Wedding Budgetista - Must Have That Gown + Wedding Gown Buying Tips

In these budget trimming times, bringing out the Wedding Budgetista in all of us is a MUST!
And while we have lots of choices about how much we spend and where we can cut the wedding budget, a bride's wedding gown is one of those personal, it chooses you and you have no choice sort of situations. To help keep you sane, we give you: Wedding Budgetista and the Elusive Gown.  (Sort of sounds like a Disney Movie)

{Photo Credit: Mr. & Mrs. Drew Photography - LOVE them}

You love the gown, the bling, the train. You are giddy about the shape, the color, the perfect poof. And it is available right now! But, OUCH, you just can't swing the price. So how does a bride-to-be score the perfect dress without blowing her budget?

Your first step is to research and contact shops carrying the same dress line. Inquire about the price, shipping time, and special sales they may have. Your size could even be on their racks. Check the internet for brides offering their gently used gowns or bridal outlets selling at a significant discount.

{Photo Credit: Mr. & Mrs. Drew Photography} 

Armed with pricing information, go back to the original shop and negotiate for a lower price based on what others are asking. Chances are bridal boutiques, who want to move merchandise and keep their brides happy, will try to work with you, especially if you plan to buy a veil, shoes and accessories as well. Word of mouth, vendor referrals, and internet reviews such as Yelp and Yahoo can sometimes be incentive enough to make sure you walk away with dress in hand and a little bit of green left in your pocket.

Our good friends over at Mr. and Mrs. Drew Photography have a fabulous article about ordering your wedding gown, a great compliment to this here little article!
Happy shopping!

{Real Wedding} Practical Planning at Commander's Mansion, Mellissa & Juliano

Hello deLovliests! I wanted to give you a super quick Real Wedding preview to end your day off right.
This is actually my own Commander's Mansion wedding and our photographer Darren Pellegrino did an amazing job that simply needed to be shared.

No, I am not THAT self-centered in terms of NEEDING to share my OWN wedding.  I worked really hard at the Practical Planning, thrifty, and DIY side of this day and it is something we hope to continue to expand and encourage here at de Lovely Affair - getting more, paying less and helping you create a wedding in-line with your absolute vision AND of course, including those pieces that really bring it all home. That's our biggest and best wish for all you!  Enjoy and there is SO much more to come!

Do you have a super thrifty or practically planned wedding you would like to share? Go here for Submissions or shoot us an email! We'd love to hear how you achieved your dream wedding.

Smile at strangers today,

deLovely Affair Update and Round Up

Quick Updates:
We have a lot going on here at deLovely Affair HQ! So much to share, so much to do!

~* So first, be on the look out for some amazing Real Weddings by our preferred photographer Edson Dias over at Dias Photo....amazing photographer with a great sense of style. Find him here online or on Facebook. You should definitely check him out.

~* Oh how I love DIY, Oh how I wish there was more time in the day to actually do some of the super fun projects I find...sigh....at least you will benefit.  Tomorrow be on the look out for this one, a favorite of mine. In the meantime here is a picture to hold you over. Always remember, you can find DIY projects and Freebies HERE.

~* In preparation for St. Patrick's Day, deLovely Affair will Kiss the Blarney stone and feature all the fabulous rich culture associated with Irish Weddings for the week of March 17th....food, family, and fun await thee. Look out for traditions, locations, DIY, and a Guinness concoction or two.

~* Last but not least so great giveaways and events coming down the pike, so stay turned in and turned on! 

As always, remember we can be found on FACEBOOK and ask that you click the LIKE button. You can also follow all the deLovely Fun on TWITTER.  Please leave a comment below and let us know what you like or where we could do better!


Have a deLicious day!

{Real Wedding} Shilpa and Chirag - Highlight Video

As promised, Lovlies, a super sweet, high energy video of today's featured Real Wedding from Binita Patel Photography.  On my de Lovely journey, I have come to appreciate the absolute joy and beauty of traditional Hindu weddings; the three day event, the festive atmosphere, family and friends and flowers, the deep respect for culture and the dancing, dancing, dancing...as you will see captured in this highlight reel.

Enjoy this serious fun!



Shilpa & Chirag's Highlight Video from binita patel on Vimeo


Binita Patel is a Boston-based photographer spcializing in wedding, lifestyle and event photography with expertise in South Asian and Indian weddings and events.


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