Sunday, November 22, 2009

Vendors!



I am actually going to keep this post short (hopefully) as I get close to finishing my wedding recaps. But vendors be wise! Be the over so bride on a budget I had to really hunt and research vendors. I was able to either really good deals or negotiate for what was affordable for us.

Some vendors I found through good ole trusty craigslist, but be warned some folks are crazy and some folks are gems in disguise!

As you know my cake was made by Amber (www.1bakemeacake.blogspot.com)in Cecil County, MD. Amber was fantastic and her prices were amazing! So my advice look for your up and coming "stars" but know your research. Have an idea of flavors,styles,designs and cake stand choices.

Location, Location, Location! I hunted for months for a location and either the cost was a factor or possbilities of moving our date and yada yada, in the long run, we have to amazing locations. One The Patterson Park Baptist Church in Patterson Park, Which A is amazing! It is this gorgeous Spanish style church, that def, went with our theme of a Tiffany Vintage wedding. Because we are very active in the community, the Pastor was kind enough to host everything for FREE! Which was amazing I might add.

Our Reception Venue, also amazing, was a church hall. This church hall is in a Historic Part of Baltimore and it too is also a Historic Church. I used to be a Community Organizer and actually used the church for many many activities. So I contacted them in hopes of an inexpensive venue and low and behold they allowed me to use the space including their chairs, tables, staff person help and it was all under $100, you say what!!! Saint Johns in the Village was just stunning and of course it helped with the budget!

*So Advice for those on a budget really consider your neighborhood,your friends, family etc... put the pedal to the medal and really do leg work on who can help you.


Last bit of advice on vendors, as I mentioned a few times, do the leg work and the research in getting the best price especially if you are on a budget. I bet you are wondering what my total budget spent was huh ? :)


So here are a few photos to enjoy!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

and they ate cake



My husband and I are both fairly picky eaters, well to be exact I am picky and he picks everything else off my plate. When it came time to decide on a cake I knew this time around exactly what I wanted.



Design wise, something simple and elgant, not a whole lot of fuss, but something that looks good on a white vintage cake stand. Flavor wise, no Fondant, I wanted the cake to not just look good but to taste delish! Now we both looove carrot cake and chocolate cake and lemon cake, but we wanted to also be considerate to what our guest might enjoy.


So KISS (keep it simple stupid) We went with a 2 tier cake, top layer vanilla and bottom tier chocolate with no filling, with buttercream and by far it was the best tasting wedding cake ever. I even took pieces to work after the fact and people loooved it. We did decide to freeze a slice and save it for our anniversary next year.

Cake table decorations, I made I Do Letters in our colors and went back and forth on Cake Servers. I had actually purchased two sets, one set was a cheap set cause I really couldn't find what I wanted. The last set was purchased the year before at a yard sale and low in behold after some last minute research and they ended up being an expensive set like crazy expensive.

Oh the baker I forgot to mention was fab, she was local, well local to her area and about an hour from us. To save us on cost we, meaning I, picked up the cake, she even planned my drive and how I drive in making sure, she Prepped the cake for me. She built a lip in the box so that even if the cake slid it wouldn't mess it up. So the delivery (me driving at 90 to make it home in time) the cake was safe and not destroyed!

I loved our cake and because we had so much left over we are still currently eating a slice or two!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Sugar Doll Award


I have been granted the Sugar Doll Award for my posting on Blogger Brides, so here are the instructions,Post the award on your site, write 10 interesting things about yourself, and then pass it on to 10 other bloggers.

1. I love to Dance! I have a background in Hip Hop and have danced semi professional with a local team

2.I am currently training to audition for a local cheer and dance team

3. I got a new car this year and hello I loooove it! ( its obsessive)
4. I have three dogs and am itching for another one or a kitten will do as well
5. I work for a non profit and really want to run for city council but I am running for a neighborhood association position
6. I love crafts and arts
7. Makeup, I am addicted to makeup all makeup
8. I am an eco nut, recycle please!
9. I sing in my car loudly!
10. Oh and I love Glee!

I regift this award to: Atlanta Bride, Sony, Heather N Will, Road to the Aisle,Emily,Bicoastal bride, Nick and Nat and there is so many.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Time Lines and Schedules, say what!


Yes in the beginning I had a beautiful completed schedule but due to my crazy family, friends and everyone in between, I was only able to get twos off prior to the wedding, hello crazy, yes, I know. But with last minute changes and additions, my day surely did not go as planned.

Here is my original schedule:

9am Awake,Shower,Wash Hair
10am Do Hair and Nails
11am Pick up flowers
12Noon Brunch with groom and groomsmen
1pm Relax Organize Bridal Accessories
2pm Bridesmaids arrive
3pm Decorate Hall
4pm Back home (yes I planned on it only taking an hour to decorate)
5pm Get dress
6pm At the Church
6:30 MARRIED!

Well needless to say that was far from how my day went.My day actually went like this:

6am Awake,Shower,Wash Hair
7am Do Hair
8am Pick Up Flowers
9am Attempt to wake groom and groomsmen(they apparently had a long party night)
10am Another attempt and last attempt before I make threats (watch out now!)
11am Breakfast with Groom and groomsmen
12Noon pick up additional ties for Best Man who had a change in clothes and one who had no shirt)
1pm Pick up sound system because the halls system broke! (Say What!)
2pm On the road to pick up cake, which ended up being almost an hour away
3pm Pick up cake
4pm Back home, haul tail to go decorate
5pm Finally back home, rush to get dress
6pm Still haven't left
6:30pm finally at the church
7pm MARRIED!

So lesson here ladies allow for craziness to happen and ask for help or demand help when you have no help

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Boys


Now that I mentioned what I wore, what about the guys, the dudes, the gents. Well being the budget savvy bride and lady that I am, My husband actually already had a great suit, (he's an electrician so he never wears a suit) we added a new shirt, new shoes, vest and tie.

Once we picked out a great tie for the hubby, which had to have some pattern and match the guys and have similar colors to the girls dresses. We were able to pick out solid tiffany blue ties (which also doubled as a gift for all of the guys) for all of the gents with matching white shirts. They each also wore there own suits as well.

They also received a white rose boutinere. Easy and in-expensive way of dressing the guys. I think they look pretty daper right :) Well except the one in the red shirt, long story!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Let the Recaps begin!


Hi Folks, So I am back after a much needed and hopefully deserved break/mini vacation. I finally got some pictures back so starting today and the next blogs to come I will re-caping the big day.

SO one area I can def. re-cap would be the gown, if you are following my blog on here or on my personal blog you will know I was having major gown issues even up and til the day before (Yikes, is all I can) My lovely gown originally purchased a yr ago for our first wedding no longer fit about a month prior to the wedding, with quick and novice fingers, I went to the web looking for inexpensive, but still wow worthy gown to wear to replace it.

Well I was in luck and came across Craigslist you know where all of us brides on a severe budget go to look for vendors and up and coming folks to help us out. Well I came across a gorgeous back up dress, took one look at it, and the price and said oh I must have. Well with my luck it didn't fit, this dress was way tooo big and there was not enough time in the world to have it altered.


So leading up to the Friday before (yes the day before the wedding) my first day off from work ( oddly enough I couldn't get any days off really, lovely folks aren't they, but I'll touch on that later) rushed off to a last minute store I knew of called Shingar. Which is this great Indian Store, that happened to have prom dresses and WEDDING DRESSES. I looked through many and finally came across the dress. Not as fussy as my first dress but still simple, gorgeous, elegant and just oh I was ready to wear it. Now if I had thought to go there first, this would have been a huge savings in my wedding budget.

My dress originally was worth over $500 but with my quick and nible fingers I found on Ebay for $150 less. The new gown purchased was purchased for under $200 now you can't beat that and it was quality made, no pushing sales ladies and it will keep for years!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

ReCaps

Recaps are on their way I promise. As of right now I am in the process of editing a few photos as well as hopefully getting some thank you cards out. But I promise I will be back to blog and give you the recap that you deserve~

Till then

Smooches!