Emily Taffel-Schaper and Fritz Schaper

With a price-tag of  $20,000 for the average American wedding, I am ecstatic to receive emails from creative brides who create fabulous celebrations for far less.  Emily Taffel-Schaper sent in the following article about her wedding with loads (I mean loads!) of valuable ideas on how she executed her wedding for $3,500. Emily, her husband Fritz Schaper, and her 125 guests had a wonderful time and there are no leftover bills endangering their newlywed bliss status. Here is Emily’s story in her own words…

“When my husband and I got engaged I was thrilled, but the excitement was tempered because neither of our families were in the position to help us pay for a wedding.  I didn’t want to give up the wedding I had dreamed of, so with a little creativity, a year of smart shopping and a lot of help from our friends and family, we had a wedding that looked like a million bucks, but only cost $3,500 (not including the rings).

It all started with a donation of invitations from my Aunt’s shop, Pushing the Envelope CT.  They did our invites for free and that sparked us to see what else we could find discounts on.

After several trips to bridal stores that left me in tears over the prices, I found a local boutique that rented gowns. They had brand new, never before worn dresses and offered a free altering service as well. I got married in my dream gown for only $300 and bought my veil and tiara ($40) to have something to remember it by.  My husband picked up his tux at AfterHours Formal wear for $150.

The ceremony and reception were held at Shall We Dance, a ballroom dancing hall in Deerfield Beach, Florida.  Everyone thought we were crazy to book a “hole-in-the-wall” location, situated above a golf shop, but by choosing “off-the-beaten-path” and trusting in our ability to make it work, we got floor-to-ceiling windows lining each wall, hardwood floors and a location equipped with tables, chairs and a full kitchen for only $500 (5 hours plus 3 hours of set-up time).  Linens and chair sashes came from Fabulous Events, and were almost our most expensive purchase at $650.

We covered the ceiling with twinkle lights and tulle, bought at an after-Christmas garage sale for $10.00.  A friend had pictures of us blown up to poster size, to cover some ugly framed paintings on the dance  studio’s walls. It really personalized the location for us.

Friends decorated our chuppah with silk flowers, tulle, twinkle lights and hanging crystals. The poles came from Home Depot and the buckets that housed them were found for free from a local ice cream shop, Kilwin’s. Total cost: $30.

Roses for the bouquets and centerpieces were bought from a local farm. We bartered our time in exchange for a discount; once a month we helped them tend to the garden and they let us buy 200 roses for only $200.  

Our centerpieces were branches collected in the woods behind a friend’s house, sprayed gold, placed in dollar store vases and accessorized with leftover roses from the bouquets.  My brother folded 100 origami birds for us as well. We sprinkled dollar store gold glitter on the tables, surrounded the centerpieces with candles and adorned each window with hanging candle-holders we created using ribbon hot glued on.  Tea lights were bought for $2 per 50 at Party City.  By turning off the overhead lights and just using the twinkle lights and candles, the entire room was transformed. Total cost: $150.

We had a candy buffet for our favors. Chinese food containers from Oriental Trading cost less than $10 for 100 and we sourced candy from many locations – local grocery stores, ethnic markets and even the Cracker Barrel. Total cost: $100.

Food & drinks were a little harder, but after researching caterers, we hired a chef/friend.  We held the wedding late, 7 p.m. on a Saturday, in order to serve a buffet of just hors d’ouevres and desserts, which kept the cost down. We hired another friend to bartend, bought bulk soda and water at Costco, negotiated with a local liquor company on bulk wine and beer and had a “Stock our Wedding” party for liquor.  We hold a ton of parties for our friends and normally we provide the food and wine, but this time, we asked everyone to please bring 1-2 bottles of liquor that could be used at our wedding. We had a great BBQ dinner and thanks to our friends, stocked our wedding bar.  Total out-of-pocket cost for food and drink at our wedding : $800.

No one missed the full dinner service since the entire night was spent on the dance floor.  We negotiated with a local DJ company and they exchanged their services at a discount rate provided they were able to put out flyers at the dance school. Total cost: $200 for 4 hours.

After all that,  we  had some money leftover to buy groomsmen and bridesmaid gifts from etsy.com.  It was a magical evening that I wouldn’t have done differently, even if we had a million dollars to spend.

Planning our wedding had an added benefit; it motivated me to start a business, Pretty. Useful. Stuff., where I work with brides to help them create one-of-a-kind weddings and events of their own, without breaking the bank to do it.”

Thanks Emily for sharing all your useful ideas. We’d love to showcase the wisdom and creativity of other Experienced Brides as well. Email us your pictures and posts at info@bridesknowbest.com.

Travelin Joe Espresso Catering

At another wedding the big hit of the evening was an espresso catering cart that made the best mocha cappuccinos I had ever tasted. Guests thought the carmel lattes were amazing as well. I remember everyone dancing so much more than the usual wedding and then I realized that the quantity of caffeine that was being consumed was quite different than most weddings. I loved that they made yummy hot chocolates for the kiddos. We added a silver tray filled with Nona’s Biscotti and chocolate dipped strawberries to complete this special after dinner treat.

I have been a fan of slush machines for a long, long time. Renting a professional slush machine can allow you to make daiquiris, margaritas, bellinis, and so much more with or without alcohol. Slush machine rental companies have all the ingredients you’ll need to make a hit with your guests.

My all time favorite alcohol-free wedding was a 50’s themed wedding that had a full Soda Bar staffed with a costumed “Soda Jerk” that made amazing phosphate drinks as well as the most delicious chocolate malts and strawberry shakes.

For a fall wedding what could be better than serving hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks? For a Winter Wonderland wedding serve hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows (so much better than the store-bought!) And for a spring or summer wedding, large glass containers of lemonade, sun tea and citrus infused water is simply perfect.

For some yummy recipes check out:

Zero-proof Cocktails by Liz Scott

The Ultimate Liquor-Free Drink Guide by Sharon Tyler Herbst

The Mocktail Bar Guide by Frank Thomas and Karen Lancaster Brown

8 Great Non-alcoholic Cocktails by Sandy Kendall

What non-alcoholic drinks have added a special touch to your celebrations? Please share your recipes and pictures!

Use pictures as background on your table numbers

There are many ways to personalize a wedding. One very popular idea is to use pictures as part of your wedding décor. Most couples find that using pictures as focal points at their wedding and reception will not only make their “wedding-scape” truly one of a kind, but really helps break the ice between guests. Pictures bring back fond memories for guests to share with one another, relieving that awkward silence between people that only have the bride and groom as their common denominator. And the cherry on top of this idea? This couldn’t be a more budget friendly idea; you have the pictures and even if you buy new frames, you can use them for your home décor after the wedding. Personal, budget and green friendly; how much better can a decorating idea get? Here are a few ways to incorporate pictures in your celebration:

Show off your parents' cake cutting pictures on your cake table

Guest book – Instead of a traditional guest book, have your guests sign the matting that surrounds your engagement portrait.
Altar pictures- Place small pictures of your dearly departed, (or those who cannot attend your wedding), on the unity candle, communion or ceremony table.
Personal jewelry –A locket with your beloved’s picture in it is a nice accessory to wear when you say, “I do”.
Reception entrance – Display pictures at the entryway of your reception, either on stand-alone easels or on your placecard table.
Tabletop centerpieces – Set three or four pictures of various sizes on each dining table. Make sure you include baby pictures and those awkward pre-teen pix as well as recent couple shots of the two of you in the mix. Add votive candles and scatter flower petals, some decorative stones, crystals, or mirror discs around the pictures and you have yourself some great conversation pieces. People will walk around to see what pictures are featured at each table.
Head table –A framed picture of each attendant (hopefully you are in the picture with them as well) at their place-setting is a very special way to designate who sits where at the head table.
Cake table- Flank your wedding cake with pictures of your parents and grandparents cutting their wedding cake.
Entertainment – Many photographers and videographers have the ability to produce and present a video or slide show of your love story. If you or friends are on the creative side, try it DIY style and have your masterpiece shown at your reception.

Last but not least, be sure to include a picture from the wedding in your thank you cards. From beginning to the end, pictures can add so much to your wedding experience.

Question for our Experienced Brides: How did you use pictures in your wedding decor? Brides2Be want to know!

Walk into most any department in Wal-Mart and you can find something that may be useful for a bride and groom and generally speaking, you aren’t going to find it cheaper anywhere else. In their jewelry department you will find a few inexpensive engagement rings and wedding bands and a generous selection of accessories and gifts for an entire bridal party. Cubic Zirconia tennis bracelets, simple anklets, heart shaped and “Journey” necklaces with earrings to match, will accessorize bridesmaids well without emptying anyone’s piggy bank.

In the party section you will find several rows of typical wedding supplies for much lower prices than most specialty stores. A good assortment of Favor boxes at 50 for $12 can easily be filled with a sweet treat found in their candy department. Want the kiddies-at-heart to have bubbles? 100 Ring Bubble Wand Favors are only $15. For the computer savvy they have invitation kits at unbelievable prices and for the home bakers they have most anything you would need to make your own wedding cake or cupcake tower.

If you venture into departments not often thought of as wedding related, you will locate some great “finds” for a celebration. Do some price comparison and you may find that it is actually cheaper to buy whole sets of dinnerware than to rent them from a typical party rental company. On a recent visit to a Wal-Mart store, I found glass dinner plates for $1.50 each. The nice thing about purchasing instead of renting is you will have a large collection for all your future celebrations.

Decorating weddings with $5 vases, filling them with homegrown flowers and surrounding the vases with $1 votive candles can make for simple and inexpensive centerpieces. Purchasing a gazebo or an arbor in their garden department will allow you to reuse it in your own backyard after it has been the centerpiece of your ceremony. You can also get multi-use out of other special décor like lanterns, firepits or outdoor furniture that help create a very chic and contemporary styled wedding.

Right now, when the Christmas department is just being set up, it’s a great time to look at white lights to swag on your head and cake tables (underneath tulle or iridescent material). Or purchase Christmas ornaments and pile them in a crystal bowl for an easy centerpiece anytime of the year.

Don’t forget the personal health and hygiene departments to make “Wedding Day Emergency Kits.” Band-Aids, Tums, Aspirins, mouthwash, hairspray, deodorant, nail repair kits, Kleenex and smelling salts are just a few of the items key to a good emergency kit. Add energy bars, nuts and bottled water from the grocery section and stain removers from the laundry supplies and your kit will begin to look like a pro made it.

If your schedule is crazy and feet are sore, do some of your shopping on-line at www.walmart.com. By creatively thinking outside the box – you can come up with a Wal-Mart Wedding that won’t break the bank but can still be a very special celebration with all the trimmings!

Some of my favorite venues for Fall weddings are wineries, apple orchards, farms and rustic looking clubhouses with big old fireplaces.

Natural decorations that show off the beauty of the season can be inexpensive and stunning. Outlining a processional aisle with autumn leaves easily sets the tone for a fall wedding and can cost you nothing if you have your cadre of friends collect them the month before your wedding. Remember Runaway Bride when Julia Roberts finally married Richard Gere? The only decoration at that ceremony was a hill full of beautiful fall leaves.

I love to decorate with barrels of apples and apples as place-card or candle holders. And I am nuts about nuts in table-scapes. Decorative bowls of nuts (with nutcrackers handy) on each guest table, tall vases filled with nuts and topped with fall flowers, or nuts just strewn around a centerpiece provide some great accents. My girlfriend had a chocolate iced wedding cake decorated with maple candy leaves and marzipan fruit. The cake was surrounded by a variety of nuts and candles on a gold tablecloth; it was…fabulous.

I went to a wedding last year that served hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks and also had hot buttered rum drinks. At the end of the evening they handed out waxed bags filled with warm mini apple cinnamon doughnuts for the trip home. I am certain no doughnuts actually made it all the way home! At another wedding they had caramel apples as their wedding favors – what could remind you of a fall day more than a caramel apple?

Tell us about your Autumn themed wedding. We’d loved to hear your creative ideas!