WEDDINGS ON A DIME - A Special For Future Nuke Brides

[BunkerQB]

WEDDINGS ON A DIME

Got an idea on how to help our young nuke fiancees and girlfriends plan a fabulous wedding on a dime?  Post the links and ideas here. Of particular importance maybe resources near Charleston, SC; Ballston Spa, NY; Groton, CT; Great Lakes, IL and ???  Places where our nukes maybe stationed.

Any links, names of places and hints/ideas?

[BunkerQB]

http://www.squidoo.com/weddingsonadime

http://www.articlesbase.com/weddings-articles/planning-your-own-wed...

http://www.livingonadime.com/articles/inexpensive-wedding.html

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ara_weddingtreasure.html

http://www.hgtv.com/special-presentation/wedding-design-on-a-dime/i...

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/invite-ways-save-wedding-invitations...

Did I dream it? I thought I read somewhere a few weddings dress manufacturers were giving military brides a discount - maybe that is the brides who are military herself.

Don't forget museum, garden clubs. My nephew has a reception at a Museum - it was fabulous. They made their own invitations/announcments - in turquoise & chocolate brown - very chic and arty.

Here check out the Pochette cards (5-1/8" x 7") Comes in many colors. I have used this company before for special invitations for ladies golf invitationals - beautiful paper at a good price.(Envelopemall.com)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.envelopemall.com/detail..aspx?ID=305

Good luck, Amanda.

 

[my3sons]

No you didn't dream it.  I read the same article also.  I think it was on Military.com but not sure.  Checking back in my past emails. 

[amanda]

ok, my friend who just got married showed me www.etsy.com which has a lot of expensive and cheap stuff, you just have to sort.

 

And Michaels, I'm addicted. I think I'll be getting my veil there for about $14.

 

And Amazon for DIY invitations (or anything else really). Or Wiltons.com (which I found on Amazon).

[Mary(MMnukesmom)]

other places www.orientaltradingcompany.com    and www.vistaprint.com   I did Derecks graduation invites 100 plus 50 thank yous with envelopes and a mug for about $60.  We took the pic for the front and on the back had a faded print of pic and time place etc on it (the only thing I forgot was his name...So that way everyone got a picture of him.

[Lynn R]

Buttons instead of flowers - my daughter is doing this.  Using buttons on the invitations etc. do a search on google for button bouquets.

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

I suggest that you do as much as you and or your mom/mother-in-law can do to help save on expenses. If you have friends that are able to help out, call in a favor or see if they will charge you less than what they would normally charge. Always, Always ask if they give a military discount. Most hotels offer a discount for honeymoon night.

We were able to pull an awesome wedding and reception together for our son and his bride, Kelsey in a short seven weeks. Kelsey and I did as much as we could ourselves. We kept all vendors and services right in our town, we received discounts on the hotel and the DJ service. I was able to do their cake, a three tier with a ribbon wrapped around each cake, decorated with white buttercream dots and hearts, cake was topped with a silver "M", cupcakes were frosted with white buttercream and topped with silver sprinkles and a chocolate "M" on each one, chocolates were 12 different types, from peanut butter cups, to caramels and many other flavors of centers all handmade, made dipped chocolate spoons for the place setting favors, and we had jingle bells at each place setting to ring for the kisses instead of tapping the glasses. It was fun! We used centerpeices from my nephews wedding, Kelsey added her own touch and they were beautiful. We had long thin vases filled with little beads, she and Diego went and got tree branches from outside and spray painted them silver and then hung little silver hearts with clear fishing line from them. They were placed on a red raiser plate with snow and christmas bulbs surrounding the vase. They were beautiful and perfect for their day.

There are so many things you can do and not spend thousands of dollars. You have to use your creative juices and it will be a beautiful and memory filled day for you! Have fun and enjoy your special day!

[Nicole *Mike's-Nuke ET-Wife*]

Thank you so much for putting this together and sharing your ideas, thoughts, insights, etc.! I just got engaged to my Nuke on Christmas Eve and am already putting ideas together, especially looking for any way to save money! You moms are the best!

 

And Darla, I loved some of the ideas you've been getting from weddings you've been to! I especially love the part about how you gave your mom a rose as your dad walked you down the aisle. I had never heard of someone doing that before but I absolutely love the idea and now definitely plan to do it! :)

[amanda]

I loved the rose part too! I saw Carrie Underwood's music video "Mamma's Song" and she made a scrapbook of her growing up and gave it to her mom at the reception. Now I know I'm totally going to do that for my mom, she'll have no idea either :) Maybe I'll give it to her as I walk down the aisle too...

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

Another idea would be to have both parents walk not only the bride, but the groom up the aisle. I had my parents walk me and Kevin's mom walked him up. I am glad that I did that, I have the photos and have that memory as my mom passed four years after we got married. We also gave a "white" rose to both moms, it was just another memory that I treasure today.

There are so many ideas and things you can do for your wedding, just remember that it is "your day" and think of how special you want "your day" for the memories you will make. There will be so many people that will have some input, but still in the end it is "your day" and you want to have special memories forever! Make it what you want it to be no matter what people say!! Make it yours!

[my3sons]

My husband and I spent $2500 on our wedding.  We even had a sit down dinner, paid for all the tuxes and bridesmaid dresses and hotel accommodations.  I found my dress on a clearance rack at a bridal shop for $99.00, I made my veil & garter. I hired someone to make the bridesmaid dresses. I only had three. My husband and I cooked the entire meal (being from Texas it was Bar-B-Que) with all the fixins.  The wedding was held in my Aunt's backyard that was like a flower garden.  For about 2 months before the wedding I went down every weekend (4 hours from where we were living) to clean up the yard and paint.  I did hire a professional photographer but only for limited pictures.  The pictures I love the most are the ones people took and had copies made for me.  I made the flower arrangements myself, real simple rose bouquets with ribbons wrapped around the stems.  My most cherished gift was my wedding cake.  A lady that was like a second mom made it for me as my gift.  The things I remember the most from my wedding, the birdbath that held a vase of flowers and goldfish, and ANTS climbing on my dress during the wedding.   What I do need to mention is my husband and I were 27 & 25 and both of our moms were widowed with more children at home.  One funny thing that happeded, during the ceremony as I started to tear up my husband looked over and said "I can see down your dress".  I thought I was going to die laughing!  Sorry this is so long.  My point is you can make it nice you really have to think things through and decide what is important to you. What was important to us was having our friends and family around us as we declared ourselves to each other for LIFE!

[Mary(MMnukesmom)]

I also like the Rose to mom  Which reminded me I went to a wedding Bride and Groom went up the aisle at the end. Then they came back down the aisle giggeling I thought she lost a shoe or something.  Then they stoped at row number 1 dismissed the row Thanked them and hug the and introduced each other ( I was at the last row only knew bride) It didn't take much longer and I thought it was really nice to meet groom Instead of being ushered throught the Line at the front of the church since I didn't know anyone else in the party Just a thought. 

[Sharon ~ K's Mom]

I forgot about that.............this was the first time that we had the "Bride" and "Groom" leave the church then they came back in to release each row. It was really nice to have them do that because we weren't having a receiving line at the hall. Kelsey and Diego loved that idea, our Pastor had them do it and it was memorable. Their reception was only four hours because it was on a Wednesday night, they got married in a 6:00 P.M. ceremony with the reception starting about 7:00 P.M. We ate at 7:30 P.M. and it was a great time, the music was great too. Kelsey had forgotten her garter, but she did toss a throw away bouquet. We had bought a "Navy" garter and then had another one that had "hearts" on it to keep with her theme. We laughed about the garter, but it really wasn't a big deal. No one questioned it at all. She did the daddy/daughter dance and Diego and I did a mother/son dance. It was really nice to highlight them with us. The only regret I do have is that we didn't hire the photographer, but we have many, many pictures that will make a very nice album. There are pictures that the photographer may not have gotten, so all is good. They will love it and in the end if the bride and groom are happy, then it was all worth it in the end.

Those planning a wedding.............Enjoy it and have fun!!!

This is great that we can give those planning a wedding many ideas to help make their day wonderful!!