Budget Friendly Bride 101 | Wedding Venue

Choosing the right venue is critical when wanting to create a mood for your day. In the midst of planning, I was asked one very important question and it helped me to shape my idea of what I want for my wedding day. I was asked “If you could only spend your money on three things for your wedding day, what would they be?” Hands down, my answer, was number one the venue! I want my guest share in the experience that I want to create.

Step 1: What experience do you want to create?

For me it’s important my guests are able to see and feel the love when they walk into our venue. I want romance and a room filled with candles. It was also important that I had the option of choosing to have our ceremony outdoors and coming inside for the reception. If you read part one; you know I really wanted a beach wedding but that became more than I bargained for.

Step 2: Research and Visit Venues

I spent countless hours researching wedding venues in my area and getting quotes and taking tours. It’s important to see the venue in person.  A place can look amazing online but not be what you want once you arrive. Also, remember you have a lot of talented photographers that can make a place look great but in reality it’s just okay. Also read reviews! Although everyone won’t leave a good review it’s nice to know what other people think about a place. You’ll find helpful information.

For example, a former bride wrote that the bathrooms were small and the venue provided nowhere for bridal party to get dressed. Although I really liked the venue that was a deal breaker for me. I refused to pay for a 12-hour rental and would not have the space to get ready.

Be sure to look out for additional fees; some places require a security fee if you’re serving alcohol or additional fees for bringing in an outside caterer.

Friendly Tip: No matter the place you choose you will most likely need an all-day rental.

Step 3: Decide if the venue fits into your budget

Although this should probably be your first thought before viewing venues; some will offer all-inclusive packages that making saying yes to a venue worthwhile and budget-friendly. Know your budget and stick to it. I believe it’s important to have two numbers in mind. What you want to pay and what you’re willing to pay.

I hope you find these tips to be helpful in your wedding planning journey.

Good luck and happy planning!

You're Engaged! Plot Your Next Move Right Now!

Getting engaged is one of the most fun and exciting things that can possibly happen in your life, and it is the moment so many of us look forward to. But, getting engaged is just the beginning, and provides a stop gap until you are finally married as a couple. So, you need to make sure you enjoy your engagement, but it is also important to ensure you plot your next move.

There are a lot of emotions that tend to run through your head when you become engaged, and each of them is perfectly understandable. But it’s knowing the best course of action to take next that is really important, because this is how you go about enjoying the process, as well as planning for the future too. 

Throw a Party to Show Off the Ring

Number one on your checklist simply has to be throwing yourselves an awesome engagement party. This is a joyous time, and one that should be celebrated by those nearest and dearest to you. It’s something that you need to make the most of right now, and there are so many things to factor in when you want to throw the perfect engagement party. Now, one of the key reasons to do this is to show off your ring, but first you may wish to know a little more about it. Make sure you click here to learn more about VVS diamonds so you can answer any quickfire questions about your ring!

Set Yourselves a Time Limit

One of the key things you need to keep in mind as a couple when it comes to getting engaged is to make sure you set yourselves a time limit. There are a lot of elements that play a part in this, and you are going to need to make sure you focus on making the most of this. Try to come up with ideas that will help you to get a definitive time limit set, and this is important. Choose a wedding date carefully, and ensure that you aim to have your wedding on that date. Nobody wants to be one of those couples who are engaged for five years or so. 

Start Planning Your Big Day

Now that you are engaged you can start making plans for the big day and your plan to tie the knot. You should have set a date in place so you have something to work towards, and there are loads of different components to deal with here, such as dress, rings, catering, guest list, table plans, venue, etc. It can all become a little overwhelming, so the best advice would be to hire a wedding planner in order to help make the most of this right now. 

Do as much as you can to make the most of this time as an engaged couple. There are a lot of things you need to keep in mind when it comes to having the right kind of engagement, and it largely depends on what works for you. Try to make sure you keep this in mind as much as possible, and there are a lot of things that play a part in helping with this.

Wedding Dress Shopping | David’s Bridal

*Due to COVID-19 you are required to wear a mask while shopping.

Most women dream of their wedding day and by the time they are 20 they know exactly how they want that special moment to be. I on the other hand have had several fantasies about my wedding day. When I was younger, I dreamed of getting married in a large cathedral style church being surrounded by all of my family and friends. Later that dream changed, I wanted simple and intimate. I think life taught me that - surround yourself with the people that love you and your future spouse. Weddings can get ridiculously expensive quick, so I was in luck with getting my dress from David’s Bridal.

David’s Bridal offers dresses from sizes 0-30w and all of them are under $3,000! Amazing, there’s a dress for every budget. Did you catch my takeover on their Instagram? If not, you really missed a treat. No worries, I’m going to share my favorite dresses below.

Galina Signature 

Style: 9SWG862

Color: Ivory/Cashmere

Price: $1199

Veil: V704

This dress is EVERYTHING!!! It was a close second, but I didn’t feel like it went with my venue. It has a beautiful open back with double splits. The floral lace appliques and illusion neckline made the dress a showstopper! I even love the cap sleeves and sweep train. This dress is perfect for the bride that is all about creating a whimsical vibe! 

Galina Signature

Style: 9SWG842

Color: Ivory

Price: $899

This dress is simply beautiful and kept in line with my idea of having lace. It’s extremely lightweight and flowy. It personally felt too plain to be my wedding dress. I think this would be great for a beach wedding or reception dress. It’s very romantic and the illusion v-neck is perfection. 

Galina Signature 

Style: 9SWG837

Color: Ivory/Cashmere

Price: $1399

Veil: V003

GLAMOUROUS!!! This plunging neckline and beaded bodice makes this dress fit for a queen. It’s very similar to first one but the back makes is where it truly shines. The back has a beautiful crisscross design with a thigh high front split. I could see myself dancing the night away in this gown, but it didn’t me true “bride-like” feels. 

Galina Signature

Style: 9SWG863

Color: Ivory/Cashmere

Price: $1399

Crown: 727

Wild card for the win! This dress is completely different than anything I tried on. It’s beautiful, classy and unexpected! If you choose to walk down the aisle in this stunner; heads will be turning. We added a crown for a very regal feel. Take me to the throne!

I am in love with everything I tried on and I had an amazing experience at my local David’s Bridal. I can’t wait to come back and watch my bridesmaids try on dresses. David’s Bridal has stepped up their sanitizing protocols to ensure the health and safety of all of their customers and employees. 

P.S. I have not revealed the wedding dress yet so stay tuned for the big day. March 2021!! 

Budget Friendly Bride 101 | Choosing Your Wedding Date

If you’ve stumbled upon this post, you are probably getting married, Yay! Congratulations! But let’s face it, what is the FIRST thing people love to ask once you announce your engagement, “When is the wedding?”. 

True Story: I did not choose my wedding date until 2 months after we were engaged. During the initial planning process the date changed several times. What we learned? Choose a date that you love and THEN also, pick a backup date!

Now, I HAVE to share what I’ve learned to help you choose your date and a cost effective one at that! Originally, I wanted a simple, beautiful seaside wedding and I assumed that for the time of year I wanted, it would be no big deal. WRONG!! I quickly learned that there are so many elements of a beach wedding (even on a low scale) that had NEVER crossed my mind! It became incredibly complicated and I backed away. I then realized that choosing the right time of year can save you A LOT of coins! 

Helpful Tip: If you’re considering a beach wedding, keep it small unless you have a designated space for your reception (i.e. hotel or offsite venue). Most beaches are open to the public and unfortunately, you cannot control your background as much as you would like. You may have to have a permit as well.

•••HERE•••

In our case, we thought it would be fun to turn our dating anniversary into our wedding date. Our dating anniversary is May 7 and May is prime time for weddings. To our surprise, we saw a huge up-charge on pricing and that simply was not in the budget. Our goal is to not be left with a tremendous amount of debt after the wedding so it was back to the drawing board! 

The Peak Season for wedding venues is generally April-June and September – October with of course some variations depending on where you live. Here in the south, we tend to favor more outdoor events and choose a wedding in late spring or early summer. However, if you are open to any date, consider choosing a date that is “off season”! You will quickly see that you will save at least $1,000 or more. You will also save big if you choose to do a weekday wedding.

It’s important to have more than one date. Wedding venues book quickly especially for peak season times.

We chose our date based on a few things:

1.     Time of year

2.     Important family obligations (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)

3.     Pricing

Don’t forget, you also have to consider how long you want to plan your wedding. The average couple spends an average of 15 months planning for their wedding. 

Having a beautiful wedding can be done efficiently and economically! 

I hope you find this helpful and I can’t wait to hear all about your big day!

Stay tuned for part two on how to choose your venue!!