As someone who just spent the whole weekend watching Four Weddings (the TLC show where four brides are pitted against each other and they have to vote on which one wins), I can confidently say that weddings are expensive. Even the lowest budget ones are usually north of $10,000, with no upper ceiling. There are dresses to buy, venues to secure, flowers to purchase, food to buy, and drinks to provide. 

But what Four Weddings has also taught me is that a little DIY goes a long way. If you have a specific vision, Michael’s craft store nearby, and a hot glue gun, you can make the centerpiece of your dreams for a fraction of the regular cost. It’s all about being thrifty and crafty. So all that said, there’s not a great excuse to go over budget. Especially not so over budget that you start asking your sister for money. But that’s exactly what happened to one family. Read on for the details.