Because I am in the wedding publishing industry, I always get asked by brides how they can have a gorgeous, publish-worthy wedding on a small budget.  Well look no further brides!  This classic Houston wedding is the epitome of stunning and it was all pulled off for less than $18,000.  A couple of takeaways to note brides - start with a stunning venue.  Chateau Cocomar is beyond gorgeous!  A truly beautiful venue is half of the battle, ladies!  Secondly, if you are so artistically inclined, take on DIY projects.  Finally, hire an amazing photographer to capture the true beauty of your wedding day.  Husband and wife team, Daniel and Elisheva of Elisheva Golani Photography took these amazing photographs.  She is brand new to 7 Centerpieces but we hope to make her a regular around these parts.  Dive into even more budget-conscious beauty in the gallery.



From the bride...Our vision for the wedding was a combination of all-white and golden accents with a few splashes of blush and classic elegance paired with simplicity. We loved the architecture at Chateau Cocomar so we didn't want to overdo it by adding too much decor of our own. As with most brides, I was very involved in the planning process far more than my groom. Therefore, I tried my best to keep it very "neutral" as linens, but I bought the smaller pieces at Hobby Lobby and bulk candles from Ikea and created little accents that were laid-out on the tables, as we decided to have our tables set out in long ranges.

 To top it off, our budget was set at $18,000. I can proudly say that (of course, with the help of family and friends) we were able to stay $3000 under that! Any coupon th far asstay $3000 under that! Any coupon that I could clip, Groupon deal that I could land, or detail that I was able to do on my own was totally worth it! My advice would be to do everything in steps and really look for the best deals out there! Go all out on the location of your venue and leave the small details as DIYs! It's possible! 

adding too much of a feminine touch. It is after all, both the bride and groom's day. I didn't want my husband to feel as if he was drowning inat I could clip, Groupon deal that I could land, or detail that I was able to do on my own was totally worth it! My advice would be to do everything in steps and really look for the best deals out there! Go all out on the location of your venue and leave the small details as DIYs! It's possible!


100 layers of lace and 50 shades of pink. I can say that we were very happy and satisfied with the end product. Chateau Cocomar was the only venue we visitedbecause it totally encapsulated every aspect of what we wanted and when we saw it in person, we both fell absolutely in love with the venue! It was truly a dream come true for the both of us! We wanted to keep it very classy and not get too much into a certain kind of theme so that we could always look back at our photos and be able to say that our style was timeless.


I also made anything that had to do with paper! Paper is cheap! So I went out to Micheal's, bought me a good, big, fat stack of pearl-finished, champagne-colored paper and started designing my menus, programs, sparkler tags, and little "Hashtag #HdzWedding on Instagram" stationary. I was able to design it to my liking and "approve" all the edits! And that saved me a good buck rather than going through a website and only being able to review your programs twice before they sentence you to cough it up or print it.

Everything else was of course, taken care of by Chateau Cocomar! They were wonderful! I wouldn't know what else to do to thank them for their excellent service.

My dress was a complete project! I bought it at Ivory Bridal Atelier and LOVED the lace on top and the super long train. But I always wanted buttons going down the back of it and lace sleeves. Unfortunately many places did not sell this kind of dress, so after being informed that I could buy a few yards of lace from the designer, I decided to buy the dress and take it to Laura's Couture & Alterations (which was recommended k">Laura's Couture & Alterations (which was recommended by Ivory Bridal) and get the "extras" that I wanted added to my dress. They did an extraordinary job giving me my dream dress. I paired it with my sister's super long cathedral veil that she wore for her wedding (something borrowed).

Our centerpieces were rented from Any Occasieces were rented from Any Occasion Party Rental along with a few linens, but I bought the smaller pieces at Hobby Lobby and bulk candles from Ikea and created little accents that were laid-out on the tables, as we decided to have our tables set out in long ranges.

 To top it off, our budget was set at $18,000. I can proudly say that (of course, with the help of family and friends) we were able to stay $3000 under that! Any coupon that I could clip, Groupon deal that I could land, or detail that I was able to do on my own was totally worth it! My advice would be to do everything in steps and really look for the best deals out there! Go all out on the location of your venue and leave the small details as DIYs! It’s possible!



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