Tuesday, May 22, 2012

How We Planned a Mini-No-Pressure Wedding Night Dinner in Less Than a Week

In order to keep our wedding simple, no pressure and laid back has actually taken very, very little effort thanks to several people who love us very, very much and we could not be more grateful.  However, it is taking a little bit of leg work from yours truly so I thought I'd update on how that is going with some day by day mini wedding action and a budget breakdown.

Keep in mind that we are still planning our big reception to take place next year when all of Italy can attend as well as more friends and family.  This is intentionally going to be a very small affair that was originally supposed to be simply a "One Year in House" party.  It was also supposed to be kind of a secret, so naturally, everyone knows.

Anyhoo- here's how it went down after last week's legal prep- blood tests and applying for our license (total cost $69.00).

Saturday and Sunday:  As previously mentioned we napped, played our friend's house and enjoyed calling immediate family/friends to spread the good news (total cost: free).

Monday:  We called all the people who we already invited to our house party and told them we were getting married that day too.  So.  Be ready for that.  Picked up my borrowed cake stand from my boss and she threw in a silver ice bucket too.  Called my personal fashion assistant and told her to pack up her fancy Grove dresses and bring them with her when she comes Thursday night.  Then later that night I spent 30 minutes making some fabric and paper tassels for some easy and laid back decorations.  (total cost:  free).

Tuesday:  Let me stop right here and explain that I haven't been in Walmart in over a year and I was incredibly disappointed by their lack of eco options for entertaining.  We're expecting to feed 50 people so glass plates weren't really an option- plus glass plates for burgers seemed a little much.  So I spent 35 minutes carefully checking each disposable plate package and picked up some compostable paper plates and 7.5 yards of cotton muslin. The plates will be, well, composted and the muslin is going to be torn into 15" napkins here in a few hours when work slows down.  I have plans in my head to dye the napkins different colors later and maybe use them to make a quilt or something.  But we'll see how I feel about it later (cost: about $35).  I also stopped at Goodwill and lucked out by picking up two pairs of gold shoes (one heels and one flats), two white flat sheets we're going to call table clothes, a dress shirt option for Marco though he may not wear it and other not wedding related stuff because I can't help myself.  (cost for wedding stuffs:  roughly $25). 

So here we are.  Three days away and our total cost to date is: $129.00.  We still have to buy the food and drink but thanks to a local liquor store going out of business we actually already picked up some extra booze at a pretty good discount a couple of weekends ago. In list form:  here's another break down.

Dress:  Free (borrowed from a friend)
Shoes: $10 (two pairs to chose from included)
Makeup:  Free/already owned
Flowers:  Free from my boss's yard hopefully
Marco's Maybe Shirt: $5
Decorations:  Free/crafted from previously owned supplies or found around the house
Table Decorations:  $10 for 2 new bedsheets/free for previously owned fabric/table clothes
Plates/Napkins/Utensils: $35 (utensils borrowed from the library's stash)
Serving Platters: Free/already owned
Cake and Cake Stand: Gift and borrowed
My ring:  $50 resizing fee, but the ring was free- it was my Mommy's
Legal stuffs: $69 (2 blood tests and one licence application)

Total (including ring sizing): $179.00

Still to buy:  Food and drink and maybe a new tube of lipstick.  Not bad.  Not bad at all.

Also, if you see something glaringly missing, keep it to yourself.  :)  Thanks.

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