Wedding Wednesday

I just happen to be friends with a lot of engaged people, both online and off, so with their wedding days approaching I've been noticing an increase in stress and all around panic. One girl I follow on Instagram posts every single day about wedding plans and a countdown (which I love seeing, otherwise I wouldn't follow her!) but she's constantly talking about being in "panic mode!"... Her wedding is three months after mine. Did I miss something? I get that planning a wedding is a big deal and while some people wing it, I'd like to have a little structure, but I'm wondering if I'm being too lax. Things will fall into place, right? (I say this like 2 weeks after I almost had a meltdown about my dress... man, it's a crazy rollercoaster!) 

Anyway, Mike and I have been looking up honeymoon destinations for the past two days, and trying to get a mental idea of how much needs to be saved, what we need to do, blah blah blah. We don't even have a rough guest list made yet (and it's barely 5 months out). Still, I feel like things will come together and all will be well. But while we're talking about finances, I've been weighing what takes priority for our wedding and how we're going to pull it off ourselves. What we'll save on and what we'll deem worthy of a splurge.
Photography: This is really the single most important item to us. Having photos of our day will be far more enjoyable than a dusty ol' dress in my closet, or shoes that I'll probably never wear again. Not to say I want to forget about those entirely, but photos will probably be our only real splurge. We're incredibly fortunate that our parents have offered to gift us our photographer as we're paying for everything else ourselves. That kind of help was so gracious as we don't know how we'd manage it on our own at this point.

The rings: This is another area we feel strongly about. We definitely want rings that will fit our styles and last forever. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they need to be expensive. I talked briefly last week about ordering a new engagement ring that we both found and fell in love with.. well, it's here! It was delivered on Friday and I don't think I've stopped staring at it since. (Peep below!) I've been looking up rose gold wedding bands and have found a few via Etsy that look promising, and we're headed to a jeweler soon so Mike can try on a few styles and get a feel for what he likes. I love that there's something special about our jewelry... be it handmade, hand hammered, or antique (my new one is!), it just feels more "us" than something purchased out of a glass case (but I'm totally not knocking that!). My new engagement ring is an antique cushion cut morganite stone surrounded by a halo of 16 diamonds and then 3 diamonds on either side of the rose gold band! It couldn't be more perfect if it tried.

Honeymoon: Um, they're expensive! Geeze louise! We've been tossing around a few ideas for what we'd like to do but we haven't really found it yet. Our first idea was to fly to Portland, take the train to Seattle, and then the ferry to Vancouver all in the span of a week or so, but just seeing how much just the flights + hotels cost, we'd rather be able to enjoy ourselves more while there. With that being said, it's still on the table, maybe less Vancouver. We're also looking at a roadtrip + weeklong getaway somewhere like Hilton Head Island, SC, or even in North Carolina where we were engaged. And finally we've been charting out some mid-October cruises to Mexico/Bahamas that sound fun. I guess in terms of our budget, the honeymoon will be a splurge regardless of where we go, but hopefully we will get our money's worth! Afterall, a wedding is about being married right? I'd like to enjoy some time with my new husband! Have any of you been on a cruise? Where did you go on your honeymoon?
The dress: I've watched a lot of Say Yes to the Dress in my day. A lot. And I know it's not uncommon for brides to spend $25,000+ on a wedding dress. You know what? That's awesome! Go you. I just don't feel like that's something I need to splurge on. Currently I'm toying between the idea of my backup dress and a handmade dress from Etsy, and it'll most likely come down solely to our budget and if the alterations I'd like can be done or not. If we can swing it, I'd love to, but I'll probably also weigh it against where our honeymoon is and what we could do with that money instead! I've seen so many weddings with $100 dresses or even Forever 21/H&M dresses and they were darling. A wedding dress doesn't have to be extravagant. 
Mike's outfit: We want a very casual-type of wedding, especially when it comes to our attire. Luckily Mike already owns almost everything he'd need to wear, and if he doesn't, we can get it without much of a fuss. This is one of those times I'm really glad he likes to wear dress pants and button-ups/bowties on any given day!

Catering: Well, we can't get a solid answer on this one yet. We have an idea in mind for catering (picnic style), but we have yet to receive a quote. If it's just too high then we'll probably revert to our original idea of a dessert/sweets bar and a boat load of pies! We're lucky to have some very cuisine-inclined people in our family so if it comes down to it then maybe they can lend a helping hand or two! I mean, it's a southern farm wedding afterall... I guess a big ol' BBQ would suffice!
Decor, florals and rentals: Since our wedding event is happening outside, we're really really praying for good weather. What if it rains? What if it's unusually cold in October? What if it's still blistering hot? Well, we're hoping for the best! We hope that the option exists to move the festivities inside the barn, but this barn is wayyyyy out in a field. Like, way out. (Cross your fingers for us!) But we like the idea of hay bales for seating (cliche, but I don't care!) and a lot of DIY/thrifted stuff. I'm really going to have to start pestering my friends to come over for craft nights soon to help! We're really really hoping that some family friends can lend us some hay bales, but if not, at least those shouldn't be too expensive. We got really lucky with the venue being free so let's hope that kind of help continues! We feel really really really fortunate to have so many kind people lend a helping hand or offer up their property/services. I guess it helps to have parents that people like! We plan on making our own floral arrangements (yikes!) and keeping them very very simple. We've found a few wholesale florists around town so we'll be headed their way soon! If the weather is crummy then we'll have to rethink our entire reception but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it! 

I plan on using any and all resources I can to find cheaper alternatives to things I'm after. I've been scouring resale sites, Craigslist, and flash sale sites in hopes of finding a big ticket item for less. I've been lucky enough to find some mismatched items on CL, and get some decor on Fab + Ideeli. Today Rue La La launched a 48 hour boutique sale featuring dresses from Badgley Mischka, Nicole Miller and Jenny Yoo. Here are a few of my favorites! (Some of these dresses are $99... and headpieces are $10! If you're planning a special event, check it out!)
20's inspired dresses: One // Two

70's inspired pieces: One // Two (Seriously considering both of these!)


Modern dresses: One // Two

What did you save/splurge on? (or what's your plan for your wedding day?)

92 comments:

  1. We paid for our wedding ourselves, very low-key and mostly all "homemade". And we didn't go on a honeymoon! It was kind of depressing at the time, but we've been slowly saving up for that big "chance of a lifetime" trip every since (almost 3 years ago! eek!) - we lived with each other for a few months before we got married, and so chilling at home seemed like enough of a honeymoon to us, we just put it on the back burner!

    And as far as stress goes, don't let it get to you. At the end of the day you'll be married, and that's all that counts. Don't believe they hype, there's no need to break your back or lose your mind to have the wedding of your dreams!

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  2. loved reading your wedding ideas! :)

    for our honeymoon we went to Waikiki in Hawaii. It was amazing. We took the public bus system to explore the island of Oahu. We hiked to a waterfall, went to the beach, Pearl Harbor, etc. Used a travel website like expedia or something to book 7 days hotel + round trip air for $2500.

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  3. I went to Kitty Hawk, NC a few summers ago and it was BEAUTIFUL! Totally suggest there for your honeymoon (or even just a road trip! definitely worth it!) Good Luck!

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  4. I love your attitude on your upcoming wedding. Honestly I didn't stress about mine until about two months before and that was only bc my SIL tried to get me to change my bridesmaids dress color bc she thought black was for a funeral and not a wedding oh and did I mentioned she invited a bunch of my husbands ex girlfriends to our wedding. Now thats a reason to stress.

    I think the sweet bar is a lovely idea. I mentioned this to you before on twitter but we had a potluck wedding (and seriously I can mail you the cute recipe stamp). I sent out index cards with the invites and this cute thing explaining how we want them to bring their favorite dish to share with us and help us create a cookbook. It was a HIT we had around 350 at our wedding and we had MORE than enough food. Some people who couldn't bring a meal just volunteered to bring starbucks or bottled water ect. With the dress, wedding, flowers, decorations ect for 350 people I spent maybe $3,000 total on my wedding.

    Maybe see if someone would be willing to gift you all air or hotel points or even a time share for your wedding. My husband saved a bunch of his and we paid maybe $500 to go to Hawaii (we live in the DC area) bc the hotel was free and the airfare was practically free from points :-)

    You can totally make this an amazing memorable wedding on a budget. I also agree with you and the only thing I wish I spent more money on was the photographer. I don't care for my wedding pictures and to this day it hurts my heart. I wish I picked a great photographer

    xoxo

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  5. Ah, it all sounds so exciting! I'm sure everything will come together. I guess, much like a wedding, the wedding planning is different for everyone! Your plans and ideas all sound wonderful though! Also, love your new engagement ring :) xx

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  6. I love your wedding budget plans, so smart! We didn't pay for a photographer, but had friends do it (who weren't photographers), which now I look back and realize how risky that was, but we got some good photos (luckily).

    My dress was a prom dress I found on sale for $20 long before I even met my husband! It was pale green and I loved it! I still am so happy I didn't go with traditional white (which just isn't me) and that I got such a great deal!

    Lastly, for our honeymoon we actually went to Disneyland for a week. It was so fun to be kids again. :)

    I got married at nineteen and eight years later we are super happy.

    Anyway, so happy for you!

    xx, C

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    1. We toyed with the idea of Disneyworld but I couldn't get Mike on board! My parents plan on taking us when Toby is 5 so we figured we'd just wait, but it's still an option technically! :P

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  7. I think its so hard to plan where YOU want to spend your money, instead of where your are expected to spend it on. We did my sister's wedding at new year (posted about it here http://littleroominthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/mr-mrs-my-sisters-wedding-part-1.html) and for them, really good food was the number one priority! She didn't spend a penny on the dress, and we foraged greenery, made our own bouquets etc. They couldn't afford a honeymoon, plus my sister as a medic couldn't get time off for one, so they're hoping to go on a little one this summer! I love seeing you talk about your wedding, you have a very refreshing approach.
    xxx

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  8. Those Groomsmen look adorable!!! I'm going to steal the cardigan idea.

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  9. I really love this post :) I was one of those brides who didn't stress a whole lot (I mean I had my moments...) and everything fell into place. We ended up splurging on the venue the most in the end, even though we got married in January (off season). We got married in downtown Nashville right off of Broadway at aVenue. That and the music (I studied music in college so it was important that it was just what we wanted band wise) we splurged on a bit. We were lucky enough to know a wonderful photographer and he didn't charge that much. We went to LA for our honey moon, we loved it and were able to swing it for a fairly ok sum of money. But, yeah honey moons are expensive, ouch.I love your new ring, by the way! It's so lovely. Ok any way, sorry the long comment :)

    xo,
    Em

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    1. Thanks for the comment Emma! I lurked your blog (You are adorable! I love finding fellow Nashville bloggers!) and your wedding was stunning! (Yeah, I lurked that far! haha) Totally adding it to my bookmarks! ;)

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    2. Emma's wedding was basically perfect. She's definitely a good one to get inspiration from!

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  10. I think hay bale seating is so cute but I always wonder how practical it is. Like, would that be hell on Earth for someone who's allergic to the stuff?

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    1. Great point! We plan on having some chairs as well, just in case. Same with the picnic reception... we'll have picnic tables for our grandparents + anyone who isn't able to sit comfortably on the ground!

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  11. I'm totally with you on this one! We didn't want to start out our marriage being in debt, so we went with a small little casual afair and I couldn't have been more pleased! I found my vintage 50's dress online, booked a victorian mansion turned hotel for the venue, and we did the decor ourselves. My dad even officiated because you don't have to be licensed here in Colorado, and I respect no one more than him :) It went off without a hitch, and we spent less the 5 G's included a universal studios honeymoon. Couldn't have asked for anything better! Your wedding will be beautiful, I am completely sure. Don't worry your pretty little head!

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  12. Can I have your wedding? :) Our was "vintage picnic" themed. I love your ideas! We got married in June and our Honeymoon was a week away in the TN Mountains! We found this great site, vrbo.com. These are houses/cottages/log cabins, all owned by individual people, not big companies. So it's fairly cheap compared to a hotel stay for a week. You can search for places all over the U.S.! We enjoyed making our agenda and relaxing as husband and wife! Also, most "touristy" places have websites that you can plan your week and buy your tickets to shows/museums/etc before you leave! So easy! :)And don't worry about not being stressed, my actual wedding day was the most relaxed I've EVER felt! My bouquet was all wrong, the centerpieces weren't right, but that didn't stop the smile on my face! It somehow all works out and you said it, it's about the marriage! :)

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    1. I absolutely love your take on it Lauren! So so refreshing!

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  13. I wasn't in panic mode about my wedding either until my hairdresser cancelled the week before. Other than that, everything went smoothly. I think if you're trying to keep things simple, then things will go OK. Try to do TOO MUCH, that's when things get crazy.
    Try signing up for Living Social Escapes! http://www.livingsocial.com/escapes
    Talk about a GREAT way to save a bundle of money on your honeymoon. They have packages and destinations all over the USA AND all over the WORLD! You might be able to find the perfect thing at like half price. And no, I am not an livingsocial advertiser. Haha.

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    1. I'm a HUGE fan of LS and Groupon, so I've been meaning to look every single day, but usually it's only once a week! Downloaded the iPhone app now I have no excuse! ;)

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  14. My first word of advice - DO NOT GO ON A CRUISE OR TRIP TO MEXICO IN OCTOBER... I can't stress that enough. Last year for our honeymoon at the end of October {our wedding was 10.22.11} We went to Mexico for our HM and well let me tell you Hurricane Rina had other plans. On a cruise you will be able to port somewhere away from the storm which will be good but we were stuck in town, we had to evacuate it was a huge mess. Made us stronger but I would have much rather enjoyed my honeymoon sipping frosty bevs by the pool than freaking out every 10 minutes about where we were going to go and what would happen if we got lost, etc... freaky when you're in a different country.

    I will say though that booking a travel plan that is ALL INCLUSIVE is a great thing. It's a steal - and much more cost effective VS. flying somewhere, getting a hotel, doing all that stuff willy nilly.

    That being said - when you plan your trips for the honeymoon, research about hurricanes, tropical storms etc first. I should have done that, I'm not stranger to storms we owned a beach home in NC for years and I should have been a bit more wise.

    Have fun, enjoy yourself and know that things WILL fall together. Just plan everything out. My hubby and I did a TON of work scheduling and finding our vendors and locations right away... then we sat there for about 4 months, you really can't do much until 2 months before the big day even if you secure your vendors... then you have the payments that have to be made, hair appiontments, make-up stuff, yada yada yada dress fittings - you know the whole 9 yards.

    Another tip - if you will be ordering another dress - keep in mind that if they don't have it in stock/on a rack it might take up to 4 months to make the dress - I ran into this issue and heaven help me.. they had one made in the right size other wise I would have been up the creek.

    I was very laid back and swore it would all fall into place - and aside from a few small details and not leaving enough time for certain DIY's it all did. Just take it day by day and ENJOY THE RIDE! I think those that get overly stressed are the ones that are perfectionists. I wasn't so worried about it being perfect.

    Lastly - YOUR RING is amazing!!!

    Enjoy yourself, you'll be the sweetest bride ever! ox

    P.S. I will be finally documenting my honeymoon very soon when I have time to sit and give the complete story. :)

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    1. Thank you for the super super informative and helpful comment Kelly! Ahh, so perfect! I didn't even think to consider hurricanes/tropical storms! I guess they feel like an entire universe away from Nashville, but that's a valid point. So sorry to hear about what happened to yall, but it sounds like you were able to make the most of the entire wedding experience! I'd definitely love to read about it!

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  15. If you want to splurge a little on the honeymoon, I know this might sound soo cliche, but Sandals Resorts, are sooo pretty, and they cater to your every whim, and the food is much better than on a cruise ship, ha. Highly recommend, we went to St. Lucia. Clear blue waters, private (not crowded) beaches, and just so relaxing :)

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    1. For some reason I didn't even think of that! Definitely off to investigate, thank you!

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    2. I have to chime in on this on the...not recommending side, sorry :(

      My husband and I went to Sandals in St Lucia a few months before our wedding and found it miserable. I thought the food was comparable to the food on a cruise (not good, not fresh I guess because it's mostly imported). When you get to St. Lucia you have to take a 2 hour bus ride (roller coaster ride!) through the island to get to the resort and it was just...a disturbing tour of poverty. If you're sensitive to stray animals, I definitely wouldn't recommend it. SO MANY stray dogs on the beaches/in the street...not ON the resort property, but that was what I had a problem with, seeing so much waste at the resort and then SO MUCH poverty as soon as you were out of the gate. I found it really hard to relax and I'm glad I got to do the Sandals experience BEFORE the wedding because we had considered going to the one in Antigua for our honeymoon.

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    3. I agree with the thought that staying at a resort where there is such poverty among the locals doesn't sound like too much fun! I have heart that Jamaica is the same way. My husband and I didnt go on a long honeymoon because I was pregnant but we did go to niagra falls which was really nice. (We live in Pa.) We are going to Aruba in September and it sounds amazing and for 6 nights it was under 3500.

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  16. Great post! I LOVE your new ring. It's very unique and quite beautiful. We are getting married next Aprilish (not even engaged yet...eek!) We are already saving for our honeymoon because it is the most important item for us--to spend time with each other as a married couple exploring a new locale. Next on my list of importance is the photographer. We are really hoping the parents chip in on the wedding/venue since we are really doing it for their benefit (but also so we can celebrate this special time). Best of luck!

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  17. My husband and I splurged on photography too! We were fortunate enough that our parents paid for the rest of the wedding and he and I bought the photography. I am still so thrilled about how it came out, it was absolutely worth it.

    We also had pies! Instead of a wedding cake, we had a table full of different pies that we dug into during the reception. It was a lot of fun and it let everyone choose the type of pie that they want.

    My cousin's wedding reception was a BBQ and it worked really well. The couple paid for the BBQ and the family and friends brought side dishes to share at the reception. It was really fun and down-home-y.

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  18. My husband and I splurged on photography too! We were fortunate enough that our parents paid for the rest of the wedding and he and I bought the photography. I am still so thrilled about how it came out, it was absolutely worth it.

    We also had pies! Instead of a wedding cake, we had a table full of different pies that we dug into during the reception. It was a lot of fun and it let everyone choose the type of pie that they want.

    My cousin's wedding reception was a BBQ and it worked really well. The couple paid for the BBQ and the family and friends brought side dishes to share at the reception. It was really fun and down-home-y.

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  19. Great post! Good idea to splurge on the photos! Also, be happy you aren't stressed out. Enjoy your fiance and the life you guys have already started.
    Lastly, you may be surprised how many jewelry artists (in this economy) that are willing to trade. I bet if you put your feelers out on Etsy there may be an awesome artist that needs something that you can offer (website design perhaps?)
    We traded with a jeweler and it worked out perfectly!
    Good luck! No matter how much or how little $$ you spend your wedding is going to be awesome!

    http://sometimesimakeart.blogspot.com/

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  20. I have days where I feel everything is going to work out. Then I have my crazy days where I just wish it was over. I am somewhat dreading the actual wedding, but I have no fears for the marriage. I think it is just a lot of pressure and almost not worth it. I mean, the wedding is really just a party to celebrate the love and is not about the place settings and favors and gifts. It seems like other people care more about those things than what is important and try to push you to do it their way. end rant. Your ring is gorg by the way! <3

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  21. I can't recommend Savannah, GA highly enough. There is a B&B there called The President's Quarters that is amazing! We stayed in the JFK Suite and it was a dream. Truly. Savannah is our magic city. We're going back next year for our 10 year anniversary. There is so much to do and I know you love to take pictures, there is so much to photograph there, so much history and kitschy cool things thanks to SCAD being there as well. Plus Tybee Island is just a skip away so you could spend a day or two at the beach if you wanted as well. Amazing Honeymoon destination.

    I think you're wise being less extravagant with the dress and more for the photos. The photos will be your touchstone forever. Your remembrance. So important.

    I do think things will come together for you hun, just try to put equal amounts effort and dream into preparation. Letting it become a crazy stressy mess takes away from the joy. Remember this day will come and it will happen even if it's not perfect but what will MAKE it perfect is the attitude and joy that you and Mike go into it with. Remember to HAVE FUN ! :)

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  22. Hi! I'm newish to following your blog and I have to say I'm addicted! I have found so many great stores to look into on your banner adds and I love your outfit posts. I have been inspired to give dresses a try again. I have had four babies in the last four years and I am still trying to find the right style dress for me. I found your blog when I did an image search for tattoos honoring moms and dads as I needed a bit of inspiration for mine.
    I can't wait to see photos of your big day, the inspiration photos are great! I had a friend who hired a professional photographer for most of her big day but also asked a student from a local college to photograph the event as well. The professional was flattered because she was 'mentoring' and the bride saved a bit of money by not having to pay for so many professional prints but still got a higher quality of photographs than she would have from just guest cameras.
    My husband decided to get married in January and had a june wedding a few years ago, plus I was finishing school online, working full time, had two toddlers and was preggo with my third little one! There was just no room for wedding stress!!! With all that you already have on your plate you are right to try not to let wedding planning overwhelm you. After all, it is one day, and a day that you are supposed to enjoy like no other. In the end it will be beautiful, even if you had no decorations or favors, because your family and friends and your little man will be there for your big declaration.
    Rebekah
    Rebekah

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  23. Wedding stress is a whole other breed of physical, emotional, and psychological pain. But seven months after the fact I see how everything came together for us so perfectly. We too had planned an outdoor wedding at my husbands' grandmothers house in her yard. She lives in a stone cottage, rolled green roof, huge old Oaks in the yard. It rained for three days straight before the wedding. Planned B kicked in. We moved the whole ceremony to the reception hall.

    I learned how to go with the flow. We didn't have flowers. Kasey's grandmother got the local feed and seed to donate a bunch of mums that were less than perfect. My boss ended up catering as our wedding present. I made the invitations, bouquets (crochet roses), thrifted Pyrex coffee cups as favors, a church gave us over a hundred pumpkins to use a decor, I crocheted all the groomsmen's bowties, and a family friend photography student did the pictures. I scoured every thrift store I could find for suitcases, vintage milk glass flower vases, old metal washtubs, and lace table clothes. It was one huge handmade, thrifted, family and friend hands-on extravaganza! And in the end it was the perfect vintage southern homey-feel wedding I had been dreaming of.

    I pinched pennies and budgeted like a boss! Our splurges were few and far between. Since we kept finding things and people kept offering what we needed there wasn't much left to splurge on. Sam's club was my new best friend. October meant cheap candy! Our splurge was glass bottle Cheerwine (in a big old wash tub covered in ice with old fashioned striped straws!) and old fashion candy (Toosie rolls, Double Bubble, peanut butter logs, Mary Janes, puffy peppermints, Smarties, old fashion candy sticks and old fashion hard candies).

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  24. I love that you went with morganite as your center stone! I've been looking into alternative stones for engagement bands recently and think morganite is gorgeous!

    I've been on several cruises and love them! I think we only had a hurricane incident once and it was probably october, but you can push your honeymoon back to November or January and get the off-season rates and shouldn't have to worry too much about the weather. I've been to most of the Caribbean and it is beautiful!

    For my honeymoon I want to go to Peru but my boyfriend isn't keen on that idea and wants something a bit... nicer I guess, for the honeymoon. Not sure where we'll go as we don't even have a date set yet, but if we suddenly became rich I'd go to New Zealand! lol

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  25. We also splurged on a photographer. The most important part about the day is being together with our newly-combined family. I'm sure that since you're both amazing artists, you guys will have no trouble finding someone who understands exactly what you want in that aspect. My husband wore dress pants and a button-down shirt he already had, too. :) I only spent $30 on a really cute dress (thank God for DressBarn's sales!). Not sure how many people are going to your wedding, but a potluck worked out wonderfully for us. We figured that the people who usually just show for the food and not in the interest of the love we want to share, didn't need to come. :) I think it's wonderful that you're not stressing out. You really shouldn't, because you know what's important and you don't want the stress to carry into that day. It's way too short, enjoy it to the fullest! <3 You're beautiful people sharing a beautiful thing.

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  26. PS. Also love that you're not keen on spending loads on a dress. If we had a date set now I'd buy this dress and wear a teal slip under it. http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/moonlight-of-my-life-dress

    Probably not your style, but there are loads of cheap white dresses this time of year!

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  27. Kaelah! Love seeing what you have come up with your wedding! We also had an October wedding (10.09.10), and as someone previously mentioned... be leery of tropical storms/hurricanes are out and about in October! We went to Marathon, FL... a little above Key West in the Florida Keys. The first day was gorgeous... then tropical storm Paula moved in!! Sudden downpours, flooding, etc. Not exactly what we envisioned, but we do have some funny memories! ha! I got the tip to check the Farmers Almanac for weather in the distant future. We did that for our outdoor wedding and it was spot on! 81 and sunny! A good idea for possible honeymoon spots as well. Happy planning!! :)

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  28. We just got married two weeks ago and we ended up splurging on more than I intended. We splurged on the venue but i fell in love with it - an old English castle in the middle of nowhere and they provided all the catering that was very expensive. I splurged on my dress and my wedding ring (it needed to fit to the unusual cut of my engagement ring thar my fiancé designed) I got cheep shoes cos I figured no one would see them and they nded up ruined anyway. We found a great photographer that was very reasonably priced and we made all our own invasions, seating plans and favours which saved us loads and were much more personal. I've done some posts on my blog and hope to do more. As for the honeymoon we had a minimoon for a few days not far from where we live and our now saving to go to Vietnam in the summer gor our big honeymoon. Really good luck with it all! I really can't wait to see what you do becausr I just know it'll be amazing! x

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  29. oh gosh..wedding planning was the best/worst thing ever haha! we pretty much did everything ourselves for under 3,000(including my dress!) i found my designer dream dress on e-bay for around 400 but i really wish we had splurged on photography..nothing beats amazing photos! i work with brides daily and i have some super early planners but tons of last minute, freaking out brides haha! i think i started getting crazy about 3 months before, there is so much to think about! we found a super cheap carnival cruise to the bahamas that was pretty awesome, would def take a cruise again..thinking mexico next!

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  30. for me, my dress was very important. i am short and have weird proportions, so i had mine custom-made. it really wasn't any more expensive than it would have been if i had bought one off the rack, so i felt good about it. our biggest expense was definitely food, though. alex and i were both vegan at the time, so we got an amazing all organic bakery to do a few different kinds of vegan cupcakes and we had tons and tons of delicious vegan food for people to try. it was incredible, and it actually exposed a lot of our guests to our lifestyle and got them to stop making fun of us at family events. we also made our own favors- vegan sugar cookies with one of our colors [teal]. they were delicious.

    my mother had been holding onto a diamond for me for a long time, so my ring was a small expense. also, when we were checking alex's ring size, we slipped on my father's old band and it fit, so he just ended up keeping it. we were very very lucky in that regard.

    also, we got our booze from binny's [is that just a midwest thing? i'm deliriously ignorant of anything south of chicago], which was amazing because we got local beers, cheap wine and cheap champagne and at the end of the day anything that wasn't opened, we could return for a refund. that ended up saving us a lot, because our wedding was a mid-day event and a lot of people didn't drink as much as we thought they would.

    oh my god sorry i just wrote you a novel.

    one more thing- your new ring is amazing and SO YOU. i love it.

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  31. Hey Lady!
    Just wanted to say we got married on a cruise and have taken a few others as well. We LOVE them!! Perfect mix of relaxation, yummy food and adventure. Whats better than waking up in a new place every morning. They are awesome!!
    xoxo

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  32. Well I can't help you with wedding tips because I'm still "legally" a single gal myself ;) But I really love lurking people's wedding posts & plans - I think planning a wedding looks like so much fun haha. I always roll my eyes at people who spend the entire planning period freaking out about everything being ~perfect~ - just seems like a giant waste of energy (and don't get me started on overpriced polyester wedding dresses eeeww haha).

    I think you've got a good head about your planning, and I definitely agree that the photography should be your main splurge! Bad wedding pictures always make me so sad. And I wouldn't feel bad about pushing your honeymoon back if you need to so you can afford something amazing - no shame in that! Oh, and if you haven't already - check with a travel agent if that's an option. Travel agents can actually save you a bunch of money if you book your whole trip through them. It's not always the case, but it happens more than you'd think, so it's worth a check!

    Anyway, your ring is gorgeous! And I LOVE doing little crafts so if you need some extra hands with wedding crafties, give me a holler! :)

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  33. I am pretty much on the same page planning me wedding, I am not looking to really splurge on things I don't have to. We are having a county fair wedding next spring, and I have already started making some of the decor(Tons of pinwheels) and my aunt is making my dress for me. I think having help from friends and family make the day more special for everyone. And if you need some help let us know I am sure many of your readers would not mind whipping up crafts and mailing them to you to assist in the DIY part of the wedding.

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  34. I'm taking a cruise as my graduation present in December; they're seriously the most frugal vacation ever in regards to price. I'm going to go on a 5 day one and it's going to be $300 for my room (I wanted a "nicer" room with a balcony... you only live once right? :]) and all my meals for 5 days. I've been on two other cruises before and they've both been really nice. Granted when the boat stops you only get about 12 hours to explore, however you get to experience multiple locations on the cheap. They're a great alternative if you're a penny pincher!

    (Also, I know that people ask "do you get sea sick".... seriously you don't even feel it! The boat is so big anyway that it's almost impossible to feel it)


    Hope this helps :]

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  35. That ring is JUST STUNNING. Wow. Love it! And I'm not planning on spending $25,000 on a dress either - just looking at that number makes me a little woozy!

    That's so nice of your parents to gift you the photographer because that can get so expensive! I know that even as a wedding photographer, I am STILL STUNNED sometimes by how much it costs.

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  36. My Brother's wedding was very relaxed, and everyone commented how nice it was that they were chilled about it all. there were kids running round etc but nothing else mattered than they were getting married and everyone was having fun! which is prob most important! Im in the uk, but you may like their photographer blog as its interesting to look at, heres the link (and this was my bros wedding!)

    http://blinkphotographyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/pembroke-lodge-wedding-photography.html

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  38. One of my best girls just had her wedding in Little Rock, AR. She was the laid back bride until she realized all the things that had to be taken care of, but it was still a great wedding despite what some would probably say was underplanning. Everyone ate, drank, and danced to their hearts' content while wearing pretty outfits and celebrating the love of two great people. That is what counts: you and your guests having a great time and looking good while doing it. Don't sweat it!

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  39. Reading your wedding post just put me at ease. I am getting married in OCT too and honestly I have kinda dropped the ball when it comes to planning.
    We started out like two crazies--- planning planning planning.. then it kinda died out? We are still planning but just not as stressed (too much else is going on!)

    I've been looking for deals though and I have a few suggestions for you:

    1. Costco (they sell flowers in bulk online and oh boy are they priced RIGHT). You should DEF check them out!!

    2. Invitations- my boyfriend likes to design stuff (I know you do to!) so we started looking up websites that have cheap printing options for invites.

    3. Decor/maid of honor/bridesmaids gifts-- there are so many cool online shops where you can order things to have personalized. I ordered personalized candle holders (100) personalized napkins (100) and personalized match boxes (100) all of it came out to about $130? Which isn't too bad at all! The candle holders/match boxes will help serve as our wedding favors and help light up the tables @ night!

    4. there are so many cute personalized bags to get for your bridesmaids and other cute little items (jewlery, sandals, hair pieces etc.) and so many great deals online for these things!

    5. Amazon is one of the best places to find random things for your big day. I've ordered candles in bulk off there for a great price. And there are tons of other items they have that just are price perfectly. (serving sets, cake display trays, aisle runners, silver plasticware)

    my other suggestion hobby lobby. Not sure if there is one near you, but they have %40 off coupons ALL the time on their website. I got a wedding arch for $18 bucks! We are going to decorate it ourselves w/flowers etc.

    & lastly Michaels. If you get one of their rewards cards (which are free) they are ALWAYS sending emails with great deals on all kinds of crafts--which comes in handy when you're making a lot of the decor yourself.

    here are a few websites I've been visiting.
    hobbylobby.com
    theknot.com
    americanwedding.com
    www.amazon.com
    http://www.partyfavorsplus.com/
    http://partybooths.com/
    http://www.abcrentalworld.com/wed.htm#Tables
    http://www.discountmugs.com/nc/personalized-glassware/866/105-oz-nuance-wine-glasses.htm

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  40. I love hearing about your plans! I really really hope the dress thing works out. I would suggest my friend's mom who is making my dress, but she's been slammed lately :( If her schedule calms down soon though, I'll get her number to you (she's in Hendersonville).

    I'm splurging on pies that my friend is making. I didn't want to ask for a discount so it's an ass load of money! I'm lucky enough to be getting a lot of other stuff really cheap though. Also, freakin chairs. Why do I have to pay $2 per chair just to rent it?! That's nuts. I'll probably end up just having chairs for half the guests and hay bales for the rest. We have easy access to those. In fact, we'll have to bush hog the field, so we can just make them ourselves :) haha. Reception chairs will be the cheapies though.

    I figure Rhett's outfit might be high because he is bound and determined to wear a suit...at a farm wedding. I told him he could go more casual, but he won't budge. haha!

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  41. Couldn't believe it when I saw your honeymoon idea! We did that last summer after our July wedding! We scored amazing plane tickets to Portland (from Virginia), took the train to seattle, then a bus to vancouver, then a bus to whistler. We bused back all the way to seattle then rented a car to drive down the Washington/Oregon coast which was the BEST part. This all took 2 weeks and it was such an adventure. We rented bikes to explore Portland, ziplined in Whistler (saw a bear!), saw Orcas on a whale watching boat tour off the coast of WA, saw Hurricane Ridge and hiked in Olympia national park and the hoh rainforest, watched the sunset on Ruby Beach. We even had a whole extra day in Portland before we flew back. It was awesome, and we are most likely moving to Washington State when I finish school next year!

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  42. I got married last Oct and we definitely did it on a budget, but it was beautiful and perfect.

    My dress was only $200! And we spent 10 days in Puerto Vallarta which only cost us $1400 for the hotel and flight. We wanted to make sure we got a real honeymoon so we skimped on things like the dress, etc.

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  43. Now I am feeling worse - my wedding is a month before yours and I have done even less!! What you have planned lokoks great, maybe I will just copy everything that you have suggested to get me up to speed. Your engagement ring is gorge x

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  44. We went to Nicaragua for our honeymoon and it. was. awesome. And since it's still pretty off the beaten path as far as tourist destinations go, it was really affordable, as far as such things go.

    I saved (relatively!) on my dress by finding a dress designer who specialized in vegan fabrics (I was vegan at the time) and working with her. We also had the wedding at my parents house and got a karaoke machine (!!!!!) for entertainment. Our catering was pretty reasonable and so was our photographer, though with the photography, that was more luck because it was really important to me, too, but luckily the one we liked the best was the most reasonably priced.

    Our biggest splurge was probably booze. We paid our caterer extra to borrow a bartender from him, so none of us would have to worry about it. My parents bought all the booze themselves (a perk of not renting a venue!) and tried to really overestimate, which was no big deal, since they could keep what didn't get drunk! But we figured that, as long as everyone had a drink in their hand all night, no one would able to complain about anything else, haha!

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  45. We went to San Francisco and Monterey on our honeymoon. My husband and I had both started new jobs at the time, so we didn't have enough vacation time available for an international trip. After being busy with a wedding, just having a vacation and time to ourselves was really nice.

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  46. I'm getting married exactly a year after you and I got my dress custom made on fashionlande.com for $90 and it's freaking amazing xxxxx it is tea length and soooooo cute.

    I honestly expected it could turn out crap so ordered it super early but it's a great replica of a super expensive version and it's tea length yay!

    I'm getting photography as a gift also otherwise I'd be splurging on it, and I'm splurging on the rings and grooms outfit but everything else is budget.

    We are DIY ing all decorations and I got my bridesmaid her dress on eBay second hand. My mum even found her dress op shopping for $9!!!!! Go mum!

    You might like my pinterest board as you seem to have the same style of wedding in your mind as we do.

    You can find me under Donnadeer on there or via my blog.

    Good luck!!!

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  47. My husband and I had to pay for our wedding ourselves as well. We also did a DIY outdoors picnic type wedding. We rented a tent just in case of bad weather, and had the wedding at a gem that I found. Not many know about it around here but it was a historical lakeside preserve. We rented out the estate plus the lot and used the estate to get ready in. It wasn't big enough to have an indoors reception or anything so it was mainly for our benefit to use it for all us to get ready in as the venue was about a 30-45 minute drive for us. We had BBQ style, pulled pork and pulled chicken. The theme was pink, yellow and hints of orange. I had found table cloths in gingham print at IKEA in our exact colors and I had a friend make runners out of them, so we have white linens with the BRIGHT runners over them. As well as some picnic blankets throughout. It was perfect, and so laid back just like us. Our original plan for photography, as I've mentioned to you before, was that it would be our biggest "splurge" however after seeing a good friend of mine become so let down with her "professional/mega bucks" photographer, I decided to go with my gut and have a friend of mine do our photography. I don't regret that one bit. We've received so many compliments about her work, as well as people from out of state ask if they could book her and fly her out! We saved a ton by going with a friend we knew. What a blessing. I have faith that you guys will get what you need done, when you need it. I found wedding planning to be so much less stressful when I didn't let the little things get to me. We cruised for our honeymoon, however we married in April so didn't have to worry about hurricanes being as bad during that time. BUT, at the same time, you can get better rates during hurricane season, good luck Kaelah! <3

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  48. Give yourself more credit: you've put in a lot more thought than you think! I don't know, a BBQ wedding sounds ideal. It'll work out!

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  49. I live in Vancouver and it is lovely! But I must say, it is very similar to Seattle(just a little better :P). Portland is the most magical places of the three without a doubt. On the other hand, Vancouver island, including Victoria, is BEAUTIFUL!

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  50. I've been putting a few cruise posts on my blog. I haven't completely finished the segment because I've been breaking it up! We really, really enjoyed ours!

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  51. For our wedding we went as frugal as possible - my $100 dress was from a costume shop, cardigan from Target, my rings were from a pawn shop (they're nice though, we went in on a whim and I actually found rings I loved for $99 each), I made the invitations & save the dates, we did a lot of other diy stuff, our photographer was a student at my university so she didn't charge as much as a pro (we made sure her portfolio was great though - now she's working for one of the biggest wedding photogs in my area), and my dad's swing band played the reception for almost free. It all turned out wonderfully even though we didn't spend a huge amount. (you can see it if you want here http://ghostswaltz.blogspot.com/search/label/our%20wedding )

    We went to Victoria, BC for our honeymoon and it was seriously the most fun ever! The weather was so gorgeous (we went in July), and where we stayed was within walking distance to everything so we wandered around, went to museums and shops, ate lunch near the water... it was so fun, we're always talking about wanting to go back.

    Also, cruises are awwwwwesome! As a kid I went with my parents on a cruise from San Diego to Mexico, and then years later we went on an Alaskan/Canadian cruise. The food is crazy fantastic and you can have however much you want, and it's fun to visit all of the different stops along the way. The ships I've been on also had little theaters where they'd have cheesy musicians and plays, fun for a bit of a laugh.

    I am so excited to see how your wedding comes together, Kaelah, I know it's going to be so fantastic and a beautiful representation of you & Mike!

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  52. I can't wait to see how your wedding stuff all comes together. I'm sure it will all come together :) My mister and I aren't engaged (we're still so young!) but we've toyed with the idea of getting married quite a bit, and the only thing we've agreed to splurge on is rings. I love yours! We found perfect wedding bands + an engagement ring that we both love from an amazing artist on etsy. They're hand hammered and look so unique. Sigh... Now I can't wait to have my own wedding. Haha :)
    xo Heather
    http://ahopelessnotebook.blogspot.com/

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  53. Your engagement ring is absolutely beautiful! So special and unique, but still verging on classic. I LOVE it!

    xo
    http://kittysnooks.blogspot.ca/

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  54. Hi, just a little trick when planning a wedding, don't use the word wedding. Sounds weird but my sister and I played with this for her wedding and a "family get together" for 50 people was $15 a head cheaper than a wedding for 50, same menu!! Same applies when ordering linen (if you are getting table cloths etc). Don't stress, as long as you have a good group of friends it will all turn out great. Also don't forget to have fun with it!

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  55. Hi, just a little trick when planning a wedding, don't use the word wedding. Sounds weird but my sister and I played with this for her wedding and a "family get together" for 50 people was $15 a head cheaper than a wedding for 50, same menu!! Same applies when ordering linen (if you are getting table cloths etc). Don't stress, as long as you have a good group of friends it will all turn out great. Also don't forget to have fun with it!

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  56. You should totally do Vancouver. Of course, I am biased, being Canadian. However, I have traveled all across the globe, several times. I'm from Saskatchewan, so the middle, flat portion of Canada...and Vancouver is by far my favorite city in the world so far. Seattle is a close second. Seattle and Vancouver are similar in the way the city looks...SIMILAR but not the same. Vancouver is VERY Canadian...and you will get a lot of culture there. I think it would be good to experience as much culture as possible since I know you like that. Having the oceans, mountains, and unique stuff all crammed into one place is amazing. The fact that it is very multi cultural is another great part. The Aquarium in Vancouver is the best ever. I can't sell it enough! :D

    Jill

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  57. I used to 'work' weddings at our church in high school so I've seen a lot of them. One cool thing I saw them do was a 'potluck' dinner. Guests all brought their own dishes for everyone to eat it ended up being much cheaper for the bride & groom & a whole lot of fun. I had a very 'picnic' feel.

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  58. I really love how you're approaching the financial part of your wedding! Once I saw the gift of photography from your parents, it inspired me! My guy and I will want to pay for most everything, but that's a great thing to let our parents do since I know they'll want to help somehow!

    As far as cruises go, I LOVE them! I've been to Mexico, Belize, Grand Cayman, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands on cruises and they always worked out really well. It's nice because it's mostly all inclusive and you can pick and choose what excursions you want to do. Some are expensive, but when my family did a Mexico/Belize/Grand Cayman cruise my mom and I did a few simple city tour ones and then went shopping! We also went snorkeling and let my dad have a golfing day to himself (he likes that type of thing :P). They also do all sorts of promotions so you can do cheap massages and other activities for good prices!

    I saw someone else suggested Sandals. My parents did Sandals in Jamaica and really loved it! The island wasn't their favorite out of all the ones we've been to, but they loved the hotel and that everything was RIGHT there. Out of all the places we've visited as a family, my favorite island was St. Kitts and Nevis. I'm not sure what the prices are like now, but when we went it was still a not as popular island as say the Bahamas, so it wasn't crowded, wasn't too touristy, and we got really good deals.

    I've never been to Vancouver, or Seattle or Portland really, but I hear they're beautiful! It might be pretty chilly that time of year but I'm sure the weather will be just gorgeous.

    PS: I totally love your ring! (The shape reminds me of my grandmother's ring, which I'll wear one day).

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  59. Morganitie is my absolute FAVOURITE stone, for as long as I can remember. I know myself well enough to know that I am a sucker for big stones and I was never a fan of the tens of thousands of dollars that my potential husband would have to dole out to get the carat weight that I'd want. I love the fact that there are people out there that take the same stance on a wedding as I do. I'm very much into doing things yourself. I feel like it adds so many more memories!

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  60. I just got engaged this weekend! I'm excited and nervous at the same time! I hope I can stay away from panic mode for a while!
    Emily
    themorosebee.blogspot.com

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  61. I'm getting married in June 2013 and we've decided on a campground wedding! We live in Vancouver, BC and a lot of our family is from Alberta, so this way, they can all drink merrily and not drink and drive over to a hotel. We want to do a barbecue as well! Ceremony and reception all in one place!

    We have no idea how we're going to pay for it all. Seriously lol.

    Your family is so precious and I just feel like your wedding will be the same!

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  62. oh gosh, your ring is gorgeous!
    and i love every single picture in this post.
    that barnwedding seems like the perfect wedding to me!

    good luck with everything and don't worry, it looks like you've definitely put a lot of work in it already! but i can imagine a wedding being very stressful to plan, especially those last few months!
    xo, cheyenne

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  63. Although our wedding is still a few years away, my man and I tend to sit at the weddings of our friends, watching every detail and already making a check list in our minds, what we want and what we definitely do not want at all. I love how we (so far) have the same opinion about everything.

    However, I hope that you're able to stay this cool and calm about the whole situation. I guess that's the most important part.

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  64. The only plan i have about my wedding, is to have one, one day. First i need the right boy. We all have our problems right? ;)
    I LOVE your engagment ring!
    and i'm pretty sure your day will be very close than perfect.

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  65. I love all of your wedding ideas! I bet it will be stunning. You have loads full of style in your everyday, as it is. I have known my husband since I was 13. We got together near the end of high school, have two littles together, but only got married last September. After being together for little more than 10 years, lol.

    We wanted to keep our wedding as simple and low budget as we could, without compromising anything either of us REALLY wanted.

    We are firm believers in not breaking your bank and going into debt for a wedding. There are a million and one things in life that deserve it more. (But that is just our opinion and I still love weddings of all styles and spendings!).

    We were lucky to save on a photographer, as a friend of mine photographed the most important parts of the day.

    Got married in his parents backyard, so we did not have to spend on a venue - Which can be such a big chunk of the budget!

    We skipped on any kind of a wedding party, to save an stress or irritation. At the head table was us, our sons and our parents.

    I knew exactly where I wanted to get my dress - an awesome shop on Queen St in downtown Toronto. It only cost me 300.00 and is the dress of my dreams! 1950's style. It was the very last dress I tried on! It looked ugly on the hanger, but gave it a go.Even though I was impressed with most of their dresses, I knew it was the one when I put it on. It wasn't super cheap, but it didnt break the bank, either.

    Lots of DIY. I had mason jars with tea lights hanging from the trees, paper lanterns and origami cranes from the tree branches to the ground.

    Homemade cookies were our favours, in various flavours.

    We rented a tent to hold our 58 guests and we were able to get the chairs, tables, MC stand/Mic/Speakers, silverware, plates, linens in a bundled package that saved us a ton. PLUS, no dirty dishes to clean!

    I made my own centerpieces and bought planters of red Mums the night before and filled all the vases. I wanted flowers and was REALLY unhappy with how much that cost. In the end, doing the planters, cutting them myself and arranging, only cost me 40.00 to fill 30 vases! And they looked awesome.

    No DJ. We put together our own playlists on our iPod and hooked it up to the giant speakers we rented.

    We also didn't have a guestbook. I went thrifting for 7in vinyl and found them for a buck a piece. Each table had a 45 and silver pen. I plan on framing them and hanging them up.

    My MIL is a cake maker (lucky me!), she did a beautiful job. We had a "buffet" style dinner. Filled with homemade desserts gallore, salads, veggies and dip, fruit platters, cheeses and the most delicious BBQ you could have ever feasted on! (Biased?). All with the help of volunteered family members. I also ensure to have special gluten-free and vegetarian meals, knowing the dietary restrictions of all my guests. My husbands side has a long line of awesome cooks and all of our food was provided by them.

    We were very lucky with the help and talents in our circle of close knit family and friends. It really helped alleviate a lot of extra costs. And knowing exactly what we wanted from the beginning (more or less), allowed us to be able to explore all our options and fit them into our small budget.

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  66. One of our biggest priorities was food, and it wound up being pretty inexpensive, because we went with this fabulous mexican restaurant and it was super affordable.

    My dress was kind of a splurge but it wasn't crazy expensive either, just more than I initially wanted to spend. We also went a little nuts on the entertainment front. We hired Blues Brothers impersonators and a bounce house. Photography was a gift from my best friend's sister, who is a stellar photographer. The ceremony and reception is taking place at my aunt and uncle's christmas tree farm so that comes with a beautiful landscape that doesn't need much decoration and includes free hayrides.

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  67. I'm planning a wedding at the moment and its FOUR months away I still have a lot to do and I feel maybe I should be freaking out a little more then I am (which is not at all actually). We're also struggling on honeymoon ideas. They're just so darn expensive these days..... WHY?! But I would say the most expensive thing i've had to pay for was my dress (only 600$) and I love it so much. So you dont HAVE to go crazy to have a gorgeous wedding!!! Just keep calm like you're doing and everything will work out fine (or at least thats what I tell myself;])

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  68. Our splurge is our photographer. It really is all that's left after the wedding day is over.

    We're planning our honeymoon to California (i'm not a carribean kind of girl). Napa wine country and San Fransisco

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  69. My husband and I were married in October 2011. October is the best month, our outdoor fall wedding was absolutely perfect. I remember stressing some about all of the little things but eventually got to a point where the only things I really cared about were marry the guy of my dreams surrounded by people who care for us. It will all work out. We also prioritized what we wanted to spend the most on. My dress was an inexpensive one from David's Bridal. My bouquet along with the ones for my bridesmaids were made from silk flowers we bought at Michael's on super sale with a coupon ($30 total).

    You are doing an amazing job! Just think about how wonderful it will be to marry the love of your life. Keep calm and everything will work out. I love reading about all of your plans and can't wait to see your wedding pictures!

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  70. I totally agree with splurging on the photographer! This is something I want to do when I get married.

    Have you looked into Mackinaw Island at all? I've never been there, but I've seen a lot of it online and it looks like such a darling place for a honeymoon! <3

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  71. I'm not currently planning a wedding, although I've watched my brother and sis-in-law go through it, and it's certainly on my mind, since I'm pretty serious about my current bf, but I can definitely relate to low key and not getting why people freak out as much as they do. And yeah, as much as I love watching say yes to the dress (something about that show just gets me right here, and I inevitably end up tearing up at the end), I can't fathom spending that kinda money on a dress, or really on anything. Maybe it's because I'm a poor grad student who isn't very good at saving money, but it's hard to envision something other than mostly diy-ing and keeping the costs down- it helps that I'm pretty good with crafty stuff and baking/cooking, so I could easily see making my own dress or baking for a dessert table.

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  72. As far as a dress goes, I suggest looking for a place that sells last year's sample dresses. We have a place here that does that and my dress was $700 plus I brought it home that day. The dresses might be a little beat up, but most places note the problems and ensure they can fix them. For catering, my wedding planner showed me an invitation where it asked people to bring a picnic dinner and a blanket which sounds super cute. I'm planning on some relaxed sandwiches from a party platter. Ultimately it's you and Mike's day do whatever you want, people will judge but who cares!

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  73. I'm getting married in 4 months and we have been talking about our honeymoon since day one. We decided that instead of doing any gift registries (we really don't need anymore stuff) that we would put together a honeymoon registry for a trip to San Diego. There are a lot of good websites to look at. I was a little hesistant at first but I've gotten good feedback from relatives I've mentioned it to!

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  74. Thanks to Sharing this wonderful information and then here post a nice photo like dresses, cakes, flowers and more wedding accessories. really the wedding planner is plan well. if you want a good wedding planner use this wedding app definitely you got wonderful weddings.

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  75. I love everything DIY and unique, especially for weddings. When I was planning I realized that so many things can be done cheaply. I made the bouquets with dried flowers, the centerpieces were very organic, I found the perfect dress at David's Bridal (cheap!). I decided that remembering the day was the most important thing so splurging on the perfect photographer was the thing to do.

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  76. Wow, congratulations to you and it seems you really know what you are doing. Goodluck and hope you'll share everything to us:-)

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  77. Thanks for sharing the information about the Wednesday wedding. Mid Week wedding is also good day to fix the wedding. My close friend also planning the wedding with the help of a wedding app for her decorating the wedding ceremony and other uses. She also used the app for finding the wedding resources.

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  79. how about the wedding car,, don't forget the transportation in the wedding day.

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  80. OMG. You are SO after my heart. I stumbled on your blog from lord knows where and am SO excited that you're going after the EXACT same concept that I want for my wedding-in-planning for next spring. And I am tremendously excited that I get to watch you do it first :D ;)
    I am SO jealous of your outdoor location! I would KILL to find a location like that (and for the price tag!!!). I have been scouting out places, but haven't found anywhere yet. I am a bit worried about rain or bad weather, are you planning on having tents just in case? I really am thrilled to find your blog! I will be following with great interest as you go through the planning process slightly ahead of me!

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  81. The wedding is fixing on Wednesday is a brave decision taken by the couples. It is difficult for the guest and wedding people for planning the wedding in mid of the week. Arranging the requirements and planning is difficult one that can be done using the wedding planner iPad app and it guides the wedding planning people.

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  82. This is nice blog and beautiful photos .Nice deigns , I like it....Thanks for sharing.keep posting
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HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB