Bridesmaids clutches: a splash of practical color!

Pinterest is ruining my life. 

You only have to be on pinterest for five minutes to peruse hundreds of fantastic, beautiful ideas.  Which I then feel COMPELLED to craft.  

But this one was a real winner.  

I don't want to spend money on flowers.   I'm not big on flowers.  They die.  In like a day.  I don't see the point.  I am going to either DIY my bouquet (and get to keep it forevah) , or I'm going to desperately haggle at multiple florist shops for something really cheap (like $40 or under.)  

So what about the bridesmaids?  Clutches are the way to go, my friend.  They serve multiple purposes. 

1.  Splash of coordinating color.  Instead of holding flowers, why not hold a coordinating clutch? 

2. PRACTICAL.  At the last wedding I was in,  everyone was always scrambling for a place to put their purse, get a guy to hold their purse,  or put it aside  (at one point, we hid our purses in bushes) .   Girls need stuff with them at all times.  And girl clothing, especially dresses, RARELY comes with pockets.  So clutches in lieu of flowers is totally practical.  They hold stuff, AND they're pretty. 

3.  You could present them as part of a bridesmaids gift.  (If they're nice.  Mine sorta aren't.)  

4.  Less expensive than flowers  (if you shop around, or craft your own.)  

So I made felt clutches like the one pictured, except I made them in orange.  (Bridesmaids dresses are grey, and the coordinating color is orange.)    THEY CAME OUT SUPER GOOD!  They're not huge, but they'll hold an iphone and a couple small things.  The neat part is that they were very inexpensive.  I mean, really really inexpensive.  Here's a breakdown (this is for FOUR bridesmaids clutches.)  

1.  Felt.  I used 2 pieces of felt for each clutch, to give it more weight.  I used a third piece of felt to cut out the petals.  Felt is 25 cents a piece at the craft store.  Felt cost per clutch = $.75. 

2.  I grabbed a wedding bauble deco thing from the Hobby Lobby wedding baubles aisle, it cost $.99 and has like 8 or 9 little bead-like shiny baubles in a pack.   I used a little bauble as the center button.  Cost per clutch = less than 25 cents.  

3.  I used some fusible interfacing between the felt layers to give it more weight.  I already had the interfacing, so my cost was $0, but if you were to buy, I would say a half yard would be way more than enough to make 4 or 5 clutches.  I think interfacing costs about the same as a yard of quilting weight fabric, so about $7-$8 yard.  Let's say it cost $8 yard, so a half yard would set you back $4.  Interfacing cost per clutch = less than $1.  

4.  I used a glue gun to join the layers together, and to fuse the petals.  This worked out really well, actually.  I already had the glue gun, so again my cost was $0,  but glue guns are like $3 and a pack of glue sticks is maybe $4,  so maybe $8 total if you don't have these tools.   This is a good option for people who don't own a sewing machine or don't know how to use one.  The whole project can be made stitch-free!   So cost per clutch is about $2, let's say (again, assuming 4 bridesmaids).    Alternately, if you have a sewing machine, let's assume you don't have coordinating thread and it costs you $3 for that, so that's still less than $1 per clutch for thread.  

All together, the total cost per clutch, if you don't have any tools or materials on hand, is FOUR BUCKS.  

Even if they don't come out perfect, and no one uses them ever again, you're not going to be able to see tiny imperfections in the photos, and you only spend $4 per bridesmaid for this coordinating piece.   That's a lot better than $40 per girl for flowers!  And you make them happy by not having to tote around a purse + flowers and put aside the purse for photos, ceremony, etc.  

This is REALISTICALLY PERFECT!

I need to take some photos of my clutches so you can see how cute they are.  Including the photos of my really ugly, original "pinterest fail" clutch.  

David's Bridal: inexpensive efficiency

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So yeah.  I changed dresses.  I had second thoughts, and ended up ordering a long dress instead of the tea length.  The process went really smoothly, and basically sold me on David's Bridal.

I had someone say to me recently:

"I tried Davids Bridal.  And it was, like... a factory."

Yes.  It IS like a factory.  And there are certain advantages to that.

I didn't even step foot in a fancier boutique bridal store because I was afraid I would fall in love with a $3,000 dress.   Here's why David's Bridal is THE choice for a realistic bride:

1.  At David's Bridal, most of the dresses are in the $400-$1200 range.   I found MANY I liked at $500 or under.

2.  They get the dresses FAST.  If you find something that fits you, you can purchase it off the rack.  But they are happy to order a "fresh" one for you.  And they always overestimate, saying it will take a month, but then it comes in a week later.   If you go to a small boutique, they advise you to order dresses 10 months out.

3.  If you change your mind (as many brides do)  DB's allows exchanges.  My receipt on my original dress said, "SPECIAL ORDER.  FINAL SALE", but they were totally cool with me exchanging it.  You wouldn't be able to return it for CASH,  but you can change your mind and order something else.  THIS IS A HUGE PLUS for indecisive people like myself!   Where else could I have changed my mind SIX WEEKS before my wedding and been able to get what I want?

4.  They have full time alterations people on site, and they can do rush orders.  I was there on a Tuesday, and there was a bride trying a dress, and they mentioned she was getting her alterations done for that FRIDAY.  Wow.  There is an extra $25 rush charge for alterations made within 3 weeks of the wedding, but seriously, that would be hard to find elsewhere.  And they do alterations on wedding dresses day in, day out.  You could get a cheaper quote from a local seamstress, but they don't do wedding downs exclusively, and there is no guaranteeing you will like what they do.  Worst case scenario, if your alterations came out really messed up, David's Bridal could order you a fresh gown replacement... but only if you get the alterations done at David's Bridal.

So yeah, it's a factory.  But they're pretty good at what they do, and I like that they don't promise you a dress to arrive in a week when it actually takes a month.  It's the other way around:  they underpromise and overdeliver.   That's good business practice.

I decided on a champagne sash, and I was also happy that I was able to purchase, on the spot, extra matching champagne ribbon to wrap my bridal bouquet, for only $5.

DB's has soooo many dresses, there is bound to be something you like there.  Both my original and replacement dress choices were from the "Galina" line.  The tea length dress was $350, and the dress I exchanged for was $500.  It's a full length beaded gown that really flattered my figure, and I love that it has a vintage look, perfect for my theme.   It won't need much for alterations, mostly just a hem.

What's not to like about this "factory"?

Of course, it all depends on the people you get.  My first experience was not good.  My "consultant" was not helpful in the least.  My second visit exceeded expectations.  So, if you're not feeling the first time, don't feel pressured (like I did) ... just leave without buying anything, and request another appointment with a different person.  It made all the difference in the world.

Cheap Bridesmaids Dresses

This pic  gave me that idea that cheap bridemaids attire can be totally cute:



How cute is that?  The dresses probably weren't that cheap, but the cardigan sweater idea is fantastic.  You can get cropped cardigans at Target or Old Navy for like $15.

Heck, why not get the dress from Target or Old Navy?  Take a look at this pic, for example:



I LOVE the orange and gray colorscheme.  And those dresses... are they $130 from a bridal shop, or are they $19.99 junior dresses from Target?

There are lot of choices for inexpensive dresses in a range of colors from such stores.  For example, take a maxi dress:



And dress it up with a cropped cardigan or a scarf/pashmina, maybe a little inexpensive jewelry, and a hair accessory.   Voila:  cheap, cute bridesmaids attire.

The last wedding I attended, the bride chose a $70 dress from David's Bridal and it was a cute dress.  Problem was that EVERYONE needed alterations in the bust area.  My mom did mine, and it came out perfect.  However, most of the other girls paid for alterations and they came out terrible.  Visible stitching, ballooning, still too low-cut.

David's Bridal is now streamlining their color scheme and bridesmaids dresses choices, and most of the dresses are well over $100, even for a short one.  There are only a couple of $99.  If you buy your dress at David's Bridal, your bridesmaids will get $20 off their dresses, so that helps, but I still think $79 is a bit steep for a dress that will likely need alterations and will likely never be worn again.

If you're a bit flexible on color, you have a myriad of choices for cheap dresses.  Sadly, I've been having a real hard time finding a nice dress in gray.  Maybe because it's early summer and the fall stuff hasn't come out yet?  I did find the PERFECT dress on Target, but most of the sizes were sold out and now it's gone.   :(    So I'm still looking.

So be forewarned:  if you choose a dress from Target or Old Navy, tell your girls to order ASAP!

Incidentally, Target now offers bridesmaids dresses specifically, but I'm kind of "meh" on them. They're $70 and to me they look worse than their regular, less expensive offerings.  Reviews aren't great.    For $80 I could get a better quality dress at David's Bridal, with more style and color choices.

Another idea for a low cost / no cost / good value bridesmaids choice is to tell your girls to wear a black dress of their choice.  If they don't already have a little black dress in their wardrobe, they ought to!  So if they have to go out and buy something, they can buy something that works for them and they will get a lot of use out of in the future.   Black dresses are a great choice for a fall wedding, and can be dressed up with a pop of color with a sash, cardigan or scarf.

Yet another idea is to choose a retailer and a color, but leave the actual choice of dress up to the individual.  For instance, you could say "choose any Mercury Gray dress from David's Bridal", or "any Tangerine dress from Target's Tevolio line."   It may not save them a ton of money, but it is considerate of different body shapes.  A dress that works on you may not work on your friend who is a different body type.

RE:  shoes.  I personally don't like it when the bride chooses shoes.  Shoes are such a personal thing.  I can't walk in big heels, for example.  I am in a wedding this summer and I had to pay $40 for some stilettos I will have to carefully totter about in for about 15 minutes, then switch to something I can actually move in.  I think that's pretty pointless, and wasteful.   Girls can figure out a shoe that works with the outfit that they either already own, or would like to own.

And personally, I want everyone to be feel comfortable.   I also don't want them to struggle with the cost of my choices.

Wedding Dress Shopping - a petite nightmare

When I saw this on Pinterest I was in love!



I mean, wow.  It's a beautiful ivory, it has expensive looking detail, and I love the flapper style.  A lot of wedding dresses just have so much FABRIC:  this dress shows off curves nicely.

But I showed a similar dress to my fiance and he didn't like it.  "It looks like lingerie."  

:(

I guess it does look pretty "costume-y."  But I still love it.

The thing is, I'm sometimes experiencing wedding dress panic, aka Second Thoughts.

So I went to David's Bridal with a friend.   I was not even going to go into bridal boutiques because I know that DB's has affordable dresses, and I did not want to fall in love with a $2000 gown.

Even in the 'discount' places like DB's, I am not in my element in a place like a bridal shop.  I mean, I like dressing cute, but formal wear, and specialized undergarments, and dress-lingo.... aahhh.. I don't even own a strapless bra.  I don't understand how these things work.   I also don't like being out in the open and having people look at me and assist me.  My favorite thing about my local Peeble's store is that there is no fitting room attendant.  I hate handing back mountains of clothes to the attendant and then going and getting more.  If there is an attendant, usually I pretend I'm purchasing a few of the items I've tried on and then I put them back myself when they're not looking.

Anyways....I saw a dress on a mannequin that I really liked and tried it on.  I liked it a lot.  However.  I am not quite 5'4",  and it was WAY too long.   It would have needed

1. Hemming
2.  Shortening the straps
3.  Sewing in cups because the back is open so you can't wear a regular bra

The dress was $400. The attendant said alterations would be about $400.  

No.

Doubling the price of the dress is just not cool to me.  And that fact is that pretty much every long dress would require at least hemming, and hemming a wedding dress is typically not cheap because they often have lace or beading or whatnot on the skirt part.

I also didn't care for the train.  It annoyed me.  I joked to the attendant, "Can I just have this whole thing cut off?"  She just looked at me like I was crazy.

So I tried on a tea length dress.  It fit well.  Size 8 off the rack, it didn't need any alterations.  I could move around and twirl in it.  I liked that.  Something about the dress also struck me as kind of retro, and I liked that too.

"I'll take it",  I said, far too enthusiastically and prematurely.

It was only $350 and didn't require alterations, so I thought I had done pretty well.  And maybe I did.

But the doubts came later when I was looking through the David's Bridal website again.  I was angry when I realized that many of David's Bridal dresses can be ordered in petite, which are 3" shorter in the skirt and 1" shorter on top.  

Well, that would have been nice to know.

I also realized what a bustle is.  I really didn't know before.  FYI, for those of you just as clueless as me, a bustle is when they add some buttons or a hook or something to the back of the dress, so that you can pin up the train after the ceremony.  It makes it easier to move around so you don't have all this fabric dragging behind you the whole night.

Oh.

My attendant did not mention a bustle when I complained about the train.

I also found that there are different color sashes you can add.  I was not offered that.

So basically now I was fuming about how unhelpful my attendant was, and also angry at the fact that I turned down long dresses because of the alteration cost, when I could have just ordered a petite.

Then I looked at pictures of people in the dress I'd chosen.  Many of them sort of look like hobbits. A tea length dress can cut you off visually, and make you look even shorter than you already are.

Now I was really panicking.

I'm trying to keep my cool until my custom bolero tops come in.  I'll see how they look with the dress I have,  and then I'll take everything to David's Bridal and try on some more dresses.  This time, I'm taking someone pushy with me, in case there needs to be a smackdown about exchanging the dress.  I explained what happened to a few family members and several people offered to come with me and raise some hell if need be.  I am not a confident person around strangers, I just wilt.

So, lessons learned here.  When looking for a wedding dress within your budget

1.  Don't rush into buying a dress like I did.
2.  Ask lots of questions.  If you aren't getting answers, ask for someone different, come back another time, or try a different place.  
3.  Do your research online before plunking down any money.
4.  Take a real pushy bitch with you.

Bad Bridal Blogger. Bad.

I have a long history of starting things and never finishing.

That's why it's taken me five years of engagement to get married.

And that's why I haven't been documenting my progress on this blog.

Truth is, while I've logged countless hours on Pinterest, I haven't really spent much money.  Since this blog is all about how to save money on my wedding, that's kind of a valid excuse, right?

So let me recap approximately what I've spent so far on the wedding.

Deposit on venue - $0
Invitations - $27  ($17 Groupon for Vistaprint + $10 shipping)
Wedding Bands - both his and hers - $16
Bridal Shoes - $50 at DSW
Wedding Gown - $350 at David's Bridal
Groom's Suit - $70 at Target (normally $90 but was on sale, plus RedCard discount)
Bridal Bolero Tops - both short and long sleeve - $170  (they're being custom made. I splurged a little here)
Fake Pearl Necklace - $15 at Target
Feather bouquet stems - $25 at Joann's (they were 50% off)
Assorted Crap from Hobby Lobby (ribbons, baubles) - $30?
Wedding Guestbook - $7 at Target

$760 so far.

"I haven't spent much money." - Myself from 2 minutes ago  

Hmmm. I guess the little stuff adds up fast, doesn't it?

I'll post more in detail about some of these purchases and decisions.