Sunday, October 5, 2014
Estate Sales- Another Success
As some of you already know, I have been spending my Sundays for the past couple weeks shopping estate sales with my fiance's aunt. Last week I was able to find over 3 dozen mason jars for only $15! We went out shopping again today in hopes of finding some good wedding deals again. We didn't hit the jackpot with 40 cent mason jars, but I did save $26 on twine. We were planning on using the mason jars as decorations wrapped with twine and embellished with an antique skeleton key (see picture below). I was just shopping eBay for this twine just last night. The cheapest I could find it was $4.96 per roll with $2 shipping. However, I found the same exact rolls today at one of the estate sales! The only difference was the price. Instead of spending $28 on 4 rolls of twine on eBay, I paid $2 for four brand new in package. That may be the only thing I was able to find today but for a $26 savings, I'LL TAKE IT!!
By the way, bought the keys in packs of six at Michael's for $1 each.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Heads up on Great Michael's Coupon
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up...there's another great money saving coupon in the Micheal's circular for this weekend. Now through Saturday, October 4, 2014, Michael's is hosting their Friends and Family event. This means 25% off on your entire purchase including sale items! Head over to their website or download the Micheal's app and get to your local Micheal's store to save big on your wedding needs! I'll be heading there right after work!
Friday, September 26, 2014
Instead of Expensive Napkin Rings
Even though we are planning a rustic backyard wedding, I still want everything to be pretty and elegant (rustic, chic if you will). For this reason we will be using actual flatware rolled in cloth napkins at our reception instead of paper napkins and plastic utensils. I was planning on buying fancy napkin rings that would have cost me an additional $120 out of our wedding budget, but then I saw this idea on Pinterest. I love it so much better than fancy napkin rings because it is so personal. Bonus: I can print these out from home and use inexpensive ribbon to tie them around the napkins saving probably about $110 (probably even more because I doubt the materials will cost more $10)! This is also something I think by guests will notice and appreciate more than store bought napkin rings that may be a big deal to me but they'll just toss them aside. I am really glad I saw this before buying all those napkin rings.
You could also play around with the fonts, add a water mark or a monogram, and really make them your own. Not to mention you could use any color ink, paper, and ribbon you wanted. I think I am going to use ivory cardstock, black ink, and raffia ribbon. They will pop up next to my teal cloth napkins that way.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Another Successful Craigslist Purchase
Any brides out there planning a rustic wedding know how much mason jars cost...let alone mason jar mugs. I wanted to purchase these mugs to serve drinks in at our reception and have them double as guest favors. Because they are becoming more popular, especially in the wedding world, the price has gone way up. Well, through diligence I was able to find them for $1 each just a few miles away from our home. I was able to get 28 of them for this price! Yes I need more than 28, but saving on some of them is better than not saving on any of them, right? And who knows, maybe I will come across another great deal in a month or two when wedding season comes to a close!
Wedding Deals at Yard Sales and Estate Sales
Don't forget to check yard sales and estate sales for items you can use for your wedding. I went to a few estate sales with my fiance's aunt this past weekend and I found a great deal on Mason jars that I could just not pass up! Just when I thought I was going to have to pay $15 per dozen on eBay, I found a lot of over 36 Mason jars for just $15! I am so happy we decided to drive out of the way to this particular estate sale! I can't wait to go again this weekend and see if we find anymore amazing deals like this one!
More Savings at Micheal's
Michael's had another one of their awesome coupon deals going on last night from 4pm-close (9pm for our nearest location). The coupon offered 20% off of your entire purchase including sale items. If you shop at Michael's regularly, you know how awesome it is to get one of these because you can almost never use coupons on sale items. Because many of the wedding items I have had my eye on were on sale this week anyway, I was definitely not going to pass up this opportunity to save! Here's what I was able to score...
2 glass milk bottles for $2.40 (regularly $3)- these will be used during our sand ceremony to hold the different colored sand before Thomas and I pour it into the keepsake container together.
Large package of raffia ribbon for our mason jar centerpiece decorations- $7.99 (regularly $9.99).
50 natural paper envelopes for $5.59 (regularly $6.99). These are the perfect rustic looking envelopes in which to send our invitations.
Glue dots for our guest book poster for $2.40 (regularly $3).
Chalk board tags cost just $9.60 (regularly $12) for 20 tags.
Small wooden box $2 (regularly $2.50). The hubby-to-be wants to use a wood burning tool to burn "...with this ring" on the top of the box and have the ring bearer carry out wedding rings down the aisle inside the box.
Martha Stewart Lace paper punch $8.99 (regularly $14.99- on sale 25% off then 20% additional savings from the coupon). We will be using this to give our DIY invitations, programs, save-the-dates, and response cards lace-like edges.
That brought my total savings to over $13!! I'll take it! Just remember to keep your eyes peeled for these coupons because they make a huge difference for the budget bride!
2 glass milk bottles for $2.40 (regularly $3)- these will be used during our sand ceremony to hold the different colored sand before Thomas and I pour it into the keepsake container together.
Large package of raffia ribbon for our mason jar centerpiece decorations- $7.99 (regularly $9.99).
50 natural paper envelopes for $5.59 (regularly $6.99). These are the perfect rustic looking envelopes in which to send our invitations.
Glue dots for our guest book poster for $2.40 (regularly $3).
Chalk board tags cost just $9.60 (regularly $12) for 20 tags.
Small wooden box $2 (regularly $2.50). The hubby-to-be wants to use a wood burning tool to burn "...with this ring" on the top of the box and have the ring bearer carry out wedding rings down the aisle inside the box.
That brought my total savings to over $13!! I'll take it! Just remember to keep your eyes peeled for these coupons because they make a huge difference for the budget bride!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Michael's Lowest Prices of the Season Sale
Make sure you don't miss the Michael's Lowest Prices of the Season Sale! Fabulous deals include 60% off Ashland silk flowers, 60% off Studio Decor wall frames, 50% off baskets, Celebrate It! Ribbon 40 yard spools 3/$3.99, open stock scrapbook paper 7 sheets for $1, 8.5"x11" value paper packs 5/$10, Craft Smart paint 6 bottles for $2, sale on burlap, sale on Mason jars, and more! Plus there is a coupon in their circular this week for 50% off any one regular priced item!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Earn Free Lingerie and Bedroom Accessories for your Wedding Night/ Honeymoon
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Tackling the Most Common Guest Complaints
I
have been watching wedding show upon wedding show since Thomas and I
got engaged. Every bride wants to have her dream wedding go off without a
hitch and wants her guests to have the time of their lives. In watching
these wedding shows, I have heard a lot of guests complaints. Most of
the things guests complain about are little and easily avoidable, but
they are also things brides may not think of. That is why I decided to
list and tackle all of the guest complaints that I have heard during my
wedding show marathon. Keep these in mind when planning your wedding and
your guests will be sure to have a blast at your wedding.
It is too hot or too cold:
This is especially an issue when you are having an outdoor wedding. The weather is definitely not a factor that you can control, especially if you live in an area where the weather changes in the blink of an eye (I remember one year when I was in high school, my mom bought me a knee-length halter dress to wear to church on Easter Sunday. Although the sun was shining and warm the day she bought the dress, it snowed on Easter Sunday and I froze!).
Although you cannot control or change the weather, you can take extra measures to make sure your guests are comfortable.
If there is a chance your ceremony or reception could get a little chilly, supply guests with shawls, blankets, and/or mittens. You can purchase these from the dollar store, or hit up the sale racks after the holiday season. Most party rental stores also rent outdoor gas heaters you could place around your ceremony or reception to makes guests more comfortable. Try offering your guests hot coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc.
Thomas and I are getting married in June and our ceremony and reception are both outside. We live in the Midwest so it is bound to be dry and hot. To keep guests comfortable during our ceremony, we are giving out personalized bottles of water to keep guests hydrated. Our ceremony programs will also double as fans. During the reception, we will be serving lots of cold drinks and we are looking into renting large fans to keep guests cool. Both our ceremony and reception are taking place in shaded areas, so this will help with the heat a little.
Beach Wedding Blues
If you are having a beach wedding, offer your guests flip flops at the beginning of your ceremony to make walking in the sand easier. If you cannot afford to purchase flip flops for each guests, add a note in your invitation asking guests to wear flip flops.
The Ceremony and Reception Sites are Far Apart
Try to pick ceremony and reception sites that are fairly close together, or pick one venue for both the ceremony and reception. Out of town guests especially appreciate this because a lot of times they have no clue where they are going. If you are going to have two venues that are farther apart, consider renting a trolley or bus to transport guests from the ceremony site to the reception site.
The Ceremony Was Too Long
I know that some people have longer ceremonies for religious purposes, but try to keep it as short as possible. Guests tend to get antsy and no longer enjoy themselves if the ceremony is too long. We are keeping ours short and sweet. Our officiate will be reading a couple bible verses and speaking, a pray, a quick Irish knot ceremony (because Thomas is Irish), Thomas and I will have a quick speech for each other, the sand ceremony, our vows/exchange of the rings, the kiss, and ta-dah! It seems like a lot on paper, but it will only be about 15 or 25 minutes.
I Did Not Know What Was Going On:
If you are taking part in cultural ceremonies and traditions, add an insert into your program explaining what they represent. I have heard of guests getting offended and feeling left out because they did not understand what was happening during the ceremony. This is especially important if these ceremonies will be in a different language. Guests will appreciate the extra time you put in to include them in these traditions.
There Was a Long Waiting Period Between the Ceremony and Reception
Guests do not like to wait a long period of time for the reception to start after the ceremony is over. If you must have a break between them, fill up that time with guest activities. Give guests a list of attractions close to your ceremony and reception sites they could visit to kill some time. If your budget allows, include a couple gift cards with the list. In our case, there is a zoo and art museum close to our ceremony site that both offer free admission! You could also extend your cocktail hour and start it earlier so your guests will be entertained and fed.
There Was Not Enough Seating at Cocktail Hour
Most guests do not like having to stand at cocktail hour. Make sure you offer enough seating to accommodate everyone. Cocktail hour does not have to look like your reception. Offer a variety of seating like outdoor lounge couches surrounding coffee tables, high top tables, and a few scattered traditional tables and chairs. You could even use park benches for an outdoor wedding. Many of these things can be rented.
There Was Not Enough Food At Cocktail Hour
Make sure there is enough food for everyone to enjoy at your cocktail hour. When it comes to our cocktail hour, we are going to overestimate like crazy because we do not want anyone to leave hungry. We can always take left overs home, freeze them, or send them home with family members as a thank you for all their help with the big day. If you are not able to send all of it home with people, donate it to a homeless shelter! Either way, if you have extra food it will not go to waste.
There Was No Variety at Cocktail Hour
In addition to making sure you have enough food at cocktail hour, you need to also serve a variety of foods. Yes, you can serve the traditional party tray of fresh veggies, that bowl of fresh fruit, and the cheese and cracker tray, but you also need to have appetizers and more substantial snacks for your guests to enjoy. This is especially important if you are having a break in between your ceremony and reception, or a long break between cocktail hour and dinner. Also, be sure to take peoples' diets into consideration too. Make sure there are vegetarian options for those who do not eat meat, label foods with nuts and other allergens, etc.
We Had to Pay for Our Drinks
Guests already carve a day out of their busy schedule, travel to get to your wedding, and bring you a gift. The last thing you should expect them to do is pay for their own drinks. If you are worried about the budget, offer one type of beer, one type of wine, skip the champagne, and offer a couple signature cocktails, but do not ask your guests to pay for their own drinks. Cash bars at wedding receptions make me shiver!
We Got Bored
Do not let the reception lag. Offer activities, dancing, snacking, drinking, etc. at your reception to keep guests entertained and happy. In addition to the usual traditions of our first dance, the bouquet toss, garter toss, cake cutting ceremony, etc, Thomas and I will be offering lawn games, a photo booth, photo scavenger hunt, dancing, kids activity books, and more. Everyone is sure to have a good time.
EWWW...BUGS!!!
This is one of our main concerns with having an outdoor wedding and reception. To help keep the bugs at bay we will be setting up bug spray and sunscreen stations at our reception. We are purchasing shepard's hooks and galvanized buckets from the dollar store, as well as various sunscreens and bug repellants. We will set up the stations around our reception for guests to use.
The Food Was Cold
Make sure you have taken the proper steps to keep hot food hot and cold food cold at your reception. If you're using a caterer, let them know how important this is to you. If you are self-catering like we are, make sure you are renting the proper buffet equipment and hire a wait staff to keep an eye on the food tables and freshen up the food every now and then.
Dinner Was Serves Way Too Late
I once went to a wedding where dinner was not served until 10:30pm and I went home that night feeling sick. Most people typically do not eat meals any later than 8pm. Take this into consideration when you are planning your reception. If you want pictures at sunset, pictures in the moonlight, or whatever, you can do this while guests are dancing, eating cake, etc. Do not make guests wait for their meal until after most people are in bed!
We Never Saw the Bride and Groom After the Ceremony
Make sure you take the time to mingle with your guests. Stand outside of your ceremony site as guests are exiting to speak with them, make rounds to tables at your reception, dance with guests, take pictures with guests, play games with guests. Do whatever you have to do in order to make them feel like you really want them there! The worst thing you could do is make your guests feel unwanted or excluded. Do not be an ungracious host! In addition, do not under any circumstances ditch the thank you cards! Every wedding guests deserves a thank you note for taking the time to spend your special day with you, bringing you a gift, etc. Thank them for everything! If they helped with the decorating...send them a special thank you. If they bought you a shower gift...send them a thank you. If they helped clean up after the reception...send them a thank you.
The Lines Were Too Long
Guests hate waiting in long lines to get a drink or to get their food. To avoid long lines, we will be having multiple bar tenders, multiple food tables, and guests will be able to go down the food lines on both sides of the table.
The Ceremony Started Late
Make sure you are on time. When you are making your time line, take into consideration the size of your wedding party, the time it will take everyone to get ready, pre-ceremony pictures, traffic, etc.
It is obviously impossible to please everyone and if you try you are going to be one super stressed out bride! However, that does not mean you should not think about the complaints listed above in order to ensure that everyone has a good time at your wedding.
It is too hot or too cold:
This is especially an issue when you are having an outdoor wedding. The weather is definitely not a factor that you can control, especially if you live in an area where the weather changes in the blink of an eye (I remember one year when I was in high school, my mom bought me a knee-length halter dress to wear to church on Easter Sunday. Although the sun was shining and warm the day she bought the dress, it snowed on Easter Sunday and I froze!).
Although you cannot control or change the weather, you can take extra measures to make sure your guests are comfortable.
If there is a chance your ceremony or reception could get a little chilly, supply guests with shawls, blankets, and/or mittens. You can purchase these from the dollar store, or hit up the sale racks after the holiday season. Most party rental stores also rent outdoor gas heaters you could place around your ceremony or reception to makes guests more comfortable. Try offering your guests hot coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc.
Thomas and I are getting married in June and our ceremony and reception are both outside. We live in the Midwest so it is bound to be dry and hot. To keep guests comfortable during our ceremony, we are giving out personalized bottles of water to keep guests hydrated. Our ceremony programs will also double as fans. During the reception, we will be serving lots of cold drinks and we are looking into renting large fans to keep guests cool. Both our ceremony and reception are taking place in shaded areas, so this will help with the heat a little.
Beach Wedding Blues
If you are having a beach wedding, offer your guests flip flops at the beginning of your ceremony to make walking in the sand easier. If you cannot afford to purchase flip flops for each guests, add a note in your invitation asking guests to wear flip flops.
The Ceremony and Reception Sites are Far Apart
Try to pick ceremony and reception sites that are fairly close together, or pick one venue for both the ceremony and reception. Out of town guests especially appreciate this because a lot of times they have no clue where they are going. If you are going to have two venues that are farther apart, consider renting a trolley or bus to transport guests from the ceremony site to the reception site.
The Ceremony Was Too Long
I know that some people have longer ceremonies for religious purposes, but try to keep it as short as possible. Guests tend to get antsy and no longer enjoy themselves if the ceremony is too long. We are keeping ours short and sweet. Our officiate will be reading a couple bible verses and speaking, a pray, a quick Irish knot ceremony (because Thomas is Irish), Thomas and I will have a quick speech for each other, the sand ceremony, our vows/exchange of the rings, the kiss, and ta-dah! It seems like a lot on paper, but it will only be about 15 or 25 minutes.
I Did Not Know What Was Going On:
If you are taking part in cultural ceremonies and traditions, add an insert into your program explaining what they represent. I have heard of guests getting offended and feeling left out because they did not understand what was happening during the ceremony. This is especially important if these ceremonies will be in a different language. Guests will appreciate the extra time you put in to include them in these traditions.
There Was a Long Waiting Period Between the Ceremony and Reception
Guests do not like to wait a long period of time for the reception to start after the ceremony is over. If you must have a break between them, fill up that time with guest activities. Give guests a list of attractions close to your ceremony and reception sites they could visit to kill some time. If your budget allows, include a couple gift cards with the list. In our case, there is a zoo and art museum close to our ceremony site that both offer free admission! You could also extend your cocktail hour and start it earlier so your guests will be entertained and fed.
There Was Not Enough Seating at Cocktail Hour
Most guests do not like having to stand at cocktail hour. Make sure you offer enough seating to accommodate everyone. Cocktail hour does not have to look like your reception. Offer a variety of seating like outdoor lounge couches surrounding coffee tables, high top tables, and a few scattered traditional tables and chairs. You could even use park benches for an outdoor wedding. Many of these things can be rented.
There Was Not Enough Food At Cocktail Hour
Make sure there is enough food for everyone to enjoy at your cocktail hour. When it comes to our cocktail hour, we are going to overestimate like crazy because we do not want anyone to leave hungry. We can always take left overs home, freeze them, or send them home with family members as a thank you for all their help with the big day. If you are not able to send all of it home with people, donate it to a homeless shelter! Either way, if you have extra food it will not go to waste.
There Was No Variety at Cocktail Hour
In addition to making sure you have enough food at cocktail hour, you need to also serve a variety of foods. Yes, you can serve the traditional party tray of fresh veggies, that bowl of fresh fruit, and the cheese and cracker tray, but you also need to have appetizers and more substantial snacks for your guests to enjoy. This is especially important if you are having a break in between your ceremony and reception, or a long break between cocktail hour and dinner. Also, be sure to take peoples' diets into consideration too. Make sure there are vegetarian options for those who do not eat meat, label foods with nuts and other allergens, etc.
We Had to Pay for Our Drinks
Guests already carve a day out of their busy schedule, travel to get to your wedding, and bring you a gift. The last thing you should expect them to do is pay for their own drinks. If you are worried about the budget, offer one type of beer, one type of wine, skip the champagne, and offer a couple signature cocktails, but do not ask your guests to pay for their own drinks. Cash bars at wedding receptions make me shiver!
We Got Bored
Do not let the reception lag. Offer activities, dancing, snacking, drinking, etc. at your reception to keep guests entertained and happy. In addition to the usual traditions of our first dance, the bouquet toss, garter toss, cake cutting ceremony, etc, Thomas and I will be offering lawn games, a photo booth, photo scavenger hunt, dancing, kids activity books, and more. Everyone is sure to have a good time.
EWWW...BUGS!!!
This is one of our main concerns with having an outdoor wedding and reception. To help keep the bugs at bay we will be setting up bug spray and sunscreen stations at our reception. We are purchasing shepard's hooks and galvanized buckets from the dollar store, as well as various sunscreens and bug repellants. We will set up the stations around our reception for guests to use.
The Food Was Cold
Make sure you have taken the proper steps to keep hot food hot and cold food cold at your reception. If you're using a caterer, let them know how important this is to you. If you are self-catering like we are, make sure you are renting the proper buffet equipment and hire a wait staff to keep an eye on the food tables and freshen up the food every now and then.
Dinner Was Serves Way Too Late
I once went to a wedding where dinner was not served until 10:30pm and I went home that night feeling sick. Most people typically do not eat meals any later than 8pm. Take this into consideration when you are planning your reception. If you want pictures at sunset, pictures in the moonlight, or whatever, you can do this while guests are dancing, eating cake, etc. Do not make guests wait for their meal until after most people are in bed!
We Never Saw the Bride and Groom After the Ceremony
Make sure you take the time to mingle with your guests. Stand outside of your ceremony site as guests are exiting to speak with them, make rounds to tables at your reception, dance with guests, take pictures with guests, play games with guests. Do whatever you have to do in order to make them feel like you really want them there! The worst thing you could do is make your guests feel unwanted or excluded. Do not be an ungracious host! In addition, do not under any circumstances ditch the thank you cards! Every wedding guests deserves a thank you note for taking the time to spend your special day with you, bringing you a gift, etc. Thank them for everything! If they helped with the decorating...send them a special thank you. If they bought you a shower gift...send them a thank you. If they helped clean up after the reception...send them a thank you.
The Lines Were Too Long
Guests hate waiting in long lines to get a drink or to get their food. To avoid long lines, we will be having multiple bar tenders, multiple food tables, and guests will be able to go down the food lines on both sides of the table.
The Ceremony Started Late
Make sure you are on time. When you are making your time line, take into consideration the size of your wedding party, the time it will take everyone to get ready, pre-ceremony pictures, traffic, etc.
It is obviously impossible to please everyone and if you try you are going to be one super stressed out bride! However, that does not mean you should not think about the complaints listed above in order to ensure that everyone has a good time at your wedding.
Use Samples to Trim your Wedding Spending
I
am a huge fan of free sample websites like www.yofreesamples.com,
www.freeflys.com, www.target.com, and www.walmart.com. We have ordered
tons of free products off of these websites that have helped us stay on
budget month-to-month.
I was browsing my favorite free sample sites this morning when I got to thinking. I bet we could use some of the free samples we order to help us save money on the wedding. If you check them daily you can really strike gold! Today I was able to order free coffee samples that will make 2 whole pots of coffee for our reception (not much but hey, it is free coffee), free bandaid samples for our wedding day emergency kits, free facial moisturizers for pre-wedding beauty routines, and a reusable tote bag for keeping my wedding essentials organized.
I
have also collected travel sized hair sprays, tooth paste, feminine
products, deodorant, and lotion for our wedding day emergency kits, and
self-tanning lotion for my wedding day look.
Finding free samples may be tedious, but we have been successful so far in collecting samples to use on our wedding day. Each sample we order is less money we will be spending on our wedding. We can now use this money for our honeymoon, buying and renovating our first home, etc. We still have about 15 months until our wedding. Just think of all the samples we will find in this time that will help us shave down wedding day costs.
I was browsing my favorite free sample sites this morning when I got to thinking. I bet we could use some of the free samples we order to help us save money on the wedding. If you check them daily you can really strike gold! Today I was able to order free coffee samples that will make 2 whole pots of coffee for our reception (not much but hey, it is free coffee), free bandaid samples for our wedding day emergency kits, free facial moisturizers for pre-wedding beauty routines, and a reusable tote bag for keeping my wedding essentials organized.
Finding free samples may be tedious, but we have been successful so far in collecting samples to use on our wedding day. Each sample we order is less money we will be spending on our wedding. We can now use this money for our honeymoon, buying and renovating our first home, etc. We still have about 15 months until our wedding. Just think of all the samples we will find in this time that will help us shave down wedding day costs.
I Said Yes to the Dress!
Remember that dress appointment I was talking about in my Bridal Show post? In this post I am going to share a little bit about that experience.
My spring break last year ended up being particularly productive. I kicked it off with a trip to Frew's Bridal salon in Alton, Illinois. Let me just start off by saying this place is magnificent. It is seriously like the Kleinfeld's of Illinois! We (my mother, sister Jennifer/bridesmaid, and myself) walk in and we are immediately greeted by racks of beautiful gowns and a cheerful and very helpful staff member, Mary. Mary took us back to an area that had been decorated with beautiful exposed brick walls, floor to ceiling framed mirrors, and couches. After getting to know my style a little bit, Mary went off to select gowns for me to try on. Because we are still not 100% sure when we are getting married just yet, I was not planning on purchasing a gown right away. That is until Mary found a gorgeous ivory fit and flare Alfred Angelo gown. I hesitated to try it on because of the "fit" part. I am hoping to lose a significant amount of weight before the wedding. However, I put it on and immediately fell in love with it! It has the perfect amount of sparkle with a little bit of lacy flair, a sweetheart neckline, and a lace up back. Mary assured me that we would be able to have it taken in should I lose the weight I am attempting to lose before the wedding...so I couldn't help it! When you find the one you just know! I would picture it here, but Thomas reads and contributes to this blog at times so.....
I walked into the salon with a max budget of about $1800 for my dress. My Alfred Angelo gown cost just $998 so it actually came in below budget. In addition, the dress came with $170 worth of free accessories. This credit can be used on veils, shoes, undergarments, wedding accessories, bridal party gifts, etc. I purchased a veil with mine and have about $30 left to use on anything else we need.
My mom and dad actually put $500 down on my gown for me. This was a huge surprise because I was not expecting any help in paying for our wedding. Thanks Mom and Dad!
Anyone that lives in the St. Louis area, I highly recommend going to Frew's! Their prices are reasonable, my dress arrived earlier than expected, Mary was extremely helpful and spent time one-on-one with me until I found my dress, and they offer special discounts.
My spring break last year ended up being particularly productive. I kicked it off with a trip to Frew's Bridal salon in Alton, Illinois. Let me just start off by saying this place is magnificent. It is seriously like the Kleinfeld's of Illinois! We (my mother, sister Jennifer/bridesmaid, and myself) walk in and we are immediately greeted by racks of beautiful gowns and a cheerful and very helpful staff member, Mary. Mary took us back to an area that had been decorated with beautiful exposed brick walls, floor to ceiling framed mirrors, and couches. After getting to know my style a little bit, Mary went off to select gowns for me to try on. Because we are still not 100% sure when we are getting married just yet, I was not planning on purchasing a gown right away. That is until Mary found a gorgeous ivory fit and flare Alfred Angelo gown. I hesitated to try it on because of the "fit" part. I am hoping to lose a significant amount of weight before the wedding. However, I put it on and immediately fell in love with it! It has the perfect amount of sparkle with a little bit of lacy flair, a sweetheart neckline, and a lace up back. Mary assured me that we would be able to have it taken in should I lose the weight I am attempting to lose before the wedding...so I couldn't help it! When you find the one you just know! I would picture it here, but Thomas reads and contributes to this blog at times so.....
I walked into the salon with a max budget of about $1800 for my dress. My Alfred Angelo gown cost just $998 so it actually came in below budget. In addition, the dress came with $170 worth of free accessories. This credit can be used on veils, shoes, undergarments, wedding accessories, bridal party gifts, etc. I purchased a veil with mine and have about $30 left to use on anything else we need.
My mom and dad actually put $500 down on my gown for me. This was a huge surprise because I was not expecting any help in paying for our wedding. Thanks Mom and Dad!
Anyone that lives in the St. Louis area, I highly recommend going to Frew's! Their prices are reasonable, my dress arrived earlier than expected, Mary was extremely helpful and spent time one-on-one with me until I found my dress, and they offer special discounts.
Coupons, Coupons, Coupons!
I'm not one of those people you see on TLC's Extreme Couponing, but I'm not going to lie to you, there is a certain high one gets from slashing $40 off their grocery bill and getting free items using coupons. The same strategies can be applied to your wedding purchases too!
Michael's is one of the only craft stores in our area, but that's okay because they offer great deals and coupons! I especially love the coupons they send out every once in awhile for "25% off entire purchase including sale items." I was able to purchase 2 cans of ivory spray paint, teal and apple green sand for our sand unity ceremony, 40 yards of satin apple green ribbon, 2 bottles of ivory colored craft paint, and 50 sheets of ivory cardstock for under $15! Regular price for all of these items would have been $45.27, but I only paid $15 by pairing in store sales with the 25% off coupon!
A couple weeks after this, I had a coupon for 50% off any one regular priced item from Michaels. There was a 2" round hole punch I had my eye on to make our DIY guest book, but I really was not wanting to spend $20 on it. Luckily I have a 50% off coupon which brought the price of the whole punch down to $9.99 before tax. I had also found a plain wooden basket on sale for $1.99 during this same trip. All I have to do is add some ribbon and decorations to it (which I already have and cost nothing extra) and I have the perfect little rustic flower girl basket for only $2 (opposed to the $25 basket I originally had my eye on).
If you are self-catering, supplying your own drinks and appetizers for your cocktail hour, baking your own wedding cake, or offering guests edible favors, coupons for groceries is a must! Sure you could go out and buy a Sunday paper, but you can also find coupons online using sites like Swagbucks, www.coupons.com, RedPlum, etc. Grocery coupons can also be obtained by visiting the websites of food companies, emailing them to request coupons, and following them on social media sites. Also, don't forget about www.lozo.com. If you have never heard of this website, please open up another tab on your internet browser and go check it out NOW! This is an awesome website that allows you to enter the items on your grocery list and it finds coupons for those items!
If you are ordering wedding items online, search rebate sites such as Retail Me Not before checking out. This website offers coupon codes that can save you dollar amounts or percentages off of your online purchases, and sometimes even get free shipping!
Lastly, don't forget about coupons for retail stores. These can be found in newspaper circulars or online. Thomas decided he wants neckties instead of bow ties for his attire, so we are currently looking for coupons to either Macy's or JC Penny for men's neckties. Hopefully we will be able to match some coupons and sales to get a great deal on matching neckties and socks for the groomsmen. This may also be a great way to find bridesmaid's dresses, a flower girl dress, Mother-of-the Bride's attire, a full suit for the groom (if you'd rather buy than rent), bridal jewelry, shoes, etc.
Michael's is one of the only craft stores in our area, but that's okay because they offer great deals and coupons! I especially love the coupons they send out every once in awhile for "25% off entire purchase including sale items." I was able to purchase 2 cans of ivory spray paint, teal and apple green sand for our sand unity ceremony, 40 yards of satin apple green ribbon, 2 bottles of ivory colored craft paint, and 50 sheets of ivory cardstock for under $15! Regular price for all of these items would have been $45.27, but I only paid $15 by pairing in store sales with the 25% off coupon!
If you are self-catering, supplying your own drinks and appetizers for your cocktail hour, baking your own wedding cake, or offering guests edible favors, coupons for groceries is a must! Sure you could go out and buy a Sunday paper, but you can also find coupons online using sites like Swagbucks, www.coupons.com, RedPlum, etc. Grocery coupons can also be obtained by visiting the websites of food companies, emailing them to request coupons, and following them on social media sites. Also, don't forget about www.lozo.com. If you have never heard of this website, please open up another tab on your internet browser and go check it out NOW! This is an awesome website that allows you to enter the items on your grocery list and it finds coupons for those items!
Making a Little Extra Money for your Wedding
Let's face it. Even when you use coupons, buy used, and slash the guest list, weddings are still expensive. Since I already work over 40 hours a week and go to school full-time, it is not like I can go out and get a second job to help pay for the wedding. I was beginning to feel like our wedding dreams were simply out of reach when I came across a couple different ways I could make extra money to help pay for the wedding without even changing out of my pajamas.
1. Swagbucks:
Sign up for your free account at www.swagbucks.com. This is the easiest way to make extra money online! In fact, I'm using it to earn extra wedding money as I am posting this! You get a bonus for signing up, liking the site on Facebook, watching videos on Swagbucks TV, answering polls, shopping online, searching the web, using coupons, answering online surveys, and (are you ready for this?) playing games! It is super easy to do. I run the Swagbucks TV while I am writing blog posts, doing homework, or watching television, and I earn points. Earn even more points by referring your friends. You send them a link and when they sign up using that link, you get rewarded every time your friend is rewarded a search win. In addition, Swagbucks partners with coupons.com to bring you awesome money saving grocery coupons. Not only could you put your grocery savings toward your wedding budget, but Swagbucks also awards 10 points for each coupon that is redeemed! Points are distributed in "swagbucks", which you can use to buy items in the "Swag Store" such as PayPal, Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Overstock.com gift cards. These can be used for wedding supplies. Jelly Belly gift cards can be used if you are planning on offering a candy bar. Zales gift cards can be put toward wedding bands or attendant gifts, Starbucks gift cards for wedding morning coffee for you and your attendants. Spa gift cards you could use for a bachelorette party, bridal party outings, or beauty prep for wedding day. JC Penny gift cards that could be used for attendant's gifts, wedding day jewelry, wedding bands, wedding shoes, lingerie, or even possibly bridesmaid's dresses. Thomas and I are planning a few DIY projects for our wedding, so the Lowe's and Home Depot gift cards offered by the swag store are going to come in handy! Sephora gift cards for your wedding day beauty necessities. Shutterfly gift cards to help out tremendously with save-the-dates, invitations, programs, and thank you cards. They also offer FTD gift cards you could use for your flowers or decor. The Swag Store even offers Travelocity gift cards, Southwest Airlines gift cards, and Marriot gift cards, BedandBreakfast.com gift cards, Hyatt gift cards, Celebrity Cruise gift cards, Ritz-Carlton gift cards and Royal Caribbean Cruise gift cards you could use for the honeymoon. The hotel gift cards would also come in handy if you are planning on booking blocks of hotel rooms for out of town guests. Any stylish bride also needs new clothes for the honeymoon! Get those honeymoon threads for free by using Swagbucks for gift cards to stores like Old Navy, Nike, Banana Republic, Gap, American Eagle, Foot Locker, Sports Authority, The Limited, Aerie, Adidias, Champs, Athleta, Aeropostale, PiperLime, and Columbia gift cards. Don't forget about the guys through all of this! If your groom's attendants are sports fans, the Swag Store also offers Bass Pro, Callaway, Cabela's, fanatics.com, and NFLshop.com gift cards that may come in handy. It's not just all about gift cards though, Swagbucks even offers a jewelry section with beautiful pieces you could use to thank your bridal party!
To see a total breakdown of how we are using Swagbucks to pay for our wedding, check out the "Our Swagbucks Wedding" post coming soon.
2. Inbox Dollars:
Sign up for your free account at www.inboxdollars.com and get a $5 sign up bonus. Like Swagbucks, you get rewarded for taking online surveys, shopping, searching the web, using coupons, etc. In addition, this site sends you paid emails! That's right! You get paid for confirming each email they send you! Don't worry about spam emails. They typically only send a handful of emails each day. The only other difference with this site is you get an actual check in the mail. For every $30 you earn, you can request a check and it will be in your mail box within a month. This site is great for saving for the larger expenses for your wedding such as venues, catering, photography, and let's not forget about the dress.
3. Send Earnings:
This is another site that is exactly like Inbox dollars down to the physical check, the free account, and the $5 sign up bonus.
4. Viggle:
This is a free app I have for my iPhone that is designed for DirecTV customers. All you have to do is check in to your favorite shows and you get points for watching! You are watching TV anyway, so why not get rewarded for it? You even get rewarded for watching shows like Four Weddings and Say Yes to the Dress! You can cash in your points for Travelocity, 1-800 Flowers, Lowe's, Fanatics.com, and Royal Caribbean gift cards.
5. Slice the Pie:
This is a website that is free to join. All you have to do is listen to songs that artists are producing and critique them. Typically the payout is $0.10-$0.20 per review, so it can be tedious at times. However, if you enjoy music this will not feel like work at all and before you know it you'll have enough money to pay for something needed for your wedding.
6. Bing Rewards:
This is probably the simplist way to earn money online. All you have to do is use Bing as your search engine and you get rewards points. These points can be redeemed for gift cards and dollar amounts off online purchased at places such as Red Envelope (great place to get Bridesmaid's and parents' gifts), Amazon, and Sephora. You can even cash your rewards in for Swagbucks!
7. Ibotta:
Ibotta is a free app for smartphones that allows you to get cash back on purchases from the grocery store. I love this app because all you have to do is answer polls, read facts, post on social media sites, and watch videos to earn cash back on purchasing your favorite products at the grocery store. They are mostly products I already purchase too such as toothpaste, laundry detergent, bread, cereal, and even milk! Ibotta is featured for stores such as Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods too. They have also recently started offering cash back on movie tickets from AMC theaters and restaurants such as Qdoba and Quiznos. Payouts are made through PayPal, which makes it super easy to use this extra money for your wedding. This would also be a great app to have if you are self-catering, providing your own appetizers and drinks for cocktail hour, baking your own wedding cake, or offering DIY edible favors for your guests.
8. Jing-it:
This is an app for smartphones similar to Ibotta. You watch videos and answer poll questions online to earn money. You can also get paid for checking in at your local grocery store with different items as well as purchasing specific items. Payouts are currently made using a prepaid debit card through US Bank.
1. Swagbucks:
Sign up for your free account at www.swagbucks.com. This is the easiest way to make extra money online! In fact, I'm using it to earn extra wedding money as I am posting this! You get a bonus for signing up, liking the site on Facebook, watching videos on Swagbucks TV, answering polls, shopping online, searching the web, using coupons, answering online surveys, and (are you ready for this?) playing games! It is super easy to do. I run the Swagbucks TV while I am writing blog posts, doing homework, or watching television, and I earn points. Earn even more points by referring your friends. You send them a link and when they sign up using that link, you get rewarded every time your friend is rewarded a search win. In addition, Swagbucks partners with coupons.com to bring you awesome money saving grocery coupons. Not only could you put your grocery savings toward your wedding budget, but Swagbucks also awards 10 points for each coupon that is redeemed! Points are distributed in "swagbucks", which you can use to buy items in the "Swag Store" such as PayPal, Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Overstock.com gift cards. These can be used for wedding supplies. Jelly Belly gift cards can be used if you are planning on offering a candy bar. Zales gift cards can be put toward wedding bands or attendant gifts, Starbucks gift cards for wedding morning coffee for you and your attendants. Spa gift cards you could use for a bachelorette party, bridal party outings, or beauty prep for wedding day. JC Penny gift cards that could be used for attendant's gifts, wedding day jewelry, wedding bands, wedding shoes, lingerie, or even possibly bridesmaid's dresses. Thomas and I are planning a few DIY projects for our wedding, so the Lowe's and Home Depot gift cards offered by the swag store are going to come in handy! Sephora gift cards for your wedding day beauty necessities. Shutterfly gift cards to help out tremendously with save-the-dates, invitations, programs, and thank you cards. They also offer FTD gift cards you could use for your flowers or decor. The Swag Store even offers Travelocity gift cards, Southwest Airlines gift cards, and Marriot gift cards, BedandBreakfast.com gift cards, Hyatt gift cards, Celebrity Cruise gift cards, Ritz-Carlton gift cards and Royal Caribbean Cruise gift cards you could use for the honeymoon. The hotel gift cards would also come in handy if you are planning on booking blocks of hotel rooms for out of town guests. Any stylish bride also needs new clothes for the honeymoon! Get those honeymoon threads for free by using Swagbucks for gift cards to stores like Old Navy, Nike, Banana Republic, Gap, American Eagle, Foot Locker, Sports Authority, The Limited, Aerie, Adidias, Champs, Athleta, Aeropostale, PiperLime, and Columbia gift cards. Don't forget about the guys through all of this! If your groom's attendants are sports fans, the Swag Store also offers Bass Pro, Callaway, Cabela's, fanatics.com, and NFLshop.com gift cards that may come in handy. It's not just all about gift cards though, Swagbucks even offers a jewelry section with beautiful pieces you could use to thank your bridal party!
To see a total breakdown of how we are using Swagbucks to pay for our wedding, check out the "Our Swagbucks Wedding" post coming soon.
Sign up for your free account at www.inboxdollars.com and get a $5 sign up bonus. Like Swagbucks, you get rewarded for taking online surveys, shopping, searching the web, using coupons, etc. In addition, this site sends you paid emails! That's right! You get paid for confirming each email they send you! Don't worry about spam emails. They typically only send a handful of emails each day. The only other difference with this site is you get an actual check in the mail. For every $30 you earn, you can request a check and it will be in your mail box within a month. This site is great for saving for the larger expenses for your wedding such as venues, catering, photography, and let's not forget about the dress.
3. Send Earnings:
This is another site that is exactly like Inbox dollars down to the physical check, the free account, and the $5 sign up bonus.
4. Viggle:
This is a free app I have for my iPhone that is designed for DirecTV customers. All you have to do is check in to your favorite shows and you get points for watching! You are watching TV anyway, so why not get rewarded for it? You even get rewarded for watching shows like Four Weddings and Say Yes to the Dress! You can cash in your points for Travelocity, 1-800 Flowers, Lowe's, Fanatics.com, and Royal Caribbean gift cards.
5. Slice the Pie:
This is a website that is free to join. All you have to do is listen to songs that artists are producing and critique them. Typically the payout is $0.10-$0.20 per review, so it can be tedious at times. However, if you enjoy music this will not feel like work at all and before you know it you'll have enough money to pay for something needed for your wedding.
6. Bing Rewards:
This is probably the simplist way to earn money online. All you have to do is use Bing as your search engine and you get rewards points. These points can be redeemed for gift cards and dollar amounts off online purchased at places such as Red Envelope (great place to get Bridesmaid's and parents' gifts), Amazon, and Sephora. You can even cash your rewards in for Swagbucks!
7. Ibotta:
Ibotta is a free app for smartphones that allows you to get cash back on purchases from the grocery store. I love this app because all you have to do is answer polls, read facts, post on social media sites, and watch videos to earn cash back on purchasing your favorite products at the grocery store. They are mostly products I already purchase too such as toothpaste, laundry detergent, bread, cereal, and even milk! Ibotta is featured for stores such as Walmart, Target, and Whole Foods too. They have also recently started offering cash back on movie tickets from AMC theaters and restaurants such as Qdoba and Quiznos. Payouts are made through PayPal, which makes it super easy to use this extra money for your wedding. This would also be a great app to have if you are self-catering, providing your own appetizers and drinks for cocktail hour, baking your own wedding cake, or offering DIY edible favors for your guests.
This is an app for smartphones similar to Ibotta. You watch videos and answer poll questions online to earn money. You can also get paid for checking in at your local grocery store with different items as well as purchasing specific items. Payouts are currently made using a prepaid debit card through US Bank.
Bridal Shows
I read on another budget wedding blog the other day that brides should stray away from bridal shows because they actually cost you money! I'm sorry but I have to call BS on this one. Most bridal shows are actually a GREAT way to SAVE money on your big day. Vendors from all over the area meet in one place to showcase couples with what they have to offer them for their weddings. Many vendors and bridal shops give special discounts to couples meet them at bridal shows and some even give away free wedding items! Not only that, but many offer free admission for the couple and a guest if you visit the show's website.
My mom, sister Jennifer, and myself attended the Gateway Bridal Show in Collinsville, Illinois, last year shortly after I got engaged. We were all able to get in for free. We were able to find some great local vendors that were offering fabulous deals on items Thomas and I need for our special day. While I was there, I won a $250 gift certificate to Savvi Formal Wear (which also offer free Groom's tux rental with 5 other paid rentals for really big savings plus deals on accessories and invitations). I also won a free crystal headband! Oddly enough, this is really similar to the headband I almost paid $50 for at a bridal salon.
I
was also able to meet the owner of a bridal salon in my area that I had
no clue even existed. We made an appointment right there at the bridal
show for me to come by the salon and try on wedding gowns. Check out my
gown post for more information on my gown purchasing experience.
Last, but certainly not least, I was given a voucher for $100 off my table linen rental at a local party supply store. They offer teal linen napkins and the ivory pintuck table cloths I was hoping for!
Bottom line and the purpose of this posting.... going to the bridal show ended up saving me over $400! So I'm not sure why the other blogger thought bridal shows were a bad idea. Maybe she just didn't take the time to visit the website for free admission for the bride.
My mom, sister Jennifer, and myself attended the Gateway Bridal Show in Collinsville, Illinois, last year shortly after I got engaged. We were all able to get in for free. We were able to find some great local vendors that were offering fabulous deals on items Thomas and I need for our special day. While I was there, I won a $250 gift certificate to Savvi Formal Wear (which also offer free Groom's tux rental with 5 other paid rentals for really big savings plus deals on accessories and invitations). I also won a free crystal headband! Oddly enough, this is really similar to the headband I almost paid $50 for at a bridal salon.
Last, but certainly not least, I was given a voucher for $100 off my table linen rental at a local party supply store. They offer teal linen napkins and the ivory pintuck table cloths I was hoping for!
Bottom line and the purpose of this posting.... going to the bridal show ended up saving me over $400! So I'm not sure why the other blogger thought bridal shows were a bad idea. Maybe she just didn't take the time to visit the website for free admission for the bride.
Buy Used and Save the Difference
Buy used and save the difference. Yes, I stole this motto from the popular TLC family the Duggers...but they are 100% right!
I have been searching websites such as Craigslist, Ebay, and Riverbender (kind of like CL for strictly the IL side of the Mississippi River). There are people on these websites that are selling tons of wedding items at a decent price. These are either items that have been used once for a single wedding that look brand new, or items that brides have purchased had extra of or decided not to use at all.
This is also a great way to earn money back from your wedding or items you have changed your mind on.
Just be sure if you are using Craigslist that you are being cautious. Everyone has heard the horror stories. Make sure you are meeting only locally using only cash. Meet up in well-lit, well populated public locations and consider bringing your fiance or a friend along with you.
Make a list of everything you need to purchase for your wedding and compose your own ad under the "wanted" section. We did this an had quite a bit of success. I was able to find 160 silver plastic charger plates (you know the ones that are $4 a piece at the craft store that have become extremely popular for wedding receptions) for $70, or about $2 each. Yes, I know I only need about 80 of them for guests, but that leaves some leftover that I can use for serving pieces or that I can sell to pay for other wedding items. This was a total savings of $570 (number based on the price of chargers at my local craft store).
We were also able to find the small clear bubbles we were looking for on Craigslist also; 48 bottles for $10. This is a savings of about $18. We still need a couple more boxes of these to have enough, but there are tons on Ebay as well for about the same price as what we paid for the first batch.
Our Craigslist wanted ad was also answered by a very special woman named Suzie. She randomly saw our ad and decided to go on Amazon and purchase a few of the items we were looking for as a gift to us. This made me tear up because nothing like that had every happened to us before. Ms. Suzie did not know us at all! Her kindness has touched our hearts and we are very, very grateful for her generosity. Suzie purchased the cake topper, cake serving set, and toasting flutes we were searching for. In addition, she found a guest book that matches the serving set and flutes. Based on the prices of these items on Amazon, Ms. Suzie's gift saved us a total of $112!
TOTAL CRAIGSLIST SAVINGS: $700!!
Ebay has also been equally helpful. We purchased teal organza table runners for $30 (opposed to the $80 I almost spent), satin fabric and a charm for my DIY garter set for $6 (opposed to $35 for a pre-made set), an ivory pintuck ring pillow $5 (opposed to $25 in stores), teal and apple green silk rose petals $10 (opposed to $45 in stores), 2000 small teal rhinestones for embellishing our stationary $4 (opposed to $25 in stores), and these funky "bride" and "groom" glasses that will make for some funny wedding pics for $4 (opposed to $20 on other websites). Just be sure to find items that offer free shipping.
TOTAL EBAY SAVINGS: $171!!
This brings our buying used, saving the difference total to $871 so far! Now this money can be used in other areas of the wedding or saved for our house.
I have been searching websites such as Craigslist, Ebay, and Riverbender (kind of like CL for strictly the IL side of the Mississippi River). There are people on these websites that are selling tons of wedding items at a decent price. These are either items that have been used once for a single wedding that look brand new, or items that brides have purchased had extra of or decided not to use at all.
Just be sure if you are using Craigslist that you are being cautious. Everyone has heard the horror stories. Make sure you are meeting only locally using only cash. Meet up in well-lit, well populated public locations and consider bringing your fiance or a friend along with you.
Make a list of everything you need to purchase for your wedding and compose your own ad under the "wanted" section. We did this an had quite a bit of success. I was able to find 160 silver plastic charger plates (you know the ones that are $4 a piece at the craft store that have become extremely popular for wedding receptions) for $70, or about $2 each. Yes, I know I only need about 80 of them for guests, but that leaves some leftover that I can use for serving pieces or that I can sell to pay for other wedding items. This was a total savings of $570 (number based on the price of chargers at my local craft store).
We were also able to find the small clear bubbles we were looking for on Craigslist also; 48 bottles for $10. This is a savings of about $18. We still need a couple more boxes of these to have enough, but there are tons on Ebay as well for about the same price as what we paid for the first batch.
Ebay has also been equally helpful. We purchased teal organza table runners for $30 (opposed to the $80 I almost spent), satin fabric and a charm for my DIY garter set for $6 (opposed to $35 for a pre-made set), an ivory pintuck ring pillow $5 (opposed to $25 in stores), teal and apple green silk rose petals $10 (opposed to $45 in stores), 2000 small teal rhinestones for embellishing our stationary $4 (opposed to $25 in stores), and these funky "bride" and "groom" glasses that will make for some funny wedding pics for $4 (opposed to $20 on other websites). Just be sure to find items that offer free shipping.
TOTAL EBAY SAVINGS: $171!!
This brings our buying used, saving the difference total to $871 so far! Now this money can be used in other areas of the wedding or saved for our house.
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