I'm Poor but I Want to Get Married! Inspirations!

First and foremost I should start with the moral of this blog: Inspiration is Free! It only takes a little bit of time and interest, and if there is one thing that us Budget-driven Brides have it usually is interest. So, here's a tip: Get searching! Can't afford all those wedding magazines? Guess what? The Internet is your friend! Most (if not all) magazines have websites online, and searching through there is just as easy as reading the magazine. I'm telling you, get on any and all wedding sites (usually free to join), pick up the magazines, watch a wedding show, Google weddings. Another thing to remember: Don't limit yourself when searching! Don't ignore something just because it appears expensive. I've gotten plenty of ideas watching shows like "Platinum Brides" and have catered them to my own taste and $ amount. But here is another thing to remember: not everything you see can be catered down. Sometimes that $14,000 dress, really is out of your reach. But, if you're a little clever, a little crafty, and/or know someone who is, you can overcome some obstacles.

Now that we are done teaching, now it is time to see pretty things! My inspirations! I've gathered a bunch of photos of things that I think are pretty cool, or that I want to incorporate into the wedding somehow. These inspirations are mostly in the decor and food. The look of the wedding, minus fashion. We'll start with the mouth-watering food! Hope you enjoy!

OMG! Pink milk in tiny glasses! Ohhhhh! I doubt whether or not I can figure out a way to fit this into the wedding, but isn't that just perfect for me?!?


This has 2 things that I love: the wood cake "stands" and the cakes themselves. I'm not into the "One Cake to Rule Them All" deal. I have too many people who like too many different things. I have people who are diabetic, and some people who can't have gluten, so I want to cater to their needs as well. Which is why I have decided to do several different cakes, and have a personal "sweetheart" cake for me and my fiance. Also, I want a homemade love kinda feel to the wedding, so this picture perfectly gets the feel of what I'm thinking.

Okay, so this isn't for sure yet, but we're thinking instead of having a meal, which we really can't afford anyways, we might concentrate on dessert instead. Our wedding is going to be early afternoon, we are going to take a break, and then follow with the reception later in the evening. This means: everyone gets food in between, and we provide a dessert bar! A little something for everyone. Yes, this can get expensive, but since we are concentrating on simple pleasures, our desserts can be just that: simple, delicious treats.

Whoever came up with this idea is BRILLIANT! Rock Candy on Cakes! I love, Love, LOVE this idea. A really cheap way to add a little sparkle and/or color and/or Bling to your cake. I mean, it's Rock Candy ... on your WEDDING CAKE!! *Heart this!*

Not sure if this is for me or not, but I do like this: it's a bouquet of brooches. Flowers can be expensive and last for a very short time. But you can find brooches in the attic, at second hand stores, rummage sales, flea markets, or auctions, ranging in price from expensive to "please take these off my hands" Not to mention, your entire bouquet can have your "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue" in it. Like I said, I don't know if this is something I want to do, but it certainly makes me think outside the box on how to cut back on the floral budget.

My real wedding inspiration. Alyssum. I love these flowers SO MUCH! They were on bushes outside the house I grew up in. I fell in love with this flower commonly called "carpet of snow" If I can find a way to have these flowers in my wedding, I will!

These luminaries touch my antique heart! Take old books, or pictures, or sheet music; tear out some pages, glue them on to candle holders and put in your candles. But don't limit yourself to just luminaries. I have seen similar things used as vases, favors, and candy dishes. Neat huh? This also has the ability to last beyond your big day and make amazing conversation pieces in your home.

I know, again with the luminaries?! Hey, I love candlelight! Add to that my love of mason jars and doilies, and you have the perfect addition to my wedding! These are so adaptable! Like the luminary above, this can have other uses as well, and again, also makes the great transition from wedding to home!

Oh, you can bet I will be doing this! Vintage suitcase turned card holder! I've seen some that are fairly plain (like this one) or some that got a complete new makeover for the occasion. One even used the basic idea of the paper luminary and applied it to the suitcase, and you know what? It was brilliant! Something else to consider: easy transport on the wedding day, and easy storage for your wedding memorabilia afterward.

Again, I am SO DOING THIS! All you need: Christmas lights (colored would be cool too) and paper doilies - BAM, you have a fabulous addition to your lighting decor! Both cheap and fabulous looking. Also: Christmas decorations!

I Love this! This is an altered version of an old tradition (variations found in many cultures). The bride and groom were to walk to the church together surrounded by family and friends as well as their attendants. Usually they would be led by a child - usually a girl with flowers (hence the walk down the aisle proceeded by a flower girl). This takes that tradition, but uses it for the exit of the couple from the church and to either their new home, or the reception. I love this idea, and I really want to use this in our wedding!

This is the Master Inspiration photo. I'm pretty sure I shared this with the blog before, but its worth posting again. Vintage, lilac, alyssum, mason jars, burlap ... This has it all! It is sweet and simple and beautiful. This is what I want our wedding to be.

PS: I figured out a new sign off for these posts! It's kinda corny, but I love it:

Hugs and Kisses from the future Mrs!