• Real Weddings

We can't help falling for a bride with a bit of an alternative vibe, and when Michelle decided to mix in a little homemade country decor we were hooked! This DIY  country chic wedding was all exquisitely done on a budget. You must read on for some of the bride's tips. Like how she wishes she hired a videographer to capture all those special moments. Of course all the details are beyond fabulous, but lucky for us we have the full budget break down on how much this wedding cost. Be sure to read on to see how much everything was.
There really are so many more lovely details all captured by Fiona Claire Photography in the full gallery here.

Handmade Wedding On A Budget

From the Bride: It's not easy working on a small budget, but being a lover of DIY projects, it sure was fun getting creative and I just love the feel it brought to the day knowing that my friends and family were involved in bringing together all the little touches. It meant a lot to us that so many people were a part of our special day. The overall feel that I was going for was Country Chic. The venue was 'love at first sight' for me as it had a very rustic feel to it, so all we needed to do was make it look pretty! 

Videographey Wishes

If I could give all the future brides out there any advise, it would be to make sure you have a videographer to capture your day. The main reason we didn't end up having one was purely because it wasn't within our budget, but I regret it so much now. I would give anything to be able to sit down and watch the day back with my husband, as I think we tend to miss so much on the day. If I could go back, I would I cut something else out of the budget so that we could accommodate a videographer.

Make Your Own Reception Decor

The bunting was handmade by myself and two special ladies in my life, Stacey and Sally, who selflessly spent hours sewing it together. My Mother-in-law and I also sewed all the napkins for the tables.

Each table had its own theme, with different coloured crystal glasses, plates and ornaments (which we borrowed from friends and family all over) with the main table standing out with clear crystal glasses and white plates and napkins. We collected loads of household jars, which we wrapped with little strips of ribbon and hessian, which were used on the tables and filled with flowers.

Don't Toss Out Your DIY Left Overs

Behind the dessert table, we used left over material from the bunting which we just ripped into long strips and tied in a row to create the backdrop. We used lots of fairy lights and candles all over to create a whimsical feel. My bridesmaids and I got very creative making birdcages out of wire which we wrapped in pretty materials and hung flowers from.

Budget Breakdown:
Venue - $1040 (R12,000) -Which included chairs and tables only Photographer - $690 (R8,000)
Catering - $2595 (R30,000)
Beverages - $1300 (R15,000) -Paid for by the grooms parents Cake - $105 (R1,200) -This was paid for as a gift to us by my boss Hiring of table cloths - $130 (R1,500)
Hiring of cutlery/plates/glasses for the main table - $173 (R2,000)
Fairy Lights - $87 (R1,000)
Bunting material - $87 (R1,000)
Napkin material - $87 (R1,000)
Dress - $562 (R6,500)
Bridesmaids dresses - $130 (R1,500)
Grooms Attire - $216 (R2,500)
Groomsmens Attire - $105 (R1,200)
Flowers - $520 (R6,000)
DJ - This was free, as a gift to us from our friend who is a DJ Invites - These were designed by a friend and sent via email so no cost involved All the coloured glasses, plates, straw place mats and most of the center pieces on the tables were borrowed from family and friends all over, which was a huge saving for us!

• Bridesmaid Dresses: ASOS
• Caterer: Et Voila
• Coordinator: Les Slater
• Dress shop: Bridal Mall Couture
• Groom & His Men: Topman
• Hair & Makeup: Robyn Bowles
• Photography: Fiona Claire Photography
• Venue: The Litchi Orchard