The Money Saving Bride: Tip 6

Children are part of your guest list. It's just about inevitable. So you have to keep them entertained. Here's a good, cheap, diy way to that: A free coloring book pdf file. I believe Pinterest is a wonderful invention. I found it there while scrolling through some pins one morning. But here's the basics of it.





Step 1: Download the pdf file (located here). It works best if you print odd pages first and then the even pages. Also be sure to change your printer settings so that the picture is rotated around to give you that book-like shape.




Step 2: Head to Walmart. According to my guest list I have roughly 20 children on my just that are at the age where they can get really bored really fast. I decided to give them six crayons a piece so I picked up a box of 120 crayons for $6.97. Then I got more printer paper ($2.97) and a roll of twine ($5.00). All together these little booklets cost me a total of $14.94 for 20 of them or around $0.75 per book.





Step 3: Assembly. I folded the books together and then cut two small triangle shaped holes in the binding. Through that I tied a piece of twine and cut off the ends but left a bit for decorative purposes. The same procedure is almost duplicated for the crayons. Simply lay them out over a piece of twine, tie once in the back, flip them over, tie a knot in the front and then trim the ends.

And voila! Entertainment for the kiddos without breaking the bank.

The Money Saving Bride: Tip 4

So we finally got our venue sorted out this week-at least I hope so. It's been such a rollercoaster ride trying to figure this out. Which brings me to tip number 4-find a place where you can have both the ceremony and reception and just have the pastor come out for the ceremony. I know most people like to have theirs in a church-and that's perfectly fine. But then you also (usually) have to book a separate building (or another part of the church) for the reception for an additional fee. And that can make things more expensive.

I wanted to get married in my church because I had been born and raised there. But between dates that we wanted already being taken and the cost of things, we decided to look into other venues. My parents actually suggested a concert hall on a 135-acre farm that I had done a Christmas show in one year. I hadn't even thought to consider it. But, for $650 less than the church, we landed a building that could be used for both-all we have to do is put up the tables after the ceremony.

Now I'm not saying this option is for everybody, but it's worth a shot. They say, in all the books I have been reading, that you need to have one area in which you splurge (within your budget) and the rest you keep strictly to. The venue could be it for you but I believe if you save the money here, you could spend on something else-like oodles of flowers or the dress of your dreams.

Have a happy week everybody and I'll have another tip up for you next Monday.

Big News

So I've been keeping something from you guys...as of December 28, Brendan and I are engaged! He took me out, after I had been very sick with some sort of sinus infection (all while staying at his parents' in Georgia for Christmas) to see Les Miserables (I'm a huge fan). After the movie we went into the mall and he took me into the jewelry store and told me to pick one. Later he said, "If you had waited for me to pick one, you would have been waiting forever." I'm very excited to be getting ready to start this new chapter with a totally amazing, godly man!

Dixie Rose, not even a day old.
Photo by Elizabeth Pires

So with our wedding, we're doing a low budget. So for anyone in the same boat, I'll put posts up on how we're saving money and how you can too.

And my other bit of news...as of December 19 I an also now an auntie! My sister-in-law safely delivered Dixie Rose (we bear the same middle name) after 18 hours of labor. 6lbs 8oz, 21 in and looking oh so much like my brother with her big ears and blue eyes. But she's has her mommy's dark black hair. The little dear even arrived on her due date.