A Budget Breakdown on a Deceptively Luxe Kentucky Wedding

Abby
October 29, 2018
Categories: Budget Beautiful, Real Weddings, The Blog

When I started Style Me Pretty a million years ago, I envisioned a place where mom and pop shops could sit next to celebrity planners. Where the line between editor and reader was blurred. Where we simply came together to celebrate weddings in their many forms and functions, with their million dollar budgets right alongside their backyard charm. But we’ve gotten away from that. And while I think you can steal ideas from any wedding and make them your own, it’s even more fun to see weddings where you can actually relate to the person saying I-do. Where you can see yourself in all of the beauty. So today, we have just that. A $15,000 wedding where the innate loveliness leaps off the page and yet the cost of said loveliness, stays right where it should. Perfect photography by Kaylie Plummer.

What was the “vision” for your wedding? Rustic Mountain Wedding

What was your actual budget? : $15,000

*We’ve broken the entire budget down at the bottom of this post! SO interesting to see how she made her budget work so hard for her and her lovely hubs.

How far did you think your budget would take you and were you surprised when it wasn’t as far as you had hoped?

We were so close to meeting our budget! The day before the wedding we had to make the ultimate decision to rent a tent for the reception due to inclement weather which put us a bit over. I was very surprised at how fast things began to add up, especially in the final month of planning.

What did you DIY?

I chose to DIY my wedding invitations, part of my bridal gifts, wedding signs, and lighting. Here is a look at some of those projects:

For our invitations, I bought a template on Etsy and then had them printed at a local print shop. I used the same template design from my invitations for some of our wedding signs, simply having them printed in larger formats.
I bought vinyl Monogram decals from a coworker to adhere to champagne glasses as a gift for each of my bridesmaids.
We purchased used string lights from a friend and bought 2 more matching sets from Michaels to coordinate. The groomsmen tied them around the center pole of the tent and then draped the strands from the center to the outer corners. It looked perfect!
While not a DIY – a few other tidbits that helped us save by going about it a different way. We rented an AIRbnb for the ceremony and reception; We supplied champagne and the reception was BYOB- Bring Your Own Bottle! It was a great way to save money but also became a conversation starter for our guests to chat about — why they chose a particular liquor or bottle of wine. etc.

What are your top most important cost-savings tips?

My most fun cost saving tip is in making details pull double duty. For example, we gave our guests party favors that they could also use during the reception: a monogramed stadium cup with our wedding logo.

We also used in – season flowers which saved a ton.

We made an effort to buy things as we went – cups, utensils, napkins, plates, and straws – in bulk from places like Costco and Sam’s Club. We ended up saving a lot of money this way as we were able to take advantage of deals and sales along the way.

Any regrets or challenges that you faced in pulling off the wedding of your dreams?

My biggest regret was not having a coordinator for the reception. After the ceremony things only get more chaotic. I wish I could have had more organization of the events after, so guests didn’t wait around for food, first dance, or speeches. HIRE a coordinator, it will be worth not having that additional stress.

Any advice or tips for couples who have big dreams and smaller budgets?

Create a budget first! Communicate with your partner and work together as a team. The stress of planning a wedding is not something that the bride alone should carry. Include your family, lean on them for help and don’t be afraid to buy used items. Also…enroll in a marriage counseling. It saved us financially and spiritually!!

What was your most memorable wedding moment?

The most memorable wedding moment was “the first look”. The look on his face when he turned around was enough to make my knees weak and my heart burst with love! “You my dear, are mine forever and always!”

Bridal Rapid Fire!

Ceremony Vows: Wrote your own or Traditional? Traditional

Ceremony Readings: Genesis 2:18-24

Bridal Party and Groom Entrance: Nuvole Biancheby Ludovico Einaudi

Bride Entrance: Love by Muziq Soulchild

Ceremony Exit: Marry You by Bruno Mars

First Dance Song: Why I Love You by Major

Last Dance Song: In My Feelings by Drake

Menu: Red State (BBQ); Brisket, Pulled pork and pulled chicken

Favors: Plastic Stadium cups with wedding date, names, and a quote

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Ceremony and Reception: $2,500

Officiant: $600

Food Service: $1,100

Beverages: $300

Cake: $290

Desserts: $100

Reception extras: $350

Wedding gown and Alterations: $1,075

Groom Suit and Alterations: $225

Hair Styling: $165

Bridal Makeup: $75

Shoes: $32

Bridal Accessories: $45

Pre-wedding Pampering: $60

Flowers: $700 (Which included 9 boutonnieres for the men, 1 Bride bouquet, 7 bridesmaid bouquets, 7 centerpieces, centerpiece greenery, archway flowers, and flower girl petals) The bridesmaids’ bouquets were used as centerpieces for the reception.

Ceremony + Reception Décor: $270

Ceremony +Reception Music: $500

Photography: $1,500

Videography: $200

Save the Dates: $110

Invitations: $120

Stamps: $60

Bride’s ring: $474

Groom’s Ring: $326

Favors: $130

Bridesmaids’ Gifts: $120

Groomsmen Gifts $90

Rentals: $2,580 (Seating, tables, tent, etc)

Lighting: $40

Total: $16,717