DIY & Budget Wed Finds

Couple’s Colorful + Lively Nashville Wedding Perfectly Blends Rich West African + American Cultures

Friday, November 6, 2015

We absolutely adore couples unafraid of color, and Madia and Kwabena's wedding did not disappoint. With a color palette of bold pinks, muted pastels, deep purples, bright oranges, shiny golds, and sunny yellows, there was color and culture everywhere! They were also unashamed to share their playful yet seriously spiritual sides, keeping their day an authentic expression of whom they truly are.

Every photo speaks to their connection to their West African home, family, community, and faith, and their appreciation for new friends and new traditions. For their Nashville wedding, our words are simply not enough. We'll let Madia's words and their colorful and moving photos tell the story of their day.

Madia + Kwabena
Wedding Date: August 2, 2014
Ceremony + Reception Venue: Noah Liff Opera Center
Guests : 150
Budget: $10,000 - $20,000

Wedding Team

Wedding Details

How would you describe your style as a couple?

We are both from West Africa, so it was important for us to have a colorful wedding since color is infused within much of the clothing in our culture. We are also quite a contemporary couple with an appreciation of tradition, so we wanted to make sure that our style as a couple was apparent in our wedding by connecting old to the new.

How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?

We love bold and bright colors, so we decided on the colors gold, yellow, orange, fuchsia, and pink to add to our theme, which was entitled “Afro-chic.” From the invitations to the place cards, to programs, to the cake, to the dresses, to the flowers, and to the lighting, all of our colors were embedded. I utilized the hibiscus flower to assist with the theme of tropical, cool, and everything West African. The hibiscus flower is a bright and bold flower and I was inspired from it to expand my theme.

The images of Noah Liff Opera Center that I saw online were inspiring because it was a space that could be manipulated in any design. Also, the center was equipped with stunning architecture and lighting setups that I really loved.

What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?

All the guests loved the colors, the décor, and the food at the wedding. One part of the wedding guests enjoyed was the traditional Liberian Lappa Dance. This dance is done with fabric lappas (female wrap skirts) that are placed down in front of the bride/groom to walk across while dancing. This symbolizes blessings to a long and blessed marriage. Guests enjoyed the live West African drumming of master drummer of Ghana, Kofi Mawuko, and a performance of the bride and the company members of Mawre and Company performing “Kpanlango.”

Also, I got many compliments on the food because we had authentic West African cuisine for our appetizers and main course. Also, my cousin made two great alcohol-infused punches that we named after of countries' flags' names (Black Star from Ghana, and Lone Star from Liberia) that were a big hit for the legally aged guests.

For our gifts to the guests, my aunt made Liberian Rice Bread that was placed in individualized mini cake boxes. The cake supplied by Dulce Desserts, which was three-tiered with each tier being a different flavor (lemon, strawberry, and mango) with strawberry filled icing, was a big hit.

Where did you splurge?

Since we cut corners on some things, my husband and I splurged on our attire, gifts for bridesmaids/groomsmen, photography and videography, and décor.

Where did you save/DIY?

I DIY’d my invitations, programs, card boxes, place and food card settings. We saved on liquor because we bought boxes of liquor, wine, and beer over the course of six months from Frugal MacDoogal with a 10% discount on all cases. Also, my students were licensed bartenders so they assisted me with servicing my guests.

I mixed my plates/silverware with real china and faux china. The faux china saved us because our guest list increased and we did want to spend more money on china. Many guests were pleasantly fooled by the faux china and silverware because of the close resemblance.

Many of my friends and family of the Liberian and Ghanaian communities cooked various foods that we used for appetizers and the main course. Supplying our own food saved us $3500 compared to what we would have gotten with a caterer, and we had a lot more food left over for the next day to share with family and friends at our post-wedding cookout.

Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?

When planning any event you, have to expect the unexpected, so there is always going to be some things about the process you could have done differently. However there are minor things I wish could have happened differently, but I did not let that affect how I felt overall. Everything happened the way it was supposed to happen and it was a perfect day!!

In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?

Be open to all options when planning, listen to one another when exchanging ideas, and make planning fun!

Posted by Ashley King | Filed under: DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Multicultural, African-American weddings, Real Nashville Weddings, 0 comments »

Find Your DIY Wedding Flowers: Follow Nashville’s Import Flowers On Instagram

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

In a few weeks, we'll officially introduce our newest wedding resource, Import Flowers. If you've lived in Nashville for any length of time, you've surely seen their very popular location on Murphy Road, maybe on your way to Dose Coffee. What you may not have known is that they offer florals for most of the wedding planners and venues in Nashville AND many DIY brides.

Be on the lookout for our interview with the Import Flowers staff. Until then, follow them via the Import Flowers Instagram page and discover beautiful and exotic flowers to consider for your DIY wedding.

Posted by Ashley King | Filed under: Florals, Details & Design , DIY & Budget Wed Finds, 0 comments »

Terece + Aaron Soar into Matrimony at the Lodge with DIY Vibe, Love Songs, + Paper Airplanes

Friday, September 11, 2015

For their Nashville wedding, Aaron & Terece McGee set their sights on a wedding that was intimately them, pulling from inspiration from the first movie they saw together, Paperman. They took the paper theme even further by using paper airplanes instead of confetti and a paper lapel pin for the groom. All of these fun details illustrated this couple's creativity and perfectly complementary tastes. It also created a singular mix of lives unlike any other.

Read all about the cute ceremony from the bride...

Terece + Aaron
Wedding Date: March 7, 2015
Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Lodge
Guests: 175
Budget: under $10,000

Wedding Team

How would you describe your style as a couple?
Minimal, Eclectic, Fun.

Where did you get your inspiration?
Pinterest was the starting point, but it really changed a lot during the planning process. We were ultimately inspired by our venue, nature, and the first movie we saw together, “Paperman.”

How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
Our minimal cake with a simple flower topping and small floral arrangements in mason jars brought in nature and the rustic vibe of the venue. Aaron wore a small paper plane lapel pin and for our exit we had our guests throw paper planes (instead of rice/bubbles/confetti) – this added a unique/fun element to the wedding.

What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
The ceremony. From the music, to communion and the foot washing, to the special prayer and exchanging of vows, all of our guests continuously commented on how loving and intimate the ceremony was - and how special they felt to be able to witness it. Also, our guests really raved about our wedding favor which was a CD filled with some of our favorite love songs.

Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
Splurge: Bridal sash.
Save: planning, invitations/programs, wedding favors, flowers.

Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
Roland’s Photography: Roland’s experience was grade-A; he became a part of the journey from the engagement pictures to the jumping of the broom. We gained a friend who diligently captured each moment with care.

The Cupcake Collection: They were very accommodating, and, of course, the cake and cupcakes were delicious! They took our inspiration and created exactly what we wanted. They also let us use their handmade cupcake stand made from an old tree that fit in perfectly with our décor.

The Lodge (Nelson Andrews Leadership Lodge): The staff (especially Rachel) is very accommodating and worked hard to make sure we were happy and stress free on our big day.

Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Something we would do differently is take wedding photos (all except Bride and Groom together) prior to the ceremony so we would have a shorter cocktail hour between ceremony and reception.

In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
At the end of the day, it’s about the two of you, so don’t get to caught up in the planning. Things will likely not go as planned and that’s okay… be present in the moment and have fun. Oops that’s two sentences…oh well…we tried ;)

Posted by Holly Nashville Newlywed | Filed under: DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Multicultural, African-American weddings, 0 comments »

Mom Brings Pinterest Ideas to Life at Logan + Bryan’s Personality-Filled, DIY Wedding

Friday, August 21, 2015

Many brides find their wedding inspiration from Pinterest. Few, however, are able to take those ideas and make them uniquely their own. With the help of her mom, friends, and family, Logan was able to DIY many aspects of her wedding. From the bridesmaids making their own bouquets, to hand-painted Kerr mason jars, this wedding was truly a do-it-yourself day.

This fun-loving couple was able to plan a wedding that reflected their personalities perfectly. The wedding was characteristic of Logan and Bryan from the beginning of the day all the way to the end. Take a look for yourself!

Logan + Bryan
Wedding Date: April 25, 2015
Ceremony Venue: Baskin Chapel at Brentwood Baptist
Reception Venue: Brentwood Country Club
Guests: 225
Budget: $20,000 – 30,000

Wedding Team

How would you describe your style as a couple?
We are a very laid-back couple in regards to style, but I would say we leaned more towards a traditional style in regards to the wedding. We knew we wanted to keep things simple and elegant – using natural lighting, candles, greenery, and a small amount of flowers. In regards to our personal styles: We both enjoy being outdoors in workout clothes or shorts and T-shirts, but also love when we have the opportunity to get dressed up for a night out. We wanted to bring that style into our wedding with a relaxed and fun atmosphere, but with a classy elegance.

Where did you get your inspiration?
Like most brides, my inspiration began through Pinterest over the last five years. I began gradually “pinning” random things and once the planning began, Pinterest was a huge help. I want to add that as helpful as Pinterest was for colors, flowers, and bridesmaid dress options, my mom was the brains behind the actual planning. She took my impossible Pinterest ideas and made something reasonable out of them. She took my wedding colors and made incredible centerpieces, and she made my idea for using “Kerr” jars a reality and helped center my scattered décor thoughts into the perfect wedding and reception. All in all, my inspiration was 20% Pinterest and 80% my mom.

How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?
We knew straight away that we wanted a traditional church wedding ceremony with a more laid-back and fun reception. My favorite colors in the world are mint, blush, and champagne – which, without any clue how they would look together, I chose. My bridesmaids and friends definitely had their questions about how well the three colors would blend, but I had a picture from Pinterest that completely eased my mind. Bryan and I knew that we wanted our ceremony to be a worship service to our Lord and creator of marriage – so Baskin Chapel was perfect for that. It didn’t need any decorations and was small enough to feel extremely intimate. Brentwood Country Club was an easy choice for us; it was two miles from the church, and had incredible food and a timeless, beautiful Southern mansion feel. Décor was the least of our concern, as we mainly focused on food, drinks, and dancing. We wanted our guests to feel at home at our wedding.

What was your (or your guests’) favorite aspect of your wedding?
My favorite aspect of the wedding was not one particular moment, but instead that Bryan and I stayed very true to who we are throughout the entire wedding day. Our personalities dripped from every moment of the day -- from the guys getting ready at my Dad’s house playing Wii and throwing Frisbee, the girls and myself getting dressed at my mom’s friends’ cabin with mimosas and a whole lot of giggling, to the first look with all our bridesmaids and groomsmen watching on in windows behind us, my dad walking me down the aisle, Bryan and I sharing our first communion as husband and wife or walking back down the aisle to “Rocky Top.” Every part of the day screamed “this is definitely Bryan and Logan’s wedding.” There is nothing wrong with wanting elaborate centerpieces, incredibly decorated churches, or fireworks to end the night, but, in reality, that was not us. We wanted the wedding day to feel like our relationship, and, personally, I think every second of it did.

Bryan’s favorite aspect of the wedding was saying the vows. He loved that we were able to say our vows surrounded by the people who have loved and supported us the most throughout our lives. Our ceremony was led by a very close family friend, mentor, and discipleship leader, David Freels, which only added to the joy of the ceremony. Bryan loved most that the ceremony was very intimate.

Where did you splurge? Where did you save/DIY?
We knew we wanted both a photographer and videographer. We had been told by many other people who had purchased just photography that they regretted not purchasing both. We also splurged on the band. A lot of people have awesome experiences with DJs, but we knew we wanted a big band feel that would bring a lot of excitement and fun to the reception. We absolutely loved having the band and paying the extra amount for the saxophone.

We saved/DIY'd a lot! My bridesmaids and myself made our own bouquets the day of the wedding (my oh-so-creative mother’s idea) while we were getting our hair and makeup done. I absolutely LOVED doing that with them and that each bouquet was different. My mom and her friends all got together the week of the wedding to pick out flowers and make the Kerr jar centerpieces. They painted the jars, arranged the flowers, and decorated the reception venue for us, which saved us an incredible amount of money. My mom’s friends, Terry and Kathy Bates, helped organize, design, arrange, and decorate the Kerr jars as well as providing discounted flower options to save. I knew I wanted flowers at the wedding and reception, but did not want to spend an arm and a leg on them. We also used Costco for our save the dates and invitations, which was incredibly beneficial. I cared the least about invitations and save the dates (because they are usually lost or thrown away) and did not want to spend anything on them. So Costco was the easy choice since their products are all $0.69 each and beautiful. I also opted for an RSVP via email to eliminate the RSVP card and postage. In addition, I chose not to have a ceremony program; they seem to be distracting and are invariably left behind in the church or thrown away. My mom and I pride ourselves on finding good deals, and planning this wedding was no different. Everywhere we could find a deal or discount, we did!

Who were your favorite vendors and what made them exceptional?
All my vendors were exceptional. Truly, we didn’t have a bad experience with anyone. The vendors who stand out the most are Top Tier Band, Wild Cotton Photography, and Fox Run Films. All three were incredibly professional, helpful, and experienced. I had at least 100 questions for each of them and they all three answered emails or texts almost immediately. They asked questions I wouldn’t have thought to ask and had answers for everything! Even on the day of the wedding, each of them saved the day at least once. Aly made sure that I sat down throughout the day to soak up the moments. She also made sure I was hydrated and fed, which can seem to slip any bride’s mind. She kept people from asking me questions and kept me HAPPY the entire day.

Dan and Alli with Fox Run Films acted as our day of wedding planners. They were incredible! When we forgot tiny details, they were there; when we were unsure of the timeline, they had it down pat; when we forgot bouquets or music, they were already on top of it. Having a photographer and videographer follow you around all day can be very intimidating (I loved it, but my fiancé hated the idea of it), but both Wild Cotton and Fox Run Films made us feel so comfortable. They were NEVER invasive or in the way, and the majority of the time we didn’t know they were there. At the end of the day, we were all friends. They all had made connections with our bridal party, and we are still getting compliments on not only their work, but their loving and engaging personalities.

Top Tier Band was the same way. We had forgotten to download our first dance music for them and when Dan and Alli frantically told them that, JD with the band said they had already downloaded the songs just in case that happened. They were on top of everything and were so awesome. Not only were all three of these vendors awesome and so easy to work with, but most importantly, they were ALL-STARS at their individual works. I couldn’t imagine more beautiful pictures, or loving our wedding videos more than we do, or a better sounding and more fun band! We cannot thank these three companies enough for the amazing work they did to make our day perfect.

Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?
Truthfully, no. Planning was definitely hard and a borderline full-time job, but so worth it. We had a blast planning it, and it all came together perfectly. The ONLY thing I might have done differently is having a DAY-OF planner to make sure we were staying on schedule. It shouldn’t be my vendor’s jobs to keep that together, but instead it would have been nice to have someone watching the clock for us before the ceremony, during the ceremony, and during the reception. It would have made things go smoother. Other than that, everything was a planning dream.

In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?
Stay true to YOUR vision - Don’t let Pinterest, parents, bridal party, or wedding planners morph your ideas into something that inevitably doesn’t look or feel like you. It’s you and your groom’s wedding day and it should FEEL like it ☺

Posted by Holly Nashville Newlywed | Filed under: DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Real Nashville Weddings, 0 comments »

DIY Uplighting Provides an Easy and Budget Friendly Way to DIY Your Wedding

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) wedding is going places. There are many things you can create using new or used materials to decorate for your big day. Centerpieces, brooch bouquets, photo booth backdrops, and props, the list goes on! Some brides use these DIY projects as a great opportunity to bond with their mom or bridesmaids, while others do so to save money. For a minority, DIY projects are a great way to craft and de-stress!

A company named DIY Uplighting has taken the DIY wedding a step further. They are allowing brides and grooms to create their own lighting at their wedding. The process is simple: reserve your lighting, your shipment will be scheduled by DIY Uplighting, receive and set up your lights, and enjoy your day! Not only is it simple but, at only $19 a light, it is a budget friendly way to create the right ambience for your wedding. Another great feature is the choice of different colors to match your theme.

Be sure to check out their website, diyuplighting.com, for more information on how to reserve your lights. You will even find a helpful How-To video, along with frequently asked questions.

Posted by Holly Nashville Newlywed | Filed under: Florals, Details & Design , DIY & Budget Wed Finds, Rentals, 0 comments »

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