Bridesmaid for $50

I posted here about the wedding this past weekend! I was very excited to be asked to be a bridesmaid but I was not so excited about the prices I was looking at. My mom forewarned me about the money I was to expect to begin with but I was still not wanting to do it! 

Tightwad

Frugal

Cheapskate

penny pincher

I've heard it all. I prefer budget-minded, wise, and the like. However, I digress...

I tucked away the idea that I wouldn't spend less than $100 for the dress alone as I went out shopping. I still hoped but decided I had the money and needed to fulfill the commitment I agreed to! 

After a long day of in and out of shop after store after consignment sale we found a dress at JC Pennys.

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I wasn't thrilled about the top of the dress but the length and color was perfect and I loved the material! I tried it on to see if we could do anything with it in way of covering up those spots. Plus the price tag indicated it was a clearance item and the last one left in my size. Score and double score!

I decided to purchase the dress given we could "fix it." Upon check-out I learned that the $70 dress in my hands would only cost me, $28!

Thrilled with my purchase price I knew I wasn't done and had to keep at it! I was contemplating returning the dress and starting from scratch at one point! 

In the LAST store we went in I eyed a dress that I loved! The only problem, it wasn't the color I needed. We turned to leave and as I walked toward my mom she pointed over my shoulder to a cropped lace top. Unsure of what and the world you would wear with that on a regular basis I sceptically grabbed my size and off the fitting rooms! 

It worked! 

The final item was my pink! The bride wanted to tie in pink throughout the wedding and wanted each of us to get some pink.

Again, after searching for pink everywhere I was coming up with nothing. My mom happened upon the jewerly section in our Joann's and viola, pink! 

These 10 inch sections of pink pearls were $1 each! I grabbed 5 and strung them myself! Nylon beading thread was $2...$7 total for my pink! 

 

After I finished the length I wanted I had enough to make some hair pins with them too! 

My mom (wonderful woman) spent several painstaking hours Monday practicing with my hair. Oddly enough, it wasn't close to what I planned but I LOVED it! 

 Didn't she do a great job!? The hair pins I made are on the right side of my hair! Can you see them tucked in there? Tutorial later! 

I had to wrestle my makeup myself. My sister offered but we ended up not having time Saturday morning. I don't wear much at all ever. BB cream, powder and eye liner is about as adventurous as I get. She took me to the makeup aisle and walked me through products she likes and knows well and some that I may like, knowing I don't like any! 

After taking along several new products I knew little about and given about 15 minutes this is what I came up with. So, any of you makeup connoisseurs, no laughing!

 

So, dress, makeup, and pink, and just missing the shoes. A quick trip to Charming Charlie fixed that! 

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Shoes = $19

(quick tip: try them on with the dress...I ended up having to borrow a pair of heels 10 minutes before the ceremony because the dress was too long. I wore these for the reception and it worked well!)

 So, viola!
Dress/top = 28
Necklace = 7
shoes = 19
hair and makeup = nada

Grand total = $53!!

So, my reputation remains but all together, it was a beautiful day! I didn't spend a crazy amount of money, at least crazy in my book, and we all had a great time!

 Lessons learned:
#1 - start early, look long and everywhere!
#2 - don't settle! I was very comfortable in what I was wearing because I liked it and I didn't spend an arm and a leg.
#3 - don't fall prey to the "I have to have my hair done." With enough patience, hairspray, and hairpins you can make something happen!
#4 - Have fun and don't get caught up in trends!