Emily, Writer & Founder of Plane & Simple Co. + Camilo, Pastor
One sentence sum up of the wedding vibe: Welcome to the Garden.
Planned Budget: $5,000
Actual Budget: $2,000
Number of Guests: 50
Location: Mount Airy, Georgia
Photographer: Matt Conrod
Where we allocated the most funds: Food for everyone, cake, and the bride’s and grooms bouquet/boutonniere!
Where we allocated the least funds: Decor was donated by friends, and florals were purchased from the Garden Center at Lowe’s. I know it’s crazy. But two days before the wedding we went and got two car loads of about $200 worth of flowers, and used them to line the steps, decorate the reception, and mark the altar. We wanted to feel like we were in a garden, and we did just that! *The draping, tents and chairs for reception were gifted.
What was totally worth it: An amazing photographer, makeup artist, and a beautiful bouquet/boutonniere. We knew these were things we couldn’t make ourselves, and were willing to get the very best!
Also, as our guest book we set out disposable cameras. Looking at the developed photos is HILARIOUS and a beautiful way to remember that day!
What was totally not worth it: The wedding favors. We purchased bubbles and custom matchboxes for everyone and honestly, we could have done without those.
A few things that helped us along the way: Zola’s checklist! While we had to change wedding locations unexpectedly due to COVID (and plan a wedding in I kid you not-27 days), Zola’s checklist still provided a great framework for what we would need. We did not have a wedding planner so knowing exactly what we needed was completely necessary.
My best practical advice for my planning self: Spend more time on your vows. We were so caught up in all of the actual wedding planning we only gave a few days to thinking about our vows. They were beautiful and we meant every word! But I think if we had started that part earlier we could have spent more time reflecting on them together and exploring all the possibilities. There are a million options for vows out there! I didn’t know!
Favorite thing about the wedding: Definitely the flower lined steps. Our original plan was to get married in Jamaica, and Camilo is Jamaican, so choosing flowers that created a tropical garden feel brought our dreams back home.
Anything else: Our hope is to have a larger gathering in Jamaica as planned at sometime in the future. My advice to couples who might be holding out because they can’t do what they always dreamed due to COVID, is to go for it! The most important part of your wedding is your partner! And you get that no matter what.