day 10: {guest post} jamie.

each monday of this 31 days series, one of my blogging friends will be guest posting here. last monday, sonnie gave us some great advice on living in the moment. today's post is by jamie. jamie is the master of thrifting and had a super cute budget-friendly wedding this past spring. i'm excited for her to share her wisdom!

Hi! I'm Jamie from OwlReally.com. I am honored to be a part of Marisa's 31 days of blogging about wedding planning and so excited for her as she plans her upcoming wedding!

On the side of my day-job, I'm basically a professional thrifter. I constantly shop for vintage items to re-sell in a booth at the Tennessee Antique Mall here in Nashville. I blog about my thrifting adventures and other vintage/crafty/DIY-related items at OwlReally.com.

If you were to ask me for one and only one piece of wedding advice, it would be this: Stay true to yourselves.
As someone who tries to be smart with money, going into debt for our wedding earlier this year wasn't an option. I managed to let go of all the dreams of having a picture-perfect (aka, "blog-worthy") wedding and in letting go of obsessing over impressing other people, I found myself in the middle of the absolute perfect wedding for us.



Because thrifting is a way of life for me, I thrifted my way through wedding planning. It's not for everyone and if you would rather pay full price than enter a Goodwill, that is totally fine. There is a certain type of person who loves the thrill of the hunt and a good bargain. I happen to be one of those people and that made wedding planning so much easier and made our wedding quite unique.

Here is my top 10 list of ways to save money on your wedding:

1. Thrift, obviously. :) I thrifted the flower girl baskets, the petals the flower girls tossed, the items I used to make our cake stands (vintage plates and candle holders), and much more.

2. Use coupons - Michael's and Joann put out amazing coupons every week. If you have to buy multiples of something there, buy one a week using a free printable coupon. You'll save a ton! I bought our flower girl and ring bearer gifts from Michael's using coupons.

3. Use what you have or borrow something! I wanted to wear pink flats with my wedding gown. I already had pink flats. I spent $17 to get them freshened up by a shoe repair place and I wore them. I could have bought new $90 pink flats but then I would have 2 pairs of pink flats.. and who needs that?? :)
I tried to make my own birdcage veil and I failed. I noticed a facebook photo of a friend wearing the exact kind of veil I wanted. I asked her if I could borrow it and she enthusiastically said yes!

4. Trade and/or barter. If you have a service or skill that is useful to other people, try trading out. I day-of-coordinate weddings on the side and I traded that service for professional make-up for me and my bridesmaids, professional hair, and our graphic design. If you can trade, you could literally save thousands of dollars!

5. Rely on friends and family. You may not like to ask for help but I guarantee that people who love you want to be a part of your day and planning. Let them!

6. Think outside the box when it comes to serving food. Opt for a dessert reception rather than serving up a full dinner. Better yet - opt for a POT LUCK dessert reception. We did - and it was fun to have the variety‚ and it was FREE.

7. Give new wedding professionals a chance. Our photographer was amazing and we were his first wedding ever. When meeting with a vendor, take a look at their work and make sure it's up to par, but don't be afraid to take a chance on someone who is just starting out.

8. Choose simple invitations and RSVP cards (or use free online RSVP services). The bulkier the invitation, the more expensive it is. Also, you don't HAVE to hire a calligrapher. Get some girlfriends together and have them help you address envelopes.

9. If you really want to have a budget wedding, limit the guest list. It might be hard, but it's probably one of the most sure-fire ways of keeping your budget in check.

10. Don't give in to the wedding hype! You don't have to have a perfect wedding. That might sound shocking, but if you are not a lavish person, you don't need a lavish wedding! Stay true to your values and who you are. Even though wedding blogs will make you think so, you don't HAVE to have the most unique favors in the world or an ice sculpture or an open bar or a $2000 gown.

I am so happy that we kept things simple and that wedding planning didn't drive me mad. Our wedding was simple, personal, and totally us because we stayed true to our values.

I encourage you to compare each aspect of your wedding to your personal values to make sure they line up. If something doesn't feel authentic to you, scrap it! You will feel so much more free if you plan a wedding based on your values and what is authentically you! (You can read more about how we saved money and the details of our day by clicking here!)
Thanks so much for reading!

*marisa's marks: jamie has some great advice. i love the idea of borrowing and relying on "friendors" (friend vendors!) ...this is the one time in your life where you are expected to ask your friends for help!