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Can you have a $5000 Wedding that’s Magazine-worthy?

Hell Yeah!

flower girl with ribbon wand

I picked up the newest Real Simple Weddings a few days ago. It's a guilty pleasure to be sure. This is my first time buying the $14 beauty, but I figure it only comes out once a year, so the price is comparable to any other subscription, or a paperback book.

As I was flipping through the weddings of brides who likely don't think twice about dropping fourteen bucks on a magazine, I stumbled upon the "Hearts and Crafts" wedding in the Budget section. The first two sentences read:

As any bride knows, a wedding dress alone can cost $5,000. With that amount, Tessa, 23, and Adam, 24, managed to throw and entire wedding–and feed 150 guests."

Hey, I recognize that wedding, wasn;t it featured on…(click, click, click) yup, Snippet and Ink!

bridal portraits, groom is in a seer-sucker suit

So, this wedding was published in one of the most beautiful wedding magazine's on the planet, and one of the most beautiful blogs! how did she do it? A combination of pooling the talents of friends and family; DIY-ing the decor, flowers, hair, and makeup; and opting for fun and festive (read: inexpensive) reception food and entertainment.

DIY Style

  • DIY felt corsages and boutonnieres (and you know how I'm totally in love with corsages!)
  • DIYed decor, including bunting for the barn
  • DIY-ed jars of flowers the the day of her wedding; while her bouquet was professionally arranged for her, and she did her own hair and makeup

DIY felt corsage

Wedding Freebies

barn reception and DIY carrot bunt cake with donuts

Wedding Cheapies

  • J Dawgs catered a hot dog dinner
  • The couple rented yard games, such as croquet, a rope for tug-o-war, bocce ball, and canoes to paddle around the pond nearby

wedding guests playing games and jumping on a parachute

Oh, and here's the bonus, if you check out the wedding on the Jessica Peterson's blog, you will spy with your little eye, MOUNTAINS!

I hope you're inspired, because I certainly am!

~All Images from Jessica Peterson Photography via Snippet and Ink~