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Elegant Spring Navy Wedding

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Elegant Spring Navy Wedding

Annie & Chris

Baltimore, Maryland
- 04/29/2017
Total wedding budget $20,000

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Annie + Chris

April 29, 2017

Baltimore, MD  |  Christ Lutheran Church + The Louisiana

What was your budget?

We had a $20,000 budget.  

Dress: $700 (from J. Crew and this was not included in the budget!)

Ceremony: $500

Reception: $13,000 (includes everything but the table decorations)

DJ: $500 plus tip (our friends worked for the DJ so we got a great deal!)

Photographer: $3,600

Cake/cupcakes/grooms cake: $324 (we had a cupcake bar, each guest was able to choose their own toppings and frosting so we saved money by frosting our own!  We also didn’t have a want for a big wedding cake so she just made a single layer one with our monogram on it for FREE!)

Flowers- we made our own and bought from a wholesaler: I think it less than $500

Decorations: $400ish

Day of coordinator: $500

Transportation was not included in our budget (we hired a bus from the hotel to the church, from the church to the venue and from the venue to the hotel) but we did use UBER for the wedding party (we used codes for the party members so they could use for free, since our wedding was all within a couple of miles of each other!)

UBER: $300

Invitations with stamps: $150ish.

How many guests did you have?

We had somewhere between 150 and 160 guests.

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

We wanted our wedding to be traditional but not stuffy!  Everything from our ceremony, which was in one of the most beautiful churches I have ever been in, to the reception, which looked like it was out of an old movie, was made to feel new and fresh!  

We didn’t feel the need to have the traditional large flower bouquets at the church (saving hundreds of dollars there!) because the church was so beautiful already!  At our reception, we had a theme of navy, mercury silver, and white.  We had silver wine bottles with Dendrobium flowers in them surrounded by different sized mercury silver vases with candles all sitting on a navy cloth charger.  

We also had white antique picture frames with our favorite quotes drawn by my husband’s sister inside! (This was probably my favorite touch!) We also kept our guests in mind when it came to the music- we definitely have some dancers in our group so we made sure to put on “their song” so we knew it would get them up and moving!

We also really wanted our guests to have a unique dessert option, so we made a “make your own cupcake bar” and we had cream puffs from Joe Benny’s in Little Italy.  The guests could choose between chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and then pick from 4 different frostings that were in frosting bags and then they could add different toppings!

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

We did everything ourselves!  We have a friend who helped with the invitations as their wedding gift to us but we printed and assembled!  All my bridesmaids helped make the bouquets and flower girl crowns, we used minimal but gorgeous flowers and bought from a wholesaler in town.  Alterations on the dress were done by a local seamstress so we saved a ton of money there.  My husband’s sister is a fantastic artist, so we had her do all our signs and quotes that we had in frames throughout the room.  My favorite part was my bouquet- my mother passed away from Pancreatic Cancer 10 years ago, so I had her initials monogrammed on my ribbon that held my bouquet together!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

Doing the invitations ourselves and finding a venue without a venue fee!  We also had our guests RSVP on our wedding website– we saved money by not buying stamps for return envelopes!

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

Find out who is creative and use them!! Look for deals, like wholesale florists who sell bulk flowers online! Use coupons- I used 40% off coupons for my decorations all the time!

What was your biggest splurge?

Photography! You just can’t be cheap when it comes to your pictures; they are something you will look at forever!

What was your favorite detail?

My mom’s initials on my wedding bouquet!  She passed away 10 years ago so I wanted her with me while I was walking down the aisle.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Dancing with my husband, there were several songs where I just remember just him and I dancing!  It was so much fun!

VENDORS

Photography: Urban Row Photography • Ceremony Venue: Christ Lutheran Church • Reception Venue + Catering: Louisiana Restaurant  • Flowers: Claymore Sieck Wholesale Florist (assembled by bridal party) • Stationery: DIY • Favors: DIY • Bakery: Confections by Natassia • DJ: Music Masters • Transportation: American Limousines • Hair Stylist: Colleen Kelly • Makeup Artist: Cassie Schneider  • Bridesmaids Dresses: Nordstrom • Wedding Gown Designer: J. Crew • Jewelry: J. Crew • Headpiece: Amazon • Shoes: Katie and Kelly • Groom and Groomsmen Attire: Combatant Gentlemen • Men’s Shoes: Cole Haan