Exciting things are happening, readers… you’ve probably been able to tell by the crickets you’ve heard chirping around the blog lately. Sorry ’bout that. I promise I’ll make it up to you.
The wedding (OMG) is now just a mere 37 (did I mention OMG?) days away (OH MY GOD)… so I’m now getting to the fun stuff. I’m getting to order little trinkets and favors, buy my candles, figure out logistics of what the place settings are actually going to look like, etc.
So, here are a few recent budget wins for your reading/viewing pleasure (details coming toward the bottom of this post):
- Glowsticks
- Buttons
- Votives
- Tealights
- Mason Jars
- Paper Straws
Glowsticks. I hadn’t thought about it much before, but I’m starting to have a strong opinion that a party isn’t a party without glowsticks (as long as it’s at night). So, in true thrifty fashion, I purchased 400 of them. You’re probably thinking that I’ve lost my marbles, but I swear… they’re all here (not for long though, I’m sure). I did some Googling, some price comparing and these were the best deal I found. I found a lot of 300 for $24 and thought that was a good deal, but then shipping was $6… so the ones I wound up purchasing were from the same company, but I bought 4 canisters of 100… and with shipping it came out to only $29!
Buttons. I thought it’d be cute to have buttons at the wedding for our guests to wear. They’re 1″ pin-on buttons and they feature a few different sayings. I purchased through Etsy, then sent my designs to the seller via email. I got 250 of them for $43! You may be thinking that $43 on buttons is excessive, but when it’s part of the “favor,” I’m okay with it. They’re also going to make for some cute pictures, and they’ll be a conversation piece for guests!
Want some? I'd be glad to design them for you!
Votives. I got ‘em here. I didn’t need many (I bought 400 tealights, getting to THAT momentarily), so I got 24 for $10.73… maybe not the absolute cheapest, but they’ll arrive at my doorstep ready to meet their votive holder homes, so I’m cool with it!
Tealights. Ikea, Ikea, Ikea. I got 4 packs of 100 — they were $3.99 each. That breaks down to just under four cents per candle… not too shabby. So, for about $16, I got 400 tealights (which I’m sure we’ll have some left over, just wanted to be safe). Later that day, at Target, I saw packs of 12 tealights for $7. Ass backwards, I tell you.
Mason Jars. The jury is still out on how many of these I’m getting, but, I bought 60 of them for $30 off Craigslist (my favorite), and then I’m buying another 100+ from one of my bffs who got married last year. She’s selling them to me for around fifty cents a piece… so I can expect to pay about $100 total for all of my mason jars (which will not only be drinking glasses for the guests, but they’ll also serve as their “place cards”).
Paper Straws. These weren’t a great deal, but they were integral to my place cards, so I got them anyway. I got 200 for $32 here.
Stay tuned for a little DIY on my place cards (that will employ the use of the aforementioned mason jars and paper straws as well as cutlery, napkins and lots of bow-tying)!
What budget wins have you conquered as of recent, my dears?
And PS – if you’d like to get some buttons and need some design help, let me know by emailing me! I’d be glad to do it for $5 per design, or if you’re getting a TON of different designs, we could always work something else out.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Lovr hearing about budget-saving finds. And I can’t wait to see all these items in action.
OMG I LOVE the buttons!! I totally want one.
That is such a great idea!
37 days!! Enjoy them all!
Thanks so much for letting us in on these deals! I’ve already favorite-ed this page so I can use these sellers for my wedding next year! Thanks again!!
I bought paper straws in Williams Sonoma – 144 for $7. Sadly they are red, so not exactly what I originally wanted – but they’re still cool and a surprising place to find a bargain!
That’s a GREAT deal!
LOVE those buttons! Such a cute idea! Good luck with the rest of your planning! The last month is definitely a fun one – enjoy it!
I love the buttons. Not only are they adorable favors, they’re great conversation starters. Can;t wait to see the wedding pictures!
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