Event & Wedding Planning

Wedding Wednesday: Budget Basics

72044_10150317356705651_1436753_n — Photo from Jennifer Chase Photography.

You’re newly engaged. The excitement of your impending nuptials is contagious. Visions of flowers, tulle and taffeta dance in your head. Then you comprehend how much those flowers, tulle and taffeta are going to cost and you begin freaking out.

Stop freaking and start budgeting, stat! Sticking to a wedding budget is difficult, but not impossible. You have to start with a few basics:

How much money do you have? Before you pin even one single picture to Pinterest, take a good, hard, honest look at your total savings and current salaries. Do NOT blow your entire savings on a wedding, even if you’ve dreamed of nothing but Vera and the Ritz.
Who are you expecting money from? Figure out who is going to help foot the bill. Every family is different, so don’t assume anything when it comes to money. All brides would like to think mom and dad have been saving every penny since she was born for their daughter’s eventual walk down the aisle, but this is completely unrealistic. If you are expected money from your parents, ask them if they are able to contribute and, if so, how much. It will be awkward, weird and potentially uncomfortable but it must be done. If your betrothed thinks his parents would like to assist with the wedding funds, let him have a conversation with his parents. This is not your place and you should not expect it.
How much do you really want to spend on a wedding? Once you know how much you can spend and how much your family is able to contribute, it is time to decide what you want to spend. Look at your money as a lump sum. What can this lump sum buy? A honeymoon to Tahiti? A down payment on a dream home? An Amsale gown? Make a decision about what is most important for YOUR wedding experience and prioritize accordingly.

These three questions will help any bride better understand what she wants and how it compares to what she can actually afford. Once a budget is in place, it is much easier to make responsible and realistic decisions, making the entire wedding planning process less stressful.

After the budget is settled, there are tons of ways to prioritize, cut costs, stretch investments and DIY your way to wedding perfection!

Modern Trousseau Trunk Show at Hitched

I must admit, I am completely partial to this particular event. I bought my own wedding dress at Hitched, and it just so happened to be a Modern Trousseau creation. I fell in love with my dress the first time I saw it and each subsequent time I viewed it as well. What can I say, I am indecisive and it took me four times to try on the same gown to admit to myself hat it was the right one. Thank goodness the lovely ladies at Hitched were willing to let me try it on over, and over…and over again.

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So, gorgeous dresses, fabulous helpers and a discount? Three great reasons why you should make an appointment for the Modern Trousseau Trunk Show at Hitched this Friday, Sept. 7th and Saturday, Sept. 8th.

Try on the latest and greatest from Modern Trousseau and have an opportunity to actually meet the Australian-born designer, Callie Tein. You’ll be able to personally discuss any potential changes you want to make to a dress to create your ideal vision. And, as if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also score 10% off of any gown purchased during the Trunk Show.

Modern Trousseau is known for its, not unsurprisingly, modern style and sophistication. However, the designer prides herself on her commitment to customization. Brides can choose from tons of customization options, ranging from colors, to accents, trimmings, straps, necklines and even skirt shapes. No designer ego here – brides can even mix and match elements from completely different dresses. Of course, you may not even want to once you see just how gorgeous these gowns are! Here are some of my favorite picks from the Spring and Fall 2012 lines:

Just plain pretty bridesmaids gifts

Oh, how I adore Wedding Wednesday! This week, I thought I’d focus on the bridesmaids! Choosing the perfect bridesmaids gifts is no easy task. I spent months going back and forth between different ideas, unsure of whether or not they would be well received. I ended up going the traditional route of earrings, bracelets, jewelry cases and treating to the makeup. I wanted to make it a bit more special by giving each of the girls a different bracelet, depending on their own personal style. They all appreciated the gifts, as I’ve seen them wear their jewelry since, which is a sure sign that it was a good gift, but I still to this day wished I had come up with something a bit more creative.

When perusing wedding websites (I am not afraid to admit my addiction to Style Me Pretty) prior to my big day, I came across some darling shots of a bride and her bridesmaids getting ready in coordinating silk bathrobes and immediately fell in love. I searched high and low for these robes, but couldn’t find anything that came close to the adorably chic, classy ones I’d seen…until now!

Darling Jardin Bleu, Knee Length | $65 (image courtesy of Plum Pretty Sugar)

Finally, I stumbled across the perfection that is Plum Pretty Sugar. The colors, the prints, the feminine details; I am just gushing over it all! Can’t you just imagine your nerves calming when you slip one of these stunners on your big day? You and your bridesmaids will look gorgeous while getting gorgeous.

The line offers beautiful printed robes in both silk and cotton voile. You can choose from five different prints and the robes come in sizes XS, S, M, L and XL. The knee length silk options are $124 while the same length cotton robes are $65. Pick one print for all of your bridesmaids or a few different ones to outfit them in coordinating styles. Robes can be purchased individually, or in sets ranging from 2-10 robes.

http://store.plumprettysugar.com/product_images/z/382/pic2__79383_zoom.jpg — Pink Love Poppy, Knee Length | $65 (image courtesy of Plum Pretty Sugar)

Robes just aren’t your thing? Plum Pretty Sugar also offers what they’ve dubbed the “Lil’ Dress” which is an adorable strapless dress, with pockets (yay!), an elastic waist and a step-into style to protect your up-do, in coordinating prints. Wear it to get ready for your big day and then let it make an encore performance as a cover-up on your honeymoon.

Both options are just plain pretty, or, I guess we’ll say just plum pretty, sugar!

Which is your favorite print? Did you and your bridesmaids wear coordinating looks when getting ready?