One of the biggest tips I've gotten from other Disney brides on staying on budget, is pick the three most important things to you about your wedding and and focus less on the things that don't make the list. For me, my Top Three List is: 1) Entertainment 2)Food 3) Videography.
I've been lurking the DisBoards wedding budget forum trying to get an estimate on what various things "might" cost me. What floored me was the cost for personal floral. It looked like my bridesmaids bouquets could cost me somewhere around $125 a piece... times four is $500! Knowing that flowers were not on my top three list, I decided to find something more budget friendly... but what?
I looked to my reception for ideas. I wanted to have something to tie together the two venues. I really don't have a lot to choose from. The TTC is so beautiful, it really doesn't require much decoration. My center pieces are various Moroccan lamps and I thought to myself, with having so much candle light at the ceremony... wouldn't it be pretty if my girls carried lanterns instead. Since I still wanted a pop of orange, I'd look for Moroccan lamps with orange glass. My girls would be able to keep them and as an added bonus we can use them to decorate either the cake table... One less thing to pay for!
After much searching, I found a lot of four lanterns for only $25. (O_o) I just saved $475! I can apply that to my entertainment budget!!!
Did I stop here? No way! I then started looking at Unity candles online and I thought the prices for those were way too much! So to continue with the lantern theme, I decided to get blue lanterns for our mothers and a tall silver one for the main unity candle. They're so beautiful!!! I like them so much more and they were a fraction of the cost.
Then... I looked at my own bouquet. If I were to have flowers, I'd want exactly what I'd picked out all ready. Again, the average bridal bouquet is around $300. Then I realized that our bridal portrait session was two days after the wedding. I would need to pay Disney for a floral refresh, which is about $100. Sadly, I looked at my top three list and decided to find another solution.
I don't really like the look of silk, unless they're "real-touch", but that can get expensive. And I wasn't feeling the lantern-thing for myself. I want some that is both alternative and traditional. Then I found brooch bouquets. They are sparkly and amazingly gorgeous. I am in love! The problem? Ones of a decent size are $300. The same price as my original bouquet... except I wouldn't have to refresh. But that's not good enough, I want to save more. So I doing the only thing I can think of. I'm making one myself.
My mom and grandma have lots of vintage jewelry and I also have some I've collected for costumes for theatre. My mom was gracious enough to buy me the supplies (floral tape, flowers for a base, ribbon... etc). And after telling my plans to Donna, she let me have my pick of some vintage pieces from Michael's family... which means the world to me. This bouquet is going to have so much meaning... way more than any old flowers would be. And thanks to my mom, my bouquet has cost me zero!
I started working on a few nights ago. It's not finished, but I'm just too excited, I want to show you what it looks like so far.
I've learned that cutting corners doesn't mean you're settling for less. By thinking outside the box and a little research, not only can you save some money, but you can make your wedding more personal and meaningful.
