Creative Venues

When I hear the prices that are being paid to use event venues I cringe. Really cringe. Is it really necessary to spend that kind of money to have a memorable wedding? 

I don't think so. But what are the options? 

Well... look for public spaces that don't cater to just weddings. Look for the local recreation centers, the churches, the rotary club hall. Really! I was at a wedding reception held in a rotary club. It was a lovely old building and the reception was very sweet. This photo is at my friends Jordan and Elmaire's wedding at our local recreation center. Elmarie did a fantastic job creating a lovely decor in a simple space. And... since we live in Colorado, the views were fantastic (sorry to rub it in, but it's true)! 

We looked at a rec. center to have Joel and Gwen's wedding in Boulder. It too had a beautiful view. The plus is the cost. Much cheaper. The minus, you have to do more work. Most place don't provide linens, dishes etc. so you have to consider those costs into your total. 

However, in searching out options for another wedding we made a new discovery! Turns out, if you are a current student or alumni you can get deals when renting their event spaces. In our case, half off! Well worth looking into. 

A New Series

I have some news! Last week I told you I was going to start another series, and I'd like to introduce that to you now.

Meet Marybeth And Ben. This couple is very special to me for one simple reason...Marybeth is my beloved daughter, and Ben is my beloved soon-to-be son-in-law. AND they got engaged yesterday!!

He proposed in front of a 9'  Steinway piano after singing her a song he composed (what else for couple of music majors?).

And the wedding is approaching soon, August 8th to be exact. And this is what I am planning to do; I want to take you along as we make decisions and choices about their special day. I hope it will help you, if you are doing (or planning to do) the same thing. 

It will be pretty, but it will also be simple. That's the way we are, we don't like it too over-done. But mostly I hope my daughter and son-in-law remember it as a day of wonderful memories surrounded by the people they love. A great way to start a marriage.  

So, look for upcoming posts about what we accomplished along the way. I won't be able to show you everything (we want that to be a surprise for the wedding day), but I will TELL as much as I can!!

Wedding Remnants

This bucket has been sitting on a table in the basement since March. It is the last visible evidence that we had a wedding this winter. I am waiting for my kids to go through it and decide what to keep. Doesn't exactly look like wedding attire, but it was. 

Gwen and Joel wanted a photo booth at the wedding. So, on November 1st (think post-holiday) we scavenged the Halloween stores for all things photo booth-ish. Hats, boas, Harry Potter glasses, they all made it into the bucket. All were purchased at 50-75% off. Cheap. 

And here's the proof that it was worth the effort.

(My youngest in his element. My oldest and some of his sisters, incognito)

Guest Post

Wow, what an honor to be asked to share on one of my favorite blogs, Design Mom. Gabrielle Blair, the awesome mom who writes the blog, is currently doing a series I wrote on frugal weddings.

I met Gabrielle through my daughter-in-law, Gwen. The two of them are partners at Kirtsy. Gwen gets the credit for getting things moving on the guest blog (without my kids I probably would not even be ON THE WEB!), and it was fun sharing some of what I have learned over the years. 

So please let me know what you think of the series over there... AND I am looking forward to sharing a new series with you HERE in a few weeks. (I'll keep you in suspense for a bit though!!).

Wedding Planner

Looking for a good book to help with wedding planning? Here's my favorite, for good reason.

Real Simple Weddings is full of practical, clearly presented ideas. It's logically presented, and includes great organizing tools. It has just enough pretty photos to fill our "pretty photo" need while being free of too much "fluff". It's the only one I recommend... Real Simple.

Keeping Your Head While Sharing Your Heart

Who doesn't love a beautiful wedding? (OK, my husband doesn't count). For most of us, when we think of weddings our minds go to thoughts of romance, beauty, joy and celebration. And for good reason, that's what weddings are suppose to be. But too often most newly engaged couples face wedding planning with a cold sweat. It can be full of tension, and worry.

 

As a wedding planner I can say the reason for the tension often comes down to two things:  not establishing your priorities, and lack of organization. This blog is dedicated to helping those planning a wedding to think through priorities, plan smart, get creative, and keep the peace. It is also my desire to make this a place for sharing frugal tips, especially those found in the Denver metro area. Let me know what you have found, and I'll pass on the good news!

Oh, and I hope we have some fun along the way. Anyone want to share a good wedding disaster story?

(Curious about the photo at top? It's my fantastic family. My handsome husband, seven children, and my new daughter-in-law. Call me crazy, but they're the reason I can plan a wedding without getting uptight. Good training!)