The Budget Savvy Bride

{Giveaway} Win a pair of his + hers cruiser bikes!!

Jessica Bishop — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:00:26 +0000

Summer is here! Imagine hitting the boardwalk with your fiancé (or new hubby!), both of you on a sweet new cruiser bike! To celebrate the beginning of summer, BSB is teaming up with a few other bloggers to bring you a fabulous summer-worthy prize: His & Hers Cruiser Bikes! And because these bikes are so awesome, we are giving one away to a runner up as well!

The Prizes:

Grand Prize: 2 Cruiser Bikes (A $300 value)
First Prize: 1 Cruiser Bike (A $150 value)

Choose from any two of the following*:

Huffy Panama Jack 26″ Men’s Cruiser Bike
26″ Huffy Nel Lusso Women’s Cruiser Bike, Gloss Blue
24″ Huffy Boys’ Cranbrook Cruiser Bike
24″ Huffy Cranbrook Girls’ Cruiser Bike

How to Enter:

1. Follow these seven blogs on Pinterest (so much inspiration!):

2. Fill out the form below to enter:

*We reserve the right to substitute for equal or higher-value bikes. This contest is sponsored by the following awesome blogs: The 36th Avenue, The Dating Divas, Oh So Pretty The Diaries, Mod Podge Rocks!, Rage Against the Minivan, The Budget Savvy Bride, and Dollar Store Crafts.

Fine Print: Giveaway will end at 11:59pm (PDT) on June 21, 2013 . Grand Prize winner will be chosen and shipped two cruiser bikes, choosing either adult or child bikes, in a male or female style. The maximum MSRP of both bikes together is $300. The first place winner will be chosen and shipped a single cruiser bike, choosing either an adult or child bike, in a male or female style. The bike has a maximum msrp of $150.00 No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the U.S.A. to enter. This giveaway is in no way affiliated Pinterest. Pinterest will be completely released by each entrant. One entry per person. Entry includes filling out the form above including name, email and pinning. One entry for filling in the form. You are providing the information to the sites involved who will in no way sell or give your information to anyone including Pinterest. Winner will be chosen using random.org. and will be notified via email within 48 hours of the giveaway close. Winners will be announced on the post, not on Facebook. The winner must respond within 48 hours of receiving the email or a new winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary.

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Looking for more budget savvy weddings? Visit our Real Weddings gallery! Need to find some DIY projects to save you money and create beautiful details? Check out our DIY project gallery! Connect with The Budget Savvy Bride on the web: Pinterest :: Twitter :: Facebook ::

Montenegro-Quddus Wedding: Part 1

Denise — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:09:01 +0000

I’m writing this post as a newly married woman! And let me tell you, aside from a few minor (and not so minor setbacks) our wedding was a success. But the funny thing is? Even with all those setbacks, I was so happy to be with people that I love and care about on our special day, that I didn’t lament over these blips.

The fact that we couldn’t find my wedding band just minutes before the ceremony, thus taking away all the hard work I had spent making sure my husband wouldn’t see me before I walked down the aisle because we had to scramble to look for it? Or the fact that our officiant, after giving me the ring to put on Wasim’s hand had accidentally skipped a paragraph, and thus pronounced us husband & wife before I could even say *With this ring I thee wed*?

The botched first dance where we made so many mistakes that it was clear we didn’t practice; the way my Favorite Gentleman quoted Spiderman in his vows and not ending them on a serious note; the rainy weather forcing us to move some of our carnival games indoors, thus losing the ability to play them; and even the fact that we were up late cleaning the venue because I underestimated how much time was required?

All of that, I saw as par for the course, because EVERYONE was telling me that something would go wrong on our wedding day and that those are what make the stories. That you’re always hearing about people’s collapsed cakes and missing officiants and cousins getting drunk (none of which happened at my wedding), and it seems like every wedding has a story, no matter how perfect you expect things to go.

And as far as budget goes? We spent $6,500. A little more than our ideal ($5,000), but far from our maximum ($8,000). I’ll be posting a more clear breakdown in a following post, here is a photo taken that would make you not realize how perfectly-imperfect our wedding went. More to follow!

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Favorite links + things of interest: June 14, 2013

Jessica Bishop — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:41:29 +0000

Here we are at the end of another week! Things here at casa de Budget Savvy have been quite busy. My hubs has been enjoying his training for his new job, and I attended some networking meetings and finally got to meet one of our lovely bloggers who lives in NYC, Miss Ashley! So fun! The hubs and I are going to a concert this weekend, which I’m really excited about! Next week is going to be a fun one because I’m attending ALT NYC! Looking forward to meeting some other bloggers and creative pros. And it’s at the Martha Stewart offices, so that’s always super fun Now on to some of my favorite links from around the web this week:

Love this idea on ELD for a Mix and Glitz Party with your bridesmaids to try on dresses and jewels! So fun!
This post over on Burnett’s Boards is really helpful when choosing your bouquet style and includes gorgeous illustrations to boot!
Also can’t resist sharing this Zodiac inspired wedding board for Aquarius since that’s my sign
Obsessed with the summer camp wedding inspiration over on Elizabeth Anne Designs!
Simply adore this chic black, white and gold color palette from The Perfect Palette!

Today our friends at ShopAtHome.com wanted to give you a variety of amazing travel deals for couples planning a honeymoon, like:

Over the next two weeks, fans of Yonanas and Bed Bath & Beyond on Facebook will have the opportunity to fill out an entry form for a chance to win the following exciting great prizes:

- One Grand Prize – $1,000 Bed Bath & Beyond^®Gift Card and a Yonanas Maker

- Five First Prizes: – $100 Bed Bath & Beyond^®Gift Card and a Yonanas Maker

It’s easy and simple to get in on all the fun. Visit http://www.yonanas.com/dreamregistry/ for full details on how to enter!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!!

_________________ Thanks for reading Favorite links + things of interest: June 14, 2013 from: The Budget Savvy Bride

From Daddy’s Little Girl

Ashley — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:59 +0000

(Um… if you’re my dad don’t read this post until after July 5^th!)

As our wedding rapidly (and boy do I mean rapidly! Less than one month to go!) approaches, I’ve given a lot of thought to the gifts I’d like to give the people most important to me to show my appreciation for their support on the big day.

Father’s Day is coming up on me even faster than the walk down the aisle, and while I’d already chosen a great gift for June 16^th, I needed to surprise my dad with something extra special for the wedding. While my father always is appreciative of gifts from me on birthdays and holidays, I know that unless it’s somehow related to golf, another present may just go unused. The best gift I’ve ever given him was to celebrate his retirement from the Air Force a few years ago – I wrote a short essay about what his military service meant to me and it was published in a magazine – and it’s pretty impossible to ever top that.

For my wedding day, I wanted to give my dad something that was classy and personal, but also something he would use again. He’s more of a jeans, t-shirt and hat kind of a guy than a suit and tie, but when I got the suggestion of monogrammed cuff links, and I quickly became obsessed with finding the perfect pair. Cuff links, while not something he’ll wear more than a few times a year, are a masculine but sentimental choice because he can wear them the day of the wedding, solidifying the memory of when he walked me down the aisle each time he puts them on.

I tooled around a few sites before I found a pair of cuff links that I just love – and I know he will too. I found this great pair on Blue Nile – the Beveled Cushion Cuff Links in sterling silver – at a bank account-friendly price of $98 (on sale from $160)! To monogram his initials – GJG – is only an additional $6, and the entire price tag includes free shipping (and who doesn’t love that?!). I love the beveled-edge design, which has a nice, tailored look, without being over-the-top formal. Like Dad.

Photo courtesy of Blue Nile

Shopping for my dad has always been a bit of a challenge, but I’m so excited to give these to him… before he gives me to my groom.

Like my pick? Any other budget-friendly gift ideas for the father for the bride?

I was introduced to Blue Nile through a member of their PR team, but all opinions expressed here are my own. I was not compensated for a positive review.

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Wedding Venues – thinking outside the box

Katie B — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:39:26 +0000

One of the biggest wedding-related decisions is the venue. The location of your wedding is not only the backdrop for all of your photos, but it also plays a huge role in the tone, cost and logistics. One of the best (and free) resources I discovered while looking at wedding venues was contacting the local Visitor Information Centre of the city we are getting married in. Since we are having a pusedo-desination wedding (about 4 hours from where we live), I knew very little about the city we were getting married in. With one simple email and phone call I was sent a list of all the places that host weddings, a rough estimate of the cost of the venue and a general description of each. It was like having a free wedding planner!

Another benefit to speaking to the Information Centre was the great range of venues, some that I would not even have thought of before such as parks, vineyards, gardens, warehouses, farms and museams. You can find a venue that suits any style and budget. Some of my favourite places we saw were an organic flower farm, a local park where you can get a wedding permit for $30 and a beautifully restored warehouse space.

We booked a small family-owned vineyard in Kelowna, BC. It was far less expensive than the traditional golf course or hotels and it has that rustic-vintage vibe that I was looking for. I also like supporting a local business rather than a hotel chain.

So before you shell out money on a wedding planner look for free resources such as Tourist Information Centres and remeber to think outside the golf course.

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Easy Breezy Picnic Wedding

Jessica Bishop — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:12:36 +0000

I am more than a little obsessed with our lovely wedding of the week this week. Bri and Austin planned a laid-back, California picnic wedding that just seems so comfortable and warm. Looking at the photos gives me the feeling that this couple had very little stress on their big day, and were able to enjoy every moment of their intimate wedding with their 50 closest friends and family members. Bri has lots of AMAZING advice so I highly suggest you read all of her responses because this girl has a great outlook on wedding planning and making it YOUR day. Hope you love this wedding as much as I do! xox0 -Jessica

Bri + Austin

April 19, 2013

Jack London State Park, Glen Ellen, CA

What was your budget?

Decorations (including invitations and all supplies): $1,500

Photographer: $1,000

Food and Alcohol: $1,500

Wedding Attire and Rings: $2,500

Venue (including wedding day insurance and guest parking): $500

Flowers: $350

Music: $400

How many guests did you have?

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

We did personalized lunch baskets for each guest, had a Polaroid camera for each guest to take photos of themselves, individual chalk boards with guests names on them and we had a special bride and groom picnic blanket and basket for our lunch under a beautiful oak tree.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We got 70% of the decorations at the Dollar Store!! We also bought everything on sale at Joann’s and made our own decorations with supplies from Lowe’s and Amazon. We weren’t afraid to take on the day-of prepwork and that saved using numerous expensive vendors. I also asked each vendor if they had any military discounts (my husband is in the Army) and if not, if they could work with our budget. Every vendor was so gracious and accommodating. It also helped that we got married on a Friday afternoon during the off-wedding season!

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Don’t be afraid to deviate from the “norm”… if you have a vision that’s different from the traditional then go for it! I spent a lot of time worrying about what I “should” do based on everyone else’s expectations of what the day was supposed to be like. Taking your favorites from the traditional and reworking the rest around you and your husband’s style is the best way to truly enjoy the day and make it feel like “you”. We knew we wanted a casual, non-stuffy atmosphere where we could enjoy visiting with our family and friends. A lot of people were concerned that it wasn’t going to feel “wedding enough” but we rolled with our own vision, and ended up surprising all of our guests with a truly magical and wonderful day that was an exact representation of our relationship and style.

What was your biggest splurge?

Our photographer. The day goes by so quickly, but the pictures last a lifetime. I could not be more in love with our images and the captures from the day. They are worth every penny!

What was your favorite detail?

Our tables and picnic setting came out better than I even imagined. I loved the romance of the picnic tables under the oak trees, with simple flowers, personalized baskets for each guest and stunning cheese and fruit boards. Our separate blanket with our own trunk, basket and flowers was so special. I felt like I was in a dream!

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

Wow, that’s hard to pick just one. Saying our own vows that we wrote to each other in front of our nearest and dearest was pretty hard to beat- especially with the most gorgeous mountains and vineyards acting as our backdrop.

Photographer: Megan Clouse Photography // Venue: Jack London State Park, Events by Ann-Marie // Floral Designer: Lavender // Hair Stylist: Stella Stevens Hair Designs //
Submitted via Two Bright Lights

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A Birthday Surprise From My Valentine

Missy — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:15:41 +0000

I knew I had met my Mr. Wonderful and that he would always be part of my life. We found each other after previous relationships and making the final commitment of being together in marriage more challenging since we both have children and established lives. Don’t ever think magical love can’t happen at any age, because I promise the intensity of our feelings aren’t any less because we happen to be closer to forty years than twenty years old.

So, we spent as much time with each other as possible, bringing our children together and getting used to the larger family dynamic. I knew we were planning a future together and I also knew he had recently experienced many out-of-budget costs: Christmas, hot water heater repair, tax payments and more. He coaches high school soccer and I assumed we would have to wait till the end of that season (late spring) to start seriously planning our future together.

On my birthday (which is coincides with Valentine’s), after a long day with work, dinner w/ a friend, small group at church, our normal school commute, etc., I stopped by his place for a quick birthday kiss. He had a birthday card for me and he handed me flowers and a sweet card with cute little couple. Inside the card said, “I’m glad to spend forever with you!” and then he hand-wrote, “so why wait, let’s start forever tonight…” and when I looked at him questioningly, he dropped to a knee and asked me to marry him. I cried. Then said YES! He asked my children to be part of his forever family and they cheered and said, YAY! His girls were there, too. We all hugged and kissed and there was a great deal of rowdy excitement. It was sweet and fun and I’m so glad he included all of us, since it really is a family decision at this point.

Next up – Let’s talk about the ring!

Missy is enjoying the greatest adventure of her life as she prepares to marry her very own Mr. Wonderful. Life as a single mother prepared her to be frugal and this philosophy has proven valuable in planning for her wedding day. Missy works in an industrial software development office but stays busiest with her children and home. She drinks sweet tea and loves reading, journaling, and hiking the Smoky Mountains!

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Bridesmaids on a Budget

Kelsey — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:30:53 +0000

Dear Budget Savvy Brides,

I know what it’s like to be a bridesmaid. I know what it’s like to pay nearly $150 for a dress that – in my opinion – is uncomfortable, ugly, and unflattering.

While hanging up my old bridesmaid dress that has still not received any hits on Craigslist, I knew that I would not do that to my ladies.

Since I’ve had a longer engagement than some (currently past the 17 month mark), I knew I had a long time to look for the perfect dress for my bridesmaids on a budget. I wanted the dress to be beautiful, sophisticated, comfy, wearable more than once, liked by all – and budget friendly.

This was not an easy task as several big-named stores were carrying dresses from anywhere to $50 – $300+. While $50 was more manageable, the dresses were very plain and hard to come by in every size.

I spent months looking online trying to find dresses that could work, but I was leery of these websites and their return policy. While their prices were often cheaper, I wanted to find something even more budget friendly and less risky (girls always need a good return policy as a backup!).

Like many things in life, good things come to those who wait (and often unexpectedly). One of my favorite stores to shop is the good ol’ JCPenney. They’ve been around awhile, and in my experience, they have a good return policy too. (Many bridal stores do not). Anywho – I knew that JCP had bridal/bridesmaid apparel, and I attempted to check out what was in stock. I found that the bridesmaid dresses were typically on the more affordable scale, but they still did not fit my ‘real budget friendly’ category.

I decided to go “outside the box” and look at JCP’s everyday dress stock. I narrowed my search results by the color I was searching for, and I arranged the results by the lowest to highest price. Many of the search results turned up to be possible contenders and I picked two of my favorite choices. I logged onto Facebook and sent the dress link to all of my bridesmaids.

All of my ladies said “Yes!” to the dress!

Here’s a breakdown of the categories:
Beautiful: √
Sophisticated: √
Comfy: √
Wearable more than once: √
Liked by all: √
Budget friendly: √ (After the $10 off coupon, the pre-tax total of the dress was $30!)

This isn’t my bridesmaid dress — they no longer carry it online or in the store- however, this dress is somewhat similar.

The total my ladies spent on their dresses was equivalent to the amount that I spent on one bridesmaid dress. While I can’t wear my old bridesmaid dress again, I am proud to say that these ladies will have many opportunities to look fabulous in the future!

As a Budget Savvy Bride, I take pride in the fact that I am stretching others budgets further, too.

Blessings to you,

Kelsey Scarbrough

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Favorite Links + Things: June 7, 2013

Jessica Bishop — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 19:13:23 +0000

Happy Friday lovelies! It’s a rainy, nasty mess here in NY which is kind of a downer, but the good news is the weekend is supposed to be nice My hubs is settling into his new job and we are still casually looking at apartments. We’ve decided not to get too serious about it until we know for sure our townhouse in Nashville gets rented out again at the end of July. Here’s hoping the whole process goes smoothly! Otherwise, I have been buried in wedding invitation orders for my other business, Jessica Bishop Paperie – lots of fall weddings and lots of destination brides! Very exciting. I hope you all have had a wonderful week, here’s some posts that caught my eye on the interwebs this week:

Gorgeous rustic wedding inspiration in the form of this rehearsal dinner over on Snippet & Ink!
Loving the laid back southern ranch feel to this gorgeous wedding, also from S&I!
Obsessed with this hot air balloon engagement shoot over on Glamour & Grace.
Super dreamy ombre pink ranch wedding over on Bridal Musings. Love!
Great rustic wedding Etsy roundup over on Rustic Wedding Chic!

annnnnnd just for fun… two random YouTube videos that I couldn’t get enough of:

Lyin’ Gosling – Detroit man impersonates Ryan Gosling and tons of people fall for it. Hilarious!
The cutest puppy doing all kinds of crazy tricks.

Michaels will be hosting a free Happily Ever After Wedding event and demonstration on Saturday June 15, from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. at all local Michaels locations. Wedding experts will be demonstrating do-it-yourself tulle sashes and hairpieces and will also be available to advise brides–to-be on the latest wedding trends. Wedding invitations, reception décor and favors will also be on display for inspiration.

Nordstrom Gowns for brides, bridesmaids & moms up 10% Cash Back
J. Crew Plan your Wedding with the Wedding and Parties Collection +9% Cash Back
Planning a beach wedding? Here’s something your groom won’t want to miss: Cubavera Receive 40% Off 5+ items for your Wedding +3% Cash Back
Ann’s Bridal Bargain discount wedding invites and accessories +4 Cash Back
Marha Pullen 15% off everything +5% Cash Back Learn heirloom sewing and techniques (shop patterns, fabrics, craft tools etc)
More can’t miss wedding coupons

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

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Keeping it in the Family

Ashley Catherine — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:57:12 +0000

My fiancé made an extremely budget-friendly decision with my engagement ring. How? He didn’t buy it! Unknown to me at the time Tom had started shopping around for rings just after the second holiday season we shared as a couple. But he also made a point to let his parents know what he was up to.

His mother was the one to suggest the ring he proposed to me with. It is a vintage art-deco style engagement ring from the 1920s featuring a single mine-cut diamond. The ring belonged to her great-aunt, a dancer with the famous Martha Graham dance troupe. It started out as an engagement ring but was passed along to women in the family as a piece of heirloom jewelry.

When Tom proposed to me with this ring I was surprised at how beautiful and yet unconventional looking it was. I like to call it my Great Gatsby ring! I had honestly expected something like a traditional diamond solitaire. But I love that it’s different and that it belonged to his family, the family I will now be a part of. The ring is extra special because Tom’s mother picked it out with me in mind, and she passed away from cancer shortly after we became engaged. Every time I look at the ring I am reminded of her.

One potential downside to the ring is that some of its most unique features are along the sides, underneath where the diamond sits. Placing a wedding band next to it would obscure these details. For this reason and others I’ve decided I will not wear my engagement ring on the same hand as my eventual wedding band. Instead I’ll move it to the ring finger on my right hand where it can shine on its own! My stepmother did this with her engagement ring. Another reason for doing this is that I’d like for my wedding band to share a similar design to my fiance’s (I know this is not necessary but I like the idea a lot). And while my engagement ring is a lovely white gold, Tom prefers yellow gold. So our wedding bands will either be yellow gold or in my case incorporate some yellow gold. I don’t plan on having any stones set in my wedding band.

Do you have an antique or vintage engagement or wedding ring? Was your ring passed along in the family?

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