Eloping Made Easy - 4/26/12

 
1. Suit vest in Italian Wool – J. Crew - $135
2. Little White Dress with Paillettes – David’s Bridal - $60!
3. Once Upon a Time Recycled Silver Wedding Band set – Etsy seller peacesofindigo - $271
4. DIY hand-tied bouquet – instructions can be found here – less than $10

Make that bouquet, put on those clothes, grab your rings and head to your local city hall.  It doesn’t get any easier to elope than that.

Destination: New Orleans

image courtesy of Southern Weddings

What’s to love: Romantic architecture, fabulous food, cozy B&B’s, jazz music everywhere, and the chance of getting caught in an oh-so-dramatically romantic downpour in the middle of the day.

What you’ll need and what you need to know:

• You will need to pick up your license here: Benson Tower, 1450 Poydras St. Suite 407, New Orleans, LA.  They are open Mon-Fri 8:30a-3:00p except on legal holidays.
• In order to get a license you both must be 18 years of age, you both must have a certified copy of your birth certificate, a form of picture ID (passport, driver’s license, etc.), you will need to know your parent’s names, mom’s maiden name, your social security numbers, and your birth location.  If you were married before, you will need the original or certified copy of your divorce decree or death certificate.
• The fee is $30 and is payable by cash only.
• Non-residents can get married in New Orleans as soon as they receive their marriage license.  Non-residents and those who choose to wed outside the city of New Orleans must wait 72-hours.  Though you can appeal to a judge to have this waiting period waived.
• You will need two witnesses to sign your license at your ceremony in addition to your officiant.

Helpful Links:
A few officiants: Chaplain Jerry Kenneth Schwehm, Rev. Charles Cross, and  Marilyn Dennis.  I do not endorse any of these folks (though I’m sure they’re all quite lovely people) and there are others out there.
Location ideas: French Quarter, City Park, Audubon Park, Pirate’s Alley, Jackson Square, or one of the many romantic B&B’s in the city.
As always, please check with the city or the hotel you book your accommodations with for further resources for your New Orleans elopement.

And I almost forgot! A totally romantical way to end your wedding day would be a carriage ride through the French Quarter or maybe even a Second Line parade through the streets!  If parading your way through town with your honey sounds like an adventure you’d like to take on, go here for more information.

"Wedding" Dresses for Less

Sorry for my tardy post! It’s springtime and my garden has been a-callin’.  I promised you some great, affordable “wedding” dresses and I intend to keep that promise!  Let’s go!

Source: victoriassecret.com via Let’s Elope! on Pinterest

Yup, this one is from VICTORIA’S SECRET! Vicky actually has a lot of great white dresses right now that are priced just right for you gals that are eloping on a beach. This dress will only set you back about $70 big ones.

Source: macys.com via Let’s Elope! on Pinterest

This adorable number would look just as gourg in your courthouse elopement or backyard elopement. It’s at Macy’s and it’s $99.

Source: overstock.com via Let’s Elope! on Pinterest

This darling dress I found in a place I’m sure you forgot to search for pretty and affordable white dresses. Can you guess? OVERSTOCK.COM! Not the first place I would think to look either, but alas, there she is. Scoop her up quick for $100.

Source: unique-vintage.com via Let’s Elope! on Pinterest

And finally, for my retro bombshell beauties. This one fits in almost anywhere you wanna go? Eloping at the beach? In a park? In Vegas? This gal goes anywhere and I found this her at Unique Vintage for $84.

The great thing about all of these “wedding” dresses is that they are all gowns you could easily wear to another event so that you are getting all of your moneys worth.
Now, if you must have a “real” wedding dress but don’t want to pay the sickening bridal shop prices, consider buying used.  You can buy a used gown from sites like OnceWed or RecycledBride.  Ebay or Craigslist can also be good resources.  This will require a little research to be sure you know what you’re getting and a lot of patience.

And finally, if you must have a brand new “real” wedding dress, you can still save a little money.  Designer sample sales and trunk shows are going to be your friend.  At these events, gowns are usually marked down at least 10%, sometimes more if you’re lucky. Search bridal salon websites in your area to see when your favorite designer is coming and make your appointment promptly. In-demand designers can book up rather quickly and if you miss that appointment, you might be missing your opportunity to save a little bit o’ dough.

If you have other ideas you’d like to share on how to save money on great “wedding” dresses, please leave them in the comments. I’d love to hear them!

Weddings are EXPENSIVE!

NPR put out a video today with a little investigation as to why wedding dresses cost so much.  I think it’s an important watch and food for thought for those of us who are trying to save money.  And if you’re planning on eloping, chances are, this is you.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/04/03/149929993/why-did-my-wedding-dress-cost-so-much?sc=fb&cc=fp

Later this week I will have a post for you full of ideas and resources for dresses that cost less.