#to sell some of my crafty stuff like decorated jackets

[rowan-e-ravenwood]

been researching candle making and i can feel myseslf getting less normal about it by the second

#anyway i'm planning to start an Etsy shop #to sell some of my crafty stuff like decorated jackets #and i have twenty-one different candle scent ideas all based on characters #and i have no intention to stop there #i am obsessed with scented things and fragrances and designing things based on characters #and i think it has something to do with both the autism and the thing that's probably synesthesia #like those crossed over in the perfect way to make me unwell about scented candles #anyway. if you read this. give me suggestions for characters to base candle scents on. i've done a bunch of Batman villains #and some superheroes and also the mane 6 from mlp:fim #GIVE ME MORE IDEAS I CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH EVER #rowan rambles

[thepennydarling]

Happy Tuesday, Penny Darlings!

I am writing to you this morning from an AIRPLANE. Yeah, that’s right, ya girl is currently writing this post from the middle of the air. It won’t be published then, but like HOW COOL IS THAT?!

I’m on my way home from Chicago which was an exhausting, exhilarating, inspiring, humbling, stressful, wonderful, and totally amazing whirlwind of a trip. I think I will be napping for the next two weeks. #SendCoffee

Let me just sneak the boring stuff so we can get to the goods! Check me out on Instagram here!  I also have a selling Instagram page where I sell some of my old clothes/styles so that I don’t drown in my own wardrobe. I just listed a few new things – so check that out!

Anyway, onto the content of the day!

A few weeks ago I posted pictures of how we cut corners to make our big day the most exciting it could be and everyone wanted some tips on HOW!

Between thrifting, DIY, and using resources like, Zola, to keep everything straight: there’s so many ways to not break the bank this wedding season!

So today, I’m sharing some inspo of where you can save a little budget without sacrificing style or function or awesome!

  1.) Get creative with centerpieces!

Centerpieces should represent your style as a couple! There’s no need for $200 centerpieces! We found tablecloths & doilies at a flea market and mixed it with some fun retro board games (which were a HUGE hit!) that we found at the flea market or borrowed from friends! You can stack books, put paintbrushes in a vase, use fun photos in thrifted frames! This is a really easy place that you can achieve the same style without having to break the bank!

  2.) Thrift, thrift, thrift

Stop in EVERY thrift store! You never know what you’re going to find! We mixed vases, salt and pepper shakers, tablecloths, doilies, and linens from thrift stores and flea markets! One of my fave thrift store finds were those vintage (1976) Samsonite teal suitcases that we found for a STEAL at $15 (for all three!) at a thrift store in a town my mom and I were passing through. You can find some amazing and totally unique finds that fit you and your spouse-to-be’s style!

  3.) Amazon is your BFF

If you know what you’re looking for, Amazon has pretty much anything you can think of. We were able to decorate a large portion of the venue with those rainbow polka dot garland (in the background of pic 1!) and that awesome garland flags, adding some color and pizzaz to the lobby, were both found on Amazon for under $10!

  4.) Think Outside the DIY Box

Between Pinterest & YouTube tutorials, you can pretty much make anything if you can type it in! My mom and her girlfriends made that big flower wall by hand out of construction paper and hot glue to decorate behind the bar! It was SO cool! And those cookies were made in HUGE batches by my family and put as an awesome addition to the dessert table! I am NOT crafty, but I love baking! Try to think of unusual things to see if you can DIY!

  5.) Wedding Clothes Can Be Literally Anything

Our groomsmen were rocking ASOS jackets (and their own black pants and shoes!). Preston got his wedding suit from JCPenney on SUPER clearance for under $100. Our bridesmaid dresses were under $100 (from ModCloth). My shoes were $30 from DSW. It was easy to cut corners by thinking outside of ‘wedding industry’ clothing stores!

  6.) Do your own flowers!

This one is so easy, and so many people don’t do it! For our flowers (centerpieces) we bought several bouquets of flowers from Sam’s Club and arranged them into wildflower bouquets for centerpieces, but you could do this with ANY flowers!

  7.) Sometimes Buying & Not Renting is a Budget Saver!

This sounds illogical, but dream with me here for a second.

I wanted those two vibrant couches. We bought them for $100 each on the Facebook marketplace. We looked into renting vintage couches and honestly, it was more like $300 for a rental! Renting linens, renting plates, etc. can be WAY more expensive in the long run! Those little white tables are $10 from IKEA and we bought ten of them and they were PERFECT! And the bonus is, at the end, my mom sold a LOT of it on the Facebook marketplace!

  8.) Creativity Can Getcha a Long Way

I knew I wanted RAINBOW. I wanted lots of color and kitsch and whimsy in our wedding. I also am obsessed with balloons (they’re SO photogenic!) and lanterns! Instead of spending a ton of money to get a certain vibe, we were able to achieve it with balloons and lanterns from the local party supply store! We also had cups & napkins (saving us rental fees for glasses & linen) from Oriental Trading (no renting glasses & easy to recycle!) that were wedding themed!

9.) Find Resources that Pull Double Duty

There’s a LOT to keep track of for the big day. Guest lists, RSVPs, mailing addresses, registry, wedding website, checklists, and a billion other little things. Zola makes it easy to host your registry (with a gazillion different brands!) & wedding website, manage your invites & guest list, and makes it a total ‘one spot’ hit for your guests. Bonus = the planning dashboard is AMAZING! Double bonus = it’s totally free to use!

Check out Zola!

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  *This blog was sponsored by Zola, however all thoughts and opinions are my own*

SO HERE’S THE “END OF BLOG” SPIEL!

If you are at all interested in doing a collab or working with me – please feel free to check out my new Contact Me! page! I also do social media consulting and photography, so please reach out! Let’s work together!

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Thank you for all that you do. You are truly extraordinary.

Love all you wonderful ladies (and gents!) out there!

How Very,

Abby

9 Ways to Make Your Wedding Glam on a Budget! Happy Tuesday, Penny Darlings! I am writing to you this morning from an AIRPLANE. Yeah, that's right, ya girl is currently writing this post from the middle of the air.