Musical Fall Connecticut Wedding on an $8K Budget

This special fall wedding was a music lover’s dream! The bride and groom are both professional performers and musicians, so they infused so many musical moments into their day. We love how they used the help of their community to acheive their dream wedding on a budget! Also, their DIY guestbook is so cute! You will love this Musical Fall Tennessee Wedding on an $8K Budget!

Xoxox, Jessica

Annabelle + Douglas

October 8th, 2016
The Parish at Emmanuel Church| Weston, CT

What was your total budget? Please provide a budget breakdown.

• Catering: $800
• Alcohol/Bar: $1300
• Cake: $100
• Flowers: $300
• Rentals + Decor: $1000
• Music/Entertainment: $400
• Photography: $100
• Partner 1 Attire: $350
• Partner 2 Attire: $120
• Stationery: $530
• Hair & Makeup: $100
• Ceremony Venue: $500
• Reception Venue: $1000
• Miscellaneous: $1300

Total Budget: $8,000

How many guests did you have?

120

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

We come from musical backgrounds and families so we wanted to be sure to utilize the talents of our wedding party and friends! For our ceremony processional we had our groomsman, Chris, play a medley of musical theatre songs as the members of the party walked down the aisle. For my bridal processional, he switched places with my brother, Brendan and played “Falling Slowly” from “Once.” My bridesmaids arranged an acoustic version of John Denver’s “For Baby.” My brother in law sang a song my dad wrote called, “Golden Circles” as we exchanged rings and our entire wedding party sang Phil Phillips’ “Home” to recess us down the aisle as husband and wife!

Did you do any DIY projects or create any handmade items for your weddings?

Yes! I knew I wanted a fun farewell once the partying was over so we crafted “Wedding Wands” to wave us off! We purchased wooden rods, various mismatched materials, and little bells from Michaels and then put them all together! We wanted to work with the chairs the venue provided so we acquired white chair covers and decorated them with these wands and sunflowers on the backs. They tied all our shabby chic mismatched vintage plate and glassware together.

What was the biggest thing you did to save money?

The biggest thing we leaned into to save money was using our community. During this season of planning it became very clear that friends and family enjoy gifting couples with service. We reached out to friends and family who either have their own business or were friends with various vendors. Our church was essential in its offerings. Our pastor’s wife bought our flowers wholesale, and arranged the most stunning arrangements, bouquets, and boutenniers, free of charge. Our caterer only charged us for the price of the food and our cake baker cut her typical rate in half. Our venue had never been used for a wedding reception before so we were able to negotiate WELL below the average rate most commercial venues start at.

What was most important to you two? Was there anything you chose to splurge on or skip?

Our biggest splurge was alcohol! We provided a white and red wine, prosecco for toasts, and several cases of beer. We wanted to make sure our guests had a blast! We partied the night away!

What was your favorite detail?

I have so many favorite details from our day, but two come to mind. The first would have to be our guest board that my bridesmaid, Eva created. Instead of a traditional guest book, she designed one that showcases the fingerprints of our guests as leaves on a woodburned tree. It hangs in our hallway and is the perfect embodiment of our community.

The second was having a mini concert of love songs during our reception featuring our musical wedding guests! Our friends chose a song in advance to dedicate to us. Our groomsman Chris accompanied them on the piano. It was so intimate and sweet and magical. Our non-musical wedding guests kept saying, “I feel like I’m at a Broadway show!”

What is the most memorable moment of your day?

The most memorable moment of the day was when we caught eyes for the first time as I walked down the aisle. We opted out of the first look and are so glad we did because the butterflies and tears and spontaneity of experiencing that in front of our guests, was so special.

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

The best piece of advice is to remember that it is your day. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with opinions and ideas from both sides of the family, friends, and even vendors on how things should be done… but at the end of the day… it is your day and it is just A day. Why worry about what other people want when it’s a day devoted to you and your partner, not everyone else? They are coming to attend an event that they hope embodies your relationship. Let the ceremony and reception speak to the kind of people you are, what you enjoy, and what you hope for the future.

Vendors

Photography: Ingrid Heres | Floral: Flowers Vista | Dress:Macys | Hair:Leah Brasile | Suit: H & M | Cake: 22 Candles| Decor: Revival Ware| Wedding Night BNB: Stonehenge Inn and Restaurant| Submitted via: Jotform