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Hello, darlins!

I am always marveled at the internet and its ability to make this world so very small.

I’m Jaqui (Jack-ee). I am thrilled to be a new Bride Blogger on Budget Savvy Bride and it is a pleasure to virtually meet you! I am obsessed with being at least somewhat original and adding my own twist on the popular trends. I hope to inspire you to do the same!

A little bit about myself as told by myself

I am 25-years-old and I have a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. I am a total foodie, which is a constant daily battle doing the whole “wedding dieting” thing, but I’m managing. I love music, dancing, and sports. All of the sports teams that I like aren’t very good, but you can’t be a fair weather fan now, can you?  My fiancé’s name is Jason and he is also a college graduate with a degree in Concrete Industry Management (yes, that is a thing!) We are both from Tennessee and currently reside in Nashville, and we absolutely LOVE IT. Together, we really enjoy watching movies (total movie buffs and he can name any movie by hearing the intro music!), kayaking, hiking, going to sporting events, grilling out, bonfires, vacationing… you know – the typical fun stuff!

Jason and I met at a New Year’s Eve party in 2008 – we were 18-years-old. We will be together for seven years and five months when we get married. Jason finally proposed December 21, 2014 on the pedestrian bridge overlooking the Nashville skyline. It was freezing and I got so sick for a week afterwards from crying outside in the cold, but that was the BEST day of my LIFE!

Obviously, we have never been in a rush to get married, so we opted for a long engagement. I really wanted to enjoy this process.

|Then|
Circa March 2009

^^Note the Vintage Shell Necklace

|Now|
photo by Ivory Door Studio

^^Our fabulous photographers

I also wanted to be able to afford this wedding. By afford, I mean paying cash – for everything. No credit card debt for this couple!!

Along with our goal of a debt free wedding, I also had another goal. Of course I want to have a fantastic wedding. But when it’s all said and done, I don’t want to wish that we had used that money for something else… you know, like a down payment for a house!? It blows my mind that people actually spend $30k+ on one night. I feel like at that point, the meaning is gone. It is no longer about the bride and groom, but about the event. Our wedding budget is $12,000… not a penny over, and preferably less! Some of that money is coming from family – so the amount that we are spending is much less than that, also making it much more bearable! I am looking forward to sharing my ideas with you to save money as our plans progress!

Our wedding is going to be pretty different all around with some of the beautiful and timeless traditions preserved. I look forward to inspiring you to be different and to tackle some DIY projects, such as this killer chandelier I am going to post… Stay Tuned for that! 😉