Blue and Yellow Summer Wedding
Today, we’re featuring a cheerful blue and yellow wedding that hosts 280 guests for only $15,000! Ashley and Keegan kept costs low through opting for a BBQ dinner, using their venue for their ceremony and reception and purchasing wholesale flowers. Isn’t her bouquet (arranged by her sister) cheerful and lovely? I think it’s the perfect combination of elegant and rustic with the blue hydrangeas, yellow and white flowers and simple greenery tied together with the satin ribbon and turquoise broach. The reception centerpieces and decor tie the wedding together with the rustic elements and blue details. Enjoy bright and beautiful summer wedding! xoxo, Jessica
Ashley Keegan
July 11, 2014
New Braunfels, Texas | Boulder Springs
What was your budget?
Our budget was $15,000.
The majority was spent on the main things for the reception:
$4,450 for the venue
$4,000 for the band
$1,000 for the alcohol and bartenders
$2,500 for catering.
How many guests did you have?
We invited about 320 and had about 280 attend.
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
Being from Texas, we wanted that southern charm to be a big part of our day. Our wedding was completely “D.I.Y.” thanks to the help of my amazing family. I love the look of old barns and antique shops so I guess you could say that was our inspiration. All of our centerpieces were handmade from old barn wood by my cousin Christian and aunt Shannon. Each table was complete unique with a different centerpiece on each one. My cousin even made a huge wooden cross that we put at the altar for the ceremony. The boys boutonnieres were made from used shotgun shells – perfect because Keegan loves to hunt! I used Photoshop to design all of our invitations and programs that doubled as fans and printed and assembled them myself. Keegan even got in on the “DIY” fun as he made the board that our guests signed at the end of the night. There really wasn’t anything that went untouched by my family. We even made tiers out of antique plates and candlesticks for the cupcakes and homemade kolaches! One of my favorite personal touches was that my hair was put up with a brooch that was passed down to me by my great grandmother.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
The biggest thing we did to save money was the fact that my family and I made all of the decorations and dealt with coordinating everything the day of on our own. All of the details for the centerpieces were either found at old antique shops or even in abandoned buildings. We used old barn wood for the centerpieces as well as the large cross for the ceremony. We bought all of the flowers at a wholesale vendor and my sister did all of the arrangements herself. We didn’t hire a wedding coordinator or anything like that – my mom was superwoman that day and somehow managed to coordinate everything herself!
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
I didn’t really stress during the planning process because I had so much help from my family, so my best advice would be to surround yourself by people you love and trust! Also, just make sure all the decisions you make are really what you and your groom want and that you don’t get overwhelmed by the pressure of other people’s opinions. Your friends, family, and guests love you so anything you choose will be perfect! The people that come to your wedding come because they care about you – the details are up to you!
What was your biggest splurge?
Our biggest splurge had to be the band, but it was more than worth it! We had so many people complimenting how much fun our reception was and having such an amazing live band was a huge part of that! My husband and I love to two-step so it’s something we couldn’t go without.
What was your favorite detail?
I guess my favorite detail would have to be our centerpieces. Each one was completely different than the rest creating a room full of unique tables. My cousin and aunt did an amazing job making them out of old barn wood and lace.
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
Keegan and I wrote our own vows for the ceremony so that was really special. My sister decorated these little books for each of us to use so it’s really sweet to have those to look back at for the rest of our lives. I just remember not seeing anything or anyone else other than Keegan during our ceremony. It was absolutely perfect. I also loved that we took communion during our ceremony – something that was really important to both of us. My brother and sister sang a worship song during communion which made it that much more special.
VENDORS
Photography: Photography by Kristen Fields • Catering: Grady’s BBQ • Bartender: BarMasters Texas • Hair & Makeup: Professional Makeup and Hair Design • Dress: Debi’s Bridal • Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse • Ring Designer: Helzberg Diamonds • Cake Designer: Serendipity Cakes • Event Venue:Boulder Springs • Band:Gary Glenn & the 20X Band
