I laid eyes on it I was in love with this wedding by Kate Whitmore! Yellow and grey has been one of my favorite wedding color schemes this past year and this one is just stunning! From the mismatched bridesmaid dresses to all the handmade details, this wedding is completely adorable, effortless chic. This couple saved by employing the help of family and friends, and also by choosing a non-traditional venue normally used for kids birthday parties. It turned out really cute, fun and festive! Hope you all enjoy this edition of the Budget Savvy Wedding of the Week!

Amber and Justin Morton

May 29, 2010

Smyrna, Tennessee

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

We had a $5000 budget prior to the wedding day. In the end, we spent $4000 due to most aspects being provided by family and friends.

Breakdown:

$500 dress

$300 church

$700 reception

$500 cake

$500 photographer (we got a discount because we are friends)

$500 food

$500  Decor for church and reception

$500 invitations and programs

How many guests did you have?

450

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

Our ceremony was held at the church that I worked at, and the reception was held at a children’s science museum.   Since I am now a teacher, had been a children’s ministry intern for 2 years, and many children were invited, these were the perfect locations!  The officiant performing our wedding was my husband’s best friend, and our wedding coordinator was the officiant’s wife and a bridesmaid.  With the help of friends and family, I also made the bouquets, luminaries for the ceremony stage, my garter, the invitations and the programs. We also created our own boutonnieres using a design discovered on The Budget Savvy Bride‘s blog!  In addition, we added special touches such as giving the groomsmen grey converse shoes to wear on the wedding day and allowing my dad to make the jewelry for myself, the bridesmaids, the mothers and the grandmothers. Considering this is his career, they looked amazing! My dad and I opted for a goofy father/daughter dance rather than the traditional dance.  My husband chose a nacho cheese pump rather than a groom’s cake.  And last, but not least, our wedding party surprised us by ‘dancing’ us out of the reception!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We made mostly EVERYTHING! Also we had a great group of family and friends who provided their services to us for free.

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

Don’t stress.

Keep it simple.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

What was your biggest splurge?

The reception-but well worth every penny. They had never had a reception there before so they charged us for a birthday party. This price included chairs, tables, and 2 employees to help with clean up and watch over kids. They had an outdoor patio overlooking a beautiful pond for the adults and the inside play area for the kids (and some adults, too!)

What was your favorite detail?

Guests surprisingly signed a chalkboard wall inside the museum. It was too cute!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

After showing up to the reception, my husband noticed that the nacho cheese pump he opted for over a groom’s cake was not, in fact, a cheese pump.  It had been poured into a tray instead and, as an understatement, completely shocked him! It was such a minor moment in the day, but his reaction to such a small detail was priceless and a hilarious kick-off to our reception!

VENDORS

Ceremony Location- LifePoint Church , FBC Smyrna Campus

Reception Location- Discovery Center at Murfree Springs

Dress & Bridesmaid Dresses- Custom created by Dena Bathgate of A Special Touch

Photography- Kate Whitmore (friend of the bride and groom)

All other services provided by friends and family

_________________ Thanks for reading Justin + Amber 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 ::

I love this wedding for a variety of reasons– the colors, the laid-back atmosphere, the bride’s super-great advice for staying calm throughout all the details, and- of course- the budget!! Nastassia & Eion pulled off this fab wedding for less than $5k. Nastassia was the lucky winner of our earring giveaway from Especially Brides, and look at how fab they look with her simple, fashionable gown. Love the look! Thanks Nastassia for sharing your wedding with us!

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

This gradually increased from around 4000 to finally rest at about 4,700. My generous mother contributed a little less than half…

A rough breakdown:

Food: 1,500

Venue: 650

Dress/Suit: 600

Drinks: 300

Photography:350

Seating: 400

DJ: 200

Coordinator:200

Decorations: 150

Favors: 100

Flowers:30

Misc. (groomsmen shirts, transport make-up etc): 200

How many guests did you have?

Around 60

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

Ooo so many! I love DIY-ing so I started doing some of the projects months in advance — such as the tissue poms. I did all the paperwork from the invites to the programs. Actually, after I had sent out the invites I saw a link for downloadandprint.com on BSB and their templates were so awesome that I used them to do fans, programs and almost all the other signage involved. Thanks for the tip BSB! I prettied up my own shoes (which were just plain wedges, and the fancy ones cost waay too much!)and made my own belt, hair band and boutonnières.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Networked. A lot of the ‘vendors’ were actually acquaintances/colleagues of my husband’s so we got very discounted rates; from the venue (which we got at 1/3 the price) to the DJ. Also we roped in every talent we could find that was willing and able. My mom made the centerpiece cupcakes, and the favors and my mother-in-law made the three different types of wedding cake, which my husband’s HR manager then iced! My very good friend from back home (Guyana) had just gotten into the photography business and I thought, instead of hiring some stranger here, why not fly my friend in and give her a mini-vacation in lieu of payment? And it turned out splendidly: She took professional photos of everything from the bachelorette to the last dance !

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

First and foremost: Don’t sweat the small details. You may have heard this a million times (or not at all), but really, on the day you will be too happy to worry about details that might have seemed super important prior. A day before the wedding just prioritize, breathe and then let any unimportant things or unrealistic planning goals melt away. I had a few major screw-ups (like the DJ not playing my selected walking-down-the-aisle song and the tables not being set-up how I envisioned) but it really didn’t matter and worrying would not have changed the outcome.

2) If you can afford it definitely hire a day-of coordinator, or alternatively, designate one. They will do all the leg-work for you on that day, so you can can just enjoy the proceedings.

3) Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Family and friends generally love being involved in some aspect of your wedding. It is a really wonderful feeling to know that the celebration of your union was a community effort supported by your loved ones.

What was your biggest splurge?

Technically it was the food, but since catering is very expensive in Barbados, it was actually reasonable. It would then have to be the groom’s suit, which was a bit over budget but fit him so handsomely, we had to get it!

What was your favorite detail?

They would have to be the guest quilt, the ceremony ‘chuppah’ and the tables lit by candlelight.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Too many! Our last dance, my MOH uncharacteristically tearing up at the end of her speech, and seeing my step-dad boogy-ing down on the dance floor for the first time ever…!

VENDORS:

Dress: BCBG MaxAzria

Photography: Ullei Verbeke

Venue: Lancaster Great House Barbados

_________________ Thanks for reading Eion + Nastassia 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 ::

Lance and Heather’s pumpkin themed fall wedding had lots of adorable details- from the pumpkins to the leaf cookies- they really followed through with their autumn inspired wedding. This couple used pumpkins in so many interesting ways! As decorations for their altar and aisle, as glowing centerpieces at their reception, even painted on some of them- and the effect is just beautiful! Their reception looks just magical with the glowing pumpkins and the leaves dangling from the ceiling- so incredibly creative- I just love it! This wedding was very DIY heavy- with some DIT (do-it-together!) thrown in with help from family and friends! Another interesting thing about this wedding is that the GROOM did much of the detail and DIY planning, and he is also the one who filled out the questionnaire! A first for BS-WOW! So cute. Hope you love this wedding, and the photos by Joe Hendricks Photography as much as I do!!

What was your budget?

To be honest, we did not have a set budget. We started paying off things early…bought ribbon, wreaths, etc about a year in advance. Our rough budget was about $4,500 with several goods and services donated by family and friends.

How many guests did you have?

We had around 550 guests.

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

Since we had a fall themed wedding, everything revolved around fall. We did not want to spend thousands of dollars on flowers…because it was a one time venue and they would wilt the next morning. Therefore, we went to a pumpkin farm in West Tennessee and picked up about 35 pumpkins. We used that as the basis for our wedding. We lined the ledge behind us with pumpkins…then put a few fall colored flowers/greenery in between each pumpkin. Finally, we lined the front of the stage with fall colored mums…wrapped in an elegant brown/silver ribbon/bow. Throughout the foyer of the church, mums and pumpkins were placed everywhere. All of the mums were wrapped in the brown satin ribbon. I then took brown acrylic paint and painted a cursive “H” on the pumpkins to represent our last name. To line the aisle, I thought it would be neat to have pumpkin topiaries. Therefore, I went to Michaels, bought the fake pumpkins, drilled holes in them, and stuck a small pipe through them into a big can full of concrete. We then placed them into a big planter that looked like an acorn. Finally, the florist decorated them with greenery and brown ribbons. They were perfect! And…they now adorn our front porch at fall time…..they’ll be a yearly decoration that we will continue to cherish for years to come.

Our reception was held inside the gymnasium. Therefore, as you would think…it’s UGLY! We checked into a lighting company, and it was going to cost $2,500!!! That was a definite NO! However, we knew we did NOT want to use the overhead gym lights. We came up with a spectacular idea that looked amazing and was not too expensive. The end result was amazing! We bought 2,000 helium balloons (black), black curling ribbon, and silk fall colored leaves. The morning of the wedding, we blew up the balloons, tied black curling ribbon to the bottom, and then tied a silk leaf onto the bottom of the curling ribbon. A few short hours later, the end result was immaculate! It felt like leaves were literally falling on you. We then strung simple white Christmas lights in an “X” pattern to provide some additional light. We then strung little can lights to go over the food table and cakes. Besides that, we had no other additional lighting besides the candles on the table. The end result was very elegant. On the tables, each table had a pumpkin in the center. I took a drill and drilled several holes in them to allow the candle light inside to cascade through. Some tables had white pumpkins with brown paint monogramming or the cursive “H.” Around the pumpkins were a bunch of fall leaves…then plain votive candles were placed around the pumpkins. Since the tables had a shimmery brown fabric on top of the cream colored table cloth, the fabric caught the light of the candles for a cool effect. We also knew that we did not want to spend thousands of dollars on food–especially since we knew we were having several hundred guests. Therefore, we decided to have a dessert reception complete with sugar cookies, cheesecake squares, nuts, wedding cake, grooms cake, punch, and coffee. The centerpiece of the entire reception featured a “cookie tree.” We MADE 1,600 sugar cookies (maple leaf shaped), iced them, then used pearl dust to give them a shimmery fall color. We then literally went outside, cut down a tree, and put it in the center of the food table. We then tied several cookies to the tree….and the rest were cascading down from the tree all over the table…giving it the effect that they had “fallen.”

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We had friends/family members help bake all of the cookies. They baked them, gave them to us, and we froze them until wedding time. They were made months in advance. Also, being creative and thinking of other ways to make the wedding pretty without the use of flowers…since they are so expensive!

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

Start early– you can save lots of money if you give yourself time to make things in advance and do lots of DIY projects.

What was your biggest splurge?

One of the biggest splurges we had was the balloons, curling ribbon, and leaves….but it was totally worth the price–plus, way way way cheaper than hiring a lighting company…plus, we achieved a better atmosphere than with just lighting alone.

What was your favorite detail?

The balloons with the leaves hanging from the ceiling. The effect was so amazing!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

When the preacher asked, “Are there rings?” the groom pulled out a sparkly, light up ring that you would find at a carnival………it was hilarious! Then, to top that, the matron of honor forgot the groom’s wedding ring. Therefore, with the preacher’s quick thinking, he pulled off his wedding band and handed it to the bride………..the audience never knew!

VENDORS:

No vendors were used besides Joe Hendricks photography!

_________________ Thanks for reading Pumpkin themed fall wedding by Joe Hendricks 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 ::

Hannah & John’s wedding is just going to knock your socks off, folks! They chose to get married outside on the lawn of an abandoned church which cost them nothing for their location- talk about budget savvy! Hannah is a wedding photographer herself and she crafted some picture perfect details with some thrift store shopping and some help from Etsy! She couldn’t resist getting in on the action of the day and even grabbed a camera during the ceremony to snap a photo of her new hubby! So adorable!

This wedding, shot by JHenderson Studios, is full of sweet details and lots of fun. This post is picture heavy- because I just couldn’t leave out some of these fun shots! Hannah incorporated some of my favorite flower alternatives: using paper and vintage brooches instead of real flowers! The result is stunning! Some of my other favorite details: the bride’s blue shoes, her handmade wedding dress, the non-matchy jewel toned bridesmaid dresses, the fauxtaux booth and quite possibly the coolest ring shot I’ve ever seen (if that is in fact a real life iguana!) Overall I just really love the personality of this wedding- and even better, it cost them less than $5,000! I hope you enjoy this mega-segment of the Budget Savvy Wedding of the Week!

What was your budget?

Our goal with our budget was to spend as little as absolutely possible. We estimate it ended up being between $4000 and $4500. 50% of that went towards the photography. Reception venue was $400. Alcohol $300. We served sandwiches, chips and salad and that cost probably close to $300. All decorations were either handmade or from ebay, etsy or goodwill. That along with our attire, wedding party gifts, and miscellaneous stuff make up the rest of the budget.

How many guests did you have?

around 100

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

The more appropriate question would be, “what traditions did you include in your wedding?” that would be a lot quicker to answer

We got married in front of an abandoned church building on a street where I used to live. Our guests waved “YAY” flags instead of throwing rice or blowing bubbles. We set up my fauxtaux booth for our guests to take fun self portraits. The groomsmen (and 2 bridesmen) were told to wear a gray suit of their choosing, fun shoes, fedoras and everyone carried black umbrellas. My bridesmaids each picked their own dress, each in a different color. My bouquet was made out of vintage flower brooches. My sister made the boutonniers out of feathers and ribbon, each one sporting a charm that represented their own personality (ie., a guitar for my dad, a clover for the Irish guy, a Gamecocks charm for the South Carolina fan). Our guests sang hymns acapella for the processional music. My dad sang a song during the exchanging of the rings. At the reception, table decorations included old, rusty barn lanterns, vintage table cloths, hundreds of handmade pinwheels instead of flower arrangements, and a myriad of different candle holders I collected over the years from thrift stores.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

My mom and I made my wedding dress (one- because it was cheaper, two- because i couldn’t find what I was looking for anywhere else). My groom wore a suit he found at Goodwill for $9. Also, we bought all of our wine for $3 a bottle from Trader Joe’s (and it was delicious), and we went without a wedding cake because neither of us cared anything about having one.

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

Doing it all in 2 months was the best idea we ever had. Stress is going to be a factor no matter what so you might as well just knock it out quick. The only thing I wish I would have done differently is to have hired our photographer’s assistant in addition to her. I’m a wedding photographer myself so I just figured I would be able to better regulate the flow of things the day of and communicate what I wanted. But in actuality everything was just a blur all day and the responsibility of trying to focus on those specifics in addition to everything else was too much. I found it hard to balance overseeing things and communicating what I wanted while still trying to enjoy the moments of the day and be with my family and friends.

What was your biggest splurge?

Photography. It was 50% of our budget.

What was your favorite detail?

The “YAY” flags were definitely the best detail. everyone got really into them and used them all day long to celebrate. it kept me smiling the entire time.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

I never would have thought this but oddly enough, the ceremony. We kept it really simple and fairly traditional. But the setting, the perfect weather and sunlight, the energy and excitement from our guests, the laughter and personal moments….it was an unbelievable happy exaggeration of everything i had hoped it would be and so, so, so much more. it was really special and terribly perfect.

VENDORS:

Wedding Planner: Kirsten Hawkins, (206.755.2343)

Reception Venue: Customs House Museum in Clarksville

Photobooth: the Fauxtaux Booth

Photographer: JHenderson Studios

_________________ Thanks for reading DIY Outdoor Public Wedding 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 ::

I love it when I get BSWOW submissions from photographers! It’s so sweet when they nominate their couples for features! This wedding comes from Jessica Miller Photography. This couple managed to pull of their beautiful wedding for 115 guests at only $5500! Some words from their photographer, Jessica, “This was a May wedding full of sunshine (if you know Ohio weather- you can consider yourself extremely lucky to be blessed with this). With a full city backdrop, gorgeous flowers and a couple as lovely and genuinely amazing as Meredith and Eddie, it was sure to be a day to remember. Meredith is one of those people who brings the sunshine with her presence, so it’s no surprise it was a perfect day for her. It was astonishing when you learned that there really weren’t Columbus’ most expensive top tier vendors involved- this wedding was completely a collaborative effort between family, friends and loved ones. And while one might think that would make the day more stressful, it actually made for an extremely relaxed and joyful experience.” Take a look for yourselves, hope you enjoy this installment of the BSWOW!

Where did you get married?

Columbus, Ohio Ceremony was held in the North Courtyard Garden, COSI (Center Of Science & Industry)in downtown Columbus. Reception took place at the Park Street Tavern, also in downtown Columbus.

What was your budget?

Our budget was roughly around $5500
** COSI = $750 total
** Park Street Tavern = no charge
** wedding gown = $800
** Grooms tuxedo = free
** flowers = $500
**catering (included all food buffet style, cupcakes, and beer & wine) = $2100
** DJ = $425 (we had him from 7p-12a) he stayed until 2a and charged us $75/add’l hour
** photographer = $800
** limo = free, compliments of my uncle
** invitations = $100 for 75
** table linen rental for reception = $150
** flutist and cello player for music during ceremony = $75

How many guests did you have?

We had about 110-115 guests.

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

We wanted this wedding to completely reflect us as a couple. We’re easy going and completely laid back, and we wanted the entire day and all of our guests to feel comfortable and relaxed! Nearly everyone one of our “vendors” that made this day happen were all family and/or friends. So they were all able and willing to add that perfect personal touch to our day that made it so incredibly special and meaningful.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Utilized a ton of our resources that are in the party planning industry.

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

Remember, this is a day that is simply about you and your significant other. just as long as you two are happy then that’s all that matters. your wedding is not meant to please everyone else. We truly had the wedding of our dreams.

What was your biggest splurge?

my dress. but totally worth it!

What was your favorite detail?

our personalized wedding vows, the locations, the choreographed dance that my mother and I did.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

walking down to greet my future husband and seeing each other foro the first time. and the amazing celebration that we spent with each other and our incredible family and friends at the reception. it truly was a memorable party!!

Vendors:

Photographer: Jessica Miller Photography
Makeup: Christina Stropes
Florist: Janet Dennie
Dress: Monique Luo
Catering: Family and Friends
Ceremony: COSI
Reception: Park Street Tavern

_________________ Thanks for reading Meredith + Eddie 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 ::