Comments on: Ten tips for planning a simple wedding

By: The Elegant Budget Bride - LuxeBudgetBride.com

The Elegant Budget Bride - LuxeBudgetBride.com — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:35:26 +0000

[...] General Tips Budget Bride Tips from Bravo Bride General Tips on How to Plan a Wedding, but Not Go Broke from FrugalBride.com Fabulous $5,000 Weddings from Bridal Guide.com Tie the Knot without Busting your Budget from MSN Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding from About.com Wedding Budget Articles ♥ Wedding Budgets from Squidoo 25 Ways to Save Money from Real Simple 75 Ways to Create a Luxury Wedding on a Budget ♥ 13 Ways to Keep your Wedding as Simple as Possible from zenhabits.net Ten Tips for Planning a Simple Wedding [...]

By: Hello world! « just a place to put wedding stuff

Hello world! « just a place to put wedding stuff — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:07:23 +0000

[...] http://unclutterer.com/2008/04.....e-wedding/ [...]

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:37:46 +0000

We managed to do our wedding with 165 guests (very large, close families) for under $5000, including the honeymoon. The service and reception were in our church, which is walking distance from my parents’ house. A buffet lunch with salads and a variety of breads and toppings, with punch and pop, was perfect for the hot, humid day (yes, the church was air conditioned!). We asked musician friends to do the music (yes, we paid them, but it was reasonable), a reader’s theatre of the scripture reading, and we commissioned an artist friend to hand wood-stamp our invitations. We still have one framed and hanging on the wall. Our flowers were local, in-season and multi-coloured, put together by an aunt. Mine were in a basket which was easy to put down when I needed both hands. My dress was an ivory cotton brocade, which I have shortened and worn again. I worse a hat, and have used that again as well. My husband borrowed a suit, and the other guys could borrow, wear what they had, or rent: their choice. Our families were our “attendants”, with close friends as witnesses. My sisters and best friend did want to have matching dresses. I picked a few patterns out, and several cotton fabrics that I liked. They all, individually, picked the same pattern and fabric!! And wore those dresses again and again and again.
We splurged on excellent, although not traditional,cake, which was served for dessert. We also hired a well-recommended photographer, who also did both my sisters’ weddings, and has done some family portraits since then. He has been able to see our famlies grow.
Our table decorations/favours were little violets in a wicker basket. There are still aunts who point out the “wedding violet”, and offspring plants.
Our focus was much more on our marriage. We spent weeks writing our vows and ceremony, and had the pastor review it to be sure it wasn’t too … anything… which personally written vows tend to be.
We love remembering that amazing day. Not much that I would change, and there was so little stress, and no arguing or disagreements with our families. I think advanced planning, good communication with family members, especially parents, contributed to the smooth day. I guess people can’t control who their families are, but the whole process made me realize how blessed I am.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:09:55 +0000

When looking at venues for your wedding ask to see their banquet packages — don’t mention that it is a wedding! We didn’t have the longer table cloths, ice sculpture, etc that came with the wedding packages but no one noticed or cared and we saved thousands. Instead of one big cake we had a cake on each table as the center piece. Beautiful and cheaper than one big cake. Also, we didn’t do flowers as we had the cakes which was another huge savings.

By: bonnie jean

bonnie jean — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:25:36 +0000

My fiance and I are both in our 40′s and have been married before. BUT, we have waited a very long time to be together, so, while we both want something simple, we want it to be very special, too.

We are planning for this July. Here is what we have come up with thus far:

1) Wedding will probably be at his sister’s farm. She is one of my best friends, and has lots of space…so depending on weather, we can be outside (what I have always wanted) or inside.

2) I bought my dress years ago at a flea market. It’s vintage ivory lace, that needed some TLC. I have repaired it, and have a beautiful classic dress for a whopping $10!!

3) My daughters (22 and 18 at the time of the wedding) are going to be my bridesmaids, and they are planning on just getting some nice sundresses that they can wear at other times.

4) I do not give a rodent’s heiney what my fiance and his son’s wear. Why be uncomfortable? Wear jeans, I don’t care!! I’m debating whether or not I will even wear shoes, if we are outside!!!

5) I have already asked 2 friends to sing a duet…that is their gift to us.

6) My fiance is in a band, along with his entire family. He said “music won’t be a problem.”

7) My best friend is a photographer who is just building her portfolio, and is happy to do our pictures.

I love the wishbowl idea…gonna steal that one!! I also want VERY simple flowers…after all, my faves are violets!!

Any other suggestions on keeping the cost down are GREATLY appreciated!

By: Wedding planning in the news | Wedding Decorator Blog

Wedding planning in the news | Wedding Decorator Blog — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:58:19 +0000

[...] have to take it just from me! I stumbled across this great post from Unclutterer — Ten tips for planning a simple wedding. Hey, you brides could use all the help you can get in this day and [...]

By: Linda

Linda — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:10:26 +0000

Another alternative is the Registry Office/ Justice of the Peace/ Civil ceremony. If you are ultra trifty it can be done locally or it can be a great & romantic getaway.

My husband & I combined a trip to the UK with our wedding and we were married in the Registry Office in Glasgow this past July (2008). There was a bunch of paperwork to submit and we needed to give 6 weeks prior notice, but the internet and a fax machine makes the process very simple (about $20 in overseas phone calls and faxes). Marriage license & related fees $200, marriage visa was $ 150 per person. (Only my husband needed a visa since I am still a UK citizen).

My dress was simple & bought off the rack with a silk scarf to fancy it up ($70). Hired a local photographer via the internet for $600 total (including a book of 5X7 prints and a larger portrait for the wall) and a small bouquet of flowers locally for $30. Afterwards we had a small reception at a local tearoom for ourselves and my UK relatives (ten people $150 total).

I imagine there is a similar process to be married in other countries. The trip itself was our honeymoon and the most major expense (Our flights were $2000, hotels were $1000 and meals/incidentals another $1000 for a ten day trip). Our finances are intact and our minds filled with happy memories.

By: Deja

Deja — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:45:32 +0000

My husband and I eloped in our kayaks on an overnight river trip. It was surprise to me (but we had been dating for 7 years). So, I already knew he was the one for me. It was very sweet. He leaned over and asked me if I was enjoying the river. Then, he said, “What is that floating on the water?” I picked up this beautiful basket that contained a ring! He proposed to me right there on the water. So, the next day, our best friend married us on the side of the river. Then, we flew out of the canyon in a very small bush plane (kayaks and all). We called our family and friends and told them the next morning (which was a delightful surprise to all of them). A week later, we had a big BBQ and all came to celebrate in the park with us. Very low key and it cost us less than $300. No wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses…or family disputes over how they expected the wedding to be! It was just perfect for us considering that we met on the river. Sort of like the “confluence” or place where two rivers join!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:52:46 +0000

This is a great post. We got married in October 2006, in a combination Day of the Dead/Halloween wedding. Some ideas that simplified our day:
1. We rented a building that now houses a local non-profit but was a private residence (mansion) when it was built in the 1800s. We had both wedding and reception there. It cost $300 to rent for the whole day, and I spent another $200 on wedding insurance (a good idea if you’re worried about Uncle Dave getting sauced and breaking something). Since this wasn’t a licensed venue, I also had to get a liquor license to serve beer and wine, which only cost $50 but was a paperwork hassle. Still, the venue was absolutely perfect, and they let us bring in whatever caterer we wanted. That was key, because what we wanted was a kickin’ chicken BBQ. Total cost for 1/2 chicken per guest, roll/butter, potato salad, roasted veggies, corn and a couple of other sides,and drinks (including service, on-site BBQ, all plates, utensils, napkins, etc.) was $8 per guest. We had about 125 people, so we spent another $1000 on food.

2. Got my dad- a former actor- certified online to perform the ceremony ($25).

3. Bought my dress on eBay for $125. It had never been worn before and- amazingly- needed no alterations.

4. Rather than flower centerpieces, we did bowls of candy in the middle of each table, and one guest at every table won the centerpiece at the end of the night. Each one was different- I just bought glass bowls at thrift stores and garage sales and hot-glued fringe around them.

5. No seating charts- people sorted themselves out quite well and wound up sitting where they wanted.

6. Rather than asking people to be bridesmaids and groomsmen, we asked people to contribute in ways that showcased their talents. For example, one friend designed the image on our (self-printed) invites. Another sang a song as we entered the ceremony. Another played violin during the ceremony. Another organized a quilt-making (guests were asked to contribute squares before the wedding and the finished product was displayed on the day). Another did a slide show of me and my partner. Some family members helped make decorations (sugar skulls and an altar).

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:27:56 +0000

We had a reception of 50 people at our favorite restaurant that we’ve been going to for years. All the staff knows us, the managing partner is a family friend. Including the open bar with our brunch reception and tip, we paid about $2500. We bought 5 dozen cupcakes from Cakelove on U St. for $120 instead of a wedding cake. I bought invitation paper at Target and printed it on our workhorse, inherited HP laser printer- they looked fabulous and I spent $50. We had people RSVP by email (no extra postage cost). We got married DURING Sunday morning church services (this will only work if you’re part of the church community normally) on Church Music Sunday- use of the facility was free, the choir had already paid for some additional musicians, and we paid for a couple more since my husband is a musician himself and it was important to us ($600 well spent). We had one attendant each, my brother and my husband’s best friend, who wore suits they already owned with no ties. I paid $100 for white bridesmaid separates instead of a wedding dress. I wish we had been able to hire a photographer, but since we had to change our wedding date 7 weeks beforehand due to a string of venues falling through, there was nothing I could do. We got the digital photos our friends and family took and turned them into a wedding album through iPhoto.

No one cared at all that we didn’t do favors, or a bouquet toss, or any of that unnecessary crap. We had good ceremony music, good food at the reception, and our friends are all interesting people who entertained each other at the reception. It was awesome, and we had everything that was important to us.

By: amy

amy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:58:03 +0000

He proposed yesterday!!! How did you know I needed this article Unclutter?

/me saves this url to send to mother when she starts getting over-wedding-y

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 18:16:24 +0000

One option for wedding and bridesmaid dresses is Ebay! I was in a wedding last winter and found the exact dresses the bride wanted (David’s bridal, apple red, strapless, a-line, full length) for $40 or less. There are literally hundreds of worn-once or never-worn wedding gowns and bridesmaid’s dresses.

When I get married, I want to have the wedding in my parents’ backyard, which is both beautiful and free! No tuxes, no fussy dresses, no bloated guest list, no honorary this or that, no $200 calla lily bouquets, just a simple ceremony with friends and family and then a big party.

But I would agree about spending money on a photographer. The pictures are all you have besides memories! Art students are a great idea — just take a close look at their existing portfolio. And in any case, sit down and talk with the photographer about your vision for the photos. Do you want mostly posed, formal pictures, or do you want to capture the more spontaneous moments of your big day? Do you mind if they hunch down in front of the first pew or would you rather they take more inconspicuous shots? If you’re going to do the photos after the ceremony but before the reception, does he have a plan for getting through the necessary shots in a timely, efficient way?

By: Becky@FamilyandFinances

Becky@FamilyandFinances — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:56:50 +0000

I totally agree with nixing the traditional bridesmaids dresses. I hate wearing them and am so frustrated with how expensive they are. I found dresses for my bridesmaids that were $36.

I also didn’t have centerpieces or favors. To me, it’s fluff and then you have useless stuff sitting around your house. I really doubt anyone even noticed

Lastly, I did splurge on the photographer since my hubby is known for not being very photogenic. The photos are awesome! (married 9 months ago) I opted for film since it’s better quality. The photographer gave me all of the prints and rights. She also agreed to have the developer make cd’s of the prints when they were developed. I got the best of both worlds – the quality of film and the convenience of digital – for $1300.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:33:49 +0000

Pick a wide assortment of acceptable “little black dresses” and let the bridesmaids pick from that spectrum a dress that they’ll wear again. (Don’t just send them out to pick their own unless you REALLY trust their taste and have low sib-rivalry levels. I started out with “pick your own” and learned my lesson when I found that my drama-queen sister was planning to up stage everyone (me included) with a cashmere sweater over an extravagant ball gown skirt–when all the other bridesmaids were wearing narrow-skirted little black dresses.)

Calculate EXACTLY what you can afford to spend per guest, and post it on the front of your planning notebook. That way, if you/fiance/parents get tempted to invite “just one more” person, look at the cost. I found that politely telling my “more the merrier” mom that if she wanted to add more guests to her 20-person quota would cost $65 per person up-front to even send the invitation was the most efficient way to stop the head count from climbing beyond limits.

An elegant midnight wedding with champagne and little nibbles is the most elegant and inexpensive way to go. AND you don’t have much trouble with people showing up with uninvited munchkins.

By: steph

steph — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:00:21 +0000

I am the most offbeat of my large Southern family and my husband WAS an older confirmed bachelor. Clad in “Bride” and “Groom” caps, we were married at the courthouse witnessed by a few friends. Lunch followed at a favorite BBQ restaurant, which was offering free red velvet cake for their anniversary. The owner picked up our tab and later catered a casual reception at the museum where my husband worked (free). We used evites, I wore a $5 vintage dress from a yard sale and friends chipped in for most of the rest. Favors were MoonPies for Midsummer Night.

The best parts — winning the office pool on our wedding night more than paid for the wedding AND returning to eat cake last night on our anniversary!