Wedding Flowers Budget Tips

The best wedding planning advice I received was to contract your most important wedding feature first and then continue in descending importance. For me, that was the band, dress, decor, food, and invitations last. Dishing out the money in the order of importance will keep you smiling when you end up with less-than-ideal choices for the end of the list (because what really mattered to you has already been purchased!).

There are so many ways to cut your flower budget, but some worked wonders for me.

I wanted my arrangements to be unorthodox, with random flower assortments rather than two or three distinct flowers in only one or two colors. Taking this route saved me thousands of dollars. Yes, thousands. By the time you order enough flower arrangements to cover your venue, plus the bouquets and boutonnieres for the wedding party, you will be looking at a heavy bill unless you can give a little and go with a less strict flower pallet.

Flowers go on sale at different seasons, on different weeks, and typically at the end of the week --- your florist is in the loop and can buy bundled flowers for big discounts. So be honest with your florist and have her update you on what can be bought around the time of your wedding for the best prices. Because I already wanted a ‘wild flower’ look this worked perfect for me, but even if you want a more structured look this can work for you as well. I had several colors that I did not wish to! And I simply had those flowers removed from the bundle when they arrived so they wouldn't make it into the venue.

I also picked two flowers in the color scheme I wanted that came in large bundles, one yellow and one purple, to add to the hodgepodge bundles. 

Having the color and not a specific flower in mind will do wonders for your budget since there will always be a flower in season for your chosen color. Picking a pricey, one-season flower, on the other hand, is the surest way to intensify the bill.

A smart saver is using bridesmaids’ bouquets as centerpieces. This is common but rarely gets implemented the "day of." While we were getting ready at the barn, I had every bridesmaid find an empty jar (that had been set aside for their bouquets) and make them responsible for getting their bouquets in the first thing after arriving at the reception. This way, you get to spend the most money on their (and your) bouquets, and then they also get to shine at the reception. 

One last thought about bouquets: My florist told me that brides with overbearingly large bouquets are disadvantageous in their wedding pictures. Simply, when holding an enormous bouquet, your waist disappears! So go for a slightly smaller bouquet and give your waist (which you have been working so hard to shrink) a chance to shine.

 

If you are bold, take the next step in making your flower budget shrink by providing the containers. I used all sizes of old jars and loved how it turned out. This, of course, takes planning and work, but it will be worth it in the end when you get to spend extra on your band!

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Sparrow Creek Ranch: it takes a family to build a barn:

Family means everyone involved is family to us! 

For those of you who could not make it to the wedding or just heard the stories about the amazing barn my dad built, I thought I should share some more “building in process” and “finished project photos” with you. This was a family effort that could not have been done without everyone’s skills, blood, and tears. You can read the re-purposed blog post to learn more about the building materials  (under wedding bliss). 

This place is special to us because this is where George proved himself. My parents bought this property in 2006, and I started bringing George home then. We spend our Graham weekends at the land cutting brush, watching for copper heads, and eating hotdogs under the stars, warmed by a campfire atop the hill that eventually became our beloved ceremony site. These weekends continued for years without knowing what incredible fruit they would one day yield: God’s plans are always better than our own.

If you were at the wedding, your chair was right here! 

looking a little better 

final product

This blog is a thank you and showcase for the love that came from so many to build this special place. Of course, my Dad, who didn’t get home till after 10 every night for the past year, was the last to leave and the first to work on the barn, day and night. My mom's time and beautiful creativity can be seen in so many amazing designs and little details that make it so special. Most notably, she helped save the ceremony site from fire with only an old broom and clipboard! 

My dear sister and her boyfriend Hagen, for their weekends away from friends, cutting brush and building whatever needed building, from bathrooms to signs and everything in between, they had their hands in it.

George, of course, drove almost every weekend straight to Graham from Houston for four months to help work on whatever that week’s mega task was, from putting in the septic tanks to building the bathrooms.  Randy and Joe Moore’s support and help are hard to match: from driving the loaders to get the walls up to coming to the rescue like the Dukes of Hazard when the burn pile got out of control on the ceremony site! 

The last week would have been unbearable without the help of Marjorie, Aubrey, and the Brogden women. Sweeping floors, scrapping windows, and getting us to the finish line were just a few of the amazing things they did that week.  

The work everyone did and the months of enduring cactus in every inch of their bodies is what true friendship and family look like. I love them all and can’t believe we pulled this thing off! 

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DIYS wedding: It’s all in the details

My mom, sister, and I had fun wrapping presents in brown sack paper and stamping sweet verses, sayings, and names on the packages this Christmas. When we were done opening on Christmas, I cut the bags up into little strips. I had no idea what I would do with them, but I started stamping love sayings, such as “past, present, future,” “always and forever,” “forever mine,” “one sweet love,” etc on the strips. I scrolled these around the tables to add a fun spirit and make each unique.

To cover the electrical boxes, my mom and sister picked up drop cloths (the kind you get from the hardware store to keep paint off the floor or cover furniture), and my sister freehanded a verse and a saying on them. These were incredible for breaking up the bare walls and also a fun touch that was meaningful and added to our “homemade” flare.

On a rainy day, when outside work was tough, my dad and George got to work on the “sign” I wanted.  As a geographer, I wanted to have a sign pointing to the places that were most important to George and me. This included where we met, at TCU, where we both grew up, our honeymoon destination, and a few others, plus the general direction for the ceremony and reception.  We sawed a couple of boards in half and then “arrowed” the tips. With a thick black sharpie, once again, Constance free-handed the names.  The wood came from the salvage yard, so it was repurposed, like the barn, and then white-washed with leftover paint and a buck of water. 

My sweet mother bought tall candles in glass from the dollar store and then made each one a statement piece we scattered around the barn and tables. She cut old music paper and words from magazines and used Mod Podge gloss luster to seal them around the candle. She then added different details for each candle. Some were the simple music paper, a little glitter sprinkled on, others had small pieces of twine tied around in a bow and an antique earring tied on. We had fun making these at home; they were a romantic touch. 

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Time to Adapt! SEO & Social Media

For the last year, I have taken over as CSO for PartingOut.com. At that time, the social media network for this website had grown exponentially from zero to too many to list. From a geography professor to a full-blown SEO and Social Media campaign organizer and manager, I have adapted to the fast-moving job of updating and managing over 15 social media outlets for the online start-up. The most important are Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Flicker, MySpace, and the office blog on WordPress.  I will share the experience of doing these two jobs (SEO and Social Media) in other posts, but to set the record straight: What is PartingOut.com anyways?

PartingOut.com is a new virtual online salvage yard created to bring used auto parts buyers and sellers to one venue.  This project, started by a salvage yard owner five years ago, is founded on revolutionary tools to optimize the used auto parts industry. There is a huge demand for used auto parts that is grossly under-serviced. PartingOut.com satisfies that demand by taking the local auto recycler and expanding its inventory to a worldwide audience.

On PartingOut.com, parts typically not considered when buying salvage are sold without the hassle or attention that would generally outweigh their value. For example, by listing the major parts of a vehicle (motor, transmission, etc.), sellers have opened the entire vehicle up for the market (floor mats, sun visor, console, etc.) due to the image-based platform of PartingOut.com. This is possible through the Buyer Listed Part tool. When a buyer sees a part they need on a vehicle that is not listed, they can create a Buyer Listed Part. The buyer describes the conditions and amount willing to pay, presenting a qualified offer to the seller. That once obsolete part has just sold itself.

“I sold a sun visor for $50.00. I would never have spent the money or time to list that part on any other website. This customer saw the visor in the picture and created a Buyer Listed Part. Then I received an instant alert, and a deal was made: that’s what PartingOut.com is all about:” Kevin Fullerton, CEO. This is one of the revolutionary tools that will change how used auto parts are found, sold, bought, and recycled by creating a market for every part.

The fundamental characteristic that elevates PartingOut.com above other online used parts websites is its visual-based platform. PartingOut.com is based on marketing an entire vehicle on a visual basis (not interchange) and, possibly most importantly, bringing the real-life experiences of walking through a salvage yard, seeing the part you need, and making a deal, but online.

If you think this rocks, vote for PartingOut on MissionSmallBusiness.com to help us compete for a Mission: Small Business Grant! Click "SUPPORT" and then easy log in with Facebook, search PartingOut.com and vote! 

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Wedding Day Make-Up Musts!

I completely understood when Kate Middleton mentioned she would be doing her own makeup for her wedding because she wanted Will to recognize her. I also chose to do my own makeup on my wedding day, and a few products and tips got me through the photos, ceremony, and reception without the fear of smudges or vanishing acts. These tips and products are focused on every bride’s most important makeup requirement: long wear!

Preparation is Key!  

I love having long, full lashes, and for several months before the wedding, I started using LiLash. It is truly remarkable; you will wake up one day, and your eyelashes will look like beautiful Mini Mouse lashes. Last summer I was sucked into getting eyelash extension, and I can tell you, this is a much better result for your wallet and your eyelashes. The lash extensions are expensive, take at least an hour to fill, and if you decide to stop getting them, you have a period when you have to let your real lashes grow back (for me, this was brutal).  On the other hand, LiLash is at home, takes no time, and will give you great lashes for a year at three weeks with lash extensions. Start at least four months before your wedding! 

The one product I cannot live without is my eyelash curler. Unfortunately, my natural lashes have zero curls and actually point downward. I started using an eyelash curler at a very early age, but the key to getting it to stay is to heat it up with the blow dryer for 20 seconds. This is a fairly well-known tip, but the next step is crucial to getting those long lashes to stay in place, especially on your wedding day, to prevent smudging – waterproof mascara. I always put on two quick coats of waterproof mascara right after I curl my eyelashes to ensure they stay curled and look fabulous all day. I prefer Merle Normal waterproof mascara; I can’t find one I like better. Do not miss this step on your special day!

Lid Prep

Most people don’t do their eyelash rituals until after they apply their eyeshadow, but I do the steps previously mentioned (curl and then apply waterproof mascara) before I do anything on my eyelids. Then, I wipe on a crème lip prep from Clinique (lid smoothie) to keep my eyeshadow in place all day. Without this step, I get creases of shadow that ruin the whole effect. 

This crème also helps me in my next and somewhat usual makeup application. I do not use eye shadow brushes. Never have. I've always felt like my friends are continually buying eye shadow. On the other hand, I only buy eye shadow every couple of years, seriously! I believe it's because using my finger tip I get twice the pigment out of the same amount of eye shadow others apply using a brush. I am always frustrated with the lack of placement, shadow residue on my nose and cheeks, and the amount of re-application needed when I try to fiddle with an eye shadow brush. Try it out, but the crème is a must because it makes the shadow smooth and easy to blend with my finger.

Long Wear Liner

Once my shadow is in place, I reach for my favorite eyeliner of all time: Stila Stay all day, waterproof liquid eyeliner! Do not worry about your makeup running; it is priceless if you are a presumed teary-eyed bride. I cried down the aisle and never once worried if my mascara or liner was running. This liquid liner is just like a pen with a long felt tip, making it the perfect tool for all the women who favor the wingtip/cat eye look, like me. Even if that is not your style, you will love the quick whip across the top of the lid that will not budge the rest of the day.

I get a little picky about my eyeliner process, and it takes three different types of application for me to be happy. I start with the Stila liner on my top lids, coming to a small wing. I then applied black powder with a brush to the inside of the top and bottom lids. Taking the remaining residue of black powder, I smudge my bottom lashes and up into my wing tips for a smoky/less stark line.

After my entire eye makeup is done, I apply the final coats of lengthening mascara with care to avoid getting it on my lids, and it's done! No runs or smudges here!

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Bring Bridal Portraits to Life with a Punch of Color!

There are trends for engagement, wedding, and, of course, bridal portraits that every bride stores away in her “wedding notebook.” For the past few seasons, incorporating unique backdrops like untraveled highways and salvage yards has replaced the typical Victorian staircase.

I took these all into consideration when planning my bridal session. One thing was certain: I was getting married outside, and my bridals would only fit outside where my heart belonged. I did land on one trend that I knew I had to have… “vintage sofa in a field.” I had seen this several times but wasn't sure how you were supposed to get your hands on a gorgeous antique sofa covered in fuchsia velvet, like the particular picture that gave me the inspiration. After showing this picture to my mom and discussing the logistics, she set out: garage sales, estate sales, and auctions.

Luckily, she found a tremendous antique sofa at an estate sale for literally a fraction of a fraction of what it would cost in a store. The only issue was it was covered in an old flower pattern that would make your great-grandmother Ruby look young.  So, we went to the local hardware store and bought bright yellow wall paint. Yes, wall paint. After three coats, the pattern underneath was barely noticeable, and we had the most incredible statement sofa in Texas.

The decision to go with bright yellow initially was my desire to go with a pea green. Once we were standing in front of the wall of paint strips, however, I decided to just go for it and make that sofa spring out of the field it would soon be resting in. The result was amazing, and I am so glad I went for that bright punch of color! So go bold when planning your bridals, and start now!

We started the sofa expedition nine months before the wedding. Planning is a crucial element if you want to have bridals with personality—mothers, however, are the key ingredient. 

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Interview: DCC Final Auditions

Just know... 

You never get the questions you are prepared for. If you are a Cowboys fact wiz, you will slowly make a fist under the table as everyone else in the room is quizzed on Cowboy trivia, and they will then turn to you and ask you who “you most admire.” Instead of knowing everything you think the panel might ask you, focus on knowing why you are there. What makes you want to be a DCC?

You are there to sell, You! So ask yourself

1) What was the turning point in your decision to audition?

2) What would being a part of the DCC do for your life? Would it enhance your performance and resume? Would it bring you camaraderie?

3) What is the number one thing the DCC does that you most admire or aspire to do? Game performances? USO Tours? Appearances?

4) If you knew you could not fail… what would you aspire to be?

5) What is your life’s passion?

Answer those questions, and it will give you fire and enthusiasm to answer whatever question is thrown at you.

Besides knowing who you are, there are a few topics I would be well versed in.  I am a teacher who doesn’t believe in giving the answer up, so here is your homework.

1) What is Charlotte’s position?

2) Who is the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, and TX Governor?

3) What is happening in Syria and North Korea? The DCC visits Korea on USO tours frequently, so be aware of what's going on there! 

4) What significant event happened this year involving the EX Liberian President, Taylor?

5) And, of course, Cowboys Musts: coach, new draft picks, your favorite player (and a good reason!), what years did the Cowboys win the Super Bowl, and how many Super Bowl appearances have they made?  

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DCC Preliminaries Audition Advice

How to Arrive at Cowboys Stadium

The weather is unpredictable, but spring in Texas means moist mornings. The last thing you want to do is stand in line for over two hours in humid air and let your hair-sprayed hair; you woke up two hours early to curl and fall. I suggest arriving with your full makeup on and your hair nicely straightened or blow-dried. I say that because this is the only day you do not need to be “practicing” a routine, either DCC choreography or your own solo, once you get inside Texas Stadium. Therefore, you will have at least an hour of time to do nothing except "fluff & puff," i.e., curl your hair and even have help from all the other hopefuls. This means your hair will not look like it has too much product from having to do it twice. Many also arrive in curlers and don't take their hair down until inside, which is another way of avoiding doing it twice.

One way to get that perfect Texas Hair is to tease your roots (don’t overdo it) and then curl the bottoms. You want to curl AWAY from your face; this will give your hair lightness and help if stay curled throughout the day. Since I am not a talented teaser, my favorite product is the new hair-body boosting powder by Aveda. I lift an inch worth of hair from my natural part on both sides and sprinkle a line of the powder evenly. Then, gently run your fingers front to back to activate it. This will boost your hair and also help keep it dry and high.  Whatever makes you look best and stand out is the hairstyle you want to go with.

Remember, it is not about everyone else, it is only about you. Do not compare yourself, your hair, or your outfit to everyone else; it is only about what you do on the dance floor and how inspiring your smile is. You got this! 

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Green Wedding: RE-PURPOSING

Everything Counts! That’s my idea of going green. It’s a personal choice for me to be conscious of the environmental impacts my actions carry, and my wedding is no exception. 

The first and LARGEST green move was the barn itself. My dad is building me a barn to hold the reception after the ceremony, which is a short distance away in a natural ring of trees. The barn is primarily composed of re-purposed materials. The outside tin was initially part of a very old barn being torn down, but now it has a new home. The beams supporting the structure were taken from various buildings and welded together. Even the smoke stack for the fireplace was originally part of a factory (see below). As you can imagine, we had to cut it down a little!

smoke stake to the right

 

For a fun shabby chic mixed with rustic look, we have been collecting old fence posts. Now that we have a rather large pile, we have started whitewashing them using old cans of paint that have been sitting in my parents' garage for years. With a wet brush and barely any paint left, we have started creating fun signs that will dot the land telling guests where to go: this way for true love… that way for “I dos,” … that way for “go home,” … etc.  

The tables will combine old books, candles, and other decorative items found around my mother’s fantastic home (one of the benefits of getting married in your hometown). There will also be wildflowers in old jars ranging in all sizes. My family has been collecting these jars for years out of creeks, backs of old cars, garage sales, etc. This weekend, we splurged and bought three huge water jugs before they were plastic (mom keeps using them until the wedding, of course ... see below). Using these glass bottles is not only re-purposing them but cutting down on the cost significantly, while at the same time, it is exactly the look I wanted!

 

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