You run the wedding blog, The Budget Savvy Bride. Tell us about how you got started!
I started The Budget Savvy Bride while in the midst of planning my own budget wedding in 2008. I was frustrated with the lack of resources and information out there for couples who didn’t have a ton of money to spend on their weddings, so I set out to create my own in hopes that it would help other people.
Evin Photography
What’s been the best part about bringing Budget Savvy Bride to life?
I think my favorite thing is hearing how helpful couples have found the site. But other than patting myself on the back, I also love seeing how creative couples can be on a tight budget. It’s amazing what a little effort and time can accomplish!
Why are weddings so expensive?
They can be expensive, but they don’t have to be. If you’re planning to work with professional vendors and throw an amazing event, it’s going to cost you. If you’re a little more laid back and are willing to get your hands dirty or do things yourself, you can absolutely have a nice wedding on an affordable budget.
Budget Savvy Bride’s Budget Wedding Tips & Tricks
What are your thoughts on DIY weddings? They save money, but not time (and often cost a lot in frustration). What would you tell couples embarking on some do-it-yourself wedding projects?
I love DIY weddings and a large number of the real budget weddings we publish have a good amount of DIY projects. I think the important thing to consider is your skill level and the amount of time you have to commit.
Time is money, and often times it may just make more sense to buy something rather than make it. I think it all really depends on your personal situation, skill level, amount of free time, etc.
We have a lot of couples who are looking to plan their dream wedding on a budget. What are you best tips for keeping costs down?
Number 1 tip is to trim your guest list. The fewer guests you plan to host, the less you’ll have to spend. Each additional guest adds exponentially to your cost, so it pays to be ruthless in cutting it down.
The wedding is just one day, so it’s more important to focus on your relationship and marriage rather than this big party.
What is it about the wedding industry that you love?
I think the wedding industry is such a happy place to work. There are so many talented and creative people who produce weddings and they are all there because they love people and they love LOVE! I can’t imagine myself in any other field.
If you had to cover just one aspect of the wedding industry, what would it be?
This might seem a little random, but I truly love checking out the newest technology trends and how they can be incorporated into a wedding day. From Snapchat Geofilters for your wedding to live streaming to drone videography, I am always interested in anything tech related.
What are you most looking forward to as far as trends go in 2017?
I really love the textures and materials that are showing up in trends for 2017, like marble and metallics. I can’t wait to see how they are incorporated in weddings this year.
What’s one wedding trend that will never go out of style?
I don’t think you could ever go wrong with basic black and white weddings! Another trend that I’ve been loving is when couples infuse their personal interests and tastes into their wedding day, to make the event a true reflection of them as a couple.
We know you’re happily married, but if you could do your wedding all over again, what would you do differently?
If I could do it all over again I think I’d keep things much smaller, and I’d splurge a little more on my dress!
If you could tell couples to splurge on one wedding item, what would it be?
Photography is always my suggestion for where to splurge, as the photos are one of the only lasting pieces you’ll get to enjoy and treasure beyond the big day!
Lastly, at Joy we believe that even though a wedding lasts a day, joy lasts forever. What does that mean to you?
I think the sentiment matches up nicely with what we believe at The Budget Savvy Bride. We want our marriages and lives to be far more beautiful than our weddings. The wedding is just one day, so it’s more important to focus on your relationship and marriage rather than this big party. It’s a great reminder to focus on what matters!
