What was your budget?
We spent about $4,600 on our wedding:
- Photography: $900
- Dress: $450
- Catering: $1300 (includes drinks)
- Cake: We didn’t do cake; our sister-in-law gifted us homemade the pies!
- Venue: $0
- Flowers: $100
- Decor: $500
- Groom’s attire: $120
- Music: $350
- Rentals: $ 560
- Transportation: $350
How many guests did you have?
We had about 150 guests.
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
We knew we wanted a venue that would allow us the flexibility to have a DIY wedding. We were graciously offered a backyard to host in and the ideas were free flowing. In the end, we got the wedding of my dreams—everything was exactly how we wanted it from the colors, to the music, to the food. The whole night went off without a hitch thanks to our friends and family who donated their time to help. Even our wedding pies (in lieu of cake) were homemade.
Did you do any DIY projects or create any handmade items for your weddings?
I felt like so much of the wedding was DIY or handmade. All of the centerpieces were a collection of old bottles that we spray painted. The bar background, kids table, and wedding arch were all built by my handsome husband. We also made light up hoop wreaths that we hung from the trees.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
A backyard wedding! Not having to pay a venue saved us tons in the end and gave us the flexibility to stretch our dollars far—for example, instead of paying for a bartender that would have been required from the venue, we were able to offer a “pour-yourself” style bar that was a HUGE hit.
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
I’ll give two pieces of advice. Don’t sweat the small stuff—no one will remember what type of chairs you rented or what type of flowers were in your bouquet. No one will remember exactly what the centerpieces looked like. They will remember the food, the ceremony, and the entertainment.
The day after you get married, write everything down—sit down with your husband and spend 10 min writing down every memory, thought, feeling you had from the wedding—it was so fun to read my husband’s perspective of our wedding day vs mine.
What was your biggest splurge?
I’d say our biggest splurge was our photographer—we knew wanted to remember the day forever and we looked at several high-end photographers—It was well worth it to get the photos we did.
What was your favorite detail?
My favorite details was our hoop wreaths that hung from the trees. They just made the dance floor pop!
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
Toward the end of the night, I took a step back from the dance floor with my husband—everyone (seriously EVERYONE) was dancing—even grandma. I saw people singing to each other and jumping and smiling and my heart felt so full that we had the best of people there celebrating our love. It is a moment I will never ever forget.
VENDORS
Photography: Saints Photography • Venue: Private Backyard • Flowers: Real flowers from Sam’s Club and faux flowers from Michaels • Wedding Planner: DIY • Day-of Coordinator: DIY • Event Design / Styling: DIY • Calligraphy: DIY • Catering: Pizzeria Limone • Bakery: DIY • Rentals: Rent Event Utah • DJ: DJ Remix – John Franco • Transportation: RunAboutShuttle • Hair Stylist: Amber Renee Salon • Makeup Artist: Friend • Bridal Shop: David’s Bridal • Jewelry: Claire’s • Shoes: DSW Shoes • Groom’s Suit: JC Penney • Tie: Amazon • Men’s Shoes: DSW Shoes
