True life: I’m a recessionista 1.23.09
Do I need to tell you the economy is currently less than favorable? Obviously I do not. Probably it would have been wiser for Zac and I to get our I Do’s done and over with three years ago, immediately after he popped the question and before the markets tanked and prices soared. But, we didn’t. So we find ourselves planning a wedding in the midst of a recession which brings a whole new set of challenges to a planning process that always a pain in the butt.
I plan. Its what I do. It is my God-given talent to make lists, outlines, itineraries and contingency plans. So, geeze, planning a regular wedding would be way too easy. I had to plan one in a town six hours away from where I live. And I had to wait for the worst economy in decades to do it. This could be a recipe for wedding disaster. But I think its turned into a recipe for a hand-made wedding.
Thankfully, the wedding planning industry is becoming more friendly to the do-it-yourself (diy) bride. I could have messengers hand deliver pumpkins carved with our wedding date to each guest as a creative save-the-date (this is an actual service and actual people pay for it!!). But then I wouldn’t sleep at night knowing that I could have made someone’s adjustable-rate mortgage payment for the same cost. But realistically, planning a wedding during an economic crisis keeps things in check. The budget is the same as it was 3 years ago, but my idea of ‘affordable,’ ‘appropriate’ and ‘a ridiculous way to spend money’ has changed vastly. Elaborate, towering floral arrangements no longer seem chic and trendy, they seem greedy and wasteful. I’m now inclined to save money wherever possible, much to my mother’s dismay. Not that she would like to see me spend oodles of money on lavish decor but she’s secretly praying daily that I have the ability to make wedding bouquets and don’t end up walking down the aisle carrying oh, i don’t know, a bunch of red balloons.
But it is better this way for sure. I don’t want my grandkids to look at my wedding album and think “Can you believe gramma had the nerve to spend this kind of money on a wedding during the Moderate Depression?” (I just don’t think its going to get as bad as the Great Depression.) Plus our wedding is going to be a whole new level of personal since so many people are helping make things. And we’ll have that many more wedding stories to tell!
So anyway, I combine the lavish save-the-date ideas I had found and gave them my own recessionista twist. Zac and I carved three pumpkins with our wedding date (3, as opposed to one for each guest), then we had our fab engagement photographer snap a few photos of us with them. I picked a few favs, Photoshopped them a wee bit and joined forces with Wal-Mart for some very recession-friendly save-the-dates. These will be delivered by mailman, not private messenger!
It was the first of my wedding diy projects. I thought it was a simple way to start. Address envelopes using my snazzy printer, stuff envelopes, mail. WRONG. After four hours of mail merging and waging war with my InkJet I had four envelopes address. All to the same guest. All incorrectly. (Kim Donnell, are you reading this? Expect to receive four, incorrectly addressed save-the-dates in the coming weeks.)
But they are done. And they are fabulous. I have successfully diy-ed my save-the-dates.
Maggie – 1, Recession – 0.
Next up… diy guestbook, invitations, ring bearer pillows, garters, alter decor, pew bows, table centerpieces and wedding day bouquets. I’ll let you know how those go.
Headed home to STR now – time to celebrate Dad’s birthday (Happy Birthday Daddy!!), order up a mother-of-the-bride dress and diy those pew bows!
Later Alligators – Mags