Monique & Timothy’s relaxed outdoor affair just brings me joy! Even though this wedding is on the larger side of budgets that we feature, there’s still some great takeaways from the bride’s experience. Her helpful tips: find a venue that will let you bring in your own alcohol and sometimes doing all inclusive can save you money! I definitely love the ‘green’ aspect of this wedding as well, and with a guest count of 200 those costs add up quick! And while the bride paid to have her flowers professionally done, the laid back wildflower arrangements are totally easy to recreate on the cheap so I hope you find them inspiring! I also love that their sweet dog is all-up-in the wedding action- so adorable! Hope you all enjoy this wedding eye-candy as much as I do!

What was your budget?

We had one vendor provide food, staff, tent, tables, chairs, linens and more! It was the bulk of the budget at $14,000 plus gratuity!

We spent the rest on amazing flowers and photography and the cake!

Oh and Alcohol! The Bryn Du allows you to bring in you own alcohol! It was so nice to keep the left over wine and etc. And it was better the paying $5 a pour that other venues and caterers tried to charge us! In total we spent around $25,000.

How many guests did you have?

200 of our closest friends and family!

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

We tried to be as “ Green” as possible. By forgoing the traditional wedding invitation, we had a casual vibe from the beginning. We had our rsvp’s done on our wedding website and other directions for the wedding weekend. The caterer sought out biodegradable plates, cutlery and cups for our backyard North Carolina style BBQ/picnic reception. We also had yard games available as well! Everyone loved being able to play corn hole or crochet during the reception. We also requested our cards and gift wrapping to be as creative and reused as possible.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

By finding a venue that allowed us to bring in our own vendors and alcohol!!

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Hire a day of wedding planner. Or have someone designated to ‘work’ your wedding day making sure everything is in place and people are where they need to be and vendors are paid.

What was your biggest splurge?

The food!

What was your favorite detail?

My trees! I had aspects of trees in everything!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

When I turned and looked at all of my friends and family once I met my husband at the end of the altar. So much love that day!

Vendors

Caterer: Weilands Gourmet Market

Florist: Flowers on Springtree Lane

Venue: The Bryn Du Mansion

Cake: Bakery Gingham

Photography: Kevin Keefer

This week we have another awesome Two Bright Lights submitted wedding from Simply Knot Photography! I am thrilled to share this $3,000 backyard wedding from Phoenix, Arizona. This sweet bicycle themed wedding has a sunny yellow color scheme that I just love. They couple saved by having their wedding in their backyard on a Sunday, keeping their guest list low, and having a potluck! I love the intimate feel of this wedding and it just goes to show- you don’t have to do anything expensive or elaborate to have an amazing wedding! It looks like it was a wonderful day and you can tell that they had all that truly mattered to them! Thanks Katie & Justin for sharing your lovely day with us!

What was your budget?

Dress/Alterations – $450
Katie’s Shoes – $10
Justin’s Outfit – $200
Photographers – $900 (special discounted rate)
Florist – $280 (bike arrangement, bouquet), Free (chuppa, aisle, driveway)
Officiant – Free
Rings – $500
Invitations – $50
Table/Chair Rentals – $250
Decorations – $200
Food – Free (Potluck)
Cake – $70
Champagne – Free
Wedding night dinner – Free (Thanks to La Grande Orange/Chelsea’s Kitchen)

That totals to be just under $3,000.

How many guests did you have?

30 Family members + wedding party. We hosted a friends reception the night before.

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

Our wedding colors were inspired by 2 items: our vintage baby blue bicycle & a yellow floral arrangement already in our living room. The remaining color palette came from our green garden and dark brown furniture. We wanted to be sure yellow was the main color, so we used it in important details: the flowers, the centerpieces, the groom’s and best man’s attire, and the bride’s shoes. We brought yellow to other unsuspecting objects by simply tying a muted yellow and brown ribbon.

Our wedding was on a Sunday morning in our backyard. Our intention was to have the atmosphere of a garden party. Men wore sport coats; women wore sun dresses. We used vintage accents whenever possible, like mason jars as glasses, eclectic second-hand silverware, and lace napkin rings. We hadn’t intended to have a theme, but when it came to the tables we didn’t want to use plain old numbers.

We named the tables after different bicycle styles (e.g. cruisers). The kids table even had a special name – training wheels! This theme made our old blue cruiser (aka Big Blue) a welcome addition to our decor. Our florist arranged fresh flowers in the basket. We also tied ribbons from the bike for guests to write warm wishes, which made a unique guest book.

For favors we gave away custom CDs filled with ceremony and reception music. The CD label was designed by the bride’s sister and used many of the same elements from the wedding invitation. Our other favors were boxes filled with mini brownies, which doubled as table seating cards. We used store-bought white boxes and wrapped them with a muted yellow and brown ribbon fastened by a round name tag. We used first names only for a more intimate feel. Not only did we write out own vows, but our brother-in-law was our officiant. He brought a whole new level of intimacy to our wedding.

The wedding was kid friendly by making a kids table full of toys and games. Later in the reception we (the bride and groom) hosted a jeopardy trivia with questions written with our families in mind (especially the kids). I had been planning our wedding music since before I had met Justin. Because we had put so much thought into the music already, we were able to choose songs special to us for the different parts of the ceremony. For Justin’s processional we chose Boomshakalaka from the Dumb and Dumber soundtrack, his favorite movie. Katie’s processional was carefully chosen to be Everyday by Buddy Holly, a childhood favorite. The rest of the playlist was a combination of Katie’s favorite movie, Singin’ In the Rain, and other favorite artists like Etta James and the Beatles.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

A tight budget meant attention to detail. We purchased a cake for $70 from a local restaurant that we decorated with extra flowers (for free) from the florist. When shopping for my dress I looked for a dress that would need minimal alterations. Many of the decorations were handmade, e.g. the lace napkin rings were printed on vellum paper at home using a free template. It was important that most of our decor could pull “double duty” when the wedding was over. So we purchased, not rented, our silverware from Goodwill for a total of 35 sets for almost $10. We ended up with a mixture of “vintage” silverware that can be used for parties or family get-togethers. We purchased mason jars in bulk from a local hardware store to use as glasses during the ceremony. For Christmas/Chanukah we gave the jars to family and friends filled with goodies. The groom’s attire was also carefully planned and purchased, not rented, so it could be worn again.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Start your planning early, especially if you are on a strict budget. Typically, the less money, the more planning. Talk to your family and friends for advice.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our photographers. They gave us a great deal that we just couldn’t pass up. So we increased our budget & tightened our belts. They were worth every penny!

What was your favorite detail?

The chuppa. So many wonderful details went into the final chuppa. First, Justin made the chuppa himself. Then, our neighbor florist donated and decorated the chuppa with tons of flowers and accessories. The chuppa was then draped with Justin’s grandfathers’ tallit. In the end, the chuppa represented everything we valued about our wedding: family, generosity, and resourcefulness.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Some of our favorite moments from the day happened during the most unconventional times: – When the music didn’t start as planned before the ceremony – Giggling and crying alone when it was time for me to walk down the aisle with only one of our photographers (Ryan) to see me – The first moment alone as husband and wife. I burst into tears while we hugged and laughed

I have been swooning over this wedding since it arrived in my Two Bright Lights submission queue. Of course I always love Dixie Pixel’s work, so that was no surprise! In fact the bride loved Tara’s work so much that she spent over HALF her budget on the photography! It just goes to show how much brides value good photos– at the end of the day your photos are all you’ll be left with. If photos are your priority or if you just want to make sure you have a great documentation of your day, please don’t let your ‘uncle Bob’ shoot your wedding. Find a professional- do some research- find an up and coming photographer to save money if your budget is super tight- you will regret it if you don’t get great photos from your day. *steps off soap box*

This wedding has some really precious details even though the budget was small. The bride’s gorgeous dress, fab hairpiece and accessories are so perfect! I think they pulled off the peacock theme so well and in such a classy way. I’m particularly loving the dreamy shots at the end of the bride and groom- such a great looking couple! Thanks so much to Brooklyn and Joshua for sharing your big day with us!!

What was your budget?

$ 5,500 (We went a bit over budget but received a donation for the wedding which put us under budget)
Photography: $ 3,000
Videographer: free, friend who is in art school agreed to video the wedding and add a few special touches in the editing process since she is a graphic designer
Caterer: Catering service – $750- a gift, only paid for cost of food (dessert reception, coffee bar, & heavy hors d’oeuvres)
Flowers: $50- bridal bouquet and corsages were fresh flowers and made by sister-in-law and friend as a wedding gift, boutonnieres and bridesmaid lanterns were made by the bride
Venue: free, mother-in-law’s church
Music and DJ: free, from talented people in our lives who play the Saxophone, guitar, and drums agreed to play at the wedding, the DJ for the reception was a friend who has experience with sound systems and had a great voice to announce all events at the reception
Linens and Chairs: free, complimentary from church
Centerpieces and decorations: $275 -collected candle holders, vases, etc. from friends and family, lanterns, candles, and tall vases from IKEA, peacock feathers and tulle bought online at Save-on-crafts.com
Wedding Dress: $900- (hair piece and jewelry were gifts) from Bride Beautiful in ATL, shoes bought online at Overstock.com
Suit for Groom: $200- Overstock.com and it fit perfectly, tie- Macy’s
Groomsman: $100- matching ties, Macy’s
Gifts for Bridesmaids: $100- bought at a jewelry show in Gatlinburg, TN where items are sold at wholesale, travel bags with names monogrammed on them, and jewelry for every bridesmaid
Gifts for Groomsman: $80 lighters with special touches for each individual Groomsman
Officiate donation: $75, he is a friend and we gave him a gift but he didn’t charge us for his service
All other miscellaneous expenses:   $200

How many guests did you have?

275

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

I didn’t want my Bridesmaids to carry a standard bouquet and since the wedding was meant to be outdoors in the evening I wanted them to carry candle lit lanterns that were decorated with peacock feathers.  Also every centerpiece was different and had a story to go along with its origination.  We also had a time of worship during our wedding ceremony to thank our Lord for creating the gift of marriage.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We asked all of our friends and family to donate their talents as wedding gifts. For example, my mom’s friend is a caterer and gave her catering services as a wedding gift and only charged us for the cost of food.  My friend is in a Praise and Worship band and she gave the gift of her voice along with the guys from the band who blessed us with their instrumental talents.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Make it your own. Don’t let people overwhelm you with etiquette or details that you don’t like.  Don’t sweat the little things. What matters most are you, your husband, and having pictures to remember your special day.

What was your biggest splurge?

Photography, Tara at Dixie Pixel shot our Engagement pictures and after seeing her work I had to have her for the wedding! I saved all my pennies and booked her for the wedding!

What was your favorite detail?

My favorite detail was the small, hand-made paper peacocks that my sweet family spent hours making to add to the wedding centerpieces. Also I loved the starry night we created inside because our outdoor wedding was moved indoors due to the biggest storm of the spring season.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

I loved the moment when we recited our written vows to each other and the Lord showered us with his blessings. Literally during our vows it was raining so hard that some guests thought we were experiencing tornado activity.

VENDORS:

Photography: Dixie Pixel Photography
Gown: Bride Beautiful

I’m officially naming Melissa as the DIY queen. She did SO many projects for her wedding that really pulled off an amazing look on a tight budget! From her paper flower bouquets to all the custom paper products she made herself- she really carried out her theme and the result is amazing! When you take on alot of DIY projects, not only do you save money, but you also create an atmosphere that doesn’t feel like a ‘budget wedding.’ The bold orange color scheme is so warm and yummy- how can you not love this personality-filled wedding?? Thanks Brian & Melissa for sharing your big day with us!

What was your budget?

Our budget was $10,000 not inlcuding items paid for by family members.

All paper products: Invites/RSVP/STD/Envelopes/Stamps/Seating Cards/Table #’s – $675

Photography – $1600

Paper Flowers – $90

Bride’s & Groom’s Attire – $960

Hair & Makeup $585

Cupcakes – $300

Food – $3000

Decorations – $1085

Favors – $60

Rentals (linen, floor, dishes) – $1475

DJ – $800

Bridesmaid/Groomsmen Gifts – $475

Church/Reception/Marriage License, etc – $820

How many guests did you have?

100

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

I made so many things that were all personal since I did them myself. We had huge banners that I hand painted to say “We Do” and ” Eat, Drink & Be Married” to hang in the reception hall since the walls were really high and plain. I designed and made all of the paper items (seating cards, table numbers), crossword puzzle favors (since i love crosswords), patterned paper door covers, signage, pom poms for the ceiling, paper flower bouquets, boutonnieres, cupcakes, monogram cake topper, earrings for the bridesmaids and flower girl, my jewelry, unity candles, LED lights for the lanterns, corsages, programs, etc. If I could have made everything I would have!!

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

I made as many things as I possibly could myself!

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Start early and do things as you have time so that you don’t get overwhelmed closer to the actual date. I never got stressed doing things because I started, literally, the day after I got engaged by designing my invitations.

What was your biggest splurge?

The photographer. We were going to have a friend shoot it who is starting a photography business but we were worried about the images being too dark since it’s an evening wedding and she hadn’t shot that before. So we decided to splurge and get a professional. And we are SO thankful we did. I love the pictures more than I could have thought possible!

What was your favorite detail?

The cupcakes. I thought they turned out so super fun and bright looking.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

When I got to the altar and there was no groom, best man or pastor standing there for several minutes.

When the guys left to check on the progress of things before the ceremony they left the groom in the reception hall. No one went back to get him when the ceremony started a few minutes later because we thought the guys were ready to go since they all showed up in the front of the church. So none of them went back to get the groom and take him to his spot.

VENDORS:

Photography: (Ellie and Andrew Kurz) Dearly Loved Photography

DJ: Jason Brown

Table linens: Connie Duglin Linen

Rentals, Glasses, Dance Floor: Party Rentals Unlimited

Catering: Good Buddies Barbeque

Design of paper products and details: Melissa Van Hoose, graphic designer

This sweet wedding has lots of handmade details and loads of personality! I love the incorporation of the groom’s love for comic books with the boutonnieres! So adorable! I love when couples forget the typical or expected ideas for a wedding and choose to infuse their own likes and interests into their big day. It makes it a true reflection of who they are instead of just what everyone comes to assume from a wedding. I hope you love this quirky submission, all photos by Ashley Whiteside, of Olive You Deerly.

What was your budget?

$6,000

Rough Breakdown:

Catering: $1,000

Photography: $500

Tables, Chairs, Linens: 1, 800

Church Gift: $250

Flowers: $180

Invitations and other paper: $150

Bridal Wardrobe: $200

Grooms Cake: $75

Wedding Cake: $300

Misc Fees, Decor, and help: $1,500

How many guests did you have?

150

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

Marvel Comics combined with a vintage touch. My husband has always loved Marvel Comics so we decided to make that our wedding theme. The groomsmen wore marvel action figure boutonnieres and the groom’s cake was Wolverine’s claws. We combined that with vintage typefaces and decorative aspects to fuse the wedding together.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We asked everyone we knew to help out and they were all so willing to offer a hand. We knew a caterer and photographer that gave us great rates. Not to mention our coordinator/ designer/ planner who put together all of our stationery, handmade details and the flower arrangements and taught me how to cut corners without losing the charm and elegance that I wanted.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Be creative with your special day. Don’t forget that this day is about you and your husband and your day should reflect who you are. Don’t spend too much time trying to please everyone just let everything flow and it will be beautiful.

What was your biggest splurge?

The food. We had worked for a wedding caterer for a couple of years during college, and we knew that the food was going to be important. We wanted a southern style full buffet meal with charm and elegance.

What was your favorite detail?

The action figure boutonnieres. I made them myself from dye-cast metal figures that I bought on ebay. They turned out great and added so much fun to the wedding. Plus, the groomsmen and ring bearers loved wearing them.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Seeing my husband for the first time before walking down the aisle.

VENDORS:

Catering: Chef Penelope’s Catering

Photography: Tori Wharton Photography

Groom’s Cake: Cakes by Denette

Flowers, Additional Photography & Graphic Design: Ashley Whiteside, Olive You Deerly

Church: Blakemore Nazarene

Wedding Planner Ashley Whiteside, Olive You Deerly

Wedding Cake: Publix