This wedding just makes me feel so happy! I LOVE the color scheme, the playful blues and greens were carried over into all the different aspects of the day- they really pulled everything together so nicely! I love the lime centerpieces and the colorful lanterns everywhere! I think this wedding is so adorable and I am shocked that they were able to do it for only $8200 for 130 people! It helps that they didn’t have to pay to rent their venue– if we could all only be that lucky! Thanks to Janna & Jacob for allowing us to feature their wedding and to Brittney Melton for submitting it via TwoBrightLights! xoxo-Jessica
Janna + Jacob
June 18, 2011
KC Ranch | Lytle, Texas
What was your budget? If you are able, give us a rough breakdown of how you spent your budget.
Our budget was $ 8,200.
$1700 on the tent, tables, chairs
$2600 on food (tiagos) and beverage (Costco)
$1600 on photographer
$1000 on decorations
$500 on DJ
$600 on the cake
$175 Bartender
$150 Margarita Machine
$400 miscellaneous
How many guests did you have?
130
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
We wanted a fun laid back event and we also wanted it to be individual. Having it at the ranch made it very personal and we had a lot of family and friends to help us put it all together. We couldn’t have done it without them and I think all the love put into making it our special day made it even more special. I love the colors that we choose, turquoise and lime green, we used limes in vases for centerpieces! It was perfect for a June wedding and very affordable.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
We saved the most money by having the wedding at his Grandparents ranch.
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
Find someone to help you. I knew what I wanted but I didn’t know how to put it all together. Lucky for me I have a sister who is an Interior Designer and Event Planner and is really good at pulling things together, so she really helped me out a lot. It was quite a task since she lives in Texas and I live in Nevada, but we emailed each other a lot and sent lots of pictures.
What was your biggest splurge?
The food and drink!
What was your favorite detail?
I really like the paper lanterns that hung in the tent.
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
I think the most memorable moment was being married under the oak tree. For us we couldn’t imagine a better place or a better moment.
We spent around $8,000 total. $6,000 was our original budget but my mother-in-law generously offered to pay for our catering.
Catering – $3,600
Dress/Veil/shoes – $850/$146/$70
Rentals – $640
Decorations – Less than $100. I bought all decorations at Big Lots & Dollar Tree. The lanterns & vases we already owned & we used Magnolia leaves from MIL’s yard.
Rings – His $150/ Mine were his grandmother’s
Location – Free
Church/Minister/Organist – $250
Photography – $1,500
Flowers – Less than $200 (We ordered from whole sale and did everything on our own.)
DJ – $350
Bar – $400 (My brother works at a package store.)
Invitations/Save the Dates – $300/$100
How many guests did you have?
invited 225ish/ 150 atttended
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
I am originally from Mississippi so it was important for me to include that in my day. We used magnolia leaves on the tables and around the cake. I included three magnolias on my cake and one in my bouquet. Also in my bouquet were cream colored roses as they the flower of my sorority, Delta Gamma. My colors were navy and yellow but my husband really wanted to wear an orange bowtie and he wanted me to match him somehow. Since he didn’t ask for much I agreed and wrapped my flowers in orange.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
There were several ways we saved money. Since we had the reception at my mother-in-law’s home we didn’t have to pay for a location. Doing our own flowers saved us a ton. Last place I saved money is on my dress. I knew better than to think I had to spend thousands to get a dress I loved.
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
Decide on numbers before anything else. It helps when budgeting and controls some choas. What was your biggest splurge? I’d have to say gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. I used online coupon codes and Mr. Rebates so I could get them something really good. The girls got totes from Lands End with their names. The boys got tailgating chairs with a built in cooler from Bass Pro. What was your favorite detail? Other than the ones mentioned above I would have to say my jewelry. They were his maternal grandmother Katherine’s rings. I also wore my grandmother Dickie’s sapphire ring and a pair of hydrangea blossom earrings that my brother and his wife gave me.
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
Having my four year old niece come back from St. Jude to be in my wedding. Kellan, who is obsessed with princesses, put on her Disney princess wedding dress over her flower girl dress immediately following the ceremony. And trying not to cry while looking at my dad.
VENDORS:
Invitations: Qwik Pack and Ship
Save the dates – WeddingPaperDivas.com
Cartering – Evenlyn McConnell (local little old lady)
Bar – B&B package
Flowers – Tennessee Florist Supply, Inc.
Dress – Jasmine Bridal (purchased at Masengill’s in Johnson City, TN)
Rentals – Action Rentals
DJ – The Electric DJ
Photography – AmandaChurchill.com
I know, I know… long time no WOW. Bad Jessica. Things have been CRAZY for me the last few weeks guys, so please forgive the lack of budget-savvy wedding goodness. I’ve got a lovely one to share with you today, from iDrop Photo. I thought we could use a little fall inspo since we’re all at the point in the summer where we are desperately wishing for cooler temps. Hope this lovely autumn-infused affair cools you off. I love the leaves in the bouquets and of course the pumpkins as decor. (Who’s ready for the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks? I mean, right???) Enjoy- and please forgive me for the absence of our favorite weekly feature. xo Jessica
Tyler & Daley
October 23, 2010
Madera, California
What was your budget? If you are able, give us a rough breakdown of how you spent your budget.
We had $8000 to use for the wedding. The Venue covered most of the main items we needed tables, chairs, tent, and of course wine. They charged us $4 a head. To keep the cost of food down we decided to only do hor’dourves ( if that is how its spelt) and desserts. One of our friends offered to do the food for around $1000 and made our wedding cake a wedding gift. For the decorations I spent roughly around $500. I scoured all of Fresno’s best thrift stores for items that I could use as table toppers. We also found a pumpkin patch in the area that gave us a great deal for buying in bulk. For around 50 pumpkins and gourds we only ended up spending $100. Our florist only did the boutonnieres and bouquets. We went the day before to trader joes and bought a couple of bouquets for center pieces making the cost of flowers stay small. Tyler stepdad built an arch for us to get married under which cost us nothing at all. And my mom and I collected leaves from the trees a few weeks before the wedding and place on the aisle. our DJ was a friend as well who only charged us $100. Have your wedding early if you want to keep the cost down because if you do it before dinner but after lunch time you won’t have to spend a lot of money on food.
How many guests did you have?
A little under 150
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
Creating my own centerpieces from items I found at thrift stores.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
Lots of couponing and thrifting!
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
Have a girls night and invite your friends over to help you put decorations and other wedding items together. It bonds your bridesmaids and makes getting everything done that much easier. Also use whatever resources you have if you know someone who can make something or do something for your wedding for a cheaper cost go for it!
What was your biggest splurge?
Our cake topper! Loved it!
What was your favorite detail?
The bouquets- I was so happy with them!
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
The father daughter dance- it was amazing!
Our story is really simple. We met through a church event, but didn’t really get to know one another until we both happened to join our friends for a hang out not knowing the other person would be there. we bonded over movies (Tim Burtons The Nightmare Before Christmas in particular) and realized we had a lot of the same taste. Then we started to stalk one another on facebook and continue group hangouts for a few weeks then finally made it official at a Colby Callait concert on another group date. Shortly after we started talking about marriage in the next couple of years and ended up getting married the following fall.
I LOVE this wedding, y’all. Everything looks so natural and clean without looking boring or plain. I love the wood + white color scheme and the handmade wooden centerpiece boxes made by the groom. How special is that? Obviously I am in love with the turquoise jewelry worn by the bride and her maids… y’all know how much I love me some turquoise. This couple really focused on the important things and in the end it was still incredibly beautiful and classy. These bright and gorgeous photos by Melissa McFadden are sure to delight you this morning! Thank you so much to Rob and Meg for sharing your special day with us!
Rob and Meg DeBolt
August 21st, 2010
Where did you get married?
Mill Creek Gardens, Walla Walla, WA
What was your budget? Give a rough breakdown of what you spent if possible.
We tried to stay between $5000 and $7500, came out closer to $7500. This doesn’t include our rings or our airfare to get there (we live in Texas and got married in the Northwest).
* Mill Creek Gardens- $2600
* Photography- $1900
* Catering- Bon Appetit- $1800
* Ceremony music- $150 (violin and guitar from Walla Walla Symphony)
* DJ- $300 + tip
* Flowers (Safeway)- $500
* Dress (JCrew)- $300
* Suit (Calvin Klein)- $125
* Sandals (Rainbow)- $50/pair x 3
* Invitations- I did them on my own. Used pressed flowers as an accent and made matching thank you cards- $75 not including postage
* Cake- $250 Johns Wheatland Bakery, Walla Walla WA
* Centerpieces- $250
* Save the Dates- $130
* Gifts for bridal party- $200
* Officiant donation- $100
* Wedding license- $50
* Wine- Maryhill Winery- $400
How many guests did you have?
We had about 105 people
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
I really wanted the wedding to be personal and as non-commercial as possible. Our colors were white and wood and the setting at Mill Creek Gardens was perfect. My fiance and dad made the wood centerpieces and I selected all of the glassware from Pier 1 Imports or Michaels. On the day of, two of my aunts put the center pieces together. I did all of our stationery. Also, I wore vintage heels and jewelery that my husband had given to me after our first date (earrings). The bracelet I wore was made by my great aunt, I love turquoise.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
We focused the wedding on our enjoyment, not others. Too many people worry about throwing a great party and forget about what they want to remember. Not only did we have a great party, but we saved money by opting out of little details such as wedding favors, hard alcohol, and a champagne toast (we did Muscat Canelli). In the end, you remember very little about the small stuff, so I am glad we stuck to the basics and focused on enjoying the day.
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
Do a lot of research! You can always get a better deal. More importantly, make sure that you do things the way that you and your fiance want. Don’t let others influence you too much. Welcome their advice, but don’t change your plans based on what others want. This is your day.
What was your biggest splurge?
Photography, but it was worth it! Melissa McFadden is amazing and I have recommended her to all of my newly engaged friends and she will be doing all of our family pictures in the future.
What was your favorite detail?
My husband gave me a beautiful pair of turquoise earrings for my birthday when we first met. They are very whimsical and were the perfect accent.
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
Exchanging vows, knowing that our day had finally come.
Sorry for the intermittent blog silences over the last few weeks, folks. Things have been a little crazy at the Casa de Budget Savvy. I will fill you in more over in the Life section soon. I am happy to be back today with a lovely December South Carolina wedding that I’ve had in my queue for bit and need to feature before we get in to full-blown summer mode! I am in love with the little chalkboard signs (I personally still love this trend) especially the rustic, wintery feel of them along with the added detail of the fleur-de-lis puts a sweet spin on it. I love their mardis gras theme and how subtle and classy it is- they really pulled it off! Thanks so much to longtime reader Kimmy and her new hubby Dan for sharing their special day with us! -Jessica
Kimmy & Dan
Dec. 11, 2010
Walker Hall @ South Carolina School for the Deaf & Blind, Spartanburg, SC
What was your budget? If you are able, give us a rough breakdown of how you spent your budget.
We had a budget of $8,000 that my parents graciously gave us. That made us want to be even more wise with our money. We did go over that some, but was able to stick to that budget pretty closely! A general breakdown:
$2700 on photography
$2100 on venue
$2000 for catering, florals, decorations, and rentals
$400 ($520) for wedding dress, $220 for alterations
$200 on coffee favors for our guest
$250 on invitations, programs, and children’s books
How many guests did you have?
We had around 125 guests for our rather large day.
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
We loved being able to add personal touches throughout our wedding weekend. We handmade all of our invitations, programs, children’s activities books, and coffee favors for our guests. I also wore some very special items that I brought back from living in Northern Africa such as my earrings and my wedding shoes. Wearing those items reminded me of my sweet friends who I wanted to be at our wedding but who couldn’t be because of the distance. Our reception was a little bit different. We decided on having a coffee and dessert bar and putting out board games for our guests to play. The desserts that we chose were important to us like the king cake which reminded me of my time in New Orleans. We wanted a relaxed and fun atmosphere that would allow us to spend time with our friends and family and also would give them a chance to mingle and have fun together. My bridesmaid, who currently lives in New Orleans, also brought quite a few things from there to make it a special day. Who doesn’t love beads, boas, and masks??? It was a lot of fun to use those in our first dance and as we left the wedding. My Bridal luncheon was also different than the traditional “Bridal Luncheon”. I was able to treat all of my gals and some special ladies with a morning of painting pottery, which was LOTS of FUN!
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
We set priorities and goals from the beginning and revisited those often as we planned our wedding. We decided the proprieties would be on photography and on the venue. We also decided on the look that we wanted and set out to find ways to make that happen for “less”. We asked our families to pitch in and help with many of the personal touches that we added to the wedding, which reduced a lot of the cost. The biggest thing we did to save money was to put together all of our printed items and many of our decorations. We had our invitations printed at a local print shop and then we assembled them. We knew from the beginning that invitations and stationary could get expensive and it’s only used for that day and then thrown away. We set out from the beginning to create and bring together our invitations and programs for as a cheap as possible, yet still classy. That saved us LOTS of money! We made our decorations by buying small chalkboard and staining and putting a fleur de lis applique on them to match our wedding invitations and stationary. We also shopped locally – using local vendors and friends to help us put together our big day. We borrowed the burlap and lanterns (which are identical to lanterns that you can get in my North African home!) from my friend who got married this summer.
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
We only had about four months to plan our wedding – which was plenty of time. There will always be details to work on, no matter how long you have to plan your wedding. Enlist the help of family and friends. Make it personal! Add things that are a symbol of you and your hubby! Remind yourself constantly that at the end of your wedding day, “you’re gonna be MARRIED!” and that is all that matters. While your wedding day is a really important day, it’s just that – a DAY. The marriage is more important than the wedding and we set out to focus on our marriage, not just the wedding.
What was your biggest splurge?
We splurged in two areas: our photographer and our venue. Those two things were crucial for what we wanted – a special place that could be “us” and a photographer that was talented and creative and that could capture our day long after the food has been consumed, the coffee drank, and the dress put away!
What was your favorite detail?
Our coffee bar and coffee favors were our favorite part! We both LOVE coffee and wanted to include that in our rather large day. We spent many nights sippin’ coffee together on dates and couldn’t imagine not having coffee and our love for coffee as a part of the day. We had our friend Amy, a former Starbucks Barista, there to help! She made us special coffee drinks for our first drink. We had several flavors of creamer and locally roasted coffee. Our favors were handmade burlap bags with coffee – which we loved to give to all of our family and friends!!
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
Seeing Dan and spending some one on one time with him before the wedding ceremony was hands-down my favorite moment. Our “first look” time was super intimate and calmed my nerves and reminded me to just breath and focus on us during the day. We were able to talk and have a conversation without anyone interrupting us or pulling us to the “next” thing. It also gave us some time to pray together before our ceremony. It gave our photographer some amazing photos and it saved lots of time after the ceremony for pictures, which made all of our guests happy!!
This wedding just makes me feel so happy! I LOVE the color scheme, the playful blues and greens were carried over into all the different aspects of the day- they really pulled everything together so nicely! I love the lime centerpieces and the colorful lanterns everywhere! I think this wedding is so adorable and I am shocked that they were able to do it for only $8200 for 130 people! It helps that they didn’t have to pay to rent their venue– if we could all only be that lucky! 
Thanks to Janna & Jacob for allowing us to feature their wedding and to Brittney Melton for submitting it via TwoBrightLights! 
