Now, I am all for making weddings look like a million dollars. Everyone wants the best for their big day, but it doesn’t mean you have to break the budget. Today I am going to share a few of my favorite money saving techniques that will effectively save you money!

1. God Bless Groupon. I know most people imagine groupon as a source for weekend getaways and half price mani pedis, but did you ever think that this could be applied to your wedding? Some helpful printing companys like vistaprint or zazzle could easily cut prices for save the dates and invites. Other services such as photography and photo booth rentals can be found on groupon and the deals are amazing! Head on over to groupon and see where you can save!

2. Do the DIYs. Admit it, your pinterest board is filled to the brim of wedding crafts you want to get to. So  here’s a challenge, actually do it! Do not resort to buying the easy things that you could DIY on etsy. For instance, I found some table numbers on Etsy that were $95. This was only for number one through ten! I bought the supplies at Hobby Lobby and did it myself for less than three dollars a piece. Have confidence and give it a try!

3. Research! Don’t just settle with the first invite you find or florist you like. Shop around and see if there are any better deals out there! In the wedding industry, there are a lot of different options! For instance, you may like one invite design on Minted, but you could get the same style at Wedding Paper Divas for 20% off if you are a Costco member. Be smart and plan out what you want, need, and the best vendor to provide it for you!

I have known Lyric for more than ten years and I was lucky enough that she agreed to be my first interview in my new little Monday segment, “Meet my Married Friend”.  This interview is simply a way to celebrate marriage and all the quirky, unique qualities each couple has! So today it’s time to read what Lyric has to say…. (Be prepared for some precious overload!)

Wedding Date: October 6, 2012

Most unique thing about your wedding: The moment we started planning our wedding we agreed that we wanted our “set up” to be a little different than most weddings. First of all, we wanted our guests to be able to choose any seat they wanted, rather than choosing a side. One of my biggest fears was walking down the aisle and looking to the left only to find “my side” was much less full than my soon-to-be husband’s! Seriously. Legitimate fear. So we simply gave them the option to sit wherever they wanted. Thanks to Pinterest, we found a really cute way to go about that change. Pinterest can be such a life saver! Second, we decided that we wanted to face our guests instead of turning our backs to them. After all, they were there to see us! We stood on an elevated deck and the minister stood at the bottom of the steps. Such a simple change, but it gave a whole new perspective to the friends and family that came to share our special day with us.

Favorite thing about being married: The best thing about being married, also the thing I looked most forward to, is not parting ways after saying goodnight. Before our wedding, my husband and I would stay awake as long as we could in order to spend time with one another, not knowing when our busy schedules would allow us to see each other again. Now, we say goodnight, I give him a kiss, and I’m comforted knowing he’s by my side all night long and that he will be there when I wake up. Not only do I get a full night sleep, but wondering when we will see each other next is a thing of the past!

Something you learned about your spouse post- wedding: I learned that my husband has a particular way he wants the toothpaste tube to be squeezed. Sounds silly, right? Not to him. It’s crucial. I’m one to squeeze the tube at any random point, I often lose the lid, and sometimes the toothpaste gets all gooey where the lid used to be. My husband squeezes from the bottom and works his way to the top, insuring that not one drop goes to waste! Needless to say, I’ve learned to change my sloppy ways!

Favorite purchase as a married couple: My favorite purchase as a married couple is our house. Hands down. Neither of us had ever been home owners before, so that was the icing on that big, beautiful wedding cake! After searching apartment after apartment, and rental house after rental house, the perfect home for us fell into our laps. It has so much character, a yard for our dogs, and best of all, it’s all ours.

Favorite place for date night: Right in our very own living room. We gather all of the blankets and pillows we can find, set them on top of a few giant beanbags, plop it all right in front of our TV, and slip in one of our favorite movies. Just goes to show, you don’t need to spend money to have a fun date night!

Biggest word of marriage advice: Serve before you demand. I honestly believe it is the key to a happy marriage. When you begin to serve your spouse, they will want to serve you in return. Keep in mind, this isn’t a way to trick your significant other into doing what you want, but rather a way to show your appreciation. Trust me, it will make a huge difference.

Happy 28th anniversary to my dears parents!

Thank you for being a great example of true, unconditional love.

It’s the age old story…The woman gets the ring so she obviously needs to hurry and get in perfect shape for the best day of her life. Trust me, I have already had moments where I try to strategize a way to look ideal on my wedding day. I first want to say, do not worry about the pressure of “looking perfect” because no matter what you look like on that day, you will look perfect. I’ve always heard your wedding day is the best day of your life so please do not ruin it for yourself! Love yourself! Today I am sharing a few tips and tricks that have helped me being my sweating for the wedding journey. I hope you enjoy and if you have any words of advice let me know! I’ll be sure to keep you all updated!

   This method to my madness is probably the most effective. One has to realize if you are going to lose the weight, it is not going to drop off automatically (I wish!). Therefore, set mini goals along the way. 5, 10, or 15 pounds can all be markers depending on how much you want to lose. If time is permitting, set wedding related goals! Things like  ” I want to lose _____ pounds before I try on wedding dresses” or ” I want to lose _______ pounds before we take our engagement photos”. If you’re engagement length allows for these types of goals, then set them! It kind of tricks my mind because I am thinking about how excited I am to get there rather than how long it is taking.

   They say journaling helps the soul and while I am not one for journaling everything, I do believe this really helps! Write down why you want to do this and go beyond the “I just want to be skinny”. It goes a lot deeper than that and you may not even realize it until you really stop and consider it! One of my biggest reasons why is because my whole entire life I have dreamed of my wedding day. The way I look, the dress I wear, the flowers I hold, etc. So the last thing I want is something holding me back from what I’ve always dreamed of! There are a lot of things you cant control when planning your wedding, but you can control this! Overall, really think about why and when you realize all the reasons why, it will motivate to keep going.

  Okay, the last thing my fiance needs to do is lose weight, but having that partner and encouragement really helps! He knows my reasons for wanting this so he helps push me to my goals. Since he wants to help, we created little schedules together. For example, we go to the gym together at least three times a week. This doesn’t mean he is my personal trainer three times a week (no way!), but rather he makes sure I actually go three  times a week! Having your best friend/soon to be Mr. on board really helps the whole process. The accountability will keep you going when you feel like giving in and celebrate with you when you’re getting closer!

  Self-explanatory. Do not too hard on yourself. When you beat yourself up about things, you always want to just forget about it! Know that the process takes time and effort. If you slip up, bounce back! It will all be worth it in the end!

  As I’ve said earlier, think about the end result. The best is yet to come so keep on going!