There are so many fun and colorful details in today’s wedding! Sarah and David did a great job of creating a fun outdoor event with beautiful decor; I especially love the wildflower bouquets at the the reception! And who wouldn’t want to attend a wedding with a food truck reception, dessert table and yard games?  Enjoy today’s beautiful and fun purple and orange wedding! xoxo, Jessica

Sarah + Dave

August 22, 2015

Concord, N.H.  |  N.H. Audubon’s McLane Center

What was your budget?

We spent about $15,000 on our wedding.

Venue Rental: $1000

Food Truck Rental and Food:  $4500

Dessert: $260

Bartenders: $400

Drinks (including alcohol): $1200

Dress: $300

Suit: $175

Tent and Rentals: $3000

Cups/Napkins/Plates: $250

Construction Materials for Yard Games: $250

Bus Rental: $750

Flowers: $400

Décor: $750

Photographer: $850

Gifts: $200

Favors: $40

Stationary: $500

Hair/Makeup/Nails: $200

Wedding Rings: $150

How many guests did you have?

We had 130 guests.

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

Our wedding definitely reflected our personalities. It was important that everyone feel comfortable and that it felt more like a big celebration than a formal event. The ceremony was short and sweet and we built ample time into the event for people to connect and have fun, including our yard game cocktail hour. One way we saved money and made the wedding more personal was to create a lot of the materials for the wedding ourselves.  We built all of the yard games with friends. We made and painted the signs throughout the venue and I sewed the table runners using fabric we picked out together. We made our birdseed favors.  I also grew the flowers for the bouquets in our community garden and I assembled the bouquets and boutonnieres myself the day of the wedding. Lastly, our friends and family were a huge help decorating the tent the day before the wedding.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

In order to have a larger wedding on a budget we thought strategically about what was important to spend money on and what we were willing to let go. We went with a non-traditional venue a little farther from where we lived and decided to have awesome sandwiches from a food truck rather than a traditional caterer.  Purchasing the alcohol ourselves and hiring a bartender to serve it also saved us a lot of money on an open bar.  To supplement the flowers we grew in our garden I went to a local farmer at the farmers market and bought local, in-season flowers for an incredible price.

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

Identify early on what is important to you and let go of the rest. We didn’t care what type of food we had as long as it tasted great. I think some of our guests were surprised we had a food truck but loved the food. We also really wanted to have yard games so we needed a venue that would be flexible. We spent our money on what we thought people would remember and made sure that at the end of the day we were happy with the choices we made.

What was your biggest splurge?

Offering a full meal to 130 people is expensive, even with a food truck. The tent and rentals were also very expensive. However, having great food and an outdoor venue were musts for us.

What was your favorite detail?

I was so happy to be able to grow the bouquets. I’ve grown flowers for years and always imagined what it would be like to grow my own wedding flowers. The best part is that these flowers will come back every year allowing me to have a new bouquet each summer!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

We decided to take pictures of the two of us before everyone arrived at the ceremony. It was great to have those quiet moments together to look at all our hard work and reflect on the upcoming events. On a less sentimental note, all of our guests singing Bohemian Rhapsody at the top of their lungs at the end of the night was also a blast.

VENDORS

Photography: Madeline Barr Photo • Venue: N.H. Audubon Society • Catering: Pennypacker’s Fine Foods • Desserts: Finesse Pastries • Rentals: Lakes Region Tent and Event