The Hawaii Bride: Recessionistas’ Wedding

Kristina, The Hawaii Bride, has a ton of diy tips and advice for you today... Happy Monday!

I have just gotten used to this amusing new idiom that seems to be flung around every which way expressing both whimsy and woe. On a serious note, we hear about the recession daily: layoffs and pay cuts are splattered across newspaper headlines; businesses and shops continue closing their doors. We're living through a pretty tragic time. But, for the newly-engaged, this misfortune is exponentially worse. Weddings, traditionally, have been a time for indulgence and splurging. Now, it seems we need to nip every nickel and say goodbye to that lavish wedding of our dreams… or do we?

Lucky for the modern bride, it seems that wedding styles have moved in a refreshing direction. Venues are open and airy, themes are more organic and green, materials are sustainable. This need to be frugal is actually a wonderful challenge to be inventive and unique. As I was perusing one of our favorite wedding blogs, 100 layer cake, I found a Sacramento couple, Lisa and Geoff, who embody this creative mantra. This is truly the ULTIMATE Do-It-Yourself Wedding. The couple actually made EVERYTHING including the wedding dress, bridesmaids’ outfits, and even the cake-toppers. AMAZING!

Bride Lisa actually designed and hand made her wedding dress – complete with a layered, colorful tulle underlay – and hair pieces. Did I mention she is a photographer and designer herself?

Mustache mania! A little imagination can generate the most distinctive and memorable photos. Check out the handmade bridesmaid dresses.

What a happy couple. The bride wore the cutest be-ribboned red heels for the ceremony. But, I LOVE that she changed into these adorable yellow ballet flats!

You should definitely check out the rest of Lisa and Geoff’s unbelievable DIY wedding.

Besides being ultra-creative and designing a lot of the wedding yourself, there are other ways to keep you from breaking the bank. In fact, the Honolulu Advertiser online recently had an article about smart wedding budgeting. Some of the ingenious tips, perfect for the progressive bride, included:

· Getting married on a weekday or Sunday when reception site rents are lower

· Choosing an off-peak month, especially in Hawaii where the weather is beautiful throughout the year

· Outdoor spaces like parks, clubhouses, or your friend’s beautiful backyard are all less expensive, more imaginative, and much more personal than a generic hotel ballroom

· Save on postage by having guests e-mail their RSVPs – who wouldn’t be happy to save a couple trees (and dollars)

· Serve brunch or lunch instead of dinner OR make it a buffet or stations. A cocktail reception is chic and cheaper

Although I didn’t have this great article to follow for my planning, I did end up using many of the ideas and everything turned out beautifully. So, Recessionista’s, Plan On! And have a great rest of your week!

Thanks for stopping by today, Kristina!

pacific wedding guide
The guide to planning your destination wedding in the Pacific

Lisa and Geoff's wedding photos were taken by a very talented Sacramento photographer, Sarah Maren.

Top Tips to Save Money

With the average wedding now costing $30,000, many couples are now looking for ways to have a ‘celebrity’ stylish wedding, without the celebrity price tag. We’ve pulled together some top tips to help you create your dream wedding on a shoestring budget.

1. Wedding Venue Cost Saving Tip
Many community halls, golf and RSL clubs have suitable rooms available for a fraction of the price. The trick is to see past the existing décor and imagine it sprinkled with hundreds of fairy lights or candles – think of Ross’s wedding in London on the hit show Friends that Rachel ruined!

If you’ve found the wedding venue of your dreams, but it looks as if it will be out of your budget, don’t despair. Many venues offer significant discounts for mid-week or ‘out of season’ weddings which can run into thousands of dollars.

2. Food Budget Cost Saving Tip
There are lots of ways to cut back on your food budget, and still have a memorable day. Selecting a venue where you can bring in your own caterers is often a much better value than using the existing venue catering. You can even go as far as preparing all the food yourself, though be careful of taking too much.

If you don’t have a choice about which caterer you use, there are still ways that you can trim your spending costs. Try replacing the starter course with canapés, instead of having both. Or, replace dessert with your wedding cake – so often wedding cake gets forgotten about because guests have already had so much to eat.

A new idea that brides are buzzing about is the wedding ‘cheese’ cake. Literally, it is three slabs of cheese turned into a wedding cake for that special ‘cutting of the cake’ photograph and ceremony. Why not combine the two instead of having a separate cheese and cake course? Or serve this with crackers, chutney and pate for your evening guests?

3. Booze Budget Cost Saving Tip
The ideal in this instance is to use a venue where you can bring your own booze. I was lucky enough to be able to do this at our wedding and managed to pop across to Hunter Valley and buy 180 bottles of wine and 240 beers, for under $1,000. We had stacks left and our guests were restricted to beer, wine or soft drinks, but no one seemed to mind.

Another option is to come to an arrangement with the hotel regarding corkage. A friend got married in a hotel, which charged $20 per bottle of wine. She arranged a flat fee of $500 for all of her beer and wine opening. Although it seems like a lot, it meant that she could afford to supply beer and wine for her guests.

Let us know whether you have any other cost-saving ideas.

Top Tips to Save Money

With the average wedding now costing $30,000, many couples are now looking for ways to have a ‘celebrity’ stylish wedding, without the celebrity price tag. We’ve pulled together some top tips to help you create your dream wedding on a shoestring budget.

1. Wedding Venue Cost Saving Tip
Many community halls, golf and RSL clubs have suitable rooms available for a fraction of the price. The trick is to see past the existing décor and imagine it sprinkled with hundreds of fairy lights or candles – think of Ross’s wedding in London on the hit show Friends that Rachel ruined!

If you’ve found the wedding venue of your dreams, but it looks as if it will be out of your budget, don’t despair. Many venues offer significant discounts for mid-week or ‘out of season’ weddings which can run into thousands of dollars.

2. Food Budget Cost Saving Tip
There are lots of ways to cut back on your food budget, and still have a memorable day. Selecting a venue where you can bring in your own caterers is often a much better value than using the existing venue catering. You can even go as far as preparing all the food yourself, though be careful of taking too much.

If you don’t have a choice about which caterer you use, there are still ways that you can trim your spending costs. Try replacing the starter course with canapés, instead of having both. Or, replace dessert with your wedding cake – so often wedding cake gets forgotten about because guests have already had so much to eat.

A new idea that brides are buzzing about is the wedding ‘cheese’ cake. Literally, it is three slabs of cheese turned into a wedding cake for that special ‘cutting of the cake’ photograph and ceremony. Why not combine the two instead of having a separate cheese and cake course? Or serve this with crackers, chutney and pate for your evening guests?

3. Booze Budget Cost Saving Tip
The ideal in this instance is to use a venue where you can bring your own booze. I was lucky enough to be able to do this at our wedding and managed to pop across to Hunter Valley and buy 180 bottles of wine and 240 beers, for under $1,000. We had stacks left and our guests were restricted to beer, wine or soft drinks, but no one seemed to mind.

Another option is to come to an arrangement with the hotel regarding corkage. A friend got married in a hotel, which charged $20 per bottle of wine. She arranged a flat fee of $500 for all of her beer and wine opening. Although it seems like a lot, it meant that she could afford to supply beer and wine for her guests.

Let us know whether you have any other cost-saving ideas.