another must see wedding from Amelia Lyon….click below to go to see the full wedding on her blog.

So after all the computer issues I’ve had lately, I decided to post something that put a smile on my face! This engagement session was sent to me from one of my readers, Victoria. Victoria and Nick did their engagements in La Jolla, California at the beach. I couldn’t help but chuckle at these pictures.

Too funny!  Photographer: Lori Valler

Torey and Kerry are from the DC Metro area but opted to have a destination wedding in order to save on costs-and hello! because it’s gorgeous!

Couple: Torey and Kerry
Wedding Date: June 21, 2008
Location: Sundial Resort in Sanibel, FL
Number of Guests: 88
Initial Budget: $15,000

Wedding Day Costs

Ceremony: $1500- included locations, chairs, alter, set-up and takedown

Officiant: $400

Reception/Catering: approx. $5200-$58 per person “We did a ‘Florida Buffet’ and the food included grilled grouper, tomato and cucumber salad, fried plantains with pineapple-jalapeno relish, jerk spiced chicken, grilled pineapple, black beans and rice, jalapeno corn bread, tropical fruit and key lime tarts.”

Rentals: all included. We opted to just use the white chairs, white tablecloths, center pieces, white napkins that the resort provide.

Bridal Gown & Alterations: $120 (dress on eBay for $20, alterations were $100)

Bridal Accessories: $150 (Jewelry was from Sorrelli)

Hair/Makeup: $200

Groom’s Attire & Accessories: $79 ( Shirt from Aloha Hut $40 and pants from Martin and Osa $39)

Bridesmaids Attire: $125 (Maid of Honor’s dress)

Groomsmen Attire: $79

Paper: Invites were from MyGatsby.com and price was $257. Everything else- STD, rehearsal party invites and programs I did myself and printed at Kinko’s for less than $50

Transportation: $0 Ceremony and reception were at the same location.

Photographer: $1080 by Kellie Day Photography. “We booked her in August 2007 and her prices have increased since then. Her and her husband were FABULOUS and I would book her again and again!”

Ceremony Music: $0 (friend of family played the violin free of charge)

Reception Music: $800 for a DJ

Flowers: $250 “We ordered 5,000 rose petals and 4 dozen roses from FiftyFlowers.com and made the bridal and MOH bouquet. The rose petals were used along the aisle and on the tables for the reception.”

Other décor: $30 “We had the beach- did not need any decorations. We bought starfish on eBay for the place cards.”

Favors: $0 (Couple elected not to do favors)

Cake: $0 “It ended up being free since they delivered it late and it fell apart. It would have cost about $200.”

Wedding Planner: $0 “the resort provided us with a great, great coordinator but otherwise we did everything ourselves.”

Gifts: $300

Miscellaneous: “We stayed the whole week at the resort before the wedding- since it was off-season our room rate was only $130 per night.”

DAY OF GRAND TOTAL: approx. $13,500

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OTHER COSTS

Rehearsal Dinner/Day after brunch: $1050 “We rented the Sanibel Community House for $250.00 and then had Publix cater the party. I think total for food and drink it was around $800.”

Honeymoon: $1500

Wedding Bands: $1000

FINAL GRAND TOTAL: $17,000 (includes plane tickets, additional hotel rooms)

Photographer credit: Kellie Day Photography

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Best cost-saving advice: we did not get married where we live J we originally looked in DC but everything was so expensive. We wanted a smaller, less formal event and picked Sanibel, Florida. Planning in the off-season saved us and our guests money. The weather was fabulous and we loved our location!

If you can splurge, do it here: Photography!

Don’t bother with: Favors, hand painted aisle runners, candy bars, calligraphy for invitations

Other Advice: Have fun and enjoy the day! Things might go wrong but in the end- being married and being with your family and friends is the most important thing.

This wedding is so good. I was trying to think of a more interesting way to put it…but that pretty much sums it up. Mimi and Karl are two talented photographers based in the Philippines. They tied the knot after 12 years in October of 2008 at the Elizalde Private Beach Resort in Boracay. The details of this wedding are just….really really good. Styling and details from the minds of  Teddy Manuel and Ernest Pascual.

Invitation designed by Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, Pillow handcrafted by Karl’s mother, earthenware from Paloma’s Nest with a line from M+K’s favorite song, “I didn’t know I was looking for love ’til I found you,” and pineapple jellybeans in tin pails for place card holders.”that’s a fly-fishing lure you see in Karl’s boutonniere!

From Mimi & Karl’s blog: “What is Boracay without Jonah’s fruit shake? M+K ordered “M”angga at “K”alamansi as welcome drinks for the guests in the ceremony area. Drinks were served in sunny yellow and pewter-colored plastic cups with trivia about M+K – truly, a conversation piece while waiting for the ceremony to start.”

Okay…love the fabric draping and black chairs on the beach… 

napkin holders made from leftover envelope-lining paper- crafty!!!

This is my type of beach wedding! More photos on Mimi and Karl’s blog of their wedding and their work!