My Trip Down the Aisle ♥

I’m back to blogging! :D 

Life has been a bit hectic - between working & whatnot. Updates:

• We chose our location & have been working AIMLESSLY towards plans.
• I HAVE MY WEDDING DRESS!
• Our bridesmaids finally agreed on a dress
• I HAVE MY WEDDING DRESS!
• I signed up for our first registry!
• Favors
• Invites
• Save the Dates
• Preliminary Guest List!

My list of things to do: 

• Flowers
• Music
• Photography
• Make- up artist
• Hair Stylist
• Shoes, Veils & Undergarments
• Cake Tasting
• Vows
• Marriage License
• Blood Test
• Seating Arrangement 

Hope to keep you entertained!! 

I kind of stopped myself from planning the wedding & let it sit on the back burner while I worked on working & being in school & doing what usually happens.. living. 

We’re coming down on a year til the wedding and, as my luck would have it, Nick will be deploying for 6 months soon. Joy. But, with every negative thing must come a positive thing. My parents agreed to split the bill which takes a load off of my chest since it definitely didn’t fit within my budget range.  

Little by little, you’ll see me post here. I may do a weekly thing, maybe bi-weekly. Whatever will keep me AWAY from Facebook. 

Remember, I am always up for comments & questions! 

Sash xoxo

 

Dear Tumblr babes & boos. 

So, since it’s been a while.. I feel I have a whole bunch to catch up on. 

Unfortunately, my $20k budget for the wedding won’t be met. The location alone ( which happens to be where the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner & dance is) came out to well above $20,000 BUT the good news is :::

• I have created new savings plans 
• I have managed to cut out the need for a limo & unnecessary photography. 
• I managed to pick one of the best locations that offers a hotel & a Presidential Suite for Nick and I. 
• I have everything as far as food for the cocktail hour, champagne, open bar, wedding cake, dinner menus, wedding ceremony details, hotel arrangements, timed schedules & centerpiece placements. 
•  I GET MARRIED IN A GAZEBO! My dream <3 

Like our entry in the contest <3 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=283480831710074&set=a.281901135201377.66956.267015020023322&type=1

- You have to “like” the page & then our picture! 

Thankssss

I was told by a very good friend - not to bother with ANY bridal books or planning books because it’d get you distracted & dreaming of things that you really won’t need or have at your wedding. For the most part, I agree.. One of the books Nick got me scared the life out of me and made me feel like I was VERY unprepared! 

After a while, well.. after realizing that I didn’t really need to incorporate EVERYTHING, I took a better look at the books and started “taking it apart”, so to speak, so that I would be able to use the ideas that I wanted and KNEW I’d use rather than things that sounded and looked pretty.

 There are TWO books that I HIGHLY suggest ANY bride on a budget get: 

A. Bridal Bargains by Denise & Alan Fields - this couple takes the popular, story book wedding and TELLS you different ways to get it, different ways to do it - IF you do it at all. Their ideas are GENIUS!

B. Plan the Perfect Wedding on Small Budget by Elizabeth & Alex Lluch — this book contains 10 exemplar weddings all under 10,000$. Freakin G E N I U S. 

And just for kicks, get yourselves 

C. A Bride’s Book by Marsha Heckman 

& 

D. The Big Book for your Big Day : The Wedding Book by Mindy Weiss 

Reason ? I’ll give you a few ;) 

a. They help you organize EVERY SINGLE DETAIL TO A  T

b. They offer different approaches ( Heckman)

c. They offer seating arrangements, table arrangements, etiquette, list of jobs for specific people in the bridal parties, dress styles, bouquet styles & SOO MUCH MORE.

— Sasha over & out ;; I’m pooped =)

639 days til I walk down the aisle & say I do!

Since Nick proposed, I’ve been looking for ideas, gaps, & so much more on how to save money and not end up with a 2093509237498324729034723987 $ wedding.. if that’s even possible. People get so carried away! You don’t need a fondue fountain, candy carts or ice carvings. 

So, I put together a list of things that may be helpful! Enjoy !!

Songs:

• Find a jar or a box ANYWHERE & when there is a song you like put a given amount ( your choice ). Every time it plays, put money in there. When a song you DON’T like the song - force yourself to hear it & reward yourself by putting a given amount ( maybe double of what you put for the song you like) in the jar. I read of a couple who saved up 6,000$ within a year, they had a whole playlist!

Cursing:

• This may help or hinder you to be honest - lol. With the same technique as the songs - place a price for every curse word you KNOW you use. Every time you say it, mark it down or put that to the side. I won’t tell you how much I’ve saved ;) lol..

Working out:

• Your biggest goal when working out is how you look in your wedding dress.. yes? Well, your dress is also to be gorgeous. So every time you work out, push yourself, or try something new - pay yourself. Reward yourself for a job well done!

Goals:

• Set a daily goal(s) and a weekly goal(s) - every time you complete one, give up a set price. When you don’t get it done - give it up! Twice the size!

On top of these goals, put $5-$10-$20 dollars in there a day, if you can.. 

If you put in 5 a day, that’s 35/week — 140/month ; & 840 in 6 months

If you put in 10 a day, that’s 70/ week —280/month ; & 1680 in 6 months

If you put in 20 a day, that’s 140/week — 560/month ; & 3360 in 6 months

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE ! 

I’ve been stressing the Wedding Invites .. Like.. nuts. I have so many people that I HAVE to invite & then there’s a list of people that are under a “Big Maybe” ( literally, BIG MAYBE). & it’s so hard to narrow down. 

I was told by a friend to not even bother setting a limit but to make sure that I’m not inviting people who I haven’t spoken to. She went so far as to suggest that if these people weren’t present BEFORE the announcement of our engagement - to not bother inviting them after. 

If you are planning your wedding & find that your guest list is struggling -do the following: 

• Before even thinking about a number, write down the people that come to mind when you think of your wedding. 
• First and foremost, it should be FAMILY. Family should always come first. Then, come the friends. Friends should be your closest. Not people who like your Facebook status’ or send you a general text saying “happy bday”. Chances are if they are that cheap with a birthday message, they’ll be cheaper when it comes to welcoming this new, exciting stepping stone in your life. 
• Decide whether or not you want children to attend. Certainly, the flower girl(s) & ring bearer have to be there - but there is nothing wrong with you wanting it to be an all adult thing,. Personally, I invited children. It’s a way to welcome and bless your marriage - with the old & the young. Just a thought though. 
• Divide the list : DEFINITE invites, POSSIBLE invites, & ( literally ) “If I have to” invites. Which makes sense if you think about it. There are going to be a lot of people on your list that go under the latter because they are family members & friends that you haven’t seen in months, even years, and you cannot feel guilty. There is nothing wrong with being frugal & logical. 
• When sending out invites - send to the possibles that you know WILL make it. 
• Remember, couples get one invite - let them know that they are BOTH invited. No Guests attending is needed here. 
• For those that are single, indicate whether or not they are allowed to bring a guest. Remember to keep that thought when making the list. In fact, you are better off asking if they would like to bring a date. 

After the venue is set, your hardest feat is narrowing down the guest list. Remember you ONLY want the people who have supported your relationship from the beginning, those who TRULY matter & those who YOU know will be there and make your special day .. one to remember <3

Flowers:

I decided that I don’t need a whole bunch of flower arrangements, nor do I need them to be done for me.. While my wedding is a little over a year and a half away — there is nothing wrong with being firm on my wants.

I’ll be buying vases from Ikea - different sizes and shapes.. & I’ll be putting at tops 5-6 flowers in each vase. I urge for simplicity… Besides, these vases serve great purpose when Nick and I move into our own place :) 

Because I plan to do everything hands-on and throughout the week leading up to our wedding — it’s simple. Vases + flowers = hit. Simple. Elegant. Ta-da. 

Bouquets: 

Each bridesmaid gets to pick their signature colors — because it’s a fall wedding & the colors are very simple on the invites, coasters, table settings, envelope seals & so forth .. they get to design everything, however they want. My parents suggested I just pay someone to get it done.. but I think it’d be a cute idea for the girls and I to share this moment <3 

What do you guys think ? 

So, most people think I’m crazy when I say this, because let’s face it .. it is very rare- but I’d like spend no more than 20,000 on this wedding & that’s pushing it. Fact of the matter is - venues alone are a good 8-12k.. everything else is added by intricacy, details, specific nutty things —-

When I got down to it.. people spend a crap ton on photos, wedding favors, food & flowers. Something I don’t want to do. I don’t need to waste wedding favors that sit and collect dusts & flowers that will unfortunately be thrown away. Food & photography are inevitable - good food is needed & memories must be captured!

I spoke to a friend who did her wedding in the same location that I am considering & she spend 35,000$.. no can do. 

Let’s see how far this gets :T

648 days until Nick & I say “I do” <3