Funky tights are an inexpensive way to change up an outfit.. lets take this simple sweater dress:
Old Navy, Womens Cowl Neck Sweater Dress
Add any of these and voila’ … A whole new look for under $10 bucks!
My beautiful little sister got married a couple of months ago, 9/26/09, and I wanted to share how AMAZING it turned out. Not only was it amazing, but the entire thing cost just under $10,000, which, in wedding terms, is on the cheap side…especially with a crowd of around 100 people!
1. THE DRESS: Wedding dresses are crazy expensive, especially if they’re a recognized designer. However, Rachael was able to find a surprisingly affordable Nicole Miller dress that I swear was made especially for her. I think the tip is to not go overboard with the fabric of your dress. This particular one was made of a jacquard cotton material. Oh yeah, it took us all of one hour to pick out THE DRESS.
2. This is just a great picture of my sister and our Dad…they were both so happy! (Check out the flower/feather headpiece she wore instead of a veil…classic.)
3. Wedding Party: You’re going to hear all kinds of rules and regulations when it comes to picking a bridal party, which, even though you don’t realize it, totally adds to the wedding cost as well. I mean, you’re talking extra flowers, extra gifts, etc…So, if you want to stay on a budget, keep your wedding party small. Don’t worry, your friends won’t shouldn’t be offended. (That’s me in the picture, aka the Maid Matron of Honor, and my dress was AWESOME!)
4. The Venue: This is a tricky one because every place you fall in love with wants to charge you an arm, a leg, and all your hair just to book it! We did a lot of research on this one and wound up having the wedding and reception at the upscale Shoreline restaurant in Austin that overlooks TowneLady Bird Lake. What saved us the moola is that they don’t have a rental fee! You do have a food and beverage minimum, but you would have spent that anyway…so bam…$2,000 (average rental fee) back in our budget! (Did I mention that our menu consisted of hand-passed hors d’oeuvres, salad, grilled chicken w/ preserved lemon and sun-dried tomato sauce, and prime rib?)
5. Flowers: Keep them simple! Rachael opted for amazing bouquets for herself and I that included a lot of different flowers that had a lot of texture, but when it came to the table decorations, she kept it classic and simple with short hydrangea centerpieces and tall hydrangea and curly willow centerpieces at alternating tables. Oh yeah, and candles…you can never have too many candles…so romantic!
6. The happy couple: If you look closely you can see the lake in the background…and look at the cowboy boot-clad Groom and barefoot Bride…totally Austin…
7. Entertainment: Band vs. DJ is always tough. Rachael ended up finding a great local southern rock band that charged a minimal fee AND played at the ceremony too…double-score! (Seriously, she gave them the music she wanted them to play at the ceremony and they played it amazingly.) They were great and they kept the dance floor packed ALL night!
8. Cake: I don’t have any budget-saving tips on this one except that there wasn’t a typical “Bride” and “Groom” cake…there was only one. However, Rachael did alternating layers on the cake. Her layer was an almond-butter cake with passion fruit preserves and Sam’s (the groom) layer was red velvet. Stardust Pastry was the cake designer and it was perfect!
9. Another one of the Bride and Groom…was this not the most perfect setting?
10. The Getaway: Sparklers are cheap, but oh what an exit they make…
Congrats Rachael and Sam…we wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
Many thanks to the great photographer, Natalie Blake, for capturing these happy moments.
Have you heard of this changing pad? Dude, it’s SO THE BOMB! It’s called a Patemm Pad and its round. It folds up, it holds diapers, it holds wipes, it has a carrying handle so you can grab it and run out the door and you have everything you need for a quick trip. It also fits perfectly in my Skip Hop Duo Deluxe diaper bag.
I’m telling you this changing pad will change your life. I have this thing about public restrooms….you know like they are just feces infested germ caves..nothing major. So when I have to change my child, the same child that squirms relentlessly during diaper changes, I’m always a little freaked about doing it in public because I just know his poor delicate baby skin might touch filth. Well not with this changing pad I tell you! You can just unfold it and part of the circle protects your kiddo from the evil backside of the flip out changing table and the other part of the circle is underneath. PERFECT! Now if I could just get that other kid to stop sneezing in our direction–pardon the glare I’m giving you as I shield my child, while cleaning my hands with Purell.
Happy Hour can’t get any better than an ice cold beer or a nice margarita… oh wait, it can! Put ’em together and BAM! Beeritas!! The best of both worlds.
All in one pitcher, pour 2 Coronas and add one can of frozen limeade concentrate, refill your limeade can with tequila and add that in too. Fill the remainder of your pitcher up with Sprite and mix it up. Mmm..mmm.. good.
Hey I didn’t say we’d be able to afford EVERYTHING we post here, but a girl can dream can’t she? The holidays ARE coming up, aren’t they? Miracles can happen CAN’T THEY??!
I would dress my boy up in all these cuter than cute things. I can hope and dream all the live long day, but there is pretty much no way in hell my husband is going to sport any of this…but a girl can dream! So, for any of you ladies with more pull in the wardrobe department than I have… check out some of these super fly looks for men.
About a year ago, the Tipsy girls thought we needed an excuse to get together once a month to eat fattening yummy food, gossip, and, oh yeah, drink! (po)Keno was the answer to our prayers. Over the past year, old friends have meshed with new friends, and I feel the need to share our recipe for success!
Step 1: Food.
Step 2: Drinks
Step 3: Keno Cards and Markers
Step 4: Concentrated Playing
Step 5: Gifts
Step 6: FABULOUS Friends!
I went on a glorious honeymoon in Breckenridge, Colorado. No, it isn’t your typical honeymooner destination and we had our reasons for choosing it, but it was fantastic…and THAT is a post for another day. Today I am going to have a serious talk with you all regarding a purchase that I made on my honeymoon. I fell deeply and madly in love with …..a leather clutch wallet (sorry husband of mine) made by Hobo International. The versatility of the design, the soft leather… I was like a teen girl on opening night of Twilight, crushing hard. (BTW, I recently watched Twilight and you may actually see me at the next opening night or stalking Robert Pattinson, no plans are set in stone yet) So, I purchased the $118.00 wallet, making this the most expensive wallet I have ever owned. Take a look at her in all her glory….
So, imagine my surprise when I get home and am browsing my local Target and happen upon THIS!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
Seriously, I should have known better.
That’s my husband’s favorite joke…”Do you know what La Cocina means?…THE Cocina”…followed by much laughter. Hey, his joke not mine. So I couldn’t resist when writing up this post.
If you live in Texas, the Virgin of Guadalupe is probably a sight you’ve seen many times. I’m not Catholic but I love the colors and stars and everything about the image. My aunt has these boots and they are AMAZING and I may or may not need to steal them from her closet.
Anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that all my purses have to be under a certain size for me to carry them. While the trend of carrying large hobos, totes, and shoulder bags increased, I started on my never ending journey of looking for tiny purses. Just something about them is cute and very much me. Here is the one I am currently sporting.
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