Hand-making my invitations

So after searching the internet for the exact invitations I wanted, I found out that I have very expensive tastes:  lace invitations.

Our theme of delicate lace and cream-white-ivory-pewter color scheme just seemed perfect for these types of invitations.

So hand-made invitations it was.

I bought the paper and lace with coupons (or otherwise on sale) at hobby lobby and from then on glued, glued, and glued some more.

I also knew that people may want to hang the invitation on their fridge, so from the beginning, i knew the invitation itself would have to pop out of whatever I constructed.

In Microsoft Word, I wrote out the invitation and went around the web to find my favorite cursive font (Kunstler Script).  I used "small case" of Bell MT as well. I then went through the painstaking task of finding a background. We tried lace backgrounds, flowers of all sorts, and settled on queen anne's lace.

A trip to Staples them all printed up.

Designed and printed, I placed them into hand-made tabs.  Well, sort of handmade.

This punch out gave me ruffled circles.  I cut 4 corners from them and glued them to black paper photo corner tabs.  The tabs were secured to the pearled paper and the invitation slid into these tabs.  Perfect!

Next I had to make the "case" to hold this beautiful matted invitation.  I choose grey because of the beautiful contrast.  I cut a 12 x 12 into two major pieces: a 12 x 7 and a 5 x 7.  I then made little pockets for the RSVP cards.

 And then everything had to dry.... and dry... and dry some more.

Having secured the lace to the grey paper before doing the rest of the inside gluing, all I had to do then was fold them up, tie them with ribbon and put them in an envelope.  I added paper doilies to the inside of many of the envelopes.

And there it is!  Invitations that I LOVE.......  but that took a LOT of time.  But, hey, I'll only get married once!

Catering Choices on a budget

So, basically, there are no catering choices for the budget savvy bride, only smaller guest lists.  We looked pretty much everywhere.  The Marinated Mushroom came highly recommended,but when we called we were told they no longer do weddings more than 50 people.  Ouch.

So without any friends' recommendations, we were left with google.

Andrew's Catering looked nice and they were very responsive, which was also fantastic.  Their prices, however, were very high when compared with others.  While the food may be that good, my budget just couldn't stretch another $700.

My primary complaint with caterers in Tallahassee is that it is the worst customer-service oriented business ever.  They don't want to give you any price quotes without sitting down with you, feeling you out for how high you'll go, and then offering to give enough discounts to you to meet your max budget.  I wanted to get an idea of people's price ranges by email (I work regular office hours, so 9-5 was tough to try and call or meet).  Almost no one gave prices over email, even when I was very specific as to what we wanted.  Many never even responded to email.  So, my advice is to tell them at least $300 lower than your max budget and see what they'll offer up.

For us, we were looking for a chicken-based dish, with a vegetarian option, a starch and vegetable side, and that's it.  We got it from FSU, of all places--Classic Fare Catering.  They were the  most reasonably priced and we'll have our "meal" be the pasta stations.  We don't think it'll be the best food ever, but it will appeal to everyone's taste, they can order the type of pasta, topping, and sauce that they want, and it will be somewhat fun.  For china service that they'll set on the table, the "chefs" for the two pasta stations, the food (including chicken, which can be added to the pasta), and two appetizers, we came in at $25 per person.  Sadly, that was the best we could find in Tallahassee.

Save the Dates!

With a wedding date set for only 5 months out, I knew I had to get the Save The Dates out pretty fast.  I had seen a photo online of what I wanted.

(My inspiration--however, since the wedding colors are white and ivory, this was not quite the right look.  I wanted a little bit more delicate, a little less Victoria's Secret.  I also couldn't quite figure out how to get the ribbon through the numbers like that without ripping them apart.)

Thankfully, I had a Cricut (a personal cutting machine) at my disposal.

(The Cricut included the "Base Camp" cartridge.)

Supplies were pretty inexpensive.  All in all, I spent about $25 to make them and then an additional $15 for stamps to mail many of them out.

I started by getting the Cricut to cut out all the numbers; I then glued the numbers to the (changed to white) ribbon.  To keep it looking sleek, I also glued the white paper flowers to cover the point where the ribbon/numbers were glued. I did the gluing on a plastic sheet to so that I could easily peel off the numbers/ribbon after the glue was dry without ending up with a mess on my hands.

(My finance was happy to get the dining room table back after I finished all this.)

After all the numbers/ribbon were glued, I tied a bow on both ends of the ribbon and glued one end to a small card I created on my computer and printed out onto the textured card stock.

Finally, I had the cricut cut small envelopes for me, that I was able to fold together to fit my perfect sized save-the-dates.  Because they were just regular card stock, I sealed them with Martha Stewart's textured white lace hearts.  

And with that they were ready to be mailed--sort of.  They were too small to be mailed directly like this, so I was able to load small envelopes that meet the 3.5 x 5 requirements of the USPS into my printer and had mail merge print everyone's address.  These were placed inside those regulation-sized envelopes and mailed out!

Reactions were great.  My family loved them.  Most guys laughed, but I'm sure their wives could appreciate them!

Selecting a Tallahassee Venue

My fiance and I knew from the start we wanted a fall wedding.  I am not a fan of cold weather and I am weary of scheduling any big event during the festive, but stressful holiday season which begins, really, at Halloween and ends after New Years.  (Yes, Halloween is that big a deal for us!)  Not wanting to wait a full year to next spring, we decided to try for an early October wedding.

I had done research on venues before he proposed (lol--he waited too long!).  These are what I considered:

1.  Goodwood Museum and Gardens.  Goodwood is an AMAZING venue.  And it's priced as such.  It rings in at $2,700 for the reception location plus $200 for the grounds for a ceremony.  I believe this includes tables and chairs.  But immediately this venue was out of my price range.  Nevertheless, if you're able to afford it, or willing to go for the cheaper, non-Saturday wedding (well, $1,800), it is a beautiful Tallahassee wedding venue that seats 200 guests.

(indoor space shown on theknot.com)

Just google the museum for photos of the beautiful weddings had there.

2.  Dorthy B. Oven Park.  This Tallahassee-owned park is breathtaking at Christmas and so I thought of it when I was looking for a venue.  At $1,258 for a Saturday wedding (for rental of the house and the grounds), it's more reasonably priced than Goodwood.  Unfortunately, the Main House simply wouldn't accommodate the size of wedding I was expecting.  I felt the rooms would cut people off from one another.  I did not, however, look into the option of an outdoor reception at this venue, which may be a bit more practical.

(The floor plan as posted on the Tallahassee website.)

3.  Shiloh Farms.  When I was first wanting a rustic themed wedding, this place seemed ideal.  Who wouldn't want horse drawn carriages, acres of sweeping hills, and a beautifully lit rustic barn?  Their website requires that you request a price menu.  I did so and quickly my dreams of this heavenly venue went away.  While it offers quite a bit of extras (lighting, dance floor, tables, etc.), it ended up being more expensive than Goodwood, which was already out of my price range.  That said, I think it offers quite a bit more than Goodwood, so if you have it in your budget, this may be a great venue for you!

(This is a clip of the price menu I received on April 19, 2012 upon request.)

4.  Women's Club of Tallahassee.  Though I love the idea of an outdoor wedding, like any bride, I was fearful of weather ruining my big day.  The Women's Club of Tallahassee seemed like the perfect compromise.  It has a beautiful outdoor wedding space for the ceremony and a large, open, sun-filled room for the ceremony.  Google the pictures and you'll see what I mean (their website photos do NOT do it justice).  At $1,450, it was expensive, but not so far so that it was out of the question.  However, they also require security, which I estimated jacked the price to $1,590.  Still, if this was "the" place, it was not out of the question.  Add on, however, the cost of their exclusive caterer, Klassic Katering.  For a budget bride, being limited to one caterer is a killer.  It gives no options for bringing in some food on your own and takes away any competitive bargaining.  All in all, Klassic Katering, which has both positive and negative reviews, wasn't for me, which mean this beautiful venue was also out.

5.  Tallahassee Garden Club.  I didn't look too much into this venue so I can't say too much about it, but it was one of the more reasonably priced options out there, at least from what they list on their website.  At $1,000, this venue which claims to seat 100, was a pretty big contender early on in my search.  I fear, for me, it was their website that killed any desire of me to really look into this venue further.  The home's decor, where the reception would be held, looked outdated.  And it, to me, felt a little too much like a house rather than a true venue space--based on website photos alone.  So this one was crossed off my list as well.

6.  Mission San Luis.  I would say that Mission San Luis was either the no. 1 or no. 2 choice from the start.  It was the first place my fiance and I visited.  The new hall seats well over 200 people and there is a wonderful outdoor courtyard for a ceremony.  Additionally, they have a great area for a cocktail hour that is segmented from the reception space.  Seemed somewhat perfect.  The Spanish and Native American architectural influences made this space really special.  All that for the low price of $1,250...... or so their website said.

(Their courtyard on a rainy day.  Quite nice for a ceremony or cocktail hour.)

(Entrance area leading to both the courtyard and the reception hall.)

(Reception hall, without light on.  It features the same round Spanish lights seen in the entrance area and these beautiful, large windows.)

Seeing it was really great and the staff there was very nice.  However, I saw several problems.  Firstly, the venue was SO large that my 80-person max wedding would be swallowed in the hall.  With prohibitions banning anything from hanging on walls or pillars, closing this space in to be more intimate would be difficult on a budget.  And then came all the other restrictions:  the caterer had to be pre-approved and take-out restaurant catering would not be allowed; if their sound system was used, you had to use a DJ (no ipod/laptop music); decorations all had to be pre-approved, etc.  Suddenly this affordable space was requiring a lot of "required" persons--which makes a DIY wedding not so DIY.  And then the fun: a million-dollar event insurance purchase, costing between $200-300.  So this $1,250 venue was actually closer to $1,500.  I just saw the total costs skyrocketing out of my control.  While beautiful, Mission San Luis was a no.

7.  Maclay Gardens.  Last, but certainly not least, Maclay Gardens is my wedding venue.  We met up with Fairytale Services at the Gardener's Cottage on a soggy, foggy morning.  Fairytale Services appears to be the primary vendor for the Gardens, though I believe other vendors are permitted to provide services.  Booking, however, is done through Fairytale.  The total cost, including security, is $1,390.  This includes 50 white folder chairs, ceremony space in the gardens, reception at the cottage and surrounding area, a number of round and rectangular tables, and rehearsal time the evening before.  This price also includes the $200 I opted for for extended time (from 8 am Saturday morning--a must-have for a DIY bride--and 11 pm Saturday night, to make sure the night is not cut short.)

Even in the wet weather, this venue was perfect for me.  I've been to the Gardener's Cottage plenty before and, for a wedding, feared it's indoor space just wasn't right for a wedding.  The rooms of the house are divided by a center wall, leaving you with just four separate, nearly equal sized rooms.

(The Gardener's Cottage)

(One of the inner rooms looking towards the exit door.)

(My fiance walking from the entrance room into the larger room in back.  Off to the side, you can see a quaint (read: fairly small) bridal room for getting ready.)

(One of the two front rooms.  I think we'll move it out for the wedding, as it does look outdated and a bit dingy.)

We got to the site to see what it had to offer early and went for a walk to the gardens.  I'd been through before and had my heart set on a ceremony not in the usual location (in front of the reflection pool), but rather inside the walled garden.

(Approaching the walled garden)

(Inside the walled garden.  My hope is to have everyone stand within the two rings while the quick ceremony is completed.  It will create an intimate and beautiful space without any cost on my part--no need for flowers, tulle, or anything else in this beautiful space!) 

(This is the reflection pool.  Most people have their ceremony standing just in front of this.  While beautiful, I wanted a more intimate setting.  This pool, however, and the water behind will be able to be seen behind us from inside the walled garden.)

 
After wandering these spaces and discussing, we knew we wanted to get married here, but the reception issue was still a problem--I didn't want a reception inside the Gardener's cottage.

Solution: Then don't.

There is a grassed area just in front of the cottage where tables and chairs can be set up and that's exactly what we're going to do.  In case of fowl weather, Fairytale Services has tents, with or without walls, for rent, along with heating lamps and portable a/c.  What more could I possibly need?  But I love the idea of dining under the stars and hope to not have to rely on a tent unless mother nature demands it.

(Grassed area in front of Gardener's Cottage.  This area can fit up to 120 people + tents.  A dance floor can be set up on the other side.  Food and other tables (e.g., cake, gift, etc.) will be set up inside or on the porch.  A cocktail hour can be set up on the round paved area in front of the cottage or on the porch.)  

And so, with very little need to discuss much further, my fiance and I choose Maclay Gardens as the location for our wedding.  

Budget

The budget is the hardest thing to get through.  I am fortunate enough to have been offered $6,000 from my mother (I think she's happy I won't end up an old maid) for my dream wedding.  At first, this seemed like it would cover everything I would want.  I didn't want the big fancy super formal wedding.  I'd been to those weddings--many times over.  The floor length bridesmaids dresses; the 8-person round tables with a square overlay matching the bridesmaids dresses; two to five votive candles with a floral centerpiece.  Because I knew I couldn't spend what all my friends and my sister spent on their wedding, I didn't want to compete with that same look.

Even before I was engaged (he took too long!  lol), I created a general budget.  I'll reveal my excel insanity in its entirety later, but for now, I'll keep this simple.

As you can see, I'm already over budget based on estimates alone.  I figured I would have to make those tough calls when they come--borrow a veil, rent lighting that is less than "the vision," etc.  But because I didn't know what everything would cost, this was the best I could do for now.  This is based off a 60-80 person wedding.

So that is what I'm working with for now.  I'll blog about the various vendors and where I get all my decorations and rentals and hopefully stay in my budget.

Hello from Tallahassee

As a new bride-to-be who wants a Martha Stewart-inspired wedding, I wanted to document my wedding planning for both myself and to help any other Tallahassee brides who want a beautiful wedding on a (relative) budget.

(Who wouldn't want a Martha Stewart wedding?)

This blog will document all the steps to my wedding, from checking out venues, looking into my catering options, and selecting which cricut cartridges will be the busiest.

I do hope that by sharing my steps, I can help other Tallahassee brides!

And just because I can, I'll share a picture of my ring!  I love my fiance!!!

(It, too, was a budget choice, as I was able to offer my then-boyfriend the center stone of my grandmother's engagement ring, which I inherited after she passed away several years ago.  By using her stone in a setting he picked out, the ring has double the sentimentality!)