Cheapest wedding finds that we actually really liked :)

[So_happy]

A post I wrote to Dixie94 last night has got me thinking. Most things wedding have been very expensive or even out of our budget entirely. Those things that we really wanted anyway, even though they were expensive, we tried to DIY (part of it or the whole thing or otherwise find a suitable replacement that usually ended up to be only slightly less expensive), or we've had to cancel the idea altogether. To add to that, we've all had that feeliing that ANY service or item that has "wedding" attahched to it costs even MORE than if it were for any other event.

HOWEVER, there comes a few (several? couple?) times in our wedding planning where there is something that we feel we want/need AND it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.........in fact, you might consider it CHEAP!!! And because you actually LIKE this thing, it's price makes you want to just tell everyone (think "omg, you won't believe what I got x y z for at macy's last night!!!").

So, I thought it would be neat to hear about all of THOSE kinds of things that we've stumbled across for our weddings that we actually really liked!!! I'll start (okay, I'll rehash as I already posted my two big ones in the aforementioned post last night heehee):

Wedding day shoes: $20 at payless (and NOT because I WANTED to save money.....they totally had exactly what I had been looking for!!!)
Hair pins: $6 at Claires!! (and, again, because I thought it'd be wise to bring many "formats" to my hair trial....but ended up finding them perfectly suitable)

What about your finds???????????????

 

[labbielove]

exactly the shoes i wanted at Kohls for 19.99 (gold peep toe wedges- i love them!)

veil purchased online for $40 that is exactly like the $150 one at the bridal salon

the hurricane vases for my centerpieces for 1.99 each at AC Moore

 

[neatfreak]

A CUSTOM MADE birdcage veil, to my exact specifications, for $89! Mine looks just like the one below but with different decorations on the back.

 

[Gypsy]

Cake cutting set at Marshalls, retailed for 60 (I''d seen it in Macy''s), bought for 12.99.

Shoes: $20 at a random shoe sale.

Dress: Sample Rivini-- 1100 including complete cleaning.

Wired French Silk White Ribbon for trimming EVERYTHING-- after Christmas sales-- 100 Feet for 6 bucks.

We''ve been accumulating the other things over time so... many of them have been splurges: My toasting flutes (which we''ve used for every anniversary and Valentine''s Day since we bought them and will use for our wedding) were Hoya and about to be discontinued so we got them 20% off... but they were still very pricey.

 

[MustangGal]

I found all 4 bridesmaid dresses in the right sizes and colors on clearence at Windsor Fashions. $20 each. None of the bridesmaids ever paid me back for them, but they looked great in the pics!

My tiera I got at Michael's.

My mom's outfit I found on clearence at Marshalls for $60.

 

[ladyciel]

Best wedding advice and therapy money could buy: free at Pricescope

 

[basil]

Vera Wang Wedgewood accent plates, box of 4 for $14.99 hidden under a table at the back of an outlet store. Bought 3 boxes to have a set of 12. Still finding them online for $150!

 

[E B]

Ooh! Good thread!

1. My shoes. I had the hardest time finding the perfect pair, but I spotted an adorable pair of gold Franco Sarto wedges (with ankle straps and heel covers!) on a discount shoe website for less than half what they cost at Zappos. There was one pair left, and it was in my size. $40!

2. My veil. I'm not going to order it until we move, but it's a custom length, one-tier, ivory, plain cut edge from Occansey Designs for $35.

3. My florist. She's building a resume and I was one of three people she agreed to 'take on' at cost, so we're doing all of our flowers for around $400.

 

[akw94]

Hmmm.... this one is making me think!

Invitations at Michael's. $39.99 (or close to that)

Centerpiece bowls from Ikea - Actually pie dishes for around $5/dish (not as cheap as another place for $3.49 until I learned that they wanted to double my shipping which made the shipping twice as much as the bowls.. no way!)

Shoes from Ebay for $15

Veil, cake cutter, wine glass for ceremony for Free as passed down from my mom and grandmother

Dress $299 + $50 off from David's and I just LOVE it!

Flowers originally in the $580's and he reduced to just under $500 for everything, including tax and free delivery!

Music by my brother for Free and his fiance as announcer for Free

Ok, the free things probably don't count in this thread but they sure do make me happy!

 

[Harleigh]

A beautiful BNWT size 2P Maggie Sottero Wedding Dress on ebay for about $100 w/shipping. Retail price was $520, and I never imagined I would find a dress small enough to fit me! The only alteration needed is hemming since I''m a shorty!

I can''t get the picture to load...I''ll have to try again!

Harleigh

 

[Trelala]

Nice topic!
1. Shoes: I got my platform white flip-flops at Victoria''s Secret for $10.99. Makes me taller without heels, plus they''re easy to walk around in the outdoor garden setting.

2. Flowers: $325 worth of orchids and roses from growersbox.com. English roses, dahlias and calla lilies from my backyard. And can''t forget the good friend who put them all together for me!

 

[surfgirl]

1. Wedding Dress
A Bill Levkoff bridesmaid dress for $250.

2. Custom lace bolero to make me feel like I''m wearing a Lhullier dress? $225. instead of $1000.

3. Wedding shoes - $45 at David''s Bridal (who knew?!?)

 

[Munchkin]

I am SO impressed with some of the things you all have found!

My proudest bargains:

My veil - free! It was my mom''s and my dress designer re-cut to to make it more "mantilla" and less "1970" for free.

Shoes: $30 at shoebuy. I refused to spend more on something no one will see!

Coach black clutch bags to match the black b-maid dresses for $30 a piece. (Retail $120)

Waterford golf driver for Dad''s gift. (He is missing one of his favorite golf tourneys for the wedding and is obsessed with waterford - or anything else from Ireland!) I paid $40. It was 60% off and then an additional percentage with a store flyer. Plus, because I used my store card - I get "points." Retail ~$130

A lladro for my mum for $60 on ebay. Retail~$200.

Gold frames to be placed two to a table explaining our donation/favor, $40 for 44 useable (two were broken)

Ribbon for the STDs and OOT gift baskets that matches FI''s tartan for waaaay less on ebay than anywhere else. (As crazy at it sounds, tartan ribbon is actually controlled by Scotland. Only certain tartans are permitted to produce ribbon, and only in certain widths.)

Photo frame guestbook, toasting flutes and cake knife set were all gifts = free

Blue "Bride to Be" underpants and white "just married" underpants from Victoria''s secret for over half off. (and they don''t wedge!)

Finally, my proudest achievement.... I shopped around to MANY jewelers for my wedding band and my MOH gift. I had a tiny (melee) diamond from my (deceased and very much missed) grampy''s wedding band placed into a custom platinum band for my w-band, an identical one made for MOH/sister who has NEVER recovered from losing him and the third melee into a celtic band that FI chose for his W-band. Their work was priceless, the woman I worked with SO kind, and we will always look at our bands knowing they are more than simply meets the eye. Was it cheap? No. Their price was far better than other jewelers'', though, and the beauty with which my idea was visualized is priceless!

 

[Harleigh]

Munchkin,

I think your ring story is beautiful! I would love to see pictures of the rings!

Harleigh

 

[Sooner82]

I got my shoes at Famous Footwear for less than $10. They were mismarked and they honored the stated price. Then I had a coupon and a certificate which are stackable.

I bought my invitations at Michaels. Everyone thought they were pretty, but they didn''t cost much.

 

[mainlobster101]

My greatest find so far has been invitations at Walmart! $6.00 for a box of 40 invitations, envelopes, thank you cards, thank you card envelopes, and reply cards!!!! They had enough boxes and they are really classy looking.

 

[Jaders731]

I think the greatest bargain we got was one of our favors...

Krispy Kreme doughnuts for all of our guests (2 each) for a total of $72... LOVELY... we got 85 boxes.. so 170 doughnuts!!!

It was upon the discovery of this lovely sweet gem.. that I came up with the saying "if it costs under $100.00, it doesnt count"

HAHAHA.. my husband now laughs at that saying... at the time.. with the GRAND scale (meaning COST) of our wedding.. $72.00 bucks virtually meant free to us!!! LOL... I still think its a great bargain!!!

 

[ephemery1]

Ugh... this thread is making me realize that nothing about our wedding was cheap!!

And I am usually a bargain shopper...

Although despite the costs, in retrospect I wouldn''t change a thing... everything worked out beautifully, our vendors were amazing, no snags or problems with anything... so no regrets. But I am stilll VERY impressed by all of your great wedding finds!!

 

[TravelingGal]

My best deal was my $50, and my ceremony site for free (the beach!). Those two things really helped with the budget a lot.