Handmade bunting, cupcakes, tents, oh my! There is so much to love about today's wedding! Ashely and Alex pull off a classy outdoor wedding that is full of fun details and elegance. I love how the girls made their own bouquets and the purple/orange combo they used. And the guys' succulent boutonnieres are perfect! The reception decor is a beautiful blend of elegant while complementing the tent setting. Enjoy today's elegant outdoor wedding with handmade details! xoxo, Jessica

Ashley + Alex

August 23, 2014

Garson, Ontario, Canada| Private Residence

What was your budget?

We didn’t exactly have a budget, but we wanted to keep the costs as low as possible and ideally under $10,000.

Venue – Free (Parents’ backyard)

Tent rental: $500

Food: $1700 (buffet)

Alcohol: $600 (open bar)

Homemade Wine” $ 60

Rental items (tables, chairs, etc.): $950

Flowers (homemade from Costco): $150

Wedding Dress (Gift): $1500

Alterations: $300

Cathedral Veil: $ 70 (Homemade)

Groom’s suit: $150 at Banana Republic

Bride’s shoes: $90

Groom’s shoes: $90

Cake & Cupcakes: $10 (homemade)

Music: Free (iPod)

Projector, sound system and microphone: Free (borrowed)

Favours: $ 10 (homemade)

Centrepieces: $60 ($3 each, dollar store vases and flowers from backyard and Costco)

Signs: Free (homemade)

Photography: Gifted (courtesy of Caroline Ross Photography)

Bridesmaids’ gifts: $120/person = $ 600

Groomsmen gifts: $80/person= $ 400

Hair: $70

Makeup: Free (sister in-law)

Miscellaneous items: $1000 (lights, mason jars, straws, napkins, etc.)

Arbour: Free (homemade)

Hors O’deurves: $100 (homemade and from Costco)

Midnight Pizza: $100

Desserts: Free (homemade)

Wedding bands: $1000

Invitations and thank you cards: $200

Toilet Rental:$150

Total: $9860 – $1500 (Wedding Dress Gift) = $ 8360

How many guests did you have?

We had 72 guests including the bride, groom and wedding party.

What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?

Nearly all the décor was handmade. However, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law are the creative ones; they really made sure things looked amazing! The personal aspect that I really liked was our sign-in table, where we had pictures of our grandparents on their wedding day in beautiful gold frames. I also wore my aunt’s jewelry.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

We saved a lot of money in a lot of different ways by asking people that we knew to do or bring certain things. Almost half of our guest list was responsible for some aspect of our wedding, which meant I wasn’t always in control of what was going on. But the wedding was perfect and we didn’t have to pay for a venue, a DJ, a projector and sound system, or a photographer. All the décor was homemade including the cake, flowers, favors, fans, mason jars and other personal touches.

What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?

Pick a few things that are important to you and your husband and make sure they are at your wedding and well, the rest really doesn’t matter. Don’t worry yourself with every little detail or with how things are “supposed to be,” and rather enjoy the planning stages of the wedding and make sure you take the time to enjoy your big day!

What was your biggest splurge?

My wedding dress! I have always dreamed of having a beautiful wedding dress and that was something I did not want to have to compromise on.

What was your favorite detail?

The evening part of the wedding was my favorite… A slide show was played during the cake cutting, featuring us growing up and of our relationship together. It was made by the best man and his girlfriend, and it was amazing to watch! My father in-law lit up the fire bowl and there was so much dancing, people stayed until 3:30am. Bubbles were supposed to be used during the ceremony, but thankfully they were forgotten and taken out later once people had a couple of drinks. Everyone had a blast with them, blowing bubbles while dancing on the grass and eating smores around the fire.

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

It was seeing everyone’s hard work finally come together to make such a magical day. There were so many details that so many people were responsible for that I never actually saw everything together until I arrived. I was so overwhelmed with all the love and generosity of the people around us that I cried for over 20 minutes. Every time I would see a new sign or how the napkins were folded I just would burst into tears.