Brides USA

For place cards, the

couple used handmade

Plexiglas nameplates.

WHERE

THE MONEY

WENT

VENUE (friend’s home)

$0

OFFICIANT

(groom’s aunt) $0

WEDDING PLANNER

$5,000

BRIDE’S DRESS (a gif t

from the designer) $0

BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES

Shoes, hairpiece (bor-

rowed from friends) $0

HAIR & MAKEUP (done

by friends) $0

GROOM’S ATTIRE

Suit, shoes, accessories

(his own) $0

WEDDING BANDS $500

CATERING $3,860

CUPCAKES $144

BEVERAGES $850

FLOWERS $1,300

INVITATIONS Evite $0

PLACE CARDS $430

MUSIC DJ $2,000

RENTALS Dishes, flat-

ware, linens, furniture

$4,000

PHOTOGRAPHY $4,000

VIDEOGRAPHY (friend

of the bride) $0

FAVORS $150

PHOTO BOOTH $750

WISH LANTERNS $200

TRANSPORTATION $25

TOTAL

$23,209

FOR 50 GUESTS

THE SAVES

A GENEROUS CREW

From doing her hair and

makeup to lending her shoes

to serenading her down

the aisle, the bride’s friends

pitched in with freebies to

help bring her big day together.

VENUE

Marr ying in a pal’s backyard

saved Keltie and Chris a

bundle. “There was no fee,

and there were no charges

if the party ran late.”

DESSERT

Keltie is gluten free, but many

of her guests aren’t, so she

and Chris offered both gluten-

free and regular cupcakes

alongside his aunt’s famous

berr y and apple pies, a

tradition at Knight family

celebrations.

GETAWAY CAR

Instead of hiring a limo or

renting a pricey vintage car,

the newly weds Ubered their

post-wedding ride home. “It

was easier and way cheaper!”

says Keltie.

THE SPLURGES

EVENT DESIGNER

“I knew our planner, Tori,

would be expensive, but

she was the only one who

could create the experience

we wanted,” Keltie says.

RENTALS

Standard furniture wouldn’t

do for Keltie and Chris’s

rocker-chic vision, so they

rented vintage rugs, wooden

tables, and mismatched

chairs, dishes, and cutler y.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Though they were an

investment, Keltie’s photogs

came with a rave review

from her planner. “Tori told

me that if she were getting

married again, she’d use

Studio Castillero, so I hired

them on the spot!” she says.

RECEPTION MUSIC

Since there was so much live

music during the ceremony,

Chris and Keltie hired a killer

DJ for the reception. “I’m

friends with a lot of dancers,”

says the bride, “so a great

playlist was a must.”

Venue: Private home.

Wedding planner:
Sitting in a Tree Design;
sittinginatreedesign.com.

Dress: Watters; watters.com.

Flowers: Bloem Hill;
bloemhill.com.

Catering: Miho Gastrotruck;
mihogastrotruck.com.

Photography: Studio Castillero;
studiocastillero.com.

“WE SAID OUR

VOWS IN THE

EXACT SPOT

WHERE CHRIS

PROPOSED!”

SAYS KELTIE.

TO SEE MORE BACKYARD WEDDINGS, VISIT BRIDES.COM/REALWEDDINGS.