Top ten Tips and Tricks for the Budget Bride. Oh, Wait! That's Me!

OK....no panic here, but it's exactly one month before my wedding, and I've been trying to work out too many details.  I've been pinteresting it up (is that a word? lol), reading every online article for my interests, as well as other brides hopefully, and muddling through what I can actually afford.  There's so much information out there that my head almost exploded.  So, I'm having to learn how to breathe and carving out what I want for my big day.  I am hoping that some of my incites will help other brides, or even those who need help planning other life events. This is a big focus for me, because I've never had the big formal event, however; I don't have a lot of $ to spend, so this prepper has had become a budget bride.

My top 10 tips and tricks stem from a lot of resources, and consist of these few:

• Find a cheap venue through a friend, or family member or even airbnb.com. However, watch out for homeowners who want to charge you a "event fee" just for having your wedding at their home, & Yes! That happened to me.  So, I thank God for my Matron of Honor, Rhonda, who found my venue, which honestly was exactly what I was looking for.  It was literally 1/4 of what most venues start at near where I live, and my Mom offered to pay for it. Score! There's even a gazebo outside, and I have access to a kitchen and a few bedrooms for 2 days.  It is also where I will have my rehearsal dinner and practice. 

• Find someone you know to preside over you ceremony, if you do not have a pastor you trust. Evidently, it's easy to get ordained online these days.  However, I ask a family friend, we call Bobby, who I've known since I was five, and had in recent months gotten his license before he officiated his youngest daughter's wedding. 

Find wedding favors through a website like ruffledblog.com or handmade through etsy. Also, search the web for deals and discounts, while maybe thinking outside the box for ideas.  I had some created through Label Daddy.  I designed them myself with Label Daddy's help and it's a great product.  Most of their products are for labeling kids items and are awesome.  You can help kids or adults keep up with special items with ease.  I just put my own little twist them.  Here they are!  Aren't they cute?!

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• Find specific decorations you want through eBay or even Craigslist, and guess what even Oriental Trading Co has tons of stuff you need. Even the Dollar Store will do in a pinch! Look over my Dollar Store Awesomeness on Pinterest.

• Find an online seamstress, yes even ebay, for your dress.  You can actually find a vendor who can copy the exact dress you desire, but for about 1/8th of the price you saw from your favorite designer.  You may need to get another seamstress locally to take it in, but this option is so worth the money you'll save a ton of money overall.

• Find shoes, that you can always dye and even add touches to, like bling, flowers, and sparkle.  Don't make a big deal of buying on the cheap.  No one else will know (wink..wink), or should really care.

• Find inexpensive cake options, like cupcakes, cake pops, and small cakes, and tiered ones, through Groupon.com and other deal sites.  These are usually 1/2 of what you pay most bake shops. 

  Hint: If you buy from Groupon.com, buy more than one certificate and take someone else with you to shop for the purchase of your order.  Just divide the order into two, etc.  In addition, maybe a family member or friend has already offered to help out or make something or buy for something you want.   I got lucky because one friend, Joy, is going to be buying at least 1/2 of my cake needs as a wedding present, and less than two days ago, I had another friend, Silvana, offer her husbands cheesecake (Bob who is also a close friend too) as a groom's cake. Yay! I've tasted it before and it's AWESOME!

• Invitations don't have to be expensive.  I literally got mine from Michael's and used a 40% off coupon on different dates.  I am printing them from home to save on costs as well.  Most of the invites I saw online, started out at the very least closer to the $2 mark and that's not including envelopes, postage, or any extras you might want to include in the envelope. I'm mailing out at least 100 invites, so that would not even fit into my budget, even with the online options. 

These are the ones I went with. 

• As far as food, there are a few options to help save.  Costco and Sam's are great for appetizers and mini deserts.  A family member who can cook is always a great option.  Pasta and other items can be purchased for cheap, especially if you are a coupon user.  You can also find a caterer who will deliver to you or allow you to pick up and serve yourself via a buffet style.

• Your honeymoon should be what you've dreamed of, but I still has to be realistic.  Again, sites like Groupon, may have what you are looking for at a much lower rate.  Signing up for travel discount cites (just google), are a great place to start.  I have a family friend who has access to a 7 day trip for me and my Hubie to be, but we still have to find a way to get there and provide money food, excursions, etc. lol.  So, it will be planned when we have the time and money to take advantage of this gift.  If you already have kids, you will understand why you may have to wait. 

Last little things......

• Take  your time, even if it's limited.  

• You're probably going to cry, so lean on your family and bridesmaids. 

•  Reach out because you never know who wants to help. 

•  Keep your sense of humor, because sometimes that helps you keep your sanity.

Please comment below if you found anything helpful for you or a bride to be you may know, and share often.  It is always appreciated.




*Part of this post was sponsored by Label Daddy and its advertiser, yet all opinions are my own. #LabelDaddy.com