The Problems of the Budget Bride

Okay, so I've been absent for quite some time.  Why?  Well let's just say my bridal thoughts have been less than rosy :P  I didn't want to be a Debbie Downer, so I figured it would be better to wait until calmer thoughts came around.

*deep breath* "I LIKE planning weddings" *deep breath* "I LIKE planning weddings"...

And you know what I realized?  That all brides put themselves through torture!  If we're not trying to create the most beautiful wedding, we're trying to have the most unique wedding, or trying to make everyone happy.

But even the budget brides may have a problem--we're trying too hard to save money.  We're trying to be those clever brides out there who find the diamond-in-the-rough, that seemingly perfect gem that doesn't break the bank, yet forfills all our wedding needs.

Well...what if the venues you find that are affordable are horribly complicated?  Sure, you find a pretty empty rental space for cheap, and you find an affordable caterer.  But then who's coordinating the vendors, buying the booze, hiring the bartenders, renting the tables/chairs/plates/silverware/etc, setting up the space?  Yeah, that falls on you unless you find that diamond-in-the-rough wedding planner for cheap too :P

So you find close to what you're looking for, a venue that covers the basics, has an in-house coordinator, is different and beautiful, can have a ceremony and reception onsite, has great food...wait?  It costs HOW MUCH?!?  *faints on floor*

So then, we either leave the fabulous venues behind, because we are too stubborn to pay the piper, or, if you're like me, you beat yourself up for spending that much money.

What are we doing?!  This is supposed to be enjoyable, not a road of disapointment!

What every bride who scans the bridal blogosphere needs to realize is ALL weddings are inspiration, but just that.

Just like the bride who has the 6-tier cake, the bride who snags the $1500 caterer for 150 is just as unreachable for most of us.

I have to say Mrs. Earrings had one of my favorite budget weddings, but unfortunately a picnic tea party setting just isn't me

Am I saying that the budget bridal stories are just as damaging as the expensive bridal stories?  No.

But they both can give a bride unrealistic expectations, and that's what's dangerous here.

Because even though we want the prices of the wise budget brides, some of us may also want an evening wedding on a Saturday in May or October with a sit-down dinner and booze flowing freely. :P (Oh how my bridal vision keeps changing...more on that later...)

Yeah, I'm pretty much going against every budget reception tip in the book here.  And I need to accept that that brings the price up, and there's not much I do about it if I'm not willing to compromise on certain factors.

Well, I am willing to compromise on some, but my finance?  Another story XD  No one filled him in on the budget saving reception tips apparently! :P

I envisioned finding that perfect place for the perfect price, and I would post it here on my blog, and fellow brides would cheer! and my mother and mother-in-law would be impressed! and my finance could relax about finances! and all sorts of other delusional stuff like that XD

And when it didn't happen?  I beat myself up about it, feeling guilty that I'm putting financial pressures on everyone around me and that I'm not saving enough money myself to single-handedly pay for the whole shindig and save everyone from financial torture.  This involved a lot of pouting, complaining, and being cranky and generally awful to be around whenever someone mentioned the wedding XP

Until I finally realized that I was being a whiny bitch and should just suck it up and enjoy picking my pretty venue for heaven's sake!

Why did it take me a month to figure this out?  No idea, but better to come late to the party than not at all, huh? XD

A Penny For Your Thoughts...

So, let's talk about that 6-letter-word in the wedding world, budget.

*shudders* o.o

Or another way to put it:  What ridiculous amount of DIYing am I going to have to do to keep the budget down?!? XD

Yeah, our budget is going to be smaller than I would have liked...

...a lot smaller :p

Why? Well, the key thing to note here is:

Home Ownership = Empty Pockets

Allow me to explain:

1) Foundation cracks downstairs start leaking water
2) Cracks start leaking a LOT of water...
3) Niagara Falls now resides in your rec room
4) ...and your laundry room
5) ...AND the home theater starts developing mold on the walls
6) Time to demo the drywall!
7) *cue sobbing over the mess that was once your home theater*
8) Oh look, another crack!
9) Call in contractors
10) Receive quotes and faint
11) Wake up and realize, no this is not a dream
12) Pout, but fork over the dough because your sick of bailing out your home and you want a quality job done
13) Spend the next year renovating the home theater, which would have taken the average do-it-yourself-er 2 months
14) Give up on the crown molding, leaving only parts of it on the walls and move the theater equipment back in
15) Weird spots start to appear on the ceiling...hmmm...
16) Floor starts warping in the hallway
17) GIANT PUDDLE appears in hallway
18) *cue sobbing as you realize the roof is leaking*

XP  Yeah...

Pair this with my slow improvement of my spending habits and what do you get?! =
A very, very tiny wedding budget!

I knew this blog would be good for something! XD

So, what have we done to remedy this situation?

-The finance suggested getting married in Vegas by Fat Elvis -.-  I was not impressed.
-A 2014 wedding is practically confirmed.  We simply need more time to save up money, and as they say, time is money!
-A winter wedding is more desirable due to the across-the-board, off-season discounts with all vendors and services (Plus it's so pretty!!! :D)
-Venues that are too expensive get crossed off my list, no questions asked (There might have been some pouting however, lol)

So what does this mean for the gorgeous Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands?  A very surprising outcome, to say the least.

To be continued!

Why I'm Dreading Wedding Dress Shopping

Guys, I thought I would have a fun time looking for my wedding dress.

I'm flipping out.

Why?  Because of my &$%-&$^@ expensive taste! XP

What do I like?
Texture

  Dimensional lace

  Unique

What does every budget dress look like?!?

Meh.  Simple and streamlined I am not.

Yes, I mentioned the eBay dresses before, but now that I'm doing more research, I have found that these are just "inspiration" photographs, and not what really comes shipped to your home.

There are some great sites here and here where you can see the difference...

Nice, but not the same...

I mean I could try out eBay and see what happens, I have enough time, I'm just worried that they can't do the complicated things I would want in a gown.

So my next step is researching these knock-off sellers and see if any have more positive reviews than most, try them out, and if it doesn't work out, go to plan B.

What's plan B?

A LOT of research.

Plan B is searching on Craigslist, eBay, WeddingBee Classifieds, BravoBride, RecycledBride, sample sales, etc. to find that one used or sample gown that is going for a reasonable enough price.

Like finding a needle in a haystack my friends.

So now I'm incredibly deflated...and getting a headache :p

I mean why does the WIC (Wedding Industrial Complex) have to be this way? Any white prom gown costs *more* than the same thing colored would be.  All wedding dresses are labeled as "affordable" if they're less than $1K.

Sometimes this seems like the cheaper option...

You what I think is affordable? $250
Highest price? $400, and it BETTER look like the dress from the Gods! ):<

I'm starting to feel that I can't escape this wedding budget blunder...yes, my mom IS going to pay for the dress, but it's just the damn principle of the thing!  I don't want anyone to pay more than $400 for a one-day deal for me.  And that's that.

And is it my fault that I like a little style???

Meh, maybe my new edition of Bridal Bargains can help me :P

Hopefully my dress ideas start becoming a bit clearer and the dress will come to me...but I think it will be playing hard to get.

Wish me luck <3

Wedding Postage Woes Fixed With the New Forever Stamp!

Yes, yes, I know. The Forever USPS postage stamps presently have the Liberty Bell on them, and while iconic, probably aren't pretty enough for your colored envelopes and carefully constructed invitations!

But wait! Coming on the 21st, a new breed of Forever Stamps will emerge!

Presenting: the Wedding Roses Forever Stamp!

What does this mean for brides? Or ladies-in-waiting even?

Well, if you buy these lovelies in bulk quantities on the 21st for $0.44 each, then even if you're planning your wedding for 2014, (or waiting another who-knows-how-many years for your sweetheart to propose,) these babies will still coverage your postage on any one ounce letter, (such as your thank you letters and RSVP envelopes,) no matter how much postage goes up in that time period!

As many married women know all too well, postage adds up. With the inflated guest list comes inflated multiples of Save-the-Dates, invitations, RSVP cards, and thank you letters, all of which need postage.

Now, unfortunately I couldn't find any reliable statements out there about using more than one forever stamp for envelopes that weigh more than one ounce. But for the sake of argument let's say you can get away with 2 of them for your Save-the-Dates and invitations.

So you're inviting 100 guests. Right now, the stamps are $0.44. In 2014, pretend the stamp prices have increased to $0.50.

Cost for Forever stamps now = $264
Cost for estimated stamps in 2014 = $300
Total potential saved = $36

Now, $36 in the scheme of the wedding budget may not seem like much, but $36 saved is $36 saved! :D

And we all know that postage prices will continue to rise, given the trends of the past several years.

So the point is, (if you can use two Forever stamps to cover your invitations and Save-the-Dates,) why wouldn't you buy them now?!

One good reason: "The best made plans of mice and men often go awry."

In other words, your intimate 50 person wedding in your mind may escalate to 100 or even more, given family pressures and whatnot. So you purchased only half the amount of stamps you need, and still need to pay extra.

BUT you still are saving some money, if not the amount you originally wanted to.

And if you buy too many for you to ever possibly use? Well now you can send all your letters/bills/etc. for a cheaper price than the present postage costs, and they look pretty to boot! XD

So, I guess this is to say to presently engaged and thrifty women: Buy these on the 21st before postage goes up again!!!

Edit: I have received some great postage information from a reader, and here is the scoop on postage for wedding invitations:

Starting on April 17th:
"1st class, 2 oz - $0.64 (previously $0.61)
1st class, 2 oz - odd size* - $0.84 (previously $0.81)
1st class, 3 oz - $0.84 (previously $0.78)
1st class, 3.5 oz - $1.04 (previously $0.95)
1st class, 4 oz - $1.48 (previously $1.39)
Postcards, 1 oz - $.29 (previously $0.28)"
And the new Forever stamp can be used for 1 oz mailings.

How to Get A Phantom Wedding Like David Tutera's My Fair Wedding: Budget

Okay, you finally finished putting together your own David Tutera - My Fair Wedding: Phantom of the Opera wedding! :D Woot!

But how much money did you end up spending on your fancy shindig?

The way I have been estimating the prices for this Phantom wedding was either giving the precise cost of each item, or if there were multiple options, giving the cheapest and most expensive range of each item, such as full rose floral centerpieces vs. carnation and rose floral centerpieces.

However, for this post, to make it easier to see the price differences of going for the cheaper alternative versus the more expensive ones, I will do two different budget breakdowns: one for the cheapest venue and all the more affordable alternatives, and one for the most expensive venue and all the more extravagant alternatives.

Budget break down for the super thrifty:

Reception:
Location Fees: free with food and drink purchase
Food: $1495
Drinks: $1375
Linens: $646.20
Cake: $198.48
Gratuities: $517
Decorations (other than floral): $84.98
Total: $4,316.66

Attire:
Dress: $159.98 (ebay is usually made-to-order, so no alternations should be needed)
Tuxedo: free with groomsmen rentals
Total: $159.98

Music:
String Quartet for Ceremony: greatly varies
Total: $+?

Miscellaneous:
Taxes: $251
Total: $251

Floral/Decorations:
Bouquets, Boutonnieres, and Corsages: $307.69
Reception Flowers: $603.81
Table Centerpieces: $253.23
Candles: $73.94
Lighting: $192
Total: $1,430.67

Gifts:
Wedding Favors: $78.51
Total: $78.51

Total spent: $6,236.82+

Budget breakdown for the budget-minded with some splurges:

Reception:
Location, Food, Drinks: $4895
Linens: $847.10
Cake: $376.88
Gratuities: $832
Decorations (other than floral): $174.99
Total: $7,125.97

Attire:
Dress: $350 (ebay is usually made-to-order, so no alternations should be needed)
Tuxedo: free with groomsmen rentals
Total: $350

Music:
String Quartet for Ceremony: greatly varies
Total: $+?

Miscellaneous:
Taxes: $428
Total: $428

Floral/Decorations:
Bouquets, Boutonnieres, and Corsages: $307.69
Reception Flowers: $754.81
Table Centerpieces: $253.23
Candles: $73.94
Lighting: $172
Total: $1,561.67

Gifts:
Wedding Favors: $153.17
Total: $153.17

Total spent: $9,618.81+

BUT!

Take into account, this includes half of the things you will need for a wedding. I will try to list the missing items with an estimated price. I do not know what it will cost you exactly! I am only trying to help estimate the budget. When in doubt, I always estimate higher. It's better to prepare for more rather than less.

This does not include the following:

-Photographer = $1500+
-Photo Album = $20+
-Prints = $100+
-Videographer = greatly varies
-DJ = $500+
-Officiant = $350
-Marriage License = $40 for NY state
-Ceremony fees = greatly varies
-Ceremony decor = $100+
-Save-the-Dates = $80+
-Invitations = $175+
-Thank You Cards = $30+
-Stamps = $176
-Programs = $50+
-Guest Book = $25+
-Escort Cards = $20+
-Wedding Rings = $800+
-Transportation for couple and bridal party = $400+
-Bridal Accessories = $95+
-Hair Stylist = $80+
-Makeup Artist = $40+
-Day-Of Coordinator = $400+
-Gifts = greatly varies
-Tips = $500+
-Rehearsal Dinner = greatly varies
-Hotel Stay for Wedding Night = $200+

Estimated missing subtotal = $5,681+

So adding this to the two subtotals, we get...

Total Estimate for Phantom of the Opera Wedding = $11,917.82+ - $15,299.81+

I feel that this disproves the myth that you have to spend a crapton of money to have a really fancy looking affair. It takes a lot of hard work and research to keep costs down, but it will all work out in the end!

So don't feel discouraged and stay thrifty, my friends! <3

How to Get A Phantom Wedding Like David Tutera's My Fair Wedding: All The Details

Okay, so you're almost there!

You booked the perfect venue, set up the lighting, gathered the linens for the tables, did a test run for your DIY rose bouquets, assembled the floral centerpieces, ordered the cake, picked out your bridesmaid dresses, picked out your wedding dress, AND purchased the favors, it's now time to tie up loose ends!

Step 10: Take care of the rest of the details.

This is a compilation of all the other elements that make a wedding like the My Fair Wedding - Phantom of the Opera wedding that really didn't have enough work or detail to get its own post.

The Guys:

Have them look like the dashing Phantom himself by renting traditional black tuxes. Usually you can get a deal of a free groom's tux if you rent tuxes for the whole bridal party at once! I have always loved guys in red, however any combination of white, black and red for vests, shirts, or ties will work for this wedding!

Cost for groom's tux: free!

The Ceremony Site:

Any church will work wonderfully for this type of wedding, especially one that is a little more ornate and decorated. Hopefully they already have some candelabras for your use for the altar, and perhaps more candles can line the aisle, with some red rose petals of course.

If you are not a religious couple, then look for a romantic, very decorated space that won't need too much extra decor to make it fit in with the Phantom theme.

Cost for ceremony site: varies

A ceremony site is so personal, there are countless ways you could go with the site and the decor. If you are smart with your choices this shouldn't break the bank.

The Music:

A string quartet (or trio) for the ceremony is almost a must. However, musicians can get very expensive, even for short amounts of time.

I recommend either finding a local college music group or doing auditions at the local colleges in your area to look for affordable string musicians. These students are looking for any sort of extra cash, so as long as you are reasonable and take their travel expenses into account, you should find a more than capable group to work with.

Try to make a contract with them (I don't know the true details of creating a contract between two people that don't have a literal company, perhaps try to involve the college? Hmmm...I'll have to look into that) that has either a backup plan, a statement of reimbursement, or no payment at all if for some reason someone in the group cannot attend. Some students have very changeable schedules.

Also be sure to be clear on the dress of the students. Try not to be too unreasonable and ask them to purchase suits or rent expensive tuxes, their budgets are very limited. (If you're dealing with an actual organized band, this may be easier.) It will be easier on all parties to request something along the lines of formal wear, button down shirts and slacks for the guys, nice blouse and slacks/long skirt for the girls, you get the picture.

Cost for music: varies

The First Dance:

What made the dance floor so cool in the My Fair Wedding episode was that it had fog! How fitting is that for the Phantom?! This can be done by purchasing fog machines and placing them in optimized spots on the dance floor.

After Halloween sales are your best friend in this situation. I'll give you the pricing now, however they will be much cheaper once the Halloween madness is over for the year.

The quality of the fog machine your purchase will determine how many you need or how much you need to fiddle with them the day of. With some limited research, I found that the run of the mill fog machine will not give you that low-lying fog-floor effect without making your own makeshift cooling device. You could either look at the eHow fog chiller tutorial, or you could just accept that $200 is okay amount to spend on a proper fog machine and materials to save yourself that one extra DIY project.

Here is an affordable low-lying fog machine from Spirit Halloween for $64.99, it is sold out right now but may be back in stock in time for the Halloween season.

This will take any standard fog machine fluid, Spirit Halloween sells a gallon for $19.99.

A more expensive fog machine for $150 on Amazon is the Mister Kool low-lying fog machine. This is given a very good description on the Got Fog? website, it seems to be exactly what you want for a wedding, with easy setup, standard materials needed, and even a remote timer!

This machine takes Kool Fog, and a gallon of this will cost you $24.99 on Amazon.

A money and time saving tip is to start the fog machine shortly before your first dance, (to build up the fog,) and then just run the machine until the fog runs out. If you're doing this on your own, you don't want to have to keep running to the machine to refill on fluid or ice. If you insist on having fog the whole night, have a dedicated person supervising the machine to make sure things are running smoothly.

Also be sure to place them where no one can trip over any power cords or kick the machines! If there is a DJ booth that is a great place to place them, otherwise you would have to look at your venue to figure out the best placement. Also watch out for strong air conditioning vents or fans that could redirect the fog's flow.

Cost for fog machine: $84.98 - $174.99

Grand total for all details: $84.98+ - $174.99+

Now, the final evaluation: How much does a David Tutera wedding really cost you? Find out next post!

How to Get A Phantom Wedding Like David Tutera's My Fair Wedding: Favors

After trying to wrap up the David Tutera - My Fair Wedding series in just one more post, I realized that one of the items did have enough information and choices to warrant its very own post, so here it is!

Step 9: Purchase favors.

Two words: masquerade masks!

This was a really fun element in David Tutera's Phantom of the Opera vision, and including this is more affordable than you think.

All your guests can have black masks like these half masks from Oriental Trading Company, 24 for just $3.49!!!


Show off your bridal party by giving them these very stylish but still very affordable feather masks, 12 for just $19.99!

If you don't want your bridal party to be as flashy, then these lacy lovelies from Crafta will work just as nicely! Each mask starts at $1.99 each and goes down to $1.59 each when you buy 6 or more!

The groomsmen are more difficult, just because there aren't as many formal mens masks that don't cost a bundle.

These black masks from Crafta go nicely with the gold lace masks, and are still affordable at $1.99 each, $1.59 each when you buy 6 or more. However, they do not go nicely with the black and white feather masks.

However, these black and silver masks from Amazon will work very well with the black and white feather masks! And for $4.63 each, they're not too shabby pricewise.


You can have a lot more fun with your mask and your groom's mask. Make sure you stand out from the crowd! One of my favorite masks for a groom would have to be this one from House of Masquerades for $17.95. Very formal Phantom :)

Another great mask is this black and gold one on Amazon for $9.99. Very classic!


For you, the elegant bride, I have some lovely white, over-the-top, high feather options! :D

The first, a lovely design from Crafta for $15.99:

The second, a very similar, but cheaper, option from Mardi Gras Beads and Supplies for $9.90:

If you want something a little different, try this mask from Party City for $19.99:

And if you want to splurge a bit on yourself, there's this lovely for $50 from Success Creations:

Photo copyright by Success Creations
All these masks should be on sticks and have any strings or ties removed, just for ease of use. You would have spent way too much effort getting your makeup right to endanger it by plastering a mask on your face! (And I'm sure the other ladies at your wedding will feel the same way!)

Where to get the sticks? A fantastic place to buy them in bulk is at CraftParts.com! You can get 100 1/4" diameter, 36" long dowels for $22! Give them a quick coat of paint, then hot glue or epoxy them onto the masks!

Total cost for favors: $78.51 - $153.17

Now (seriously) on to Step 10: All the Little Details!

How to Get A Phantom Wedding Like David Tutera's My Fair Wedding: Wedding Dress

(Sorry for the delay in posting, I just got a new job, so there was a lot of agonizing waiting and stress beforehand! XP)

Now that your ladies are all pretty, it's time for the bride to find a gorgeous dress!

Step 8: Find a wedding dress.

Now, I'll be honest, the wedding dress David Tutera picked for this Phantom bride was a pretty classic, elegant ballgown. Nothing that was too couture or out there, which makes it really easy to find a nice dress that fits the Phantom wedding.

Again, I'm going to look for dresses from the always-affordable ebay, to insure that any bride can purchase one for herself!

(Obviously, this isn't a full, complete list of any sort, given how many dresses exist out there! It is just a few that caught my eye!)

If you want generally the same feel as the TV show, you need similar pickups in the front of the dress, like this ballgown for $179:

or even this more classic a-line dress for $175:

The next two ballgowns are soo romantic, they fit in just perfectly, especially the dress with the lovely gold coloring! *ack I die!*

A delicately pretty ballgown for $159.98:

And a detailed gold ballgown for $179:

If you're the kind to want to completely become Christine Daae, then this era-fitting ballgown for $350 is just the thing you need:

This one just reminds me of the dress Christine wears when she's singing "Think of Me" onstage, a romantic floral ballgown for $168:

Finally, if you want a more modern twist on the Phantom, then this statement dress for $188 is just the thing:


*drool* So many pretty ballgowns, so little time! XD

Cost for wedding dress = $159.98 - $350

On to the final installment of the David Tutera - My Fair Wedding series, Step 9: All the Little Details!

How to Get A Phantom Wedding Like David Tutera's My Fair Wedding: Bridesmaid Dresses

Now that you have your cake set, you need to dress your lovely ladies for the occasion!

Step 7: Find bridesmaid dresses.

Sung Boutique did the bridesmaid dresses for the Phantom of the Opera wedding, and posted the exact styles they give the bride as choices in the show.

You can buy the exact styles, however each one will cost you at least $200 each... XP

So I'll list each dress with it's price and then list some more affordable alternatives I found.

Dress 1: Black Lace Prom Dress on sale for $192:

Affordable alternatives:

-Roberta Jacquard Gown from the BonTon, $98:

Yes, it is not as fancy looking as the original, but it does have a bit more going for it than a regular, trumpet style bridesmaid dress. It has a pretty flower pattern, elegant style, and with the little bits of ruching on the top, it should look decent on all your bridesmaids.

-Black Evening Gown from Formal Gallery, found by Sears, $149:

Now while it's only $43 less than the original, this has the same sort of dramatic playfulness and texture the Sung dress has! I kinda love this dress, very elegant and romantic and just plain gorgeous!

Dress 2: Black Gold Lace Sequin Evening Dress on sale for $248:

Affordable alternative:

-Black Prom Evening Gown from Formal Gallery, found by Sears, $139:

Being such a unique dress, I was so happy to find something quite similar to the original! Also being the most expensive of the three dresses, I was happy to find a dramatic yet romantic gown for over $100 less! Woot.

Dress 3: Wine Strapless Tafetta Evening Gown for $196:

Affordable alternatives:

-Satin Bandage Gown with Crystal Pin from Amazon, $79.99:

This is very, very similar to the original, simple, elegant lines with a touch of bling. The only thing this dress is missing is the true trumpet silhouette, however with that gorgeous ruching I feel that will not be missed :)

-Strapless Ball Gown from Amazon, $93:

This does not have the same bling as the original, however the silhouette of the dress is very similar. Very elegant, perhaps a bit too detailed, but for $93 each, this will make your maids' wallets much happier.

Once you ordered the dresses, accessorize your maids with pearl necklaces and earrings, and you're all set! Don't worry about getting real pearls, your maids *shouldn't* mind and it will help everyone save money!

Cost for bridesmaid dresses and accessories = varies

I put varies because the cost of bridesmaid attire for the bride will be a personal choice. You may pay for their dresses, or may chip in a set amount for each maid. You may give them their accessories as gifts, or just one special component. You may have other ideas for bridesmaid gifts. So this is really entirely up to you.

Now that your bridesmaids are all pretty, it's your turn! We go on to Step 8: The bride's dress!!!

How to Get A Phantom Wedding Like David Tutera's My Fair Wedding: Cake

Step 6: Get a romantic wedding cake.

Okay, let's face it, after DIY-ing the lighting, the linens, the bouquets, and the centerpieces, there is no way in hell we would even want to attempt to pull off the skyscraper of a cake presented in My Fair Wedding - Phantom of the Opera episode:

Yeah...not happening
So what's a budget girl to do?!

There are workarounds.

Looking back at my DIY wedding cake post, I would go with the deconstructed tiered cake in this situation. Why? Because you do not have to mention that your cakes are for a wedding! And partially avoid the Wedding Industrial Complex (WIC).

Photo copyright and courtesy of B. Scott Photography
Wait, what? No really you can! Bear with me.

You look around for some good, reputable, reasonably priced bakeries in your area, and ask for a quote for 4 or 5 round cakes in different sizes. Because it is not a tiered cake or even cupcakes, (which are trendy now so even those will be expensive,) they have no reason to think that it's for a wedding.

If you want to bring your finance with you, just look with him the first time, ask about your options, don't mention the wedding, then leave. Come back on your own a couple weeks later. Even if they remember you, I don't think it would be too problematic, they do want your business after all.

Say it's for a big 50th birthday party, a big fancy gala, a huge family reunion, whatever. If they greatly question your reasons, you probably shouldn't work with them anyways, because they're trying to suck every penny out of you. Look elsewhere.

If you want that true metallic gold look, you will have to pay extra for fondant, because this will be easier to cover with metallic luster. If you can handle having a gold colored cake only, buttercream will be a more budget-friendly option.

The cakes seem to have a lace-like design on the bottom as a border, and possibly minimal design on the sides, small S designs or something like that. This should not induce any extra charges, but check because you never know. The piping isn't that important, it just needs to give the cake some personality so it isn't as plain.

Since you are ordering multiple cakes with minimal decorations, the cost should be less than that of an average wedding cake.

You might be thinking, "But Sarah, that cake is covered with sugar flowers! Every bride knows those are expensive!" And yes, you are right. But the key is to not ask the bakery to do the sugar flowers.

No, I will not say to DIY them. I already gotten a sugar flower kit, and tried to make some myself. My roses aren't half bad, but other flowers? Sad little things. An orchid?! So pitiful. Maybe I can improve my skills later, but without formal training, don't even think about it! XP

You can however, buy them yourself, then just insert them in the cakes the morning of the wedding. A little bit of DIY, but that's the easiest way I can think of, given all the other wedding aspects!

The only place in my opinion to buy your sugar flowers was mentioned in my previous cake decoration post, DiscountSugarFlowers.com!

Here is where you can buy all the pretty and lovely red flowers you would ever need!

Gladiola flower, 3.5in wide, $1.11 eachHibiscus flower, 2.5in wide, $0.72 eachTulip flower, 1.5in wide, $0.78 eachLily flower, 4in wide, $1.11 eachRose flower, 2in wide, $0.72 eachIf these are too red and not enough burgundy for your liking? Then buy some desert plum or red terracotta lust dust for $2.99 a jar, (a powder made for coloring sugar flowers,) and a small quality paintbrush. Dip your dry brush into the powder, tap off excess, and softly brush where you want the color on the flower. The more swipes you put on, the more intense the color.

I gave you a variety of red flowers just because they don't have the exact kind of look as the flowers given on the Phantom cake, (and that luster dust can only go so far color-wise,) so I tried to give the flowers a varied texture.

How many do you need? Well, this is now a bit debatable. Because the Phantom cake is so lush, the number of flowers you need will add up quickly since you want to completely cover the tops of each cake.

The way I estimated the number of flowers you may need is I first calculated the approximate area covered by each flower, then calculated the price per square inch. (Excel helps out a lot with quick calculations.) Then I calculated the area of each tier. Then I divided the area into slices for each flower, cheaper flowers per square inch got a larger slice than more expensive flowers per square inch. In this way I got the cheapest combinations for the cakes, while still having a variety of flowers. Note that I used only half the surface area of the 6" inch cake, leaving room for a cake topper.

Let's say you have a 6", 8", 10", and 12" cakes.

I'll spare you the details, (email me if you do want the spreadsheet!) but you need 24 Gladiola flowers, 31 Hibiscus flowers, 48 roses, 27 tulips and 18 lilies. However, you can only buy them in specified amounts, so you end up buying 27 Gladiolas, 50 Hibiscus, 54 roses, 36 tulips and 18 lilies, costing you a total of $152.88.

Since sugar flowers can last up to a year in a sealed tupperware container, you can buy all your sugar flowers a month or so in advance to take care of breakage issues or color issues before the big day. As long as you can transport them carefully things should work out fine, you probably will have extras anyways. Place the larger flowers on the cake first, then work the smaller flowers around them.

Yes, even buying them yourself is still very expensive, but the labor involved with asking your bakery to make a couple hundred sugar flowers...I'm sure this is the cheaper option, lol.

So what if you don't have $150 lying around for sugar flowers? Reduce their number. It won't look as lush as the Phantom cake, but you will still get the feel. Buy one less box of flowers for each kind of flower, and now the cost is down to $87.93. Buy one box each of flowers, and the cost goes down to $64.95. It's all up to how much you love the original design and how much you are willing to pay to get it.

In order to figure out pricing, I searched online to look for pricing in the Buffalo area. I found two places that posted their prices, Delish! and Dolci Dessert Bakery.

Dolci has a nicer menu since it gives the option of a mini cake that's even smaller, (and cheaper,) than the 6"!

-Mini cake = $11.50
-6" cake = $20.50
-8" cake = $31.50
-10" cake = $47.00

Since we're using smaller cakes, I'm deducting one box from each sugar flower, making the cost of the sugar flowers $87.93.

Total cost for cakes from Dolci Dessert Bakery = $198.43, plus any extra charges for fondant, metallic coating, etc.

From Delish! we can order:

-6" cake = $26
-8" cake = $48
-10" cake = $65
-12" cake = $85

Total cost for cakes from Delish! = $376.88, plus any extra charges for fondant, metallic coating, etc.

Not bad... *sighs* One can only DIY so much, lol.

On to Step 7: Bridesmaid Dresses!