My oldest daughter (19) is getting married in about 6 weeks. Her fiance will be joining the coast guard in March and wants to have my daughter go with him! It's been 8 years since I planned a wedding - I need ideas for an inexpensive yet beautiful wedding. They still haven't decided if they'll marry in our church or at court, but we can still use our church's facility for the reception even if they don't marry there. I've lived in NM for three years, so I don't have a lot of connections. HELP!
If you are in Tucson.
My friend got married here for cheap and she said it was beautiful.
Abella Wedding
5225 E Speedway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85712-4824
###-###-####
Also go to orientaltrading.com for wedding decorations
All I can say is go to the Knot.com I am getting married in July and I have been using all of their ideas.
Hi J., I'm engaged and have been collecting ideas myself. I'm in AZ but my suggestion to you is to google "cheap wedding ideas", "easy wedding recipes" etc. Also, I agree with the mom that said to check out the dollar store. They have many favor ideas at a great price! Congrats and good luck to you!
Hello J.! My oldest daughter got married about 13 yrs ago and gave me 30 days notice! We did a wedding at a small church is our NE Ohio neighborhood for a $30 donation. Reception was at one of "his" relatives house that was big enough. My daughter, Jenny, wanted all of the tradition things, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, but we had a very tight budget and not much time. A friend of mine that sewed beatifully offered to make her wedding outfit. We bought a simple 1 layer wedding cake from a local bakery. A relative made the bouquets for Jenny and her sister (maid of honor) and the boutineres for groom and best man. At the reception, everyone brought a dish that could. So in the end, Jenny had everything she wanted. We even found the song she wanted to dance the first dance to with her Dad and it was played in the living room that was big enough for about 3 couples to dance at one time. She threw her bouquet off the front porch to the singles girls. Looking back I'm amazed we pulled it off, but if you get people to help and contribute, it saves time and money. I hope it all works out for you. I know it can be stressful, but hang in there!
Can I ask what small business you are the owner of? We have been trying to find something for my husband to do from home. He's visually impaired and doesn't drive anymore. Just wondering... Good luck and blessings to you!
How about a beautiful park, with the judge instead of his chambers, it is more private. Have pic's done there and a ____@____.com park is free! All you pay for is the donation to the judge.
the most important thing is to set a budget. 1st dress? does she have one. can she borrow rent one? davids bridals sometimes has 99 dollar sale. how formal do you want it. instead of tuxs you can have them wear the same shirt and pants, nice. cheap locations are parks or national parks but hen you have to worry about transporting food and stuff. would you consider a pot luck? you may do the main dish and ask for salads etc. my husband and i only spent 3000 on our wedding. most of it was for table and tent rental sonce it was during monsoon season. we had it beside my dads barn at his ranch. i cooked the food and froze it. we bought a 1/4 side of beef form my dad and we all had a night before the wedding cooking the beef in a pit party. it was awesome and alos our reherasal dinner. i can give you the recipe. i cooked beans and rice a little at a time and froze it. wedding morning my sisters warmed everything up and put it in elecrtic roasters to keep warm. i made my dress and my husbands coat, also a lot of the vests for the wedding party. usice we had a friend who is a dj and my mom surpisedus with mariachis for the dinner and ceremony. my siter in law did all the decorations. i made the bridal bouquets from silk flowers. my wedding party wore whatever they wanted but they got together and wore black jeans and white shirts. my maid of honor and bridal party was all my men friends so didnt have to worry about dresses, i did make them carry bouquets though. lol. the judge's fee was 50 dollars and a meal. my firend made my wedding cake the tiered one and we bought a large sheet cake at the grocery store for the rest. the tent and tables were our biggest expense then food and drink. we bought the beer and my brother bought hard alcohol and supplied the bartender. port a potties were about 100 dollars, since we didnt want everyone in my moms house. two friends, one a proffessional photgrapher , took pictures and videos and i bought disposable cameras and set them at each table for additional pictures. i went ot mexico and bought mexicna zeapes for table cloths and cut up others for napkins. costco provided all the paperware and plastic ware. oh and by the way i hae a male dobie, rugers shooter and i love him to death. he is my friend and protector constant companion. he was also in our wedding as were my horses. my table deocrations were old cowboy boots that my sister in law paitned red and put fooweres in them . this was a pretty rustic and low key wedding but that is the type of people we are. everyone that wanted to set up tents and camped out and in the morning a friend that has an old fashioned cook wagnon made everyone beakfast.
yikes, 6 weeks?? How many people? If you're having a reception with tables there are some easy things for centerpieces...you can buy square mirrors (check Michaels, JoAnns, or even Walmart) and put some candles of all different heights in the center. Then sprinkle rose petals or even whole flower heads (if it's something like Gerber daisies, etc) at the base of those candles...you can also put tea lights on the mirrors or around the mirrors on the table. If you're going to have a bridal party you can use their bouquets as decorations for the cake table and head table. You can check with your local grocery stores and florists to see what they do with their "old" flowers. Sometimes all you have to do is peel off a couple of layers of petals and then they look fine. Costco also has beautiful flowers. If you're going to do a reception with at least cake you can buy a really beautiful cake from AJ's or really any bakery and put it up on a cake riser then put a variety of different desserts on risers of different levels (think pies, cookies, brownies, raspberry bars, lemon bars, etc). That's what we did for our wedding and people raved about it! Our baker just used wood and styrofoam blocks underneath a table cloth to put the desserts at different heights. You can get clear plastic platters at the dollar store and then you just put doilies on them to pretty them up. Those are just a few quick suggestions...if you need more info or have questions about other ideas feel free to message me! Good Luck!!
My friend went to the dollar store and got candles and ribbons to use for center pieces for her reception. She put a piece of fabric under them, kind of bunched up, a $1 candle holder, a $ candle, and sprinkled some glittery pieces around each table (on the cloth). I think she spent about $130 fixing up 15 tables, and it was very simple and elegant.
As far as food goes, if you have a deep freezer, and you are only doing appetizers rather than a whole meal, start working on them as time allows and stash them away. Buy things that are on sale, and don't forget to look at places like Sams Club.
Good luck and have a wonderful time!!!
My friend got remarried and had the wedding at a friends house. It was beautiful. It was in the evening, and it was just light appetisers, wine & cheese ( a great variety of cheeses from Duck & Decanteur, I believe). Also, they had a small wedding cake as well as a chocolate fountain with small pieces of angel food cake, pineapple, strawberries, bananna with toothpicks to go with it. Check into rental places for centerpieces, chairs if needed,etc. We went to a wedding where our favors were little pumpkins (a fall wedding), with our name cards(for table seating) tucked under the little vine. We now put them out with our fall decorations. This time of year, how about little pots with seed packets (think of putting a little note about how love "grows", or something like that). At another wedding we got a favor of heart shaped cookie cutter tied with a little ribbon through a heart shaped hole to a great sugar cookie recipe. And, I really love that great recipe and use it. I tend to remember and enjoy the simple, and practical little favors like those. And, they're not expensive.
WOW, Congratulations!
Our daughter got married 2 weeks ago to a US Marine and we
had only 11 weeks to plan, then of course his orders were changed and we had to move the wedding date after all the arrangements were made, invites printed, etc.
Fortunately, it all turned out beautifully and they are now happy together in Norfolk, VA.
If you don't want to use your church's facilities, look
at Superstition Springs Golf Club in Mesa, talk to Danielle Russell ###-###-####. They have excellent wedding packages that are affordable and easy.
Also, call Marsha Waz ###-###-####, she is a certified wedding planner (she knows everything about everyone in the Valley), she is also an award winning photographer who did an excellent job for us. She would be an excellent resource for references/referrals.
If you're interested in reasonably priced floral needs with the highest quality of flowers I have every seen (some of the roses are still living and blooming - 2 WEEKS later!)
you must call Renee Potter, owner of Fred's Flowers in
Tempe ###-###-####. Renee is a super lady, a real professional who did magic with all our floral needs.
Also, ask everyone for a military discount, some are very generous. Good Luck, let us all know how the wedding turns out. And best wishes to your daughter and new son-in-law!
J.
I just helped a girlfriend with her wedding....
I bought long stem roses at Costco, trimmed off the thorns, layered the roses together in a fan, bound with a beautiful ribbon, no bow, just a knot and flowing down. The roses were $15.99 for 2 dozen. I made the brides, 2 bridesmaids, 3 boutineers, 2 flower girl baskets out of 2 bunches...and there were still leftovers and they were beautiful. You can buy ribbon at JoAnn's or Michaels.
Keep the food very simple with easy, yet colorful finger foods, like cheese and fruit trays, fresh cut veggies and dips, take slices of ham or turkey spread with mustard and roll up an asparagus spear. These can be be made the day before. Ask to borrow trays and baskets and tables from neighbors.
The bride bought her dress at Last Chance a Nordstrom store for $40. Very pretty.
Happy wedding!
Being involved in bringing everything together is very overwhelming! I have worked with a Professional Party Planner on many weddings....I have lots of wonderful and inexpensive ideas, tips, etc. I would love to help you with decision making, planning, decor, etc, etc. Feel free to contact me via email if you would like more information. I'm affordable and dependable.
Where in NM doing you live? Sometimes it's easier to let things fall in place. My daughter gave me 2 wks notice and we did it. We had a church wedding then reception at the church with candles in holders wrapped with white ribbon for centerpieces and I made her headpiece and viel. The cake was made by Wal Mart and the food was potluck with me making the meat. It was Brisket. My friend took pics. Now 16yrs later she that was the best day of her life.
