Being A Bride On A Budget by Rachael

Rachael is a new contributor who has a passion for writing, her family, living in NYC, and anything that has to do with art. Follow her @livealittleNYC. Rachael will be posting regularly on ways to save you money on your big day.

Being a Bride on a Budget

When you are planning a wedding, it can feel like the costs pile up quickly. There are, however, a number of different ways to save money throughout the entire wedding planning process.

Firstly, set a budget! Make sure it includes absolutely everything – dress, invitations, photographer, florist, rings – everything. Begin to do some online research to get ideas on how much things cost in your area. If any family is going to help with costs, make sure that is included in the budget as well. Once the budget is set, it is important to stick to it. If something is going to require more money than originally planned, then you will need to cut from another area. As harsh as this may sound, it is key to not start off your new life with a pile of debt.

Check out the bridal shows within your area on www.BridesClub.com. Signing up for one of these shows will save time, and possibly money. You will have the opportunity to meet with several different local vendors in one convenient location. Additionally, there are often great coupons and special deals for those who attend the shows.

Make sure no matter what you need to order, you always shop around. For example, if you are going to get fresh flowers, talk to several different florists let them know you are getting multiple quotes. Make sure they give you their best possible price. And no matter what, don’t be pressured into spending more than your budget allows.

Don’t forget to shop online. There are always great deals to be had when you order items from the Internet. For example, if you are going to do save the date cards, check out Wedding Paper Divas. They have a variety of different options that can fit any budget.

Make sure you look at different stores to register for gifts. This will serve multiple purposes. Firstly, it will help those who want to purchase gifts for you and your fiancé. Secondly, many stores offer incentives for registering with them.  Crate and Barrel offers 10 % off any remaining items on your wedding registry after your wedding date. They also offer free invitation inserts to let your guests know exactly where you are registered. Williams Sonoma offers multiple wedding registry incentives, including free bonus gifts, thank you note card management, cooking class discounts, and 10 % off purchases for six months after your wedding day.

There are many items that end up in a wedding day budget. By staying organized and doing some research, you can certainly save a lot of money and be sure to stay on budget.

A New Venue To Consider...

So, after the previous post in relation to finding a venue online, I thought it best to create a post about a new venue we are considering!

Moorland Garden Hotel, near Plymouth. 

This venue is stunning, although of course this is based on the online images and assumptions. 

As we are going for a vintage theme, it is important for me to select somewhere that is elegant and simple, yet can be transformed into my dream venue. It is close enough to Plymouth to allow easy travel for family, but far enough away to include the wonderful Dartmoor views!

The venue offers several package options, with a complimentary bridal suite and selected menus. 

They can also hold your civil ceremony and have rooms to hold from 20-160(approximate) guests. 

After completing the online contact form, the next morning I received a paper brochure, along with a general letter detailing what the venue has to offer, and a personal note in relation to my enquiry. 

A big plus for us is that they also have pet - friendly rooms within the hotel, meaning that Ruby can still be included!

The brochure was beautifully laid out, with matching headed paper for the letters and a lovely envelope. (It's the little things that make it!)

I will update more after we have viewed the venue over the next few weeks!

How To Find A Venue Online

Venues!

We love to loathe looking for one don't we?

So far, it has been an absolute nightmare to find something that is close enough to Plymouth, within budget, but also perfect for the big day itself!

I am definitely struggling with this one!

However, I have been considering a new venue, which we will be visiting over the next few weeks, just outside of Plymouth.

There are quite a few things to consider when checking out venues online. The main acceptance criteria for me are as follows-

• The Website - I like a well laid out website. It sounds obvious, but so many venues have rubbish sites with very little information on wedding packages and deals. 
• Google Images - I always 'Google' any venue to see if there are any other images of the venue for other occasions if possible. This gives me a more realistic idea of what the venue has to offer overall. Many venues also hold conferences and fares, giving me a better idea of the type of space I could be working with, and what can be done to improve the venue for my ideals. 
• Reviews - Check out others blogs and wedding venue comparison sites ( yes such things do exist! ) Other people are more than happy to review venues based on their personal experiences, but remember, for every ten people that have a good experience and write about it, there are twenty people who had a terrible time and wrote about it! You need to weigh up the pros and cons before contacting the venue for information, it is unfair to waste someone's time if you are not really interested. 
• Contact Details - It may sound silly, but I prefer to email venue events managers, or complete contact forms, as I work odd shifts and do not want to spend my little time off calling and chasing up venues that I may or may not want to view. This allows me a certain amount of freedom, as if I do not want to proceed with a venue, it is much easier to say in an email, than over the phone. It also means that I can reply at my own leisure, and consider what I would like to say without talking rubbish. 

After deciding which venues you would like to consider, the next step is to contact the venue and establish some communication. I find that emails are easiest, as I refuse to deal with rude or ignorant people. If the tone of the email is not welcoming, I am not interested. This may make me sound rather ignorant myself, but I am trusting this person to handle the biggest day of my life, and also the most stressful. 

The biggest excitement for me is the follow up from the venue. Hearing my phone 'ping' with an email, or seeing that package land on the doormat is what it's all about. 

If the follow up is in the form of email, I would expect it to be sent within twenty four business hours. After all, these people will be making a lot of money from me, and I expect to be treated as priority, even if I am not. Checklist for email correspondence -

• Addressing you by name - I love to be addressed by my name, not just 'Dear Sir/Madam...', it shows that the person I am communicating with is friendly, and has taken notice of my comments during my contact with them. 
• A brief history - I generally expect a brief bit of history about the venue, after all they are trying to secure a sale! If I am enquiring about a 15th century castle, I expect to know who owns the castle, when it was built, and about the very best areas to view.
• Information relating to my enquiry - If I have requested information about the honeymoon suite, I expect the full low down on the room, and any offers or deals they can offer me.
• Ways to contact the correct person - Every big venue will have some kind of events manager, or wedding coordinator, and this is the person you should hear from. Therefore, you will need a way to get hold of them, should you wish to view the venue or make any other appointments. 
• Online brochure - Finally, I expect either a link to an online brochure, or an attachment. Simply a list of prices is not good enough for me, as to me, the more effort that has been put into it, the more seriously enquiries are being taken. 

If any of the above is not included in the email, chances are I will not take it any further, as to me, it would seem that the venue is not very interested in my custom if they cannot include simple, essential information and points. 

If the venue decides to contact you via postal methods, here is the checklist for such -

• The wedding brochure - Obviously, the brochure is essential! But I am also fussy on how this is presented. I expect a well laid out brochure, including information on menus, package deals, rooms for before and after, wedding ceremony rooms and reception rooms. I like the brochure to be printed on high quality paper, with images of the venue. After looking at so many places online, it is lovely to be able to go to your hard copy and ooh and ahh all over again! The better quality, the more seriously they take their venue to be as a wedding must have. 
• Short letter of acknowledgement - I expect a short letter to accompany the brochure, addressed to me by name, with any specific information requested, and any information on offers available, along with a little background history of the venue.
• As above - As above, I expect contact information, and a brief history ect.

Now, every venue is different in how they like to approach the follow up to contacting you. Most will just leave you alone. but this can be a fatal decision. Personally, I have a brain like a sieve, and often forget to email or call back, so a little nudge is always appreciated. A simple email will do, just to remind me that they are eagerly awaiting my reply and offering help and advice for my big day. So far, only one out of over thirty venues has bothered with a follow up, and this even includes venues that we have visited ( the venue to follow up has not been visited yet )

Now, this list may seem quite extensive, but there are pros and cons of checking places out online. 

Pros - 

• Anonymity - Viewing online allows you to hop across, have a gander and go again with no guilt if it's just not for you.
• Basic price outline - Most venue will list a basic price outline, allowing you to consider your budget without being tied into anything, or making you feel that you have to visit in person.
• It's fun! - It's fun to sit down with your partner, or whoever is helping you to plan and look at all the options in your PJs with a bottle of wine!

Cons -

• Impersonal - It can feel very corporate and cold looking online, especially if your heart is not in it! 
• Follow up - The venue might not respond, they may not even receive your enquiry! If you do not hear from them within a week, either forget about it, or chase it! There may be an innocent mistake to blame.
• The website - The website may not do justice to the venue as it may be poorly constructed or laid out. Take time to consider whether this is a corporate venue and whether they have the means to create a fantastic site, if you think you may like it, take a further look around, maybe drive by and see how you feel. 

At the end of it all, this is your big day and only you know what feels right for you. I am a firm believer in following your heart on any wedding related issues, as hopefully, you will only be doing it the once!

Good luck people, and keep strong. This can be an exhausting part of the process, but it will be worth it if you can find something that is perfect for you! 

Sorry!

Good evening ladies and gentlemen!

I am so sorry for my recent lack of posts, but the new job has been incredibly demanding!

Ruby has since had her operations, and Sam and I have been considering a few ideas for the wedding!

I promise there will be posts to follow on some of our better ideas!

Also, I will soon be featuring guest spots on the blog, showcasing some of the blogging world's brightest new talent, so if you are an aspiring writer and would like to test your skills with a smaller audience before going all in, drop me an email with an example of your work, and some information about the piece you would either like to write for the blog, or a piece you would like to show off yourself! It can be very difficult to get noticed on the big old world wide web, so if we help each other we will soon all get there in the end!

Thanks to everyone for their continued support in following the blog, and a massive thank you for the 700+ views! Let's see if we can make it 1,000 soon!

WOW!

WOW!

Thank you guys so much!

Over 500 views!

SO proud, and thank you for all the support!

First Fittings...

Hey ladies and gents!

So today I had my first go at trying on some beautiful dream dresses at Prudence Gowns in Plymouth. 

I was drawn to this store due to their excellent customer service and massive selection of dresses.

Off I trotted, along with my Mum and Maid of Honor, Shanna. We booked in for an afternoon session, on a relatively quiet Saturday.

The owner, Sonya, was incredibly helpful, and personally assisted me along the way. She started with five purple tags, and the instruction to place the tags over the hangers of the dresses I liked. This process took at least half an hour as I am so indecisive! 

Most of the tags went on laced, fishtailed dresses, as frills, bows and puffy skirts are not for me. 

The first dress to go under my scrutiny was picked by Sonya, and the only one in my mini collection that was not Justin Alexander. It was beautiful, perfect. I didn't feel the need to try anymore dresses on, I knew at that moment it was for me.

In the end, I had tried on around 7 other dresses, which all had something to offer. 

On had sleeves, and a better neckline.

Another had a more delicate lace.

Another dress had a much better, snug fit.

Another had a cuter train.

Another had delicate bling on the shoulders.

It was an endless cycle, and luckily, I have time to change my mind as and when I like!

Sonya was incredibly patient with me, while I ummed and ahhed my way through the dresses, leaving a chunk of the railings almost bare. 

Mum cried, I smiled, and Shanna ran away for a cigarette. My bridezilla tendencies sent her reaching for the nicotine after being smoke-free for a week.

If I could, I would have had all of the dresses, they were all amazing in their own way!

In the end, I had narrowed it down to two dresses, both stunning, both very different. 

I believe that I have decided on the first dress, but I can keep trying for a few more months if I have to.

Fortunately for me, as a penny pinching bride to be, Prudence Gowns is one of the few bridal stores that offer a payment plan, and as the dress is not ordered straight away, you have time to change your mind without any problems.

My dress will need alterations, making me even more grateful as they also offer a seamstresses' skills!

I can't wait to get the payment started off and the fittings sorted!

Obviously, no one that isn't the bridal party will know which dress I have chosen until the big day!

Nail extensions...

So, in my bid to save myself some pennies for the hen do and the big day, I have been teaching myself how to do my own nail extensions!

Now, just to be clear, I have not been professionally trained, or have any qualifications. I have done an awful lot of research regarding correct procedures, and my mother has also helped me, who is a qualified nail technician. Some people may not like my nails, but after all, they are not the ones wearing them!

I purchased and built a small kit mostly from eBay. Gosh I love eBay. I have spent probably around £40 in total, although I already had files, buffers ect.

I'm finally comfortable applying extensions with an acrylic over lay, and have been practicing regularly.

Okay, I've spent £40. £40 I don't quite have. BUT, I have saved about £30 a month on nails and infills. AND, from doing my research, I learnt that the average bride spends approximately £100 on manicures and extensions for her wedding and hen do, for herself and at least maid of honour. The theory is, do it yourself!

As long as you learn what to do, and most importantly, what not to do.

Remember, incorrect procedure and improper equipment can lead to serious problems. If you are not happy with your performance on your own nails (after all, it's your nails, and you have to live with it!) , then DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ON ANYONE ELSE!!!

I cannot stress this enough.

Now, if you're sure you have a steady enough hand, and the patience, there are a few items you will need!

There is a quick fix solution, in the form of stick on nails, or instant nails, but I have found that these rarely last a day, let alone a night on the town, or lots of stress (big day jitters).

You can also purchase kits from your local drugstore ( such as Superdrug) that are easy and simple to use, but they also do not last that long.

If you have decided to acrylic your own nails, here is what you will need -

- acrylic liquid

- acrylic powders (white, pink and clear)

- nail tips

- nails clippers

- banana nail file

- buffing block

- sanding block

- nail glue

- clear top coat

- sable brush

- dappen dish

- primer

- nail dehydrator

- cuticle stick / clipper

- lint free wipes

- coloured nail varnishes

This is just a selection of the items you may need, these are the items that I regularly use on myself.

I hope this has been of some use to somebody out there!

Happy extending!

Dartmoor Zoological Park

So, we went to see the zoo today.

So cold!

It took two buses to get to the other side of the city, but the driver was lovely and helped us to find our stops and directed us to the right places.

Neither Sam or myself had been to Dartmoor Zoo since we were young kids, so we weren't sure what to expect.

Part of me was impressed, part of me was disappointed.

We entered through the visitor's entrance, like any other customer and our guests would. The lady on the gate was very helpful and directed us up to the restaurant.

The walk was steep and cold, an the enclosures on the way were almost empty, beside the top ones with goats and emus.

There was a fair amount of debris just dumped over the site, which I am hoping is due to the rebuild of a few enclosures.

The restaurant was huge and bright, with school - type tables and the keepers having their meetings.

Naomi (the restaurant manager) met us about twenty minutes later (she was having a meeting when we arrived) along with her apprentice, who's name I did not catch.

I did not find either particularly welcoming, or that either understood how much they had to sell this venue to us.

They gave us a poorly constructed 'wedding pack' which they quickly explained, and then proceeded to show us how the room would look when dressed for a wedding.

The restaurant would make a lovely reception, as the tables will be transformed into circular tables that can hold around 13 guests, and all of the restaurant props will be put away. The problem was, there were no toilet seats in the ladies toilets! This is just not acceptable to me.

We were then shown the 'gallery', which has a multitude of uses at the moment, from school lectures to ceremonies. This room, for me, was hideous. With strip fluorescent lighting and horrible checked flooring.

We were next taken to the house, a beautiful building, but unfortunately, of the owner of the zoo is 'home' visitors are not allowed inside. I was disappointed that Naomi had not arranged for us to see the house beforehand when she knew that we were coming so far to see it.

As we were sprinting around to keep up with Naomi and the girl, Naomi asked how long we had been together. To our response, she seemed unimpressed and not at all supportive as you would expect your 'coordinator' to be.

We were then instructed to take a look around and consider our photo opportunities and come back to the restaurant if we had any venues. This is not what I expected, I thought it would make better sense to be shown around, with pointers for the best views, lights and quirky settings. Not to be told to go and have a look ourselves.

Sam already has his heart set on this venue, so I am going to need to bring up these issues with the owner, as they will not resolve themselves.

I know I am one very fussy bride to be, as I like things done in a very particular way, but there are some things I will not cut corners on.

See below for all the pics I took up at the zoo, but remember, it was very cold, and iPhones do not have the best cameras.

I have also photographed the 'wedding pack' supplied.

Venues...

So, we have set our date at long last!

08/10/2015!!!

It may seem like miles away, but it's only 931 days! (Not that I am counting)

This gives us plenty of time to pay off our venues and dresses and everything else, without breaking the bank.

The last thing we want is to start married life in debt!

So, as we all know by now, I ADORE vintage!

It's beautiful, elegant, sophisticated...Ahh it's lovely,

I have been searching high and low for venues to fit my theme, and my budget.

Our all in budget, including my dress, his suits, registrar and venues is for £10,000. If we pull it off with money left over, that's our honeymoon fund. Even more of a reason to pinch the pennies!

We deicded on £10,000 as it gives us a lot of breathing space for mistakes and changes of plan. I hope to spend no more than £6,000, but I am being realistic!

So, down to the nitty gritty, venues.

I have been searching for something a little bit different. October is a beautiful month to marry as it's not too hot, but generally not to cold, with mild winds and temperatures.

My ideal venue would be a stunning country house, set in acres of gardens and woodlands.

I'm not one for wood pannelling, so that immediately narrowed my choices, as did my hatred for salmon pink.

Sam and I are not incredibly formal people, as I wanted a venue that could allow for a romantic, chilled out atmosphere.

I did not realise how many places I would fall head over heels for!

Please note, I have visited most of these venues in person, but there are a few that I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing due to servere weather restrictions imposed by motorcycles!

So, where have we been?

Boringdon Hall, Colebrook

Boringdon Hall is a stunning Elizabethan Manor House, situated on the edge of dartmoor national Park, with amazing views. The earliest written mention of the house was found in the 1086 Domesday Book, and has been chronicled ever since.

This is a family owned business, with lovely helpful staff and around 40 rooms, including the four poster bedded rooms.

This venue can conduct civil ceremonies, cater for up to 300 guests and offer a number of discounts.

There is a 10% discount for all rooms booked for your guests, as well as a 10% discount for a 'winter wedding' in January or Febuary.

You can choose to pay a supplemenmt of £10,000 for exclusive use of the entire hotel if you choose.

Whilst this is a truly remarkable venue, this is just too far from my price range.

My Uncle married here, and it was gorgeous, but it is not for me.

If you are interested in this venue then please email events@boringdonhall.co.uk or call 01752344455

Langdon Court Hotel, Plymouth

Langdon Court is a listed Grade 2*, luxury Boutique Hotel and Resturant, with it's own grounds and formal gardens. It is also within walking distance to the stunning Webury beach. This venue was voted the Best Wedding Venue in Devon in 2011.

The folks here at Langdon can offer a personal wedding planner, events organiser, and others services.

They also offer a Winter Wedding Package that includes:

-Exclusive use of the hotel and grounds

- 10 rooms with Traditional English Breakfast

- Drinks after your civil or church ceremony

- Canepes

- A 3 course wedding breakfast (based on a chicken main course)

- Half a bottle of wine per guest

- One glass of Prosecco for Toasting

- Coffee and Homemade fudge for guests

- Eevening cold buffet

(January, Febuary and November)

This comes to a grand total of £5999.00 for 50 guests.

Extra guests are charged from £75 pp, with a maximum number of guests at 100 total.

Chair covers and an extra £3.50 each.

Now, I love this venue. It is truly amazing, but this is completely out of my price range based on the number of guests alone.

If this venue screams 'Me! Pick me!' then call 01752862358

Pentillie Castle, Saltash

Pentillie Castle was built in 1698, by the Coryton family, who still own the site today. Nestled amongst 2,000 acres of woodlands and lanscaped American gardens, it lines the River Tamar beautifully.

My favourite part of the entire estate is the Bathing Hut, situated on the river, it makes a wonderful intimate place for a civil ceremony.

This venue is perfect for all seasons, and a marquee is avaliable for larger weddings.

Exclusive use is also avaliable, as is your own coordinator, Jill.

This castle takes my breath away, but for me it is still not what I am looking for. It's definitely something to consider however!

If Pentillie Castle also took your breath away, contact the lovely team on 01579350044

St Mellion International Resort, Cornwall

There isn't much I can really say about this venue, as the site does not offer a lot of insight in to the history, other than to say it was a golf club, and now it's a bigger one.  The only thing that really darws me to this site are their offers, and stunning photo oppertunities. My parents married here over 20 years ago, and their photos are just amazing! Unfortunatly, the hotel looks too commercial for me to consider it an option, but here is what they offer :

- Buy 7 tables, and the 8th is free.

- 15% discount on November through to March weddings.

- Complimetary bridal suite

- Between 2-350 guests.

- Elemis Spa on site

- Forces and NHS staff receive 10% discount on selected packages

- 80 rooms

- Reduced green fees

- 4* Hotel

This venue does not appeal to me personally, but if this sounds perfect for you, call 01579351351

The Wild Card Venue

I will not tell you the location nor name of this venue until we have explored what they can offer first. On first sight, this would not appear an ideal wedding venue, but for Sam and I, it is perfect. It is quircky, and unusal in a stunning way!

The venue boasts :

- Manor in the country

- A unique, 33 acre venue

- Incredible food, from 3 course meals to hog roasts (yum!)

- Room for up to 400 guests.

- Upfront pricing, so no hidden surprises

- Top price for venue and ceremoy, £1,250 in August.

- Varied drinks packages

- 5 minute drive from my church to venue.

- Fully licesncecd with two choices for ceremony venue

- Can arrange transport for guests if needed

- Chair covers £3.50 per chair.

- £15 per guest for Hog Roast

- Charitable venue

- Meet the tigers, meet the meerkats, feed the otters and a falconry display are all avaliable.

- Guests have free use of venue attractions.

This venue is not one that springs to mind when you think ' romantic vintage wedding', but trust me, take a gamble and you will adore it as much as we do!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...THE VENUE IS...DARTMOOR ZOO!

I know, you think I'm nuts, but this place is just wow. There are no other words, just wow.

For animal lovers like myself and Sam, this venue just captures every part of our personality.

We are going for another visit in a few days, so I will take some pictures and load them up ASAP.