PW Guide Article: Budget Savvy Bride: Having it all for Less

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great post!! you included some great advice! We went with TJs wine, too! It definitely saved us a bundle. you didn't say how much the whole shebang cost you though? :)

Where did you find tobacco cloth? I've looked all over online and am not finding a source.

Hi jbrooks-

Our florist got our tobacco cloth for us! I know in KY it was quite easy to find at any farm supply store. Muslin cloth (which is also cheap) is a great substitute.

budgetsavvybride- glad you liked the post! TJ's wine is always a lifesaver. We would have clocked in at just over $10,000, but my mom insisted on using an incredibly expensive florist and then she wanted to spend the extra $1,500 on really nice port-a-pots (the trailer kind with A/C!). The band being inexpensive, having the iPod kick on after the band, providing our own alcohol, and not spending a fortune on wedding clothes probably saved us the most money.

To this day, I have no idea how much our florist cost, but I think that a local florist could've done something similar for much cheaper that would've looked great with our antique copper pots and kettles. Having the unique pots, etc. for the florals made them very unique and so even simple flowers arranged in them would've looked much more upscale than a typical floral arrangement. Lots of work to gather all the receptacles together from family for the florist and caterer (she arranged the food and drinks in antique copper pots and copper trays), but completely worth it for the whole look and free!

I see that you haven't responded so maybe you're in wedding bliss.  If you get a chance can you share a pic of your invites.  I was thinking along those lines...just needed some inspiration.  Thanks!

I was wondering how much did you spend on your entire wedding ? My fiance and I are trying to figured out our budget.  its tough because we live in FL and we plan on having our wedding in Malibu, CA

I love everything about your wedding ;)  You would think Pennsylvania or certain parts of New Jersey would have more barns for rent.  I just love how wide open and rustic the barn is and how chic and sophisticated it is decorated.

I love your rustic wedding, it's my fave type of wedding. I would love to have the same look & feel.....

I've been searching for Barns for rent in Cincinnati/Northern Ky for a while. I can't find one. I know there are Barns Everywhere. I guess it helps to know someone with a Barn lol. I'll keep looking!

WHEN was your wedding? What time of year? I live in Cincinnati & weather is nearly unpredictable.

love your ideas. Daughteer getting married outdoors at small intimate winery om patio against an oak tree hillside. The natural beauty is the majority of the decor. Might hang some paprt lanterns.There is a waterfall and arbor. We are using little bottles and blue Mason jars for the flowers on tables, postcard invites, bagpipes to announce the bride and to announce the married couple, a variety of homemade deserts on vintage cake stands instead of one big expensive cake.  IPOD music. The couple wants guests to feel free to move around and mingle not shavkled to the chair because of caterers. Looking to have the BBQ or some other kind of comfort food as it is purposely between lunch and dinner to save $$...agree that photographer costs are well worth the final product. Years form now they will get great joy to share them andnobody will be missing the surf and turf we did not have, At my own wedding I splurged on sprays of flowers and the bus boys got a large Saraon Wrap roll and we let the ladies take them home- It was a great idea!

shrimp and grits bar =  awesome idea!