I’m so glad you decided to join me for Scene 3 of my “Journey To The Aisle” series. I want to talk about making your wedding your own. Kenneth & I knew we wanted to celebrate with friends and family but within a strict budget, so I had to think hard on how we could make it happen.
The average cost for a wedding in the United States is $26,000. We needed to achieve a beautiful day for less than half of the US average. As stated in Scene 1 of this series, we had a lot of financial changes/obligations this year. Building our 1st home and losing my full-time job were certainly major factors that changed our original plans, drastically! Our original plans included plated dinners, ceiling drapery treatments, a photobooth, almost every person in our phones as guests, a floral wall, and much more. We had to really decide what was feasible for our pockets, and my parents. The realness had set in, do I want a photobooth or a living room sofa.
After taking some time to truly evaluate our wedding desires and budget, we decided our day would look like this:
Pre-ceremony pictures dinner with a few family members, followed by dinner
A late evening ceremony for about 90 guests
Followed by a dessert & dancing reception
I had to think of creative ways to cut cost and still have our day be as special was I dreamt of. Having a late evening ceremony (7:30 pm) would allow our guests time to eat in advance and helped with our catering cost. Instead of the draped ceiling, we opted for an altar design. If budget is a factor in your planning, think of ways to cut big-ticket items.
Meeting with some of my wedding vendors definitely helped me see how we would achieve the dream within our budget. Ashlee, of Snazzy Events, was a world of help with providing alternatives for some of my “big budget ideas.” I’m so excited to see some of our unique ideas come to life on my big day. Remember one thing when you are planning: your day, your way! You don’t have to follow tradition, make your own. The people who attend are honored to witness the union between you and your soulmate. Rejoice and enjoy your loved ones, that’s the most important thing.
Planner Tip:
To help with cutting cost use these three (3) categories: must-have, really want, not necessary. Make three columns and go to work! After you list all the items needed for your wedding, get quotes, and plug numbers into your budget. Look at the “really want” and “not necessary” list and think of ways you can scale back on those items. Example: A "not necessary" item may be a Photobooth. Get a Polaroid Z2300 Instant Sticker Camera and selfie the night away! Your guests will love it. Think outside the box.
Photo Credit: Michelle Davina Photography
Ashley Miller is an Atlanta-based Wedding Planner. Her desire to share her personal wedding planning journey and the realness about the combination of life & planning a wedding led her to Black Bride. Ashley is a true Peach, born and raised in Georgia. She experiences true joy when assisting her wedding clients through the unknown of the wedding world. Keep up with Ashley at BlushEventCompBlog or on IG @BlushEventComp
