Marriage & Wedding Information

An Inexpensive, Yet Beautiful, Wedding: One Brides Story


Most girls know by the age of 12 what kind of wedding they want. They have everything picked out, from what their wedding dress will look like to the husband they will marry. I didn't have a clue. And I still didn't have a clue at the age of 28, when the saleslady at the wedding shop was asking me what I wanted for a wedding dress.

One thing that I did know was that I wanted an inexpensive wedding. While I didn't want to have a "garage sale wedding," I also didn't want to spend the average of $20,000 either. But still, I wanted the white dress, the nice reception, the food and DJ. So I had to find a way to make it happen without going broke.

In the end, I kept under my wedding budget of $5,000. Here's part of how I did it:

The Cake
People warned me that making my own wedding cake could lead to disaster due to stress and inexperience, but after looking at a lot of prices of wedding cakes, I figured I could do it myself for half the money. I went to the store and picked out my cake accessories, including the frosting. I also picked out designs for the decorations on the cake, purposely choosing very simple ones for a classy look, and to save me from getting in over my head. I planned what days I would bake and what days I would frost and decorate. I even planned what I would do with frozen food so I had room for the cake (I stored it in my parents' fridge, much to their surprise.) On the big day, I had a bridesmaid drive while I held one of the cakes in my hands and the other with my feet, making sure it didn't slide all over the floor of the car. At the reception, we assembled the cake. It actually turned out really well, and a few people didn't know that it was homemade.

The Centerpieces
I was pretty proud of my centerpieces. Instead of doing the traditional flowers or candles, I bullied my fianc into taking pictures of us during our one-year engagement. All these pictures showed how we spent our time together: kayaking, fishing, going to our drive-in movie, going to the State Fair, and even celebrating the holidays together. In each picture, we held up a sign. The first picture we took said "Table 1"; the second picture was "Table 2" and so on. (We also would find people to take the pictures for us so that we were both in it.) While this could be embarrassing sometimes (passersby would call out "Table 1!"as we waited for the Good Samaritan to hurry up and take our picture), I was really glad we did it. We printed the pictures out on our computer and framed them in 8x10 clear photo frames. Then I decorated each frame with some lace and flowers on each corner. On the long-awaited day, we placed each picture in the center of each table, so the guests would know where to sit. The guests had fun milling about as they waited to eat, looking at each picture.

The "Limo"
Or I should say, not the limo. I had always wanted to ride in a limousine, having never had that luxury. But it was so ridiculously expensive; you had to rent the limousine for a minimum of three hours, but we really only needed it for the ride to the reception. I was really disappointed at the thought of riding off in my fianc's Chevy truck (no offense, Dennis). But we put our heads together and came up with the idea of renting a luxury car-a Cadillac Seville. At first, I wasn't that excited about it, but when I saw the car and the leather seats and all its "fun stuff," I was happy. Plus, we got to rent it for two days whereas we'd have the limo for only a half hour. The best part was that it was actually a reasonable price. Dennis was pretty sad to see it go.

I could have cut costs by a lot more, but I think it all comes down to what you want, and how much you want to spend on what you want. There was a piece of advice everyone constantly told me while I was engaged: "Plan your wedding, but have fun with it!" And I did.

Becky Arganbright recently launched Inexpensive-Wedding.info, where you can read more about her inexpensive wedding, as well as money-saving wedding tips.


MORE RESOURCES:

04/01/2024
A Las Vegas Garden Wedding Of Your Dreams at The Secret Garden
0136_Bridal Spectacular

Bridal Spectacular shares the perfect dream garden wedding at The Secret Garden captured by M Place Productions. Gardens seem to embody the most romantic ambiance, both being intimate and grand all at the same time.  Just minutes from the famous Las Vegas Strip, The Secret Garden is just that! This garden venue sits on 10

The post A Las Vegas Garden Wedding Of Your Dreams at The Secret Garden appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


03/27/2024
10 Wedding Tuxedo Styles from Friar Tux Las Vegas
Mplace EmeraldatQR Spectacularweddings 567

10 Wedding Tuxedo Styles curated by our friends at Friar Tux Las Vegas We often make a big fuss about the Bride and her endless options in fashion but this is a day for a groom to feel special too. Our Friends at Friar tux have incredible options to suit your day (Pun intended.) Lets

The post 10 Wedding Tuxedo Styles from Friar Tux Las Vegas appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


02/19/2024
Emily and Rob’s Blush and Burgundy wedding in Las Vegas
Emily and Rob walk triumphantly out of their wedding as their guests wave sparklers for their departure as husband and wife.

A Blush and Burgundy Wedding is a romantic choice for an outdoor Las Vegas Wedding Emily and Rob joined their lives with a stunning blush and burgundy wedding ceremony and reception at Emerald at Queensridge in Las Vegas. From the red rose petals down the ceremony path to the opulent indoor reception the details of

The post Emily and Rob’s Blush and Burgundy wedding in Las Vegas appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


02/15/2024
Black and White Wedding Styled Shoot captured by LuxLife Las Vegas
Black and White Wedding decor. What a space to celebrate your nuptials. A canopy twinkling lights over the dance floor are a perfect space for your first dance surrounded by your family seated at tables with black linens.

Celebrate with a black and white wedding. Trending now! Black has been the IT color this year. From black wedding dresses to Black decor there are so many was to work this color scheme. We love the romantic look that Emerald At Queensridge put together with their vendor partners for this year's photoshoot. These amazing

The post Black and White Wedding Styled Shoot captured by LuxLife Las Vegas appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


02/14/2024
An Intimate Las Vegas Wedding Filled With Romance
JJ6A7490

Bridal Spectacular shares a intimate Las Vegas wedding captured by Iris Dee Photography. If you're dreaming of a romantic, candle-filled ceremony, adorned in twinkling lights you'll want to take the time to enjoy this special Las Vegas wedding. Iris, a Las Vegas based photographer, beautifully captures Diana and Benjamin's enchanting wedding at The Side Yard

The post An Intimate Las Vegas Wedding Filled With Romance appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


02/09/2024
Sunset Wedding Color Inspiration at JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort
TaylorJordanSneaks 149

Spectacular Weddings of Las Vegas features a Las Vegas wedding with sunset wedding color inspiration captured by Moxie Studio Photography. Do you want to create a romantic and dreamy atmosphere that will leave your guests in awe? Look no further! Sunset weddings are a timeless theme that never goes out of style.  Here, Taylor and

The post Sunset Wedding Color Inspiration at JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


02/07/2024
A Sweet and Memorable Las Vegas Chapel Wedding
IMG 0010

Bridal Spectacular Shares A Memorable Las Vegas Chapel Wedding Captured by Iris Dee Photography. Just like Elvis Presley, we can't help falling in love with Charolette and Daniel's wedding at the Little Vegas Chapel. This adorable destination is known for its Elvis-themed weddings, where “The King” sings, dances, and performs the rites. In addition to

The post A Sweet and Memorable Las Vegas Chapel Wedding appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


02/02/2024
Breathtaking Las Vegas Lakeside Wedding Inspiration
MoxieStudio AdyJackSneaks 107

Bridal Spectacular shares Adyson and Jack's Las Vegas wedding by Moxie Studio Photography. Just imagine, a waterfront wedding surrounded by swaying palm trees and the gorgeous sunset in the background. Well, we are happy to share this beautiful Lake Las Vegas wedding location is right in your own wonderful city of Las Vegas! It all

The post Breathtaking Las Vegas Lakeside Wedding Inspiration appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info


01/30/2024
Stunning bride and bridesmaids grace the new cover of Spectacular Weddings.
Mplace EmeraldatQR Spectacularweddings 481

In a 33 year first a bride and her bridesmaids are together on the cover of Spectacular Weddings of Las Vegas sponsored by Emerald at Queensridge! Congratulations to  M Place Productions for having their photo selected for the latest cover. Image was taken at our annual photoshoot which was sponsored by Emerald at Queensridge this

The post Stunning bride and bridesmaids grace the new cover of Spectacular Weddings. appeared first on Bridal Spectacular.



more info



home | site map | contact us