- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee Blog
Remember how, a few months back, Mr. S and I feared that we might not be able to afford our wedding? And then, we realized that, by scrimping and saving, we could do it? Well, it turns out that Mr. S has some generous family members. Very generous. And they were very, very good to us during the holidays. Suddenly, we didn’t have to worry about even scrimping anymore. We certainly didn’t have enough to go hog-wild, but we suddenly had enough in the bank to feel a bit more comfortable.
(Side note: We’ve thanked them from the bottom of our hearts over and over again, but if anyone has any ideas for a spectacular way to express our gratitude, I’m all ears.)
Most of the money was used for NWR stuff: first and foremost, a down payment on a car for me (since I’d been car-free for many years but now need one to commute to my new job). A lot of it went into our savings account.
But this is a wedding blog, so you better believe that we are putting a bit towards the wedding. Otherwise, why am I telling you this, right? Well, we decided to spend a tad more on some details that we thought we’d have to sacrifice:
Transportation.
Our venue is in a very weird, remote, industrial part of the city, and it’s not easy to hail a cab in that neighborhood. We wanted our guests to be able to kick back and enjoy some cocktails without having to worry about driving, and hive member Monkeygirl pointed me in the direction of a surprisingly affordable transportation company. Now our guests, if they like, can meet at the hotel downtown to take a school bus to our venue and back.
Lighting
We originally decided to go with simple rope lighting for our tent in order to save money, but I was bummed that it was all we could afford—I’d wanted to add some color. So now we’re going to spend a bit more for a bit more ambiance: Chinese Lanterns in our color palette: deep pinks, golds and ivory.
That’s it. We didn’t go nuts on the indulgences, but we’re psyched that we could afford to spend just a bit more to make our wedding prettier and more convenient for our guests.
What wedding-related things would you splurge on if you got an unexpected sum of money?
Are you having a program? It might be nice to give a shout out and a thank you to those who helped make the wedding of your dreams possible. Also, we’re rocking a school bus for transportation too!
That’s awesome! If we got some unexpected dough, I think we’d use it toward transportation, too.
I made silk-covered photo books with our pro pics for our wedding supporters. It went over really well 
[...] Mo’ Money, Mo’ Wedding Stuff | Weddingbee weddingbee.com/2011/02/02/wedding-transportation-3/ – view page – cached Remember how, a few months back, Mr. S and I feared that we might not be able to afford our wedding? And then, we realized that, by scrimping and saving, we [...]
Yay, these are all additions that I think you’ll look back and be really happy you made, fun!
What an awesome and unexpected surprise! So glad you get to add a few extra details. Any chance you’d let us know who you found for your transportation through Philly? (We’re looking for a big yellow school bus, too…)
You got a school bus! That’s awesome! My Husband and I took our school bus back to the hotel with our guests after the reception, and it was the MOST FUN ever!
I love the lanterns! Although the transportation was the more practical splurge - the lanterns are just so darn nice! Good choices and good luck with the planning!
Those are DEFINITELY upgrades you’ll be happy with! Very well thought out choices…
Lighting for sure! And some more decorations to create the right “look”. We’re stuck with a hotel as our venue because of the size of the guest list, and I’m not at all thrilled about the blah look.
I love the Chinese lanterns and school bus idea! If we had a bigger budget, we’d love to provide transportation for our guests too.
LOVE chinese lanterns, wish my place would allow it (no hanging stuff-super lame.) Generous family members are the best. Glad it worked out for you!
We made mini-albums after the fact for our parents, who’d given us some money for the wedding. They loved it…although we took literally a year to do it.
Aww, thanks for the shout out Miss Sloth! As someone who is all too familiar with the struggles of paying for a wedding, I’m glad I could help you out! Your wedding is going to be FAB-can’t wait to see the pics!
[...] for the ceremony and wear the BHLDN for the reception. But even though we’re no longer having budget woes, and even though both dresses combined still cost less than my original dress budget, I still [...]
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Ms. Sloth, Philadelphia Age and Occupation: 35, Account Manager and Fashion Blogger Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Design Admin Engagement Date: December 25, 2009 Wedding Date: May 2011 Venue: Bartram's Garden About Me: I'm an internet junkie and music snob with a good eye for a bargain. I couldn't live without thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers, sushi, Coke Zero, websites devoted to silly photos of baby animals, Photoshop, and Mr. Sloth. Speaking of which, he and I are a pair of goofball homebody nerds who love our beagle (the most ridiculously adorable dog EVER) to an embarrassing degree. We're planning a low-key and intimate yet festive and quirky outdoor wedding with DIY details and deeply personal touches, and it's all taking place in the city where we fell in love and call home: Philadelphia.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
Latest Gallery Pics