What was your total budget? Please give us a budget breakdown.
- Photography: $3250
- Cake: Donated by family
- Desserts: Donated by friends
- Decorations $200 for church, $300 for reception
- Dress: $200 alterations
- Shoes: $60
- Ring: Her $400
- Ring: His $50 (he used my purity ring for his wedding band)
- Flowers: Donated by family
- Invitations: Donated by friends
- Wedding Coordinator(s): done by friends and family
Total: approximately $5,000
How did you meet?
We met on eHarmony. I had been on for one week.
What is your proposal story?
We went to where we had our first date (Bok Tower Gardens) and Walked around the estate on the grounds. After which he proposed.
Tell us about your wedding vision.
We really wanted to keep it simple. My favorite colors are blue and yellow so we went with that.
Tell us about your attire choices.
I wore my mom’s dress and wanted to make sure the bridesmaids would wear their dresses again and not have to pay over $75 so we went with eShakti. I’ve purchased multiple items of clothing from them before and was very pleased with the result.
What was most important to you two while planning? Was there anything you chose to splurge on or skip?
The only thing we weren’t going to skimp on was photography. Pictures are what last so we wanted to make sure they were done by a professional. We are so happy with what Flora Bloom Photography did. Everything else we weren’t really concerned about.
What were your favorite parts of the day?
Getting dressed and walking down the aisle. Actually seeing everyone that came to support us for the first time that day was amazing. I couldn’t stop talking to people as I was walking. Also getting the pictures taken where we had our first date and got engaged.
Tell us about your wedding flowers.
Sunflowers are my favorite, and the other color was blue so I called Lasater Flowers and told them that and they came up with the bouquets that are in the pictures.
Tell us about your wedding cake.
Delicious. Lemon Cake with a Raspberry filling for the Brides cake and a Pineapple upside down cake with a pineapple frosting for the groom’s cake. Both were decorated beautifully– the groom’s cake featured lightsabers because Cory is a big Star Wars fan.
What did you do for favors?
Cory’s mom had purchased packets of sunflower seeds so we used those.
Please describe any handmade, DIY or personal items.
I made the bridesmaids gifts, cross-stitched their first initial in their favorite color. We decorated the candelabra with flowers we purchased from Hobby Lobby as well as the aisle ribbons and flowers. Middle School students made the paper sunflowers that were on display in the reception. We wrapped twine around candles. Lindsey Messenger handmade the display board up at the front of the church. Several of the desserts were made by friends. I made the playlist for the reception from my library on Spotify.
Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?
Yes. We did a Scottish tradition called a pinning of the tartan which enables Cory to wear my family’s tartan from Scotland. I wore my Dad’s mom’s sapphire ring on my right pinkie as she has passed on. The night before we did another Scottish Tradition as my dad gave Cory a Basket Hilted Broadsword as a passing of responsibility.
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
Find what’s important to you and spend the money on that. Pick one or two things you don’t want to compromise on and stick to it. You’d be surprised what people want to help with that ends up saving you a lot of money.
VENDORS
Photography: Flora Bloom Photography • Ceremony Venue: Church On The Hill • Reception Venue: Church on the Hill • Floral: Lasater Flowers • Stationery: Lindsey Messenger • Wedding Cake: Sugar and Slice • Linens: Party City • Hair: The Bride • Makeup: The Bride • Wedding Dress: Mom’s Wedding Dress • Bride’s Shoes: TOMS • Bridesmaid Dresses: eShakti • Submitted via: Matchology
