Hi there :)

1) Of all stationary, if I wanted to not go all out on cards... what is most important? An RSVP? I can do the Save the Date on our website, I believe...

- definitely have paper invites and RSVPs for those who aren’t tech savvy

2) Sorry if this is silly, but I'm really wanting the reception room to both hold the tables for eating and enough room for a dancefloor. If the dining and dance floor was held separate, wouldn't the guests be segregated with ones who want to sit and then the ones who want to dance? How does that work?

- I would think that if the dancing had to be in a separate area you can just have the dance floor there only

3) Any Texas brides able to share their wedding day weather experience? I don't want it freezing or scorching hot.

4) Any budgeting hacks from brides or ones who are planning their big day?

- borrow stuff from people so you don’t have to buy it yourself aha.

I thought the invitations were the most important, but we did online RSVPs. This was not an issue, even for older guests.

Venues in my area usually have dancing in the middle of the tables, but even then, the non-dancers tend to move away from the music.

In terms of budget - sample sale for your dress, fake flowers, skip favors/photo booth/etc, let your venue/view be the decor.

We ordered invitations from shutterfly - they have a variety of price points - save the dates aren't necessary, unless you have a destination wedding or most of the guests are having to travel.

If you have tables in another room from the dancing, could you put a little seating near to the dance floor for people who want to watch?

1. Paper invitations with a paper rsvp would be the most important part. If you send a paper save the date, recipients would then expect paper invitations, too! I found all-in-one invitations that have the rsvp card attached to the invitation as a postcard that tears off, and they were half the price of the ones that had all separate pieces and multiple envelopes. (I believe Minted, Ann’s Bridal Bargains, and a few other sites have this option!)


2. Dance floors are typically in the same room as the seating. I’ve never seen it done differently, so unless there is a particular venue that has it set up separately, I wouldn’t worry about it! You can always ask the venue before signing any contracts!
3. Go to www.weather.com to check annual temperatures for a place. It will show you the average monthly temperature for a city, so you can use it to help determine what time of year would be having weather you’d consider ideal.
4. There are a ton of posts about saving money! Take some time to browse through the forum for different ways to save!

1) the way I saved money is paid for the actual invites because that is what people will be looking at. The RSVPS, I bought card stock paper and printed the RSVPs. They didn’t come out the nicest but they were sent back to me anyways.


4) I saved a lot of money but did a lot of research. I searched for the best prices and did a lot of diy. Ask your hall what they have that you can use. For example , table number holders.

1) Your invitation will be your most important. You can have your guests RSVP on your website. Save the dates are not required.

2) You could have them in the same location, or if you have them separate, you could "dismiss" dinner into the next room for the cake cutting, special dance, or bouquet toss. That way everyone is together. Just make sure your dance area has cocktail tables for people to rest at.

3) I can't help with this one, sorry.

4) We just set a budget we could afford and tried to stick to it. You can also put a set amount into saving each month, or get an extra job to help compensate. Best piece of advice is don't spend more than you can afford.

1) The invitation is definitely the most important piece of paper. You can do paperless post for save the dates. Technically you could just skip them, but I think they're pretty helpful. If you don't want to do all online RSVPs, you can do a postcard. That way you don't have to buy envelopes for them and the stamps are cheaper.

2) I've never seen this. It does seem like it could make it difficult to get people to go to the dance floor.

3) I also don't want it freezing or scorching hot. I'm not from anywhere near Texas, but I'm inclined to think you need to worry more about the heat than the cold.

4) Don't invite more people than you actually want to talk to at your wedding. Only do things that are important to you. People will try to tell you that you HAVE to do things because of tradition, but if it's not meaningful to you, you probably don't have to do it. I'm sure we saved at least a few thousand dollars just by me saying I didn't care about things that other people (not my husband) said were essential.

1). Invitation itself is most important. If you're looking to save money, you can do online RSVPs and/or evite save the dates.

2). I've never been to a wedding before where the dance floor and tables for eating dinner are in separate rooms, and I've been to nearly 50 weddings. Having them both together is definitely the norm.

3). Not from Texas, but you can look it up online.

4). Limiting your guest list is one of the easiest ways to save money.

1) I would so paper invitations and save the dates, but you can have people rsvp on your site. Shutterfly has good deals usually on save the dates that are cute. Plus we used our save the date round as a chance to get addresses.


2) Our venue had tables surrounding an area that was designated as a dance floor, but we didn't end up having our reception there. I think it becomes natural if there is clear dedicated space.
3. We had our minimony in August, and who boy. I was melting during my bridals around noon, and we only got a few outside shots because it was intense. My husband in his tux and me in my wedding dress both sprinted back inside when the photographer said we were done. I would aim for late February to May, September to November. Unless you're in Houston/South Texas then you usually don't have to worry about cole.
4. Don't focus too much on extras. I put time and money into favors that never got set out, and I spent way too much time focused on my accessories. Try to enjoy the process! It's always supposed to be fun. And price shop your vendors. We could have gotten a much better deal on a dj if we had looked more.

1) Save the dates can be done by email or text as long as you have contact info for everyone. They are optional but vital if guests have to travel or it's around a holiday or other busy time. Rsvps are a must have. There's no other way to track down your final guest count for your caterer/venue. Most people prefer mail in cards but you can use online services in addition or have them text you.


2) While not everyone will dance, they should be in the same room. There are many venues large enough to accommodate that. Check Peerspace.com or Eventective.com for suggestions.
3) Not from Texas but my relatives there say it's hot more than it's cold. Either go for a mild temperature or stay in the shade with plenty of hydration.
4) Pick 3 things to focus on and skimp or eliminate the rest. Guests remember good food, not paying for drinks, good music. Your photos will be all you have after the cake is eaten flowers die besides a new family and memories.Hire a month-of coordinator.Contact a favorite local restaurant to cater instead of a wedding caterer. Get a cake you love from a grocery store.Search Instagram and Thumbtack.com for lesser known local vendors.Utilize Etsy.com if you are not crafty. Keep your number of attendants on the smaller side.Avoid the word "wedding" when shopping. Rentals are usually more economical in the long run than buying everything and trying to store/sell them. Check out Cocomelody for wedding/bridesmaid dresses.

1) I hand made all of our invite which save a lot of $ and made them more special in my opinion.

2) Most reception spaces have room for both eating and dancing. I would not want them to be separate. At my reception we will have tables surrounding the dance floor.

3) I'm not from Texas, but I would imagine October or November would be good.

4) Budget tips: DIY anything you can: make your own signs, floral pieces, cake, dessert table, centerpieces, table numbers. Buy decor things after their season: for example my theme is rustic americana so I got a ton of 4th of July stuff for 80% off this past month. Keep your guest list down. Just have beer and wine. Wedding dresses do not need to be crazy expensive: I got mine from JJs house for $178 and its amazing, just read the reviews first.