We put a lot of love, creativity, and personality into creating our special day. Here is a little info on how everything came together in just 10 months, and within our budget:

My dress was made completely from scratch by a local seamstress. It was modeled after a Monique Lhuillier, my favorite designer. My seamstress did a fantastic job, and I also owe a great deal of thanks to J.J. from Mood Fabrics in NYC (same one from Project Runway!) I contacted J.J. via email when I was ready to pick out lace for my dress, and she took the time to send me various pictures of laces similar to the ML signature look. I ended up buying this incredible lace she found for me, and it was just perfect.

My veil and earrings were from Etsy - The veil was an especially great find, because the ones I was looking at online were over $100. I contacted Brenda from Brenda's Bridal Veils, and she made me exactly what I wanted for about $35. My earrings were made by Tara of Vive Jewelry, also on Etsy.

My belt was one of the best finds ever - It is a REAL Monique Lhuillier crystal belt, that retails for around $800. I desperately searched for months, trying to find something similar, and nothing quite fit my look. Then, lo and behold, a listing popped up on PreownedWeddingDresses.com for a ML gown and the crystal belt of my dreams. I contacted the seller, and she graciously agreed to sell me the belt for $200. Worth every penny. My seamstress even added some buttons from my Mother's wedding dress as the closure, and they lined up perfectly with the other buttons on the back of my dress.

Etsy was pretty much my saving grace. It allowed John and I to have unique details throughout our wedding, without completely destroying our budget. Plus, there is something special about working with Etsy vendors - every one of my experiences was truly personal, and all of my vendors were a joy to work with.

- I had custom purses, table runners, and our guest book made from this gorgeous damask fabric, called Waverly Essence Onyx. The damask was present throughout our wedding, and I loved the way it looked with the lime accents. The purses were made by Gracey Bags, our guest book was done by Special Occasion Design, and the table runners were done by First Comes Love - all shops on Etsy.

- My feather hair clip was from an Etsy shop called Super Duper. I wanted something fun to pin my hair back with after the ceremony, and the feather clip was perfect, and really easy to put in. My Maid Of Honor Rachel wore a black one just like it in her hair.

- I also need to mention Laurie Sarah Designs Jewelry Shop - Laurie Sarah and her husband made our beautiful wedding bands, and they were also kind enough to alter my engagement ring. Like many other brides, and wanted a straight wedding band, but the cage under my diamond prevented it from fitting correctly. Laurie Sarah took my engagement ring and removed the cage on one side, allowing my wedding band to fit snug underneath the diamonds.

I knew right off the bat I wanted to design all of the invites, programs, etc, etc myself. I love graphic design, and this was a really fun project to work on. However, since I am a novice, I contacted the extremely talented Christine of {cevd} invitation design, and she agreed to do all my printing (I don't own a good quality printer, and I wasn't about to trust just anyone). Even though we literally live across the country from each other, I felt like Christine was right in my living room working with me. She was a fantastic help, and brought my designs completely to life.

My makeup was done by Tara of Tada Makeup Artistry. I was SO LUCKY to find Tara - Not only is she one of the coolest chicks ever, she made me feel like the most beautiful version of myself. I knew Tara and I would get along great the moment I met her, and during our trial, I literally looked at her and said "can you do my makeup like yours?" Tara was wonderful to work with, and I cannot recommend her enough for any other Boston brides out there!

The very first decision John and I made when we got engaged was who our photographer would be. Corey O'Connor of Ocophotos shot our friends' wedding a few years ago, and he is just incredible. A great photographer was pretty much our number 1 priority, and we knew Corey was wonderful at getting candid shots with a photojournalistic edge. We just didn't want to spend the whole day trying to pose for the camera. Corey was able to effortlessly capture the joy in each moment of the day, and produced hundreds of stunning images.

Our venue was in my home town of Groton, MA, at the lovely Gibbet Hill Restaurant. The location, decor, and incredible food made it an easy decision, and we didn't even bother seeing other places. Gibbet Hill was absolutely wonderful about working with us on our budget, and everything from the ceremony to dinner service was impeccable.

Ways we saved:

- We cut the price per person almost in half by opting out of the "Wedding Package". Instead of a 4 course meal, champagne toast, etc., we served only salad and the main course. Since guests were able to enjoy grilled pizzas during the cocktail hour, and wedding cake for dessert, the extra courses weren't missed a bit. We also chose to get married on a Friday night, which cut costs quite a bit. Our guests didn't mind at all, and most of our friends were happy for the excuse to take a Friday afternoon off from work!

- That amazing wedding cake was a gift from one of the guests, saving us hundreds. During our planning, a friend of ours told us she had worked weekends for Konditormeister Bakery for years, and she offered to gift us our wedding cake. We were thrilled with the gesture and told her we weren't picky and would be happy with anything. She showed up with an incredible, 5 tiered, damask sensation, and we were completely blown away! It tasted just as good as it looked, and everyone loved it.

- Another fantastic gift we received was our wedding videography. Our dear friend Pat runs Pocus Video Productions (www.pocusvideo.com) and he offered to film our entire night as his gift. The video turned out beautifully, and we are so happy to have something we can share with our families and watch for years to come.

- Making our own stationary was a HUGE cost cutter, as was skipping the traditional favors. I had tons of "JK" stickers left over after all the invites had been mailed, so I picked up some chocolate cherries from Trader Joe's, and sealed them with the leftover stickers (from Sticker me Chic - Etsy of course). They were the perfect little treat, and didn't break the bank.

- Once we knew our wedding colors were going to be black, white and lime green, we immediately knew limes would be a perfect centerpiece. Flowers can be pretty pricey, and fruit is a great cost effective alternative. We picked up vases at Michaels, a crate of limes from Costco, and got to work. With the addition of a little black ribbon, we had our centerpieces.

After about 8 months of serious planning, it all came together. We kept telling ourselves we wanted to focus on throwing a really good party, and that's just what we did. There was great food, great music, and a wonderful chance to bring our family and friends together. I spent the night laughing and dancing with my favorite people in the world, and I am truly thankful to everyone that helped the day come together.