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 !!

Cheap & Chic: Babies Breath

I once read a quote that said something along the lines of "If I spent as much time finding a mate as I do planning my wedding on Pintrest then I'd be married by now". With constant images of lavish weddings like the Kardashians and the millions of images on Pintrest its hard to not desire a million dollar wedding. This is why Babies Breath is one of my favorite flowers. It covers a lot of space, is very inexpensive, has a clean almost whimsical look  and is very easy to maintain. I did a bit of research and found that the wholesale site Whole Blossoms offers the best price by bunch. 10 bunches of 6 stems is $99.99 with free shipping.

Babies Breath or Gypsophilia as it is technically called has three different types of styles:

Million Star

There is the "Million Star"variety which is used most often for bouquets and garland because of its small clusters that have the appearance of star clusters.

New Love

"New Love" has the same clusters as its sister but the flowers are a bit larger and it has a longer vase life. 

All images from Fifty Flowers

I couldn't figure out what exactly is the difference between this "Party Time" variety and the rest but it was offered on one of the wholesale sites that I found.

Below are a few of my favorite ideas that I found on Pintrest and other various blogs around the web.

Munster Rose Blog

I'm in love with the idea of gluing doilies over colored paper. If you are having a lace theme wedding then this  idea can be used for flower girls and snack holders as well as aisle decor. 

Once Wed

I found this gorgeous garland DIY on Once Wed. There you can find the template for the birds and a detailed description of how to make it. I think that this idea would also be great for holiday parties and any types of showers (baby or bridal).

Munster Rose Blog

This look is so easy. Just mason jars and various trims or yarn make this rustic but chic. Again the doilies on the tea lights add to the simple elegance of this style shoot.

Are you thinking of using Babies Breath for your wedding? what ideas or images do you have in mind for your dream day. Share with us on Facebook! How about you Like us while you're there!

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!!"