Super crafty budget wedding, heaps of project pics and budget ideas

[eternallyeve]

Ok, now bear with me. If you get sick of seeing my projects around Craftster over the next few days just remember it's my wedding and I'm extrodinarily proud of my achievements

Firstly the breakdown:
guests - 23 adult guests attended and 3 kids
timeframe - 5 months total from planning start to end
budget - as cheap as possible! My mum helped out a great deal so we were very lucky but you could cut costs even more
ceremony - local botanic gardens, free to book through the council
reception - buffet all you can eat restaurant at the casino (classy but relaxed with something for everyone) cheaper for us and much less stress than trying to cater such a small guest list

DIY bits:
invites
dress
bouquets tute
boutionerres
pocket squares
card box
cake topper
favours and favour packaging tute
veil
headpiece tute
jewellery gifts for mum and bridesmaid
my own hair and makeup, I just had a haircut and blue highlights put in a few days before at the salon

Total expenditure - all DIY projects, postage, reception, limo, rings etc. $1770.00 Australian

The happy couple


My bouquet

Bridesmaid bouquet:

Bouts

All TOTALLY free, made using existing fabrics, bamboo garden stakes, ribbon and beads

Favour packaging (filled with white choc and milk choc coated cake balls - less than $10 made at home) bags are printed on the computer and glued in shape, tags and 'love' beads are DIY too


Notecards for the card box, also free made on the 'puter and printed on light card


Wedding bubbles holder for my bubble-girl


Headpiece, wire headband, beads and various wires, ribbon


Invites - my design and assemblage, professionally printed though



Dress





The restaurant has an entire dessert buffet so we didn't need a cake, therefore the 0 calorie cake was born, to hold our cards and notes and so I could still have my much-desired cake topper


'Cake' topper, wire and beads, my first attempt and I will be making more!


Necklaces and earring for my bridesmaid (MIL) and Mum, dichroic glass pendants, tiger tail, glass beads and seed beads. A labour of love



To further cut costs, we would have gone for a picnic reception in the park but my mother offerred to pay for the buffet. I was thinking the whole traditional picnic, you know with checkered blankets and a colourful pavillion. A bbq and heaps of delicious finger foods and punches, it would have been really cost effective but quite a bit of stress as we would have catered it ourselves. Also, in Australia you must have an official celebrant to do the ceremony, if we had the option we woul have had my FIL ordained online and had him do the ceremony but we can't here . Also, the limo was lovely but not really necessary. Anyone with a nice car who would chauffeur you around would be perfect.

Mods, please forgive me for posting a few of these individual projects in other boards. I really think they would be inspirational to others and deserve some more detail and tutorialising, Thanks!

I will endeavour to make some tutes for my most proud projects and if you have any questions please ask. Comments welcome! I have plenty more detail pics if you want.

[Quinkes]

Everything looks just beautiful!!

I hope you will live happily ever after, with your lovely memories.
 

[eternallyeve]

Everything looks just beautiful!!

I hope you will live happily ever after, with your lovely memories.

Oh thank you!

And I forgot about the rings, all from Etsy by fabulous artists total cost for 2 wedding rings and 2 engagement rings (citrine, sterling silver, stainless steel and titanium) $120 US

My engagement ring, wedding and groom's engagement rings. Great people to work with (p.s. I have no affiliation with these stores, just a happy customer)

[goodtimegirl]

I really love the bouquets!! And the necklaces you made are stunning.

[skankamaggot]

WOW!  This whole post is so inspiring (to someone planning a wedding).  I would love to know how you made the cake topper if you end up posting a tutorial for it. 

[eternallyeve]

Thanks! I may take a little while to get to the topper tute cause I have to make another one in order to get pics. I lucked out and did it right the first time so I forgot to get pics *blush*.

The theory is easy though, I cut about 50 lengths of fine cheap wire (came in a bobbin so maybe 24/26 gauge), held then together and twisted them a little about an inch from the base to hold them all together. I pulled about 5 strands out to the side and twisted them together to make a branch, leaving out a strand at a time to add the beads to.

Then I continued twisting the trunk until I got to the height I wanted my next branch and repeated the process. I made the branches stick out in different directions to each other like a real tree.

I trimmed a few of the strands before attaching the beads to get the right shape, then poped the bead on the very end of the wire and wrapped the wire around the bead a few times. When all the beads were attached I shaped the wire into curls and fiddled till I thought it looked right.

For the roots, I grabbed a few strands at a time and twisted them together, then shaped the roots to look gnarled.

Next time I will add more strands of wire to make more branches, and a fuller tree. The tree height ends up about half of the original wire strands you cut. So for a 25cm tree, cut 45-50 cm lengths, you can always trim it back. And all the wire is the same length.

Good luck and I'll do my best to get that picture tute going.

[forcemajeure]

The cake topper was my FAVE!

[Pogo]

HOORAY EE!!!!
I hadn't realized your wedding was *now*.
You look gorgeous and I am so impressed with the details of everything - I particularly love Favour packages and "cake" topper.
Looks like a beautiful event though!! Your dress turned out wonderfully!

[cocorific]

Oh my gosh!! You look absolutely divine! I love the full length pic of you in your gown, how breathtaking!

The whole concept is wonderful and your projects very inspiring...I would love to  make such a delicate tree! Looking forward to a tute!  Will you post it in this link?

Ohhhh, where are my manners?!

Congratulations on your wonderful day and may your life be full of precious memories.....

....and this soooooooo rocks!!

[ScotSkipper402]

Mazeltov! You're so wise and clever to save your money. It's more fun and meaningful, PLUS you start your marriage with a nestegg.

I'd love a tute for the tiara, toute suite