| Wedding expenses are soaring through the roof. | | | | the flexibility to write our own vows. We chose an |
| Advertisers might have you believe that you must | | | | outdoor location next to Estero Bay that had a small |
| spend tens of thousands of dollars to have your | | | | tiki hut for a reception area. Our ceremony took |
| dream wedding. I say it is not necessary. You can | | | | place underneath a palm tree at sunset. And, here is |
| have a beautiful and meaningful ceremony on a | | | | the best part, all of this natural beauty was FREE. (I |
| shoestring budget. | | | | will say that is was rather windy as Tropical Storm |
| The average wedding in 2007 cost $25,000. Does | | | | Bob happened to be blowing by...but then, that is |
| that figure shock you? Does it have you quaking in | | | | another story!) |
| your boots trying to figure out how in the world you | | | | I bought our flowers from the grocery store (they |
| can pull that off? Advertisers would have you believe | | | | were great and less expensive than some other floral |
| that you must spend a fortune on a wedding in order | | | | shops), and they even threw in some extras to |
| for it to be beautiful and meaningful. | | | | decorate the cake. I even got a great |
| I am here to tell you that simply is not true. Sure, | | | | recommendation for a cake maker, known only as |
| having a 5 foot tall ice sculpture of a swan and | | | | "the cake lady"I am pretty sure every town has |
| mountains of flowers and tulle would make for a | | | | one you just need to ask around. The Cake Lady |
| beautiful scene to behold. But, beauty alone does not | | | | made us a beautiful wedding cake for a fraction of |
| equate to meaningful. When it is all said and done, the | | | | the cost of other wedding cakes. My husband had a |
| meaning of the ceremony is what will stay with you | | | | friend at the tuxedo shop, and got his tux for free. |
| long term, not the decorations. So, despite what | | | | My mom made small 'finger' sandwiches and we had |
| television commercials may imply, you can not only | | | | a boom box for our reception music. |
| create a beautiful ceremony for very little money, | | | | The ceremony was beautiful thanks to nature. The |
| but you can create a deeply meaningful one as well. I | | | | ceremony was meaningful to us because we took |
| know, because I did it. | | | | the time to write our own words of commitment to |
| My husband and I have now been happily married for | | | | each other, focusing on the aspects we cherished |
| almost 17 years. We got married when we were 23, | | | | most in each other. The guests were touched not |
| working full time jobs and part time jobs just to | | | | because of what we wore, or because of |
| make ends meet. We most certainly did not have | | | | decorations, but they were touched by the way the |
| thousands of dollars sitting around in our savings | | | | ceremony touched us. The ceremony was an |
| account to spend on a wedding. We wanted to get | | | | authentic reflection of who we were and how we |
| married and wanted a beautiful ceremony, but we did | | | | felt about each other. You can't put a price on that |
| not have lots of money to put something like that | | | | kind of experience. |
| together, or so I thought. | | | | Well, technically you could put a price on it. For us |
| Being the practical gal that I am, I decided we | | | | that price was about $500, not including the rings. Not |
| needed to prioritize a list of things we wanted to | | | | only did we spend hardly any money, but we also |
| have in our wedding. Surprisingly, the list of | | | | put this all together in about 30 days. |
| "must-haves" was pretty short. For me it was a | | | | My point here is simple. With a little help from your |
| white wedding dress and writing our own vows. | | | | friends, a little creativity on your part, you really can |
| Anything else was gravy as far as I was concerned. | | | | have a beautiful and meaningful ceremony for very |
| With that in mind, and with our tiny budget, we | | | | little money out of pocket. It is not about how much |
| realized we would be quite happy with a small, | | | | money you spend, but how much time you put into |
| intimate family wedding in a beautiful outdoor setting. | | | | creating a ceremony that is a true reflection of who |
| Armed with a framework of what I wanted, I found | | | | you are. I encourage you to spend time with your |
| the perfect white wedding dress (at an outlet store, | | | | fiance, decide what elements are crucial for you, and |
| on clearance, for just $99) and located a minister | | | | then get creative! |
| willing to meet us at an outdoor location and allow us | | | | |