Money-Saving Monday: J.Crew Wedding Gowns for under $300 !

Ursula/J.Crew Wedding

 I know it's not Monday yet but I'm so excited about this week's finds. I was browsing the virtual racks of cyber-space when I came across these gorgeous dresses for under $300. Some of them are regularly priced under $600, which is still great. But there are a few hidden gems that are marked down. And if you act now you can get an additional 40% off all final sales when you use the promo code "Style40". But you have to hurry because it expires tonight at 11:59pm.

Sinclair/ J.Crew Wedding

Shhhhhhh, it's a secret... Well, that's how J.Crew makes it seem anyway. You don't get to see the sale price until you actually click on the dresses. Here are the links to both the Sinclair and the Ursula. Both are regularly priced at $595 but are on sale for $479.99. And with the promo code ("Style40") it will only be $287.99 before taxes!!!  As of right now the Sinclair is only available in sizes 12-18 which is a good look for my bodacious beauties because typically the larger sizes are sold out quicker due to the fact that most retail chains carry smaller amounts of larger sizes. The Ursula is available in all sizes.

So Hurry!! then go to my shop, Beyond A Veil,  to find the perfect accessories to go with these simply elegant dress. Hey I know you have the money. I just saved you over $300 !!

Money-Saving Monday: Manzanita Tree/ Wishing Tree

So I bumped into this great discount craft supply site while researching my Babies breath post. The site Save On Crafts sells everything  from preserved flowers to LED lights from 20% to 50% off of retail price.
I clicked on their "specials" button and was delighted to see a faux 4' Manzanita tree for only $45. This tree, which usually sells for $120, comes black but can be easily painted any color to fit your wedding decor.

With Halloween just around the corner these pieces can be used for a Halloween themed wedding or party. Or how about brown for an autumn themed affair with flowers dotting the branches with your wedding colors. My one main tip would be to wrap a plastic bag around the base to protect it from paint splatters. Then consider painting the base also incase the black looks to severe with your new look.

I would personally paint it white and add some salt while the paint is wet to give it a whimsical winter look to it. Then I would hang crystals to a few of the branches to add elegance. What would you or will you do with these great buys?

Here are some ideas I found on Pintrest.

Book Review: Adornments by Myra Callan

Image: Amazon 

Myra Callan, designer and creator of Etsy superstore Twigs & Honey has made a living off of beautiful things. If you have browsed any bridal or wedding blog and especially Pintrest then there is a good chance you have seen her work. And just as I was aksing myself "how do you hand make flowers?" My answer was given in the form of this extremely informative and exceptionally beautiful book. 

Twigs & Honey 

In Adornments you are given trade secrets by one of the handmade communities biggest stars. Everything from petal shaping to feather stripping is described in detail and illustrated by her gifted friend and photographer Elizabeth Messina.

The book, however, is not for the novice crafter. I would recommend this book for an individual with intermediate to advanced skills. Some tools and supplies, such as a millinery iron and various clips and headbands, should be purchased before approaching any project.

Because I am a big fan of Myra Callan and her growing empire I am very excited and happy to have preordered this book. It is of course available on both Amazon and Barnes & Nobles websites at this time. When you get a chance check it out and make something pretty for me! 

New from the Shop: Choose Hope

Do you have a Breast Cancer Survivor near and dear to you? Are you a Survivor Bride? Show your support and pride with our gorgeous Hope fascinator. 25% of the processed will be donated to the American Cancer Society. 

Hope Fascinator

Plus there are more Pink Ribbon inspired pieces to come.

Money Saving Tips For Your Wedding Dress

Fox & Bear Vintage 

Raise your hand if you know the difference between Swarovski crystals and regular rhinestones. Raise your hand if you can eyeball a picture and tell the difference between inexpensive satin and higher end satin. Still no hands? Ok, how about this, raise your hand if you know what your paying for when you buy a custom made wedding dress.

When planning a wedding there are so many things to consider and the wedding dress is one of the most important factors. But lets look at what's really important when considering the dress. This is the one time in your life that you get to go all out and feel like royalty so its understandable that you would like to spare no expense, but you will only wear this dress once. It will however, live forever in pictures so you do want to take into consideration style and presentation, but that doesn't mean you have to spend thousands of dollars.

When your paying for a dress you are paying for essentially parts and labor, just like your plumber or mechanic (keep in mind an Italian or french worker will be paid more than a Chinese worker). You are then charged wholesale markup so that the dress company makes profit, and the store's markup so that they can also make profit. Before you walk into a boutique there are a few questions you need to ask yourself:
 What is more important, dazzle or fit? How much beading do you really need? More times then not less is more when it comes to wedding dress fashion.
Here are some tips to saving a lot of money on your wedding dress

• find a fashion school near you and ask them to help you find a student who can do bead work and/or tailoring for you. 
• ask if they have your dress or a similar dress in a less expensive fabrication. A man made satin can look just as good as one made of silk.
• See if your favorite designer has a lower-end line. Often times designers have a line that is much lower in price with the same body and design concept.
• Look up sites that sell vintage dresses, hand made dresses and used dresses for a fraction of the price: Etsy, Preownedweddingdresses.com, Craig's List and Ebay. Note: be careful with Ebay. be sure that the seller shows pictures of the actual dress and tags not just the magazine photo.

With any website try to get one size up as apposed to the size you would like to be on your wedding day. There are no guarantees that you will hit your goal weight and a dress too large can always be taken in. 

Just keep in mind that you looking good an a perfectly fitting dress with a glowing face will be a much better topic of conversation than your overpaying for a designer name.

Money Saving Mondays: JCP Steal

Liliana Ruffle-JCP.com

Check out this ultra chic one shoulder wedding dress from JCPenny.com . With a ruched bodice and one ruffled shoulder this dress fit most body types and every budget at just $90. Comes in sizes 4-16. Can somebody say "STEAL!!"

Welcome to Beyond a Veil Brides. I'm pretty sure that by now you have heard a million times that the average cost of a wedding is well over $20,000. Well BAVB is a place for fashion forward brides to find budget saving tips, tricks and inspiration. Stop by weekly for fresh ideas, beautiful images and stories from real brides.