Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Wedding Vendors - To Help Your Budget

One of my goals during wedding planning was to keep my wedding on a reasonable budget. I didn't feel I need to spend money on little extras that may never be used again. I wanted to have things that could be reused again and looked nice on a smaller budget.

Bridesmaids
We registered for gifts early on and as I flipped through my packet from Target, I discovered they had Bridesmaid Dresses. It's not common knowledge, because they aren't carried in stores, but they were great. Knowing I was going to have 3 bridesmaids in 3 different styles, this gave me an option to keep the color the same because they were picking from the same brand, but also gave them a reasonable price. Especially because there was a coupon code included in my gift registry packet.

Groomsmen & Ushers
For the guys, I wanted to keep the look simple. I didn't like vests and I also thought white shirts were boring, so to add the color I desired, I used my gift registry coupon from Kohls and then other coupons as I got them to get each groomsmen a mint green dress shirt.

Then for their ties, I discovered Bows 'N Ties. There were many color options at outstanding prices. I was able to get ties for the groomsmen, ushers & dads that all tied together.
Guestbook & Photos
I went with Shutterfly for these. When registering at Target, I got $20 to spend with Shutterfly, for buying a dress at David's Bridal, I got a free photobook and a 20% coupon. Combining all of these I was able to design a personalized guestbook and print off engagement pictures for very reasonable.

Extras
For my garter, I wanted to have something Iowa State themed. However, I didn't want to pay a big price for something that was going to get thrown to a drunk guy who would probably have it on their head or arm the rest of the night. So, I went for a homemade choice, but not homemade by me. I found the Romancing Juliet storefront on Etsy. Here I was able to order a garter and then choose the colors I wanted. It was great, the seller was super easy to talk with and very prompt about getting it out to me.

Dollar stores became our friend too. We wanted to have big bowls for snack mix and popcorn, but didn't really want to serve out of glass. So my mom went on a search and found 'fancy' looking plastic bowls at the dollar stores that looked good, served the purpose and didn't cause heartbreak if they broke.

Centerpieces
Hello Hobby Lobby! My favorite craft store from growing up, was really key in making this all happen. With the Hobby Lobby app, I could get 40% off a regular priced item. So every time I went by Hobby Lobby, I pulled in & got a pack of votive candles and anyone who was with me also had to grab a pack. The ribbon, wedding aisle goods & glitter purchases were based around when they were on sale. The sales cycle through every 3-4 weeks and is also stated on the app, so I never bought anything at full price. It wasn't necessary if it was planned. Plus since Hobby Lobby was on the way home or near my mom's destinations frequently, we didn't need to make unnecessary trips to get what we needed.

Don't be afraid of the coupons, they'll really help you stay on budget!

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