Wedding on a budget (no, really)

Whenever I read blogs or articles about how to have a wedding on a tight budget, they are still spending over $5,000 for the whole thing. That is RIDICULOUS.
A reader has asked me to blog about tips on how to save money while planning the wedding so that's what I'm going to try to do.
First, I will break it down to about how much I spent in certain categories. Keep in mind that I didn't keep exact track of everything so these won't be right on but I will do my best. I would suggest keeping track of every dollar spent for your wedding so that you can see where you are.

Invitations and postage: $20
Dress and veil: $250
Alterations: $70
Shoes: $0 (Already owned from being a bridesmaid a couple years before)
Rings: $440 (we splurged a little here, we think)
My other jewelry: $7 (no joke, I bought a set in the clearance at Fred Meyer)
Isaac's suit and shoes: $200
Photography: $300
Hair and makeup: $0
Venue: $500
Cupcakes: $60
Officiant: $70
Music: $3 (we used music we already owned but had to buy a couple)
Decorations: $40
Misc: $40
Total: About $2,000

Areas of which we could have spent less:

Dress and suit. We could have gotten these used or on a better sale but overall, we also could have spent MUCH more than we did so I am not too worried about that.

Rings. I originally planned on spending under $100 on my ring and was even considering a simple band. But the ring will be with me all the time and once I saw the one we ending up getting, I couldn't stop thinking about it. It is perfect for me. Honestly though, there are a ton of beautiful rings out there for under $100. Just make sure you are happy with your purchase.

Venue. We got a GREAT deal on our venue. We had our wedding at a bed and breakfast but since we had less than 30 guests and did not need tables, etc, they lowered the price dramatically. That being said, we would have even loved having our wedding in a nice park.

DIY. Sometimes I got a little over my head with DIY ideas. Before thinking about if I could really finish it on time, I would go out and buy the supplies only to realize I didn't like it in the end or sometimes I wouldn't even get around to it. Really think about what you want to do your self and set a limit on how much you will do.

DIY did save me more money than I lost, though.

I made my own invitations and I was very happy with them. When I see kits to make invites, they are normally in the $40 up range. I just bought some scrapbooking paper, photo corners, and got creative.

I also made my own cupcake picks. This time I just needed cardstock, toothpicks (dollar store) and double stick tape. They added a nice personalized touch, I thought.



I also replaced the idea of a guest book with guest notes. I got supplies mostly from the dollar store but also on sale in craft stores. I set it up so that guest could fill out a note card with a little note, drawing, and/or stickers and hang it from some twine.

I also made my own bouquet and dropped the idea of having real flowers everywhere. Florals can get expensive.

Some people spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars just to feed their guests. This fact made me automatically drop the idea of a dinner and we had our wedding at 2 PM in hopes that people would have already had lunch but it would be too early for dinner. We just served cupcakes and had drinks. This saved us SO MUCH MONEY.

Another area people blow money on is music. Many people will get a live band or DJ, which may be fun. But if you are like us and don't find much joy in dancing but love music, a CD will do just fine. We compiled a list of music that we loved and didn't care if it was "wedding music". My wonderful friend Lindsay was our "dj" and started and stopped the music for a ceremony but during the ceremony, we just let it play as background music.
In case you're curious, here's our playlist:

I walked to the naked version of Across the Universe by the Beatles.


Thank You - Led Zeppelin
Dear My Love - Miyavi
Here Comes The Sun - Beatles
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire
Heroes (single version) - David Bowie
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp - Led Zeppelin
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
Strangers When We Meet (Outside version) - David Bowie
Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros
Music For a Nurse - Oceansize


Another tip I have for saving money is MAKE THIS WEDDING ABOUT YOU GUYS, not about pleasing the guests or following traditions. We did not have bridesmaids, groomsmen, flowergirls, etc. While they traditionally buy their own dresses and stuff on their own, money is still spent on gifts, flowers, and things for them. Guests may expect catering and a giant cake but honestly, is it their wedding? Try not to have the wedding at a time they may expect a meal. If they only come for food, they shouldn't come anyways.

You may have noticed how much we spent on photography. If you have already looked into the average cost of wedding photography you may wonder how we got someone so cheap. Most wedding photographers charge $600 for a basic package and they may not even give you the rights to print the photos yourself. Ripoff. I looked into beginning photographers and student photographers. After a bunch of research, I finally found a girl on craigslist. She was charging only $200 when I found her and then soon after was at $300. I looked at her portfolio and thought she had a natural talent so I booked her without hesitation. If I would have waited longer, it would have cost more. Try to look around. If you can't afford anything, see if your family knows someone that can give you a good deal. If you're lucky, a family member or friend with talent might even do it for free! Don't be afraid to ask.

Well this is getting long and rambly. I'm not sure how much I even helped anyone out. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

Welcome to 2010

My room is completely silent other than the sound of Peter and Ziggy shuffling around in their cage. I need music.

OK GOT MUSIC.

2009 was pretty lame for me.

Isaac and I didn't see each other the WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR. I mean in person, of course. We still saw each other a bunch on Skype. My whole year seemed to be a waste. There is so much I would like to do but rather do it with Isaac so I didn't really bother doing much at all. I have just been WAITING for 2010 to come. I hardly even saw any friends this year. It has been pretty lonely for me.
Loneliness just leaves me to think about everything and that begins to really stress me out.
I am wondering if all that has anything to do with the fact that I have a bunch of grey hairs that started growing in the beginning of the year. I didn't have any that I knew of in 2008!

2010 just looks nice and friendly and all I can look forward to is awesome stuff now. Isaac gets here in March (!!!!!!!) and we marry in May (!!) then I can finally stop spending so much time waiting for life to start and actually get to it.

Ob-la-di ob-la-da life goes on...

I will try to be less whiny this year.
Ok, additions to my new years wish list:

• Be less whiny in 2010.
• Get clothes I actually like and will wear and get rid of all the stuff I don't even like.
  
• Get more girlish clothes, like dresses. WEAR THEM. Stop settling for tshirts and jeans just because it's all I can find.
  
• Stop buying fabric until I use at least 1/2 of what I already have.

New years

I never make resolutions but maybe I'll just make a list of things I would LIKE to do in 2010. Yes.

• Really teach myself how to sew, then sew lots of stuff.
• Try to stay stress-free around our wedding date. I always told myself I wouldn't turn into Bridezilla, if something goes wrong then it's ok. Just as long as Isaac is there, I am there, and we get married. :)
• Organize my closet and the closet in the office.
• Get rid of craft items and fabric I always think I will use but never do. (Craigslist?)
• Wake up at extremely early and view the sunrise from a place with a nice view.
• Limit my Human Bean coffee spending. >_<
• Make more stuff and sell on Etsy again. Better stuff.
• Move out.
  
• Plan a reasonable budget that I can actually stick to.
• Make a video I can actually say I like.
• Find a job I'm actually happy with and earn more than minimum wage.
  
• Take on Yoga again.
• Get or make a thread spool holder. Whatever they are called.
• Go camping with Isaac.
• Hike Table Rock for the first time.
• Blog more.
  

That's all I can think of off the top of my head at the moment. I will probably periodically post updates on my list.

Lists of things.

Place I currently wish I could go:

• ENGLAND. More specifically: Where Isaac is. Obviously.
  
• San Francisco. It has sounded like a fun place to go lately. I haven't been there in a while.
• Disneyland! I could really use the fun.
• The movie theater. I don't know if any movies are out but I haven't been to a movie theater in about a year or so. That shit's too much $.
• Some place with lots of animals. Maybe Wildlife Safari again or something. That place is AWESOME.
• Santa Cruz. Los Angeles... somewhere in California it seems! I love Oregon but sometimes (hardly, but SOMETIMES) I feel like a California person. Maybe because I was born in Santa Cruz? Nah, I just need to get away from here every once in a while.
• Some mountain. I want to hike.
• Seattle. I haven't gone to Washington since I was little and I REALLY want to go again.

People I want to see:

• Isaac. That should be a given. Seriously, did I NEED to say? <3
• Lindsay. I saw her a couple days ago as we went on a LONG walk all over the place but I want us to just chill or something.
• Amanda, Jen, and Megan. Plus Lindsay. All at once. I want our group back together! See, Amanda's in New Mexico now (well, now as in for almost 3 years haha), Jen's in Idaho with her husband Johnathan and baby in belly, and Megan's IN Oregon but we just don't talk or see each other. Sometimes the idea of just having that high school free silly fun seems so nice but I don't know if it will ever be the same. Oh well, still want us all together again even if it's to complain about work and talk about babies.
• David Bowie. As much as I am no longer OBSESSED, I am still BowieChick. I want to see him live in concert at least once or get to see him face to face and say, "Hey."
• Isaac's mom. Or mum? AHH WHAT IS SHE. She's going to be my mum. That's what I've decided. I won't call her my mother in law, she's just mum. I just want to meet her. Kind of all just related to how I just want to go there!
  
• Water. Water is a person I want to see. My throat and mouth are asking to meet it. AHH I'M THIRSTY AND CRAZY.

Things I wish I had:

• Chapstick on my lips RIGHT NOW. They are bothering me. Ok, wish just granted.
• Isaac's arms around me and his lips on my cheek. Oh, sorry.
  
• Different clothes. I get so sick of what I own and I am so tired of always wearing t-shirts and jeans and simple hoodies. I mean, it was great during high school but I'm not in high school anymore and it just makes me feel sloppy and a bit more ugly. I see others dressed like that and people can pull it off but I no longer am into it for myself. I like nice clothes, I really do. I just don't know how to dress myself and never have the money if I do see something I would love.
  
• An apartment of my own. I know that staying here as long as I am allowed is really a nice thing for my parents to allow but I am getting to that point where I feel the need to get out. I know it isn't possible without money so...
  
• Money and lots of it. Money can't buy happiness? I say BAH! Sure, I understand that saying but it all depends on how you use what you have spent that money on that makes you happy. I mean, that money could buy me a plane ticket to see Isaac at least once in 2009 and seeing him would make me happier. Or having the kind of money to buy a new computer for myself would mean I wouldn't have to use my dad's causing us to have arguments over who gets to use the computer and stuff. Or when I AM forced to use my computer I can't talk to Isaac on Skype because it drops every 10 seconds making me very angry and NOT happy. Computer = How I communicate with Isaac. Isaac = Happy. So, working computer all my own = happy.
  Whoa, went on a little rant there but don't worry, I won't be spending any money I earn on a new computer anytime soon. In fact, probably no new computer for me until long after 2010. Oh well, I'll deal.

What I don't like about myself right now:

• My obvious want for money and materialistic items. Shame.
• My weight.
• My laziness and lack of energy.
• Reaccuring lack of creativity.
• Inability to write or speak properly.
• My screwed up sleep times.

What I do like about myself right now:

• My heart. If feels nice all the time.
• I haven't chewed on my nails in ages.
• The way my hair looked today.
  

What I hope to accomplish this year:

• Earn enough money on my own to pay for wedding, some sort of honeymoon, to help with Isaac's trip and shipping his stuff over (even if I don't have to), and still have enough saved up for everything else.
• Get back into painting.
• Make more stuff for Etsy.
• Read a zillion books. Not really, just more than normal.
• ChaCha a lot. I became a guide and it's kind of fun!
• Do the best I can do at work. In the end, I'm getting payed to do it and that's great. Plus, everyone's amazing. Work is good, I need to remember.
• Figure out what's wrong with my bike gears, fix it, and ride it more.
• Lose at least 15 pounds.
• Become a better friend.
• Realize that I can make great friends on YouTube. I just need to be open to it in order for that to happen. I am a crap communicator, replyer, and internet friend.
  

I-129F Petition for Fiance Visa (K-1)

I finally started filling out a bunch of stuff today.
Done:

• I-129F forms (including attached paper to expand on how we met)
• Cover letter
• Both Isaac and I did G-325A (which is 4 pages for each of us and all four pages are the EXACT SAME THINGS)
• Letter of intent to marry within 90 days of Isaac's entry to the US (both Isaac and I had to do these, and sign)
• Printed out pictures of us together
• Printed out some old emails to show ongoing relationship

What we need to do:

• Get (recent) passport style photos taken of both of us.
• Copy birth certificate
• Copy his old plane tickets
• Get the $455 to file the petition

Oy. But at least we're getting somewhere.

Thiziztitlez

My niece keeps forwarding weird quizzes to my email! Ahh!

I'm not sure what I wanted to talk about here. Just felt like doing a blog! Alrighty then we'll see where this goes...
I guess I'll just write down the first thoughts in my head:

• Those mugs over there *points* are really cool.
• My budgies are funny. I can't wait to see Peter grow up, he's still a baby.
  
• I bit the left side of my tongue and it hurts.
• I'm going to try to stay up really late tonight (and sleep in late in the morning) because I have to work starting 10 PM tomorrow night and I don't want to be tired by then.
• I am now going to watch ArtieTSMITW's new video.
• After video thoughts: Aww poor kid! Haha!
• I wonder if Isaac is sleeping yet. Insomniac!!!
  
• I saw a book on insomnia in the store today and skimmed through it but it was all stuff I heard before.
• I also saw a bunch of John Green books so I flipped through those to see if there were any nerdfighters around here leaving notes.
• No, there weren't.
• I don't know why I continue to go to stores when I can't spend my money. I think it's just... something to do.
• I should probably put the birds to bed soon (cover their cage).
  
• I just imagined putting my birds in a little bed and tucking them in under covers, it was cute.
• I need to remember to do laundry tomorrow.
• I think tea is gross with milk.
• I wonder when I'm going to get a chance to go to England.
• I remember when my friend and I (when we were about 9) decided to move to London together after college. We thought that if we did, we would somehow automatically become friends with the Spice Girls.
• Isaac and I planned that when I DO get to go over there, we will be like typical tourists of London and go on a double decker bus. Woo!
• I love my British man.
  
• This was a lame idea...

Ok that was fun!
Alright I'm going to watch a movie that just arrived in the mail even though I don't know what it is. Fun!
Wish me luck staying up late tonight! I've been having a harder time doing that lately unless I'm sick...
And I'll (maybe) see some of you on Friday at BlogTV!!!

Bird food in your keyboard

"Oh it's the kind of thing I could play with forever." - Isaac just said this referring to his new fancy chromatic guitar tuner.

Some things:

• Commonly said but I have to ask it as well... whatever happened to separation of church and state?
• Whatever happened to predictability? The milk man, the paper boy, evening tv!? You miss your old familiar friends waiting just around the bend. EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK... *cough*.. um... Yeah.
  
• Just because a religious group does good stuff for the community or for people it does not make up for hate and lies.
• Isaac and I are getting married here in the US. I have to say this because people keep telling me to just go there, marry him, and come back here. I don't want to do that. We want to get married here. I don't care if the other way may *possibly* be easier (hardly), but this way is faster in the end.
• People should stop complaining about Christmas stuff being here already. I am saying this because SteAndKel (most likely Steven) just twittered saying something about it being too early for Christmas stuff. It's the end of November! This isn't some new thing, Christmas stuff has come early for YEARS.
  
• I am freaking out about the lack of open jobs right now. I keep applying for things or sending my resume in and not hearing a peep from anyone. Maybe I'm just not good enough.
• It bugs me that every kind of cookware or bakeware in stores seems to have nonstick Teflon stuff which is a major NO NO if you have a parakeet. It can kill them! AHHHH! And since that's true, it's a little freaky to think about what it's putting in our bodies, though slowly.

I was w0ndering why one of my keys kept getting jammed the last couple days or where it just wouldn't work but then finally today I hit it, heard a crack, and a piece of bird food came out. I don't like that you can't take individual keys out of a laptop keyboard...

End.

K1 Visa, End of the world, and stuff.

First of all if you know anything about fiance visas and getting married to someone from another country please watch this and maybe help me out:



Second.
I am tired of this end of the world stuff. Having end of the world theories is not something new, as we should all know, so we shouldn't buy into any of this hype.
Even if it WAS true, what could we do about it? I say we just DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! It adds to stress and worry. Even hearing my friend theorize about it today made it impossible to leave my brain and it just makes me feel horrible. Keep your theories to yourself, or at least don't take them so seriously. If everyone took it seriously, we would just give up on living our lives happily. I mean, what's the point when the world is going to end? WE MUST PREPARE! Why work towards a long term goal, anyways? That's the way it makes me feel.

Third.
I can't find a job! I may have to go crazy with making as many ExpoTV videos this month as I am allowed (what is it? 10 or something?) to get some extra money because besides my money in savings (which I am NOT touching now) I am just about... penniless. I should try again selling my art on Etsy too. Hopefully someone will buy one or something. Last time I tried, someone tried buying one but not someone I will allow to buy from me. I don't have to worry about that anymore because I got help from a person working at Etsy.

Fourth.
I kind of want to see Twilight. Some people said it was crap, some said it was good. All I know if that I like the books (well, the first two I have read anyways) and it would be interesting to see it interpreted into a movie. I will probably wait until it's either in the cheap theater or on DVD and rent it.

Fifth.
Looks like the word filth which makes me think of how I was reminded of my ex today TWICE. Once when I went to a coffee place I only ever went to ONCE with him and again when Isaac was talking about gappy teeth. I find it funny when you are reminded of someone you don't like but were going out with and all you can remember about that person is what a shit they were, even if there could have possibly been OK times (though I honestly can't remember any time I was ever really happy when with him). It was just all wrong... basically.

Sixth.
I have decided that I WILL stay home and live here until Isaac comes and we get married. We may possibly have to stay until he gets the permit to work and gets a job. This means I have to drop my plans of moving out until we are married and all that. It is a bit strange and almost looked down upon by people to live with your parents when you are married but I will have to ignore that judgment and think about what would be best, financially. What am I in such a hurry for to go into debt anyways?

Seventh.
I like to think of as many things as I could talk about in this blog, fun.

Eighth.
The word eighth is weird because it's weird to have ghth next to each other. I just noticed as I was typing and had to point it out...

Ninth.
I want to thank everyone for their nice comments on my latest video and thank you to the people that sent me those long detailed and encouraging messages. It really does help and it's helping me relax about it a bit. I am starting to figure it out...

Pumpkin pie ice cream

DELICIOUS PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM!
Best brand, in my opinion, for this kind of ice cream? Oregon's own, UMPQUA! Sponsor me now, Umpqua.

What I've learned today:

• You should listen more than/as much as you speak.
• Girls interrupt each other while talking more than should be legal. Might be because there's hardly ever time, in a group, to get a word in... but sometimes it can be avoided. Sometimes your word you want in isn't very important when you think about it.
• This one coffee place I have always passed and never considered is actually great and well priced! Must go more often...
• They have free wi-fi too... I've never taken advantage of free wifi anywhere but at the library. I should do this some times... because it's cool. I could be one of those awesome people sitting with a coffee and a laptop acting like I'm doing important work. I'll actually just be on YouTube or Facebook or something but no one has to know if I sit in the corner. Knowing me, I would probably end up spilling on the keyboard and looking EVEN COOLER!
  
• There is one religion in particular that interests me and everytime I do deep down research and read about their actual stuff from ACTUAL CURRENT/FORMER MEMBERS, I can't stop! I don't mean it interests me as in I want to join them... I mean it interests me that people find ways to create these, well, cults and no one catches on to the obvious truths about them. All that money they are getting for converting people and creating new churches/temples/whatever should be used to feed hungry and SAVE HUMAN LIVES. Yes, actually help someone NOW instead of trying to save their/your life from something that happens after you are dead. Dead meaning something that no one has lived through to tell us about. SOMETHING UNCERTAIN AND UNKNOWN TO EVERYONE ALIVE. Sorry if I don't make sense with the way I am connecting my sentences. I am tired.
• I KNOW YOUR SECRETS.

So yeah. That's some of the stuff I learned/thought about today.
Oh and new video too.

Trick or treat?!

I posted a blog a while ago but it was a million pages long so I figured I'd try to do a condensed version! Aren't you lucky?
1. I was this thing yesterday for Jen's haunted house:

and while I was at it I also painted my nieces face for her cat costume:


2. SCHTUFF

3. Isaac and I are engaged. He proposed to me on October 21st and that day was simply wonderful thanks to him. We have been keeping quiet about it on YT so it can be discovered by eagle eyes on upcoming IseAndMel videos but I figured that hardly anyone reads this so I can announce it if I want to!
3a. Because of this we are looking into all the immigration forms and fees and it is kind of crazy and confusing. He is moving here btw.
3b. I love Isaac with all my heart and I miss him so much.

4. I can't wait to move out but... I have to wait. I NEED MONEY. Lindsay and I have already talked about plans to move out together when we can. Yay!

Done.