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by grace

Question : dear design*sponge, i’m currently planning a budget wedding, so my fiance and i don’t currently have much (ok, any) extra cash with which to feather our nest. i’m wondering if you have any ideas for wedding decor that could transition into adornment for our sparse apartment once our country chic-themed fall 2010 wedding is over? there’s so much that I love about this concept- decorating our home with fond memories, being green and frugal- but I have to admit that i’m design-challenged. help! -sarah

answer : thanks for your question sarah! for your answer i went straight to one of my favorite wedding sources- abby larson of . her expert wedding advice is spot on. so i’ll let her take it from here…

This is a great question. One that every bride should ask themselves! Making your dollars really count when planning your wedding is much easier to digest when you know that the materials you buy will go to good use in making your home a more beautiful place. Here are some creative ways to stretch your dollar…

1. Your Linens. Collecting vintage, elegantly mismatched linens is such a great way to add a bit of depth to your wedding decor. Plus, you’ll always have them as a keepsake to enjoy when entertaining guests. Or you can go one step further and sew them into a gorgeous quilt that you can use when you snuggle up with your new hubby. [image above by ]

2. Your Dessert Plates. For my own wedding, we scoured ebay for pale pink cut glass dessert plates. We ended up with around 200, so I packaged them up in groups of 6-8 and gave them as housewarming gifts for the first year we were married. I kept quite a few, as well, which have been perfect for cocktail parties as well as pretty little dessert plates. They would also look pretty stunning arranged creatively on an accent wall.

3. Your Guestbook. Use a vintage postcards rather than a traditional guest book to have your friends and family write well wishes. After the wedding, tuck them in and around a vintage mirror or make an amazing collage for your walls that is as whimsical as it is meaningful. Great impromptu art. [image above by ]

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Design team takes your stuff and makes it look better

04.11.09

Shopping event is a benefit, too

Get an early start on your holiday shopping this weekend. Check out Shop787, which supports Dell Children's Medical Center, at the Mosaic at Mueller (4600 Mueller Blvd.) from noon to 6 p.m. on Nov. 8. The event was created by Austin Fashion Week founder Matt Swinney's events business, Launch787. More than 50 vendors will participate, including 302 Designs, Adelante Boutique, Beyond Tradition, Deborah Main Designs, Hem Jeans, Dress Shop, Paige King Jewelry, Rene Geneva Design, Eliza Page, Finch, Underwear, Wee, Sikara & Co., Two Winey Women, Verbena Floral Design and Soigné Boutique. Advance tickets are $5, available at Shop787.com. Tickets, which include complimentary beverages, are $10 at the door or $5 with the donation of a book to Dell Children's Medical Center. There will be food vendors on site as well.

Spend a night mixing charity, health and fashion

Austin-based designer Rachelle Briton and RunTex stores will offer a style show during the Healthy Woman Anniversary Celebration at the Cedar Park Center (2100 Avenue of the Stars) from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 12. (Healthy Woman is a free health education program for women from Cedar Park Regional Medical Center.) The event will include an expo of Healthy Woman partners and a silent auction as well as dinner and keynote speaker Linda Armstrong Kelly (yes, Lance's mom), author of "No Mountain High Enough: Raising Lance, Raising Me." Tickets start at $20.50. They can be purchased at the Cedar Park Center's box office and Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Information: cedar parkregional.com.

Source: Austin American-Statesman

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