SURPRISE! We are getting married today. Can you imagine the faces of all our guests who thought they were attending our house warming/engagment party. It was epic and we pulled it off without putting ourselves into debt.

The average cost of a wedding in New York ranges from $33,000 to $76,000. Again, that’s just the average. Some couples are able to do it for less than the average but it still costs a pretty penny to have a tradtional wedding these days. Kevin and I would have been footing the bill for our wedding which was part of what sparked the idea of a surprise wedding. I didn’t want us to be stressed out when it came to our wedding day, especially not over finances leading up to it. Most importantly, we wanted our wedding to represent the love we have for each other and for our ceremony to be special.

For us, that hard earned money would be better spent on a vacation creating more memories together, placed in our savings for our future or simply put- not thrown away. Now, don’t get me wrong like most women I love a good wedding and I am not shaming anyone who has a large one. Heck, I love attending weddings and being a part of what that couple has chosen for themseleves. This again is our story and our wedding day. So don’t take offense to my honesty.

The story begins like this:

Kevin and I originally planned for an engagement/house warming party for May 7th 2017. We invited our closest friends and family to join us. I knew I wanted to be somewhat fancy for our party even though it was just a causal party. If you don’t know, I tend to be over the top or “extra” as some would say. I ordered a dress from www.lulus.com for $88! It was off white lace and had a keyhole detail on the back. I love open back dresses and I thought I would feel like a bride to be in this! Well, I was right. So right infact that when the dress arrived and I tried it on the lightbulb went off. I stared in the mirror at myself and couldn’t help but feel like a bride on her day not just her engagment party. I immediately starting to think about just getting married that day and furthermore surprising everyone. I can’t remember if I text or called Kevin but that night we spoke when he got home. We both were on the same page that this was something we would love to do and it would be special for us with no stress. Now, you know the saying “too many chefs in a kitchen”. We didn’t want to tell anyone for two reasons. One- how badass is a pulling off an epic surprise? Two- we didn’t want or need to hear anyones opinions on the matter. We knew this was what we wanted. Three weeks till the party, we commenced the planning!

Since we had the party date set that was easy! We already had the RSVP’s rolling in and knew our parents would be there (most important for us). First phone call I made was to my best friend to let her know she would now be a bridesmaid and to have her help me. Naturally she was just as excited. I then called a friend who is also an incredible DJ. By the grace of God he had no bookings or weddings that day and was just as pumped to be a part of this surprise. My best friend Eddie was already ordained to marry his brother the day before our party and I knew he was coming, so I asked him if he would do the honors and he gladly accepted. With those two important affairs in order I was able to figure out the rest with no stress.

Marriage license, Outfits, Food, Decorations- CHECK!

The day before our wedding I planned a trip to Kleinfeld’s in NYC with my mom, mother in law, sister and best friends. I wanted to ensure that the moms really had no idea. I even said “Yes to the dress” and got to work with and meet Randy. It wasn’t my dream dress and I really didn’t buy it. However, the experience was just another touch of magic to our story.

We ordered a tent for that day from Orange County Rentals in the event it should rain and rain it did. Mother Nature decided on May 7th to make it one of the coldest days yet and a rainy one at that. However, it didn’t damper our day one bit. About an hour and a half into our party the rain briefly subsided and the sun even showed face for a moment. We were then able to get everyone together on our lawn for the big group photo aka surprise ceremony announcement. While this was all happening Kevin and I ran inside the house and changed! Sticking with some traditions, I didn’t let Kevin see me in my dress. My sister grabbed my dad to come wait downstairs after the announcment and then helped me zip up. Oh, yes our parents had no idea! Their faces were priceless.

I walked up the hill to my future with “one step closer” by Boyce Avenue on the speakers. Kevin and I said “I do” under one of the beautiful trees on our yard. This one in particular blooms white flowers every Spring. Next to it is our lilac tree. It was my dream come true. That moment, the faces around us and the love in our hearts. After we exchanged our vows which we had written for one another, we continued to party. We even had our first introduction as husband and wife, first dance and parent dances all under the tent surrounded by the people who loved us most. I wouldn’t have changed a thing, not even the rain. Rain on your wedding day is considered good luck, symbolizing fertility and cleansing.

Overall, I think we spent somewhere between 3-4,000g that day. Between the rentals, entertainment, food, supplies, decorations and miscellaneous. We didn’t go into debt and we were able to truly enjoy every moment of the day together.

I attached some photos of our day and some of the details. You can watch our video on YouTube by clicking the first photo or using this link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmx-mr-ZIEw&t=90s . Feel free to comment and ask any questions!

This is our story and it doesn’t mean how you plan your day is wrong. Just remember to do what is best for you two as a couple. In the end it isn’t about how much money you spent or what the centerpieces looked like. Most people won’t remember the things you stressed over. They will remember the love you shared and the fun they had celebrating with you.

xx,

Ash