Using People (That Want to Help You) / by Vanessa Larkey

As soon as an engagement ring is slipped on your finger, the offers to help plan the wedding start pouring in. For me, the more help the better. I like delegating.

Sometimes those friends or family members run kick-ass businesses, or are very talented hobbyists, and will offer their services either for free or a reduced rate. LET THOSE PEOPLE HELP YOU!

For one, you’ll feel completely comfortable telling your friend exactly how you feel about hydrangeas, and two, it’ll shave a few bills off your budget. Here’s who has offered to help us and what that means for our bottom line.

Cake. Cake. Cake.

My future mother-in-law and all around amazing person, Susy, offered to make our wedding cupcakes. In fact, she’s even going to take a cake decorating class for the occasion. How is that for dedication?!?!  The best part is, each cupcake will be made with TLC. Oh, and butter. Lots and lots of butter.

Flowers

Obviously we haven’t thought this far ahead (lol we don’t have a venue…. brb crying about that) but! Once we have that locked down Peter’s sister-in-law, Linda, is going to help us with our flowers. Linda helps her Mom run a florist company in the Ottawa Valley called Sylvia's Plant Place. Linda is a talented artist herself – check out her work on Etsy

Photos

A day of photographer is still TBD (I have some ideas) but for our engagement photos, my sister’s boyfriend, Brad, is going to lend a hand. Luckily Peter and I are handy with Photoshop and we will edit the pictures ourselves.  

Invitations

We’ve received a lot of great advice about saving money on invites, but I think Peter and I are going to go completely paperless. Yup, it’ll be an email invite. Peter is an amazing designer, and will create the invite we will mail out. As for the saved the date, that’ll be a video. 

If anyone else out there wants to offer their services, WE WILL GLADLY ACCEPT! Especially if you happen to run an event space in the GTA.