I'm Going on an Adventure!

I'm going on an adventure!



It is March 22 and in exactly 80 days, I will get on a plane and head off on a 5-week adventure.
I cannot wait to spill all of the exciting details, but before we get to that, I need to fill you in on how this trip was made possible.

Last summer, I spent over 40 hours working on a Teacher Creativity Grant. I spent most of my time at the Avon Public Library where I got to know the librarians very well (And where I witnessed a couple of teenage boys setup Bluetooth speakers on the bookshelves and proceed to play the soundtrack of a few "adult films" LOUDLY. My poor librarian friends were scrambling after that one). Anyway, On August 22nd, I shipped my application off to Lilly Endowment Inc. And on January 7th, the  foundation notified me that I had been chosen among the 100 educators in the state of Indiana to receive $12,000 to pursue creativity and inspiration.

Although I am certain that every one of you wants to read my 9-page application in its entirety, instead I will summarize my project in 50 words. Cue the cheesy title and overuse of buzzwords!

“Our Words at Work”: Turning Words into Impact!: This project aims to re-ignite my passion for harnessing the power of words! I plan to re-trace the steps of history’s greatest European word warriors, attend a TEDx event to study modern word-warriors, and grow my personal writing skills through a writing workshop in Tuscany, Italy, and blogging.

So that is my trip in a nutshell. I am going to be doing 5 weeks of literary-inspired traveling. I will be going to Italy, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Iceland. I will be chasing creativity, renewal, adventure, and inspiration. I cannot thank the Lilly Foundation enough for granting (see what I did there?)  me a trip of a lifetime. I truly believe that when I return to the classroom in August, I will return an educator with renewed energy and passion.

I'll post more details about the trip soon!

-Kelsey

Top 10 Books I Recommend to my HS Students

As a teacher, I get asked hundreds of questions a day.

 "Did I miss anything yesterday?"- (Of course not! We can't learn without you! Instead we decided to reenact the entire plot of Interstellar!)

"Can I quick go get my binder/ipad/pencil before class starts? I'll only be a little late!"- (Sure, but you have to skip all the way there!)

"Mrs. Pomeroy, why were you gone yesterday? We had to have a sub!"- (Sorry, I was actually auditioning to be on the next Survivor, I will run it by you first next time!)

Of all of the questions I am asked, my favorite is, "What book should I read?"

Books are my favorite, and I LOVE suggesting books. As an English teacher, it is my goal to make reading a desirable activity for my students. Most times, this task, although honorable, seems hopeless. Some kids like to read, and some kids just don't. But as Abraham Lincoln says, "You just keep on truckin!". So I keep suggesting. Here are the top ten books that I frequently have success "hooking" students on. Because as Abraham Lincoln always said, "Get hooked on books and not on drugs!"

#1 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian By Sherman Alexie

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Who I recommend it to:

EVERYONE, but I especially recommend it to reluctant readers.

Why you should read it: 

I believe this book will become a part of future high school curricula. It touches on themes like: racism, poverty, bullying, and identity.  But don’t be dissuaded by the tough subjects, the book is fun! It is “slap your knee” hilarious. The narrator is smart and witty, and there are cartoons!

What is this book about? 

From Amazon.com: “Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.”

#2 Anna and the French Kiss By Stephanie Perkins

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Who I recommend it to: 

Typically, girls who are looking for something fun to read.  Boys tend to be put off by the title, but I will keep trying!

Why you should read it: 

Like the other books on this list, “Anna” has won numerous YA awards since its release. This book is a fun read. It is a love story that somehow makes you root for all of the characters instead of making you want to groan and roll your eyes. The characters are intelligent and their story gives you that warm and bubbly feeling in your stomach. The students who read this book often go on to read the other books in the series, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and Isla and the Happily Ever After.

What is this book about?

From Amazon.com: “Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair, the perfect boy. The only problem? He's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?”

#3. The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman

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Who I recommend it to: 

Everyone, especially reluctant readers and students who enjoy fantasy/supernatural books.

Why you should read it: 

This is a story unlike any you have read before. It is enchanting and weird in the best way. You will get lost in Gaiman’s world where the abnormal, is normal. The Graveyard Book is beautifully written, and it will continuously surprise you.

What is this book about?

From Amazon.com:“Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place—he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their ghostly teachings—such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him. Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead?”

#4 The Selection by Kiera Cass

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Who I recommend it to: 

Students who enjoyed The Hunger Games and Divergent.

Why you should read it: 

This book is an easy, fun read. It may not ever be part of the “Literary Canon”, but you will enjoy reading it the entire time. It is a dystopian novel with a “Bachelor” twist. My students typically come back to school the next day asking for the second book in the trilogy!

What is this book about?

From Amazon.com: "For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

#5 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

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Who I recommend it to:

 I recommend this book to students who are already frequent readers, but who are looking for something different than the typical YA stuff.

Why you should read it: 

“Curious” is a breath of fresh air in a world full of predictable YA plots lines. At points, the novel stings with the bitterness of reality, but the writing is always funny, witty, and genuine. At the end of the novel, the reader feels lucky to have gone on this adventure with Christopher.

What is this book about?

"From Amazon.com: Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.

This improbable story of Christopher's quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years."

# 6 Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

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Who I recommend it to: 

To my reluctant readers, especially the ones who think they are “too cool for reading”.

Why you should read it: 

This is not the feel good book of the year. At times it is dark and bitter, but it is clever, sharp, and sarcastic. This book also has the fast-paced danger of war, an original take on history, and an emotional search for personal identity- a theme that teens tend to love.

What is this book about?

From Amazon.com:"Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?"

#7 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

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Who I recommend it to: 

Reluctant readers

Why you should read it: 

My students attach themselves to this book. The book’s premise is intriguing and it draws in even the most skeptical readers. Readers will want to find out what Hannah has to say, just as much as Clay does.

What is this book about?

From Amazon.com: "Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah's pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever."

#8 I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

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Who I recommend it to: Everyone, Young, Old, Everyone

Why you should read it: Malala’s inspirational true story is about strength, bravery, the importance of education, and the power of a single voice. Did I mention this is a TRUE (ongoing) story? This non-fiction work is so important. It reminds young adults (and Adult…adults) that one person really can make a difference in this world. Even if an entire country is telling you NO, if you work hard, and believe in yourself, then you have the power to stand up and say YES.

What is this book about?

"From Amazon.com: On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen...She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.
 Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she became a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize."

#9 Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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Who I recommend it to: 

Readers who enjoy supernatural or scary movies/books

Why you should read it: Ransom Riggs has written a thrilling supernatural adventure that travels across locations and time. “Peculiar Children" is filled with delicious mysteries and outrageous adventure. It is definitely a page turner!

What is this book about?

From Amazon.com: "A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs.



 It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous."

#10 The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

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Who I recommend it to: Mature/Advanced readers

Why you should read it: 

This is a novel about truth. This is a novel about story-telling. This is a novel about war.  This book will challenge you. It will challenge the way you think about truth, story-telling, and war. I include this novel in the top 10 most influential books I have personally read. Be warned: this book holds back nothing. It will wreck you, and you will be better for it.

What is this book about?

From Amazon.com: "A classic, life-changing meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling, with more than two-million copies in print Depicting the men of Alpha Company-Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and the character Tim O'Brien, who survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer at the age of forty-three-the stories in The Things They Carried opened our eyes to the nature of war in a way we will never forget. It is taught everywhere, from high school classrooms to graduate seminars in creative writing, and in the decades since its publication it has never failed to challenge our perceptions of fact and fiction, war and peace, and courage, longing, and fear., Tim O'Brien's modern classic that reset our understanding of fiction, nonfiction, and the way they can work together, as well as our understanding of the Vietnam war and its consequences."

So what do you think about my list? Do you have any great book suggestions that your students love? Let me know in the comments!


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Always,

KP

2014 in Pictures- Does this mean I'm a Grown-up Now?

Here, on the last day of the year, I have decided to pick up blogging again. You see, if I technically began in 2014, then it is NOT a New Year's resolution. If blogging isn't a New Year's resolution, then I can let it slip....but I hope I don't!

2014 has been a life-changing year for me. It has definitely been the most adventurous year of my life. This year I traveled extensively,  put my roots down in a foreign land (read "Indiana"), survived my first year as a teacher, and added a member to my family. This year I experienced wonder, fear, success, self-doubt, overwhelming love, and deep loss. 

I wish I had a year's worth of blogs behind me to recap 2014, but here is a bunch of chronologically ordered pictures- occasionally captioned- instead!

London, England

2014's biggest adventure was at the very beginning of the year (technically the euro-trip began in the last week of 2013, but what REALLY is time anyway? So.... I'm counting it). Sam and I went on a two week trip to Europe. 

Amsterdam- And Churros!

We spent 4 days in London, 2 days in Amsterdam, 2 days in Germany visiting a good friend and her family, 1 day driving through Austria, Lichtenstein, Switzerland , and France, and we ended the trip spending 3 days in Paris. 

New Year's Eve in Paris!

Last year we brought in the New Year with a kiss under a sparkling Eiffel Tower, surrounded by thousands of people from around the world. The atmosphere was buzzing with  energy that night. I don't think I have ever been around more people at one time. I could feel the pulse of the crowd-it was amazing.

Adoption Day!

As soon as we got home I begged and begged and BEGGED to get a dog. Sam patiently explained to me that it was not the smartest choice to bring a puppy in to a rental house, but I would not relent. I think I remember saying things like "But EVERYONE in Europe has a dog!"  and "We can train him to make us pancakes!" Eventually I wore Sam down, and in March we got Indiana Jones, "Indy" pup. 

What our handsome boy looks like now!

We think Indy pup is the best decision we have ever made (his little white fluffy head is sfdklfdkfd leaning on the ;lksdkjl keyboard as I tttry to type).  We take him everywhere we can and spoil him too much. He has yet to make us pancakes, but he will watch an entire episode of Scandal with me!

The CRV

In April, I retired Walt, my 2003 Santa Fe, and we made our largest purchase ever as a married couple, a BRAND NEW CAR *read as Bob Barker*. Okay, the car wasn't new, but it was newer than 2003!

Kass's Graduation

In May, we were home in Branson every other weekend (8 hours each way!) I watched friends get hitched, spent a lot of time with family, and watched my baby sister graduate high school. *Collective "Aweeee"*

GHS Prom

 I also went to prom....as a chaperone. Scary experience. I almost got permanently sucked into a crowd of sweaty teenagers. My teacher friend, Maggie, kindly offered to take a prom picture with me.

Vacationing in the Caymans!

In June, I went to one of the most beautiful places in the world, the Cayman Islands. I went as my sister's plus-one on her Senior trip. I missed my husband terribly, but spending time with my family was lovely and nostalgic. I explored shipwrecks, read 8 books, and hugged a stingray!

We rode a Tandem Bike!

In July, Sam and I went on a mini-vacation to Michigan. We spent the 4th of July on Mackinac Island (the Island of no cars) and watched my friend Mattie Jo perform in Footloose.

We briefly visited the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and I gambled at a casino for the first time. So many lights! So many noises! And we doubled our Canadian money!

Lots of copies......

August brought on a new school year and a whole new set of challenges! I am teaching 6 different preps this year- Honors English 10, Creative Writing, Yearbook, Reg. English 10, Film Literature, and Newspaper. Although I only teach 5 of them at a time (2 are semester courses) it is still WAY overwhelming, especially for a 2nd year teacher. That is kind of the curse of working at a small school- I have to wear lots of hats! I still haven't gotten used to my brain being split 5 ways everyday but my students are wonderful and so are my co-workers. It has been a great year so far and I wouldn't change it for anything.

Home Sweet Home!

August also brought the biggest commitment of my life (I guess besides that whole marriage thing :) ). We bought a house! Like a seriously legit grown-up house. I have a mortgage. Am I old enough to have one of those? The angle of the picture makes it look bigger than it really is. 

Indy Pup modeling in our library

Our home is nice and cozy and filled with pink carpets, green blinds, and appliances from 1993! Buying a house is fun, but SCARY. Home ownership is a serious commitment. Sure, Sam is a life-long commitment, but he is portable! The house isn't! We have to stay here now!

Beautiful Charleston, SC

In October we did something crazy, seriously crazy. We decided to drive the Charleston, SC.....the night before we drove there. It was an 11 hour drive. We drove through the night and spent the rest of the night sleeping in a Walmart parking lot. We had a wonderful 22 hours in Charleston. We went to the beach, visited a fort and 2 old plantations, walked the famous Citadel campus, saw the historic homes and the BIG mansions, shopped an art market, went on a ghost tour and paid some strangers $35 to stay in their spare room! (They were nice!) We had an amazing time!

My sweet grandma

In late October, I suffered my first true heartbreak. My family lost a patient, god-loving, one-of-a-kind woman, my Grandma. It has been hard on my family and we miss her. I know that I think about her every single day. I frequently wear the jewelry she has given me, and look through all of our old pictures. I feel lucky to have had her beautiful influence on my life.

Picking out the perfect tree!

December brought Sam and I's first "American" Christmas. We got a live tree, even though I fought for a plastic one! (don't tell Sam but picking out the tree was actually kind of fun). We semi-decorated the house, and even lit up a tree outside!

He doesn't even care about the presents....

We just got back from a week-long Christmas vacation with our families in Branson. Indy pup loved Christmas. Especially the wrapping paper!

Well, that's it, my 2014! The most grown-up year of my life. What do you think, am I a grown-up now that I have a dog, a job, a car, and a mortgage? I suppose I am certainly more grown-up than last year, that is how time works after all, but I don't think I am an adult quite yet.

Sorry for such a long post, 2014 was just so full of adventures! I would be lying if I said that I hoped my post would be shorter next year. I will cross my fingers that 2015's "Year in Pictures" will take up a lot more space.

Until next time,

Kelsey

Our poor rental house

PS- I melted my house in July, did I mention that? Yea...I did.....

Planning a Large Wedding Under $5,000! (350 guests invited!)

*Side Note*
For some reason, the formatting is off if you view this article on your phone. You can still read everything, it is just easier if you are viewing from a computer!


Hey there!

This post is dedicated to a detailed break-down of how my husband and I spent our wedding budget. I have lots of tips, suggestions, resources, pictures, and ideas for you to see!

 To see the short and concise version of this post please click here!.

While planning our wedding, I consulted tons of other brides' blogs, articles, tips, and tricks! I could not have done it without their help, so this is my way of giving back. I hope you can find something that helps you!

If you are like me, you are probably wondering how you are going to plan the wedding of your dreams on a budget that is a little more “restrained”.  Believe me, I spent a few months on the verge of defeat, I mean C’MON $2,000 for a CAKE?! Wedding prices can be down-right ridiculous. But I want to tell you right here, right now, that your “perfect” wedding IS possible (and within your budget too)!  

So take a deep breath, no really, I mean it. Breathe on three. One…..Two….. Three!  Relax! You CAN do it and you WILL do it! All you need is determination and a little elbow grease.  Enjoy the ride!

Tip #1: MUST-HAVES

As a starting point, I would recommend making a list of things you absolutely must have for your wedding.  When it comes to planning on a budget, you will have to make some sacrifices, so you need to know what you are not willing to sacrifice.

For example, our must haves were:

·         Dancing space at the reception

·          A DJ

·          Real flowers

·          A coffee bar

·         A  reception venue that was not too far from the church

·         Enough tables and chairs to fit everyone

·         Freedom to invite as many people as we wanted

  Maybe your must haves are: dinner for guests, beautiful scenery, and a photo booth, etc. Knowing your must haves is important when it comes to shaping your budget. 

 Tip #2: Know your numbers!

Next thing you must do, know your numbers. Know how many guests you plan to invite, how many you think will actually attend, how much you are willing to spend, and how much time you have to plan.

Here are our numbers: We invited 350 guests

                                   We planned for 225 guests to actually come

                                   Our budget was $5,000

                                    We had 9 months to plan

Here is the first place you can save yourself lots of money. If you have a shorter guest list, your cost goes down rapidly. However, one of our “must-haves” was the freedom to invite as many people as we wanted, so our guest list was rather HUGE.  With a larger guest list, food costs and venue costs shoot skyward. In order to accommodate a large guest list, we decided to have dessert reception. We made the decision to sacrifice the possibility of serving dinner. 

Now that you know our must-haves and numbers, I will walk you through how we spent our budget.

Venues (Wedding and Reception): $950

Sam (my husband) and I got married January 5^th. Seeing as we lived in Missouri at the time, it would be far too cold for an outside wedding. We needed to find someplace inside to have the festivities. Luckily, in Branson, MO there are plenty of options.

Wedding Venue: $350

 Our church home was in another town and would be too far away from the reception venue so we had to find another church to be married in. Let me just say, THIS WAS THE HARDEST PART OF MY ENTIRE WEDDING PLANNING EXPERIENCE. I had no idea how hard it would be for us to find a church.  I must have called over 30 churches in the area and I kept getting “No” or “Sure, but our fee is $1,000 for non-members”. I understand that a church can't say yes to every request but we needed to find a place!

      I remember after one particularly saddening conversation with another “No” church, I just sat down in a corner and cried in frustration. I called Sam and said “Well, looks like we will be getting married in aisle 12 at Walmart because no one will take us!” Of course he responded with something like “Well, you will look just as beautiful there!” But, I just wanted to continue my pity party.

Anyway, I finally found a church that said they would take us! Their fee was only $350 AND the church could fit our large guest list. 

All of photos were taken by Jessy Scott. Check her out at Jessyscott.com !

Alternative Suggestion: Venues
Don't have your heart set on a church? Get creative! Look for places that might not usually hold weddings like: Movie theaters, your neighbor's barn, a car/history/art museum, a Zoo, a park, a garden, a campground, stables, a roller rink, a bowling alley, etc! Use your own town's resources! You can truly have a unique and memorable wedding and you might find the venue prices are lower at a place that is not exactly "wedding-centered".

Reception Venue: $600

Yet again, we had to find a reception venue that: was inside, was big enough to seat 225 people around tables, had room for a DJ, and had room for a dance floor. We were so blessed to stumble upon the  Camden Inn and Conference Center in Branson.

 We got lucky because they gave us a really great deal. We got the room all day, including chairs, tables, and linens! All for $600! We also agreed to fill for them at least 10 hotel rooms. We had a lot of friends and family coming in from out of town who needed a place to stay anyway so this was not a problem.

Tip #3: Ask for a lower venue price in exchange for filling up hotel rooms! It is a win-win!

Alternative Suggestions: Chairs, Tables, and Linens

You may choose a place where these things are not provided.One cheap option that I looked into was possibly borrowing/renting tables from local churches (or a community center). A lot of churches have their own tables and chairs and might be willing to let you borrow them or rent them to you for a lower price. It never hurts to ask! This idea is one that I got from this other bride's post. I got a lot of my own ideas from her post so please check it out!

Now about linens, I would suggest buying them NOT renting. Their are thousands of brides out there who are selling their wedding linens. Most of the time these linens are in great condition and are far cheaper than renting! Check sites like eBay, http://www.tradesy.com/weddings/, Craigslist, Amazon, and other wedding websites. Another perk of buying linens is that you can resell them later if you want to!






 Photography/Videography: $500

 Photography: $500
I really do believe that finding a great photographer is of the utmost importance. This is the person who will be with you ALL day on one of the most intimate days of your life. You not only need someone who can take great pictures, but someone who makes you comfortable and confident on your big day! We were so lucky to have a great friend who is also an amazing photographer. Jessy Scott. Almost all of the pictures I have used in this post were taken by her! check her out at Jessyscott.com ! She agreed to do our photos for $500. WOW that was such a blessing!
  
Here is one of my (many) favorites that she took that day:

 Tip #4: Have the same photographer take your engagement photos. If you use the same photographer for both events, you might get a better or packaged "deal". More importantly, your photographer will get to know you as a couple and you will get to know your photographer. This will make your special day more comfortable for both sides!



Videography: FREE
 I asked one of my really good friends (who is a master with a camera) to video the ceremony and some of the reception. He went above and beyond. He did such a great job and I would have been completely lost without his tech help that day! Thank you Nich Peltz! 

Alternative Suggestions: Photography and Videography
As you can see, we really took advantage of our friends' talents! If you can, I suggest you do too! If you are searching for someone to hire but don't want to pay $$$, look into some photography students. College campuses can be your best friend. There are lots of talented people wanting to fill their photography portfolios! Post wanted signs around campus and I promise you will get some replies! Just make sure that you thoroughly check out their photos before you hire them. Make sure their style is your style!






 Music (DJ and Live Band): $445

A DJ was on our "must-haves" list. We LOVE to dance, so a DJ was a necessity. We did a lot of research and eventually decided on a company called Disc Jockeys Now  they are a national company that sets you up with a DJ in your area. They have an online deal that promises you 5 hours of music for $445 and we got the "party lights" (there are other deals too). 

It is pros and cons time! This may be the only time that paying less came back to bite me in the bottom. 
I would give our DJ service a B-, maybe. 

Pro-We saved $$$

Pro-The DJ found the song "Sweet Pea" for our Father-daughter dance!

Con- We did not even know who our DJ was until two days before the wedding! AHHH! 
Pro- We saved $$$
Con-They said we would get to meet with him and we never did. Because we never got to talk with him, we could not talk about expectations. We want a more "chill" vibe, and he kept giving us more of a "club" vibe. 
Pro- We saved $$$
Con-He did not even have time to read over our reception timeline, so he missed quite a few cues and messed up a couple of moments. It was not even his fault because the company had JUST hired him for the job. I was stressed, he (DJ) was stressed.
Pro-We Saved $$$

Our experience was not terrible, it just was not great. From the company's reviews, other people were very happy. I think ours was just a fluke,but still. Overall, we still had a great time, everybody danced, and I would do it over again. I think if I was to do it over again, I would really insist on meeting the DJ in advance.

Tip#5: No matter where you find your DJ, insist that you meet in advance. Just like meeting your photographer, it is important that you and the DJ are on the same page. They can serve you best if they know what you want!



Live Band: FREE 
This was another case of having talented friends! A couple of my good friends the Petersen's, are in a bluegrass band and are just all around awesome!Check them out at www.petersenfamilyband.com/ ! They did our music for the ceremony (no not bluegrass :) they kindly learned a couple of songs and played them on the guitar and violin for us. 







 They also played at the reception for our first dance and they lead everybody in an old fashioned square-dance! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

Alternative Suggestions: Music
DJ/Band: Put a wanted ad out there. You might find a hidden gem! OR you can always make a playlist of music on a MP3 player and hook it up to a sound system. Think about it, it will be your perfect music because YOU chose it! All you need is an outgoing friend to MC for you!




 Paperworks (Invitations, Ceremony Programs):$210

 Wedding Save-the-dates and invitations can get expensive fast! We chose some less-traditional means in order to cut down on costs.

Save-the-Dates: FREE
To be honest, we did not send out save the dates, now-a-days everybody is so connected online that everybody already knew we were getting married! Most everybody already knew the date too! We thought it might be redundant to send them out and we wanted to save $$$ so we just didn't.



 Invitations:  $165

The front of our invitation

Design: FREE
A friend of ours, Lilly K. Huxhold is a graphic designer and made our invitations look awesome! If you are looking for someone to hire for a project, you should check her out here. 

(Please excuse the pictures of the invitations, they were taken by me and I do not exactly have a talent for it)
  

The inside of our invitation

 Tip#6: Use those college students! You might be able to design your own invitations, but if you are like me and need some help, put up wanted signs on a college campus (or website!) asking for a graphic designer. Lots of talented students would either work for free or for a little $!

Invitation Prints: FREE

Some good family friends (The Banks, thank you!) own a copy shop in Branson, Copy Run.  They were SO good to us and gave us the prints free as a wedding present! Seriously thank you!

Stamps: $135
 Stamps are expensive :(

Envelopes: $30
We got ours at Walmart! 6 packs of 50 at $5 each!

RSVP Cards: FREE 
 We did not include RSVP cards. We decided to save on stamps and paper and go the route of doing our RSVPs through a wedding website.  Ours is still up if you want to check it out for ideas etc! http://www.kelseysam.ourwedding.com/

Tip#7:  No matter if you send out paper RSVPs or do them through a website, you might have a hard time getting everybody to RSVP. At some point you are just going to have to guess how many people are going to show up. A general suggestion is to expect about 60% of the people you invited to show up. This is the number we used and it was just about accurate!






Ceremony Programs: $45

My husband designed our programs (a man of many talents). We just wanted simple programs that got the job done. We made ours double sided so that we could use less paper. We got everything done at Staples.

Pack of Card Stock: $15


Printing and Cutting: $30  














Alternative Suggestions: Invitations and Ceremony Programs 
 
I would definitely recommended going to a local print shop to print your invitations out. Their prices are normally better than ordering them online.OR you could go completely online and make the whole process FREE. Most everyone has an email address so why not send your save-the-dates, invitations, and RSVPs that way?! You can always just print out and mail a copy to the few who don't have an online contact.

If you want to save paper on the ceremony programs, I have seen where brides write their programs out really big on chalkboards, or on a slideshow. Everybody can read the same one and you can use it as a cute decoration!

 The Snazzy Attire: $945


Wedding Dress (And accessories): $795

 My dress was only $300! I got my dress at Gracie's Bridal in Springfield, Mo. I was so blessed to have my grandmother buy my dress and accessories for me! The dress was originally selling for about $400 but I asked if the store would sell me the sample dress off the rack (instead of ordering a new one) because it was already my size. I got an awesome discount and I got to take the dress home that day! My alterations cost about $100.

Tip #8: Ask if you can buy the sample dress of the rack! It might save you $$$!

WARNING: Buying your dress online might be tempting but please be VERY cautious. There are loads of scam wedding dress websites out there. (like Weddingdressbee.com etc.). Always do your research before you commit. Find reviews online. Can you speak to an actual person from the site? Is the company located in some place you have never heard of ? 
Are they only using stock photos to advertise "their" product?

My accessories were almost more than my dress!

My belt was $200.

My BEAUTIFUL veil was $150









My shoes were only $20. I got them from Payless Shoes.
My necklace was FREE, I borrowed it from my mom.
My earrings were only $10 my husband bought them for me online (eBay). 
My headband set was $15- I bought them off of the sales
rack at Charming Charlies! 





 Alternative Suggestions: Accessories

Don't want to pay extra for the blingy accessories? Maybe you could DIY your belt and hair piece! There are plenty of tutorials out on the internet to help with this. Lots of brides make their own veils/belts. OR you could borrow! Use an old family heirloom, or borrow from a friend! OR check those wedding resell sites!





 




The Groom's Attire: $150

We got him a suit instead of a tux because it better suited (haha see what I did there?) the type of wedding we were having. We got his suit from Touch of Class in Branson. The rental (tie included) was $150. Didn't he look snazzy!? Seriously, I am a lucky woman.













Groomsmen and Bridesmaids' Attire: FREE

All of our wedding party paid for their own attire so that saved us a lot of money. We are lucky to have such dedicated friends to work with us on this! We did try to choose more affordable options.

For the ladies, we found the cheapest and best option to be David's Bridal. Each dress was only $99, and they looked beautiful!

The Groomsmen all got their semi-suits  from Touch of Class. To cut down on costs we did not include a jacket for them. They only paid $55. I really liked how the difference in dress set my husband apart. They all looked so handsome!


















Flower Girl/ Lantern Girls/Ring Bearer/ Banner Boys: FREE

There seemed to be a theme for our wedding... PEOPLE. We invited LOTS of people, we have a HUGE wedding party, and we had A LOT of kiddos in our wedding.

My mother in-law, and the parents of the kiddos paid for their clothing. We tried to find affordable options for them too.

He thought he lost the ring and ran back to get it!

For the boys they just wore khaki pants, white shirts, and a rental tie. I don't think their outfits went over $30 each.

















For the girls I searched for a LONG time and eventually found a great website for their dresses! Unfortunately I am having trouble tracking down the website :(. Please let me know if you can locate it! I do know the brand though! We bought the girls "American Princess" dresses. Each dress only cost $29.99! When they came in the mail, we were happy to see that they were beautiful and quality dresses!






Tip #9: The internet has lots of places to buy the kids' outfits, but kiddos grow! So if you are ordering outfits WAY before your wedding, don't forget to account for any growth that will most likely happen!
















Food: $611

As I mentioned earlier, we decided to have a dessert-only reception (I LOVE DESSERTS). This means that we had to plan the wedding between meals. We only had two options for a wedding time. Between lunch and dinner OR after dinner. We went with a 1:00pm wedding time, with a reception immediately following (we took our pictures before the wedding).

 Tip#10 To save loads of $$$, plan a reception that avoids a major meal time.



Cake: $155

 Both Sam and I are not really cake lovers, so we had a "donut cake"  instead! We got our donuts from St. George's Donuts in Springfield, Mo. They are THE BEST. The best part is that we did not have to have anybody cut the cake because people could just grab one. Our guests loved the donuts! We got 250 for around $155. A steal!

Alternative Suggestions: Let them eat cake.....or not!

There are SO many other options out there. It is YOUR wedding, so do what you want! Wedding cakes can be expensive. You can save money by exploring other options. Plus, you might end up with something that you and your guests like better. Pshhh tradition-smadition. You can do cupcakes, cheesecake, cookies, rice krispie treats, a chocolate mountain! The options are endless! If you are set on that 6-tier cake, then make the display one out of iced Styrofoam  (except for the top where you cut) and feed your guests sheet cake from the back. It tastes the same. They always take the cake to the back to cut anyway so no one will know the difference and you save $$$.


Other Desserts:

250 Cupcakes: ~$60

• 15 boxes of cake mix
• Cupcake liners
• 15 cans of Frosting (if you whip the frosting it actually stretches longer)
• Eggs/Oil
• Baking Labor-FREE (Thanks to my dear sister Kassadee, and some friends!)

 19 Pies: ~ $150

From Sam's Club. Sam's Club became my favorite place. We got the pies, took them out of their boxes, placed them on the cute table and voila! Yummy pies that look professional!
(Pre-cut the slices smaller so each pie feeds more people!)

• Lemon    
• Apple
• Chocolate
• Cherry
• Pecan

 250 Cookies ~ $63

• 3 84ct variety cookie trays
•  from Sam's Club. $21 each    

 

 

Snacks: ~$183

• Chex Mix 
• 15 31oz bags ~$75 
• Peanuts
• 9 52oz tins ~ $72
• Mini Chocolate bars 
• 3 Hershey's 56oz bags ~$36

 *Side note* We ended up buying WAY too much food. We could have gotten away with buying half as much! Our wedding party got lots of free food I guess, but you might be able to buy even less than we did for your own wedding!


Tip#11
Food that has to be kept chilled or warm will generally cost more $$$ than food that can just be set out. With chilled or hot food, you suddenly are paying for the means to keep it at the right temperature, AND you have to have someone man the food. Try to find things that can be put out in bulk so that you save $$$ and you don't have to exile one of your relatives to the food table.

Alternative Suggestions: Serving a Meal
If you are set on a larger meal, having a small guest list helps a bunch. Try to have your reception at a place where you can bring your own food. Venue food is often WAY expensive and outside catering can be cheaper. A pasta-related meal is normally a cheap option. Meat is expensive. OR you could have a good old fashioned pot-luck. Have your guests bring a dish instead of a gift. OR look into having a Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch reception instead of dinner, you give your guests a meal but it can be on the lighter side!








Beverages: $224

One of our necessities was Coffee (I think it tastes like a Skunk, but Sam LOVES it!) We also did not want to have one of our relatives stuck refilling the drinks so we catered the drinks from the local Golden Corral restaurant. They gave us a fantastic deal. They even sent a worker to run the drink table! We took a guess at how many people would drink each thing.

 
 Coffee (with creamer and sugar) 

• For 115 people at $1.05pp ~$121

Lemonade

•  For 170 people at $0.60pp ~$102

Water

•  For 250 people FREE

Arnold Palmer for toasting

• For 2! $1 

Tip#12 Look into catering your beverages. That way someone you love doesn't have to spend your wedding manning the drink table. Catering beverages can be surprisingly cheap!


Alternative Suggestions: Beverages
If you have a willing friend/family member who would not mind running the drink table, then by all mean use them! We just decided not to if we could manage not too! Borrow some fancy beverage dispensers and set your own table up! OR create a beverage bar. Buy water bottles. (this isn't the most environmentally friendly option, but water bottle packs are cheap!) I would suggest buying at least two water bottles per guest, even more if your reception is outside or if there will be a lot of dancing. After you have your water bottles, go buy a bunch of those nifty single bottle flavor packs! (Crystal Light, Kool-Aid, Powerade) Now your guests can choose what flavor they want. You could put the different flavors in different containers and make it look super cute! I don't really have any suggestions for alcohol (sorry!) We never planned to have any at our wedding so I have done 0 research on that subject.



Decorations: ~$755

This is, in my opinion, the hardest part about planning a wedding. The decorations will probably take you the longest. Let me tell you right now, Pinterest makes DIY (do it yourself)  look cute, fun, and simple, BUT IT IS NOT. DIY is hard work. You will save a lot of $$$ with DIY decorations, but you will pay for it with your time and sweat. That is just truth. Having said that, it is worth going the DIY route.

Tip#13 DIY is HARD and time consuming, but it is worth it. Make sure you have time, patience, and a great group of friends and family to help. Don't re-invent the wheel, look online to see what other brides have done, if you like it, copy them!

Flowers: ~$152

Going to Sam's Club for flowers was one of the best decisions we made. Their flowers are cheap and BEAUTIFUL. They are floral shop quality flowers. Go to their website and check them out! 






 
We decided to go with buying only Baby's Breath flowers (AKA Gypsophila, million star). To be clear, I don't like having baby's breath flowers in a normal bouquet, BUT a bouquet completely made of Baby's Breath is cute! 

 











 

Not only were they cheap, but they were wintery, elegant, and whimsical. I ordered three, 6-bunch packs from Sam's Club and they made a Brides Bouquet, 8 bridesmaid's bouquets, 2 mothers' bouquets, 15 boutineers, 15 aisle decorations, 10 table centerpieces, AND we had flowers left over!



















 

Alternative Suggestions: Smell the Roses...or not!
Buy your flowers from a local farmer OR buy them online from Sam's Club! If you are not set on real flowers, buy fake ones OR make paper flowers! If you are not set on flowers, I have seen brides use little windmills, lanterns, purses, etc.




Ceremony Decorations: ~$200

 Our wedding had like a "woodsy-wintery" theme. Our colors were blue, winter green, brown, and white. Basically, natural winter colors. 

We chose this theme for many reasons. 

• We both love the outdoors
• We were getting married in the dead of winter
• Sam's parents own a wood shop so the theme spoke to his family. 
• Also, both of our parents already used this woodsy decorating theme in their homes so we could re-use FREE decorations!

 Tip#14: Play to your strengths! Form your theme around what you already have and save $$$. Is your home decorated with a nautical style? Have a beach-themed wedding! Have you collected beautiful art pieces from all over the world? Have a travel-themed wedding! See what I am getting at here? We saved loads of $$$ because we used what we already had!










We did DIY burlap bows and flowers for the pews. 

And a DIY lattice/burlap backdrop. We also had winter trees and lights behind us.

Then we had lots of little things everywhere like pine cones, wooden "S&K" tokens, chalkboards, candles, pictures, and lanterns.


















Out of all of the things we used, these are the only things we actually had to buy:

• Chalkboards (2) My talented mom DIY'd these using poster-board, chalkboard paint, and burlap
• Burlap "To Love, To Cherish" sign. DIY using burlap and paint (my mom again!)
• Wood burner for tokens (we chopped the tokens using a tree from the yard)
• Burlap aisle bows (Mom, the master of burlap)
• Some of the Lanterns (5)
• Some blue, white, and green tulle 
• A few extra sets of string lights
• Pew hooks

We bought things at Walmart, Target, Michael's, and Hobby Lobby. Whatever we didn't buy, we borrowed!

Overall everything cost: ~$200

Reception Decorations: ~$403

Most of our decoration budget went here.

To decorate the food tables, (please see pictures in the "food" section) we mostly used stuff that our parents already owned. There are many perks to having relatives that own a wood shop!



To decorate the wedding party's table, we set out mason jars for the bridesmaids to put their bouquets into. We also had tulle and with lights under it to give the table a pretty glow!

You ca see the head table behind us in the picture below.

*Side Note* We are playing the "Shoe Game" in that picture. You should do it. It is fun!


 














Tip#15: Use the Bride's/Bridesmaids' bouquets as decorations at the head table! As an added bonus, your maids will have a place to put their flowers while they are dancing!


We had three different table centerpieces:







The first centerpiece had Baby's Breath flowers in an Eiffel Tower vase. We wrapped some ribbon around the vase and piled the bottom with pine cones.

Thanks for the picture Seth Marton!

The second centerpiece sat on top of a wood slice (FREE from my in-laws wood shop). We put a wood "S&K" token, a vase (that we filled with blue rocks, wrapped twine around, and put a candle in. On the twine were two paper flowers), and a mason jar with a letter around it.

*Side Note* Every single mason jar had a letter on it. Sam and I had to do long distance during college, so we would write each other letters every week. We both chose a letter to be featured on the mason jars. When a candle is put in the mason jar, the letter glows.





The third centerpiece had a vase filled with blue rocks with white sticks sticking out of it. These centerpieces were FREE! We borrowed them from our church!

I don't  have a fantastic picture of that centerpiece but you can kind of see it in the left side of this picture.

On every table were also brown linen napkins. These were FREE. We borrowed them from a friend (Thank you Bill's family!). Pictures of the bride and groom were on every table, along with a pen and instructions to leave a note on the back of the picture. We gathered all of the pictures and put them in a photo album. The photo album acted as our guestbook!



 Other than centerpieces, we had lots of other little things everywhere. We DIY'd the cute sign that you can see in the picture above. We also had a game table that had board games and cards that the guests would play with if they did not care to dance.

 On the game table Sam and I also had coloring pages for the guests to color. We had a friend, Victor Pierce, draw cartoon figures of us so that we could have unique coloring pages! He is so talented! Check him out here!

We also used the pictures at a second reception we had in New York!

Scattered here and there were:

• Winter trees of varying sizes
• Wooden "S&K" tokens
•  Lanterns
•  Battery powered tea lights (we were not allowed real lit candles)
• Mason jars wrapped in our personalized letters
• Blue, Green, and White tulle
• Burlap
• Wooden signs painted with labels like: "Coffee" "Snacks" "Dancing" etc.
• Picture frames containing pictures of the bride and groom
• Scented pine cones and greenery
• More vases with paper flowers or white sticks in them
• Twine/Ribbon to add color
• Baskets/Bowls/Serving Trays for food (all FREE, borrowed)

Like I said, we borrowed a LOT of the decorations from our own homes. Here are the things that we had to buy:

• Eiffel Tower Vases: 24ct for $50! I bought these used from a local bride! This was a steal!
• 8inch Vases for Paper Plowers: 24ct for $24 from Dollartree.com. They have tons of cheap vases!
• 48 mason jars: four 12ct packs at $11 apiece from K-Mart. $44 total
• Scented Pine Cones: 5 bags at $2 apiece from Micheal's craft store after-Christmas sale. $10
• Twine/Ribbon: we bought these from Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and Micheal's. Cost ~$30
• Lanterns: I already accounted for these in the "Ceremony Decorations" section.
• Battery Powered Tea lights: one 24ct pack from Walmart's after-Christmas sale. ~$10
• Burlap Rolls for Bows:  5 rolls at $3 from Hobby Lobby (on sale). $15
• Burlap Fabric for Tables/Wrappings and Blue/Green/White Tulle:  from FM Stores Fabrics  in Springfield, Mo. They have Great Prices! We got a lot of fabric/Tulle for ~$60
•  Picture Print-Outs for Displays and Table Signing: I printed mine out from Target, you can probably find a cheaper method though! ~$100
• Crayons for Cartoon Coloring- two 64ct packs from Walmart $5 
• 4 Extra Picture Frames: From Walmart ~$10 
• Colored Scrapbook Paper for Paper Flowers: I stumbled upon a super cheap scrap-booking section in a knick-knack store in Branson, Mo. I got 8 scrapbook pages for $1! I bought 16 pages and paid $2 
• Paint for Wooden Signs: (wood was FREE): Craft paint from Walmart was ~$3
•  Cartoon Illustration: We paid the illustrator $40 

Reception Decorations Total: $403

Tip#16: Use the internet! Consult Pinterest, blogs (like this one!), wedding websites, etc to think of affordable wedding decorations! Compile your ideas and start researching to see which ones may be more affordable.

Alternative Suggestions: Centerpieces
There are so many more centerpiece options out there besides flowers in a vase (plus flowers cost $$$!). Get creative! Display your favorite quote or picture. Use your food as a centerpiece with different types of cakes/cupcakes/pies at each table. Set up a board game at each table OR head to a flew market and pick up some cool knick-knacks that match your theme!


Miscellaneous Items:~$340

Plates/Cups/Forks:

•  Bulk from Sam's Club ~$100

Wedding "Look" Make-up:

• I just bought mine from Target and I spent ~$50

Bridesmaids' Gifts:

• I bought 8 fresh water pearl necklaces off of eBay for my ladies to wear on the day! ~$40

Groomsmen Gifts:

•  Sam bought 7 copies of The Art of Manliness (book) off of eBay for his guys! (It is a pretty awesome book!) ~$50

 Tips:

• All of our tips (DJ, Coffee Worker etc) ~$100

Tip#17: Don't forget to account for Tipping! A lot of people will work hard to make your day special so remember to show your appreciation!

Alternative Suggestions: Wedding Party Gifts
For a more affordable gift, you can go the DIY route with personalized dress hangers, picture frames, jewelry etc. OR consider taking you wedding party out for a fun experience instead. (free concert, paint balling, canoeing, camping, bowling, laser tag, or serve them a fancy dinner) Use the resources you have access to! For the kiddos, go to a local used bookstore and pick out some books for their age. Most kids love to read and the knowledge they will gain from the books will last longer than a toy!




Other Ways We Saved $$$:

Parents' Gift:

•  Just like our letters on the Mason Jars, we each wrote our parents letters and put them on jars with the materials we already had.

Send Off:

• Instead of paying for birdseed, bubbles, sparklers, or ribbons, we had our guests form a line and put up their arms for us to go under. We felt very loved and the pictures looked very cute!

 Transportation:

•  It was not important for us to have a fancy getaway car so we just used our own!

Hair and Makeup:

• A good friend of ours (Thank you Natalie Morgan!) is a stylist and she offered to do my hair and makeup as a gift. It was such a blessing to have her with me all morning! All of my girls did their own hair and makeup. I just wanted them to be comfortable so I didn't care if they matched or not!

Wedding Planning/Directing:

• We planned and designed our own wedding. I asked my mentor/friend, Jo Beth, to come to the rehearsal so that she could direct the ceremony. I loved sharing those moments with her!

Kids' Ceremony Items:

• We made the "Here Comes the Bride Sign" and the heart ring holder at my in-laws' wood shop. I decorated a basket that we already owned for the flower girl. For her "petals" we bought a $1 used book and cut the pages into little hearts. You can kind of see them in the picture to the right.

Elbow Grease:

• Almost everything we used, we made ourselves. We DIY'd everything. We saved by not having to pay other people to make our stuff!

 So there you have it! *Drum roll please!.........*

TOTAL COST FOR OUR  WEDDING: $4,980

 We loved every minute of our wedding and we did not have to pay an arm and a leg for it!

It took a LOT of: work, help from our family/friends, research, time, love, creativity, and a LOT of help from other brides. So please, share this with your fellow brides/grooms! And know that you CAN do it!






If you want a shorter recap of this post, check on the more concise version here!



Please leave a comment:

• Letting me know how your own wedding adventure goes! 
• If you have a question!
• If you have another suggestion/resource about $$$-saving that I left out!
• If you have a suggestion for a new wedding/honeymoon related post!
• If you have a suggestion on how I can better improve this post!
• If you want to say hi!

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 I hope this helps you a half as much as other brides have helped me!



Always,

KP