Today’s budget-savvy wedding is filled with sweet details that celebrate this couple’s family! Gina’s (today’s bride) father passed away prior to their wedding, and Gina and Daniel married at the campground managed by her family and one of her father’s favorite places, and they also used wildflowers as their wedding decor in memory of her dad. The wedding is also filled with fun details and activities like a pie table and swimming in the lake after the reception. Enjoy this sweet campground wedding! xoxo, Jessica

Gina + Daniel

July 12, 2015

Delta, WI  |  Twin Bear Campground

What was your budget?

Our budget was less than $5,500.

Dress- $500 (I didn’t wear shoes)

Suit- $125 + Tie- $35 (he wore shoes he already had)

Photographers- $3,000

Travel Fees – $300 (14 hour drive there and back)

Food- $500

Rehearsal Dinner- $600 (me and my sister had worked at the Diner we held our rehearsal dinner so they let us have the whole place to ourselves once it was closed)

Groomsman Shirts/Ties- $100

Bridal Party gifts- $100

Pie ingredients- $75 (my aunt made the pies with the help of my sister, mother, and cousins)

Invites- $200 (created by a friend we went to school with) 

How many guests did you have?

We had fewer than 60 guests.

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

There were so many I couldn’t even count. My father had passed away the year before my wedding so we decided to have the wedding at the place he loved: The campground my family manages. We used the beach for our ceremony and a campsite as the reception!

My mom had a necklace with his ashes the day of the wedding for me to wear. My dad always called my mom his wild flower so I asked my guests to bring me flowers the day of the wedding for my centerpieces. My center pieces were cut from wood we had around the house and the mason jars were from my best friends’ weddings. I am Native American so my crown was made of braided sweet grass with dried flowers (it smelled amazing and I still have it)  and it was also given to me by a lady my mom works with at a local artist guild I grew up going to as a kid.

I babysat an adorable family while in high school and their dad created our CAMP LOVELACE sign, our benches, and our arbor for the wedding day.

My photographers were the parents of the kids I nanny and they were my everything the day of our wedding! At the end of the night we made our whole wedding party jump into the lake at sunset!

Did you do any DIY projects or create any handmade items for your weddings?

Most certainly! We DIYed our camp sign, our benches, our pies, centerpieces, bouquets, arbor, signs, photo booth, made gifts for my bridesmaids, and so much more.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Our venue, even thought it was 14 hours from where my husband and I live. Driving and lodging weren’t too expensive (we stayed with my mom), and the campground was a free venue so we didn’t have to pay for chairs, linens, tables, reception site, ceremony site. We only had to pay to get there which was only about $400 for us and our photographers.

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

Planning a wedding is stressful and you may actually cry…I sure did! But in the end you are going to be married to the love of your life and that’s all that truly matters. You’d be surprised how many things come together at the end or things that were left out that don’t matter…YOU’RE MARRIED!! Adding personal touches was my favorite part. I was so grateful for the community I had surrounding me on our special day. They took care of everything and it was exactly what I wanted and more.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our photographer was the best choice I made!

What was your favorite detail?

My bridesmaids picking their flowers and my guests brining me so many flowers from random fields, their yards, gardens, and everywhere else in between.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

JUMPING IN THE LAKE!!! My guests were freaking out, they didn’t think we’d do it. But we did it…floaties and all!

VENDORS 

Photography: Brett Loves Elle Photography • Venue: Twin Bear Campground Beach • Flowers: Picked from the field in the campground • Stationery: Friend from school • Catering: Friend of the family • Bakery: Family • DJ: My photographers husband BRETT with the help of a friend • Bridal Shop: Perfect Weddings • Veil / Headpiece: A Bayfield Artist Guild Artist • Groom’s Tux: H&M • Groomsmen Suits/Tux: Shirts from JCPenney • Ties: Amazon