Though many of our readers are probably planning on pulling out all of the stops for their big day, we are finding that more and more brides and grooms-to-be are searching for ways to spend a little less on their wedding event while still putting on an elegant, gorgeous affair. Whether you’re blowing your budget on a dream honeymoon or, like our next featured bride, neck-deep in graduate school and the financial burdens that go along with higher education, we’ve got an inspirational modest-budget wedding to share with you today!
Caroline and Michael wanted to celebrate their nuptials in the same style as their personalities – “no frills”, simple and direct. By throwing their wedding bash on the rooftop of their favorite diner, Little Goat Bakery in Chicago, Illinois, they kept their affair casual and fun. In fact, Caroline might have even been a little TOO cavalier about her wedding dress – she bought her wedding dress last-minute using the Nordstrom App! She says she tried to do the traditional wedding dress shopping in a boutique with her mother, but ended up too overwhelmed by the options and over-the-top nature of the excursion. So – with an adorable chiffon overlay short wedding dress and “something blue” pumps, she and her groom said “I do” with the Chicago skyline as their backdrop and a live quartet playing their soundtrack.
Her gorgeous braided crown with baby’s breath hairstyle, along with an amazing bouquet with succulents definitely keep the elegance factor at a maximum. Looking so glamorous as they strolled around Chicago for their photo shoot with Anna Zajac weddings, she says, was one of her favorite moments of their special day.
Caroline might have even been a little TOO cavalier about her wedding dress – she bought her wedding dress last-minute using the Nordstrom App! She says she tried to do the traditional wedding dress shopping in a boutique with her mother, but ended up too overwhelmed by the options and over-the-top nature of the excursion. So – with an adorable chiffon overlay short wedding dress and “something blue” pumps
Mike and I actually grew up minutes from one another, we later found out. We went to the same high school, but we didn’t really meet until our first year at university about 10 years ago. Actually, we had one exchange in high school in our maths class – Mike came up to me and said, “I like your style,” and that was the end of it until we were formally introduced by a mutual friend.
We are both pretty simple people and enjoy simple things. We tried to reflect this in our wedding. We wanted a location that reflected our personal style, had great food and an outdoor space for the ceremony. Also, since I’m a graduate student, cost was a big factor for us. We didn’t want to start this new chapter of our lives in debt. Everything went quite well! In all honesty, I think my only complaint would be the fact neither of us got enough sleep the night before.
We are both procrastinators, so we had a lot of details still being finalised right up to the day, which was stressful at times. I’m in a full-time graduate program, so I was taking courses over the summer, and actually, the morning of our wedding, I was at a coffee shop finishing a research proposal. Luckily, we went for a ‘no frills’ approach, so many of the details were taken care of for us.
I know for many brides buying a wedding dress is a big ordeal. For me, it was just the opposite. I went to one bridal shop with my mum, and after about 15 minutes, I walked out and never looked back. As our wedding day approached, I realised I needed to act fast, so one day while we were in bed, I went on the Nordstrom app and purchased my dress. Even though we’d been together for eight years prior to the wedding, we both experienced some wedding day nerves. I think we’d both agree our wedding ceremony could be described as somewhat of a blur. It was short and sweet, and it was over before we knew it. The most memorable moment for us was the time we got to spend together alone as a couple, walking around the streets of Chicago with our photographer. I have to admit, there was a pseudo-celebrity feel as we walked around in full wedding regalia that we won’t soon forget!
Photography: Anna Zajac | Short Wedding dress: Ted Baker | Bride’s shoes: J.Crew | Groom’s suit: Hugo Boss | Paper goods: Minted | Officiant: Ryan Topf | Venue: Little Goat Diner Chicago, Illinois | Florals: Jazzy Flowers
