RI Newlyweds Reflect on Planning the Wedding They Wanted on a Budget

Tips from a real-life couple on setting expectations, choosing vendors, and some creative thinking

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The day that Taylor Gilbert and longtime beau Ryan Buttie announced their engagement in March of 2023, there wasn’t a dry eye at Hey Rhody Media Co. When Taylor, our senior graphic designer, was hired in 2018, she was already dating Ryan, co-founder of Luminous Creative Agency in Providence, and all staff know the pair as a fun couple from various gatherings over the years. Known for being organized, outgoing, and a design and branding wiz, Taylor was more than up for the challenge of planning a wedding that channeled hers’ and Ryan’s classic coastal style and fondness of good food and drink, culminating with the big day in September of 2024. Months later and just into the new year, we asked Taylor and Ryan to share their process as a useful timeline of a real-life couple planning and paying for their big day that may serve as a roadmap for soon-to-be-weds daunted by the journey.

 

The Proposal

Like many couples, Taylor and Ryan discussed getting married and had started looking at engagement rings together. “Picking out a ring together was fun, and ensured that I will love it for many years and that it was the right fit from the start,” says Taylor. However, the details of Ryan’s plans to present the ring with a formal proposal were kept under wraps. During a St. Patrick’s Day weekend getaway to Lincoln, NH, the pair headed to Mount Washington Cog Railway, where they rode to the halfway point to enjoy hot chocolate and roast weenies at Waumbek Station firepit. “On the lower deck, many people were taking pictures of the beautiful view down below and Ryan asked a couple to snap one of us. This is when he got on one knee and popped the question!” For a similar location without the high altitude, the couple suggests Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy in Providence, Long Pond Woods in Hopkinton, or Beavertail State Park in Jamestown.

 

The Budget

From the start, Taylor and Ryan knew that they would be paying for the wedding themselves, and needed to define a budget and expectations. Taylor wanted a small wedding, but Ryan, who has family in New England, wanted something large. Based on early research, they guessed that the average cost per person would be around $200 and based the initial guest list as a starting point for the minimum spend. Next, they listed their must-haves as far as vendors (DJ, florist, wedding coordinator, attire and alterations, lodging, rehearsal dinner, and catering/bar services) and created a budget for each of those. “We set up a joint bank account and started depositing money each month to save for all expenses that would eventually come up,” Ryan explains.

 

The Venue

The couple decided from the get-go that their wedding must be on the water, whether a beach or an ocean view. “We both love the water and spend a lot of our free time on our boat or near the coast,” says Taylor. While visiting potential wedding venues was exciting, Taylor shares that it could also be disappointing. “We would go and tour a beautiful venue only to find out it was out of budget or had a high food and beverage minimum to meet on certain days.” They chose Galilee Beach Club, a beachfront venue near many of their favorite summer spots. It’s an all-inclusive venue, which means the club provides all food and drink services, chair and linen rentals, an on-site wedding coordinator, on-site bridal and grooms suites, and the wedding ceremony and reception are in the same location, plus there’s the option to customize your wedding package to get to a per-person rate that works for your budget. “All of their pricing was very transparent and they would work with you to make it fit within your budget,” says Ryan, who adds that things like taxes and gratuities were included in the cost, as well, which made the actual cost very straightforward. The club also placed baskets of toiletries in all the restrooms for guests; included a champagne bar when guests arrived; coffee, tea and soda all throughout the event; and had charcuterie boards in the bride and groom’s suite upon arrival of the wedding parties. Event coordinator Emily Hodges made every step of the way seamless, with her frequent check-ins and video chats to go over necessary planning tools like seating charts and decor planning.

 
Small Favors

Taylor wanted personalized oyster shells at each place setting, but to stay within budget, decided to go DIY. She collected shells from Narragansett Bay; cleaned, sanitized, and dried them thoroughly; and affixed printed-out names using decoupage medium. For the finishing touch, each ridged top was lined using gold craft paint. Not the crafty type? Check out BackyardBeachDecor.com.

 

The Dress

Movies have truly made that first visit to the bridal shop an event filled with expectations. To temper that stress, on a random day the month after getting engaged, Taylor and two close friends, maid-of-honor Megan Heffernan and bridesmaid Sascha Roberts (names familiar to our longtime masthead readers), headed to David’s Bridal. “I wasn’t determined to get something that day but I tried on a dress and decided it was the one. It was minimal, made out of pleated tulle, with beaded straps, and most importantly had pockets!” says Taylor. For the bridesmaids, Taylor chose a specific color and let each decide on their own style of dress. Ryan got his suit from Jos. A Bank while his groomsmen ordered theirs from SuitShop.com.

 

A Local Something Borrowed: Florals

One of Taylor’s very good friends and bridesmaids runs her very own floral rental company, The Borrowed Blossom, which specializes in luxury real-touch (artificial) florals at lower prices than real. They have many collections to choose from, as well as endless customizations – she even sets them up and breaks everything down. “Her florals truly matched our coastal blue aesthetic and so many people couldn’t believe they weren’t real!” relays Taylor. Check them out at TheBorrowedBlossom.com.

 

The Photographer

Taylor and Ryan needed a photographer for their engagement session and wedding. Both familiar with the industry, they agreed that the most important thing to like about your photographer is their editing style. “This is their signature and how your photos will likely come out. We wanted someone who captured the natural colors and lighting available and enhanced them with toning and contrast,” says Taylor. “Second most important: their cost. We had a set budget that we were willing to spend on photography, and Jess Peñuela of J. Nichole Captures’ package was exactly that. She included eight hours of photography, a second shooter, a custom wedding day timeline, and promised all photos delivered within eight to 10 weeks.”

 

Wedding Shower

The couple held their wedding shower at Diamond Hill Vineyards in Cumberland. “Ryan’s mom offered to host it and they have some really great packages to choose from on their Garden Party menu,” says Taylor. The property hosts outdoor parties from June through September on the grounds of the historic vineyard house.

FUNdraising Idea: With the help of Ryan’s mom, Joanne Buttie, and her bridal party, Taylor assembled gift baskets to raffle off at the shower, which helped to raise funds for wedding expenses.

 

Bridal Party Gifts

Taylor surprised her besties with on-theme dusty blue satin robes for getting ready on wedding day, along with gold hair clips, matching sunglasses, and gold bracelets. She also assembled “bachelorette weekend survival kits,” which included pain reliever, mouthwash, bandages, lotion, lip balm, an emergency nip, electrolyte drink mix, and matching koozies.

 

Rehearsal Dinner

While many places advertise that they accommodate rehearsal dinners, sometimes finding a place can be serendipitous. “One night Ryan and I were in Narragansett and came across Sea Craft. We had dinner and drinks at the bar, and everything was delicious! The bartender was fun and all of the food that other diners had looked amazing,” says Taylor. Since all of her family is from out of state, she wanted a place that captured what she and Ryan love most about Rhode Island, and within close proximity to their venue. “I was able to choose a custom pre-fixe menu for our guests to order from and let the views and ambiance of the restaurant do the work!”

 

The Honeymoon

“One of the main reasons we waited to go on our honeymoon was that we love the weather in Rhode Island in the fall and didn’t want to leave, so instead we are waiting until it’s cold and wintery to trade for somewhere warm and tropical. We’re scheduled to go at the end of this month!” says Taylor.

 

RHODY RESOURCES

ALTERATIONS:
OurPlaceTux.com

SeamsCouture.com
SewingCreationsByRose.com*
TitasTailors.com

BED & BREAKFAST:
AdmiralDeweyInn.com

BOUTIQUE HOTEL:
TheBeatrice.com

CATERING:
LukesLobster.com

CEREMONY:
SouthFerryChurch.org

CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN:
SweetStreamsChocolate.com

GUEST BOOKS:
RagAndBoneBindery.com

DESSERT:
WrightsRI.com*

ENTERTAINMENT:
MNEEvents.com
*

FAUX FLOWERS:
TheBorrowedBlossom.com
*

FAVORS:
SweenorsChocolates.com

MysticKnotwork.com

FLORALS:
BloomBackFlowers.com
CedarEdgeFloral.com
Jephry.com
SaylesLivingstonDesign.com

FORMAL WEAR:
BlueVioletBridalAndProm.com
DavidsBridal.com*
IvoryBridal.com

JEWELRY:
JojoLovesYou.com

GROOMING:
DynamicMensGrooming.com
SkipsBarbershop.com
MattsOnMendon.com*
BLBeautyRI.com*

HAIR (ON-SITE):
@addiction2beauty*

MAKEUP (ON-SITE):
@elsiewhyte
*
@addiction2beauty*

MOBILE BAR:
CorkAndCoasterBar.com

GlitzNGarnish.com
RICruisinCocktails.com

MOBILE FOOD:
TheBiscottiBar.square.site

EspanglishEmpanadas.com

NEW ENGLAND GETAWAY:
PolandSpringResort.com

PHOTOGRAPHY:
JNicholeCaptures.com*
BrittanyGrafPhotography.com*

PICTURE FRAMING:
Crestar.Art

PLANNER:
ImperfectlyPerfectWeddings.com

PORTABLE RESTROOMS:
CassiesCans.com

PRIVATE EVENT CHARTER:
CruiseRI.com

REHEARSAL DINNER:
TheCoastGuardHouse.com

SeaCraftRI.com*
StoneacreBrasserie.com

RINGS:
ACJeweler.com

CaronJewelers.com
MRTJewelers.com

SALON/SPA:
ShelbyWhiteBeauty.com

SpaMosaicRI.com
SuperiorTanningKingston.com

TRANSPORT:
AStarLimoOfRI.com

FlyRI.com

TRAVEL:
Smooth-Sailing.com

WorldWiseTravel.com

VENUE:
TheChanler.com

GalileeBeachClub.com*
Herreshoff.org/weddings
JEdwardsWinery.com
LaurelLaneCountryClub.com
MeadowBrookInnRI.com
NewportHarborIsland.com
OceanHouseRI.com
TennisFame.com
TwelveAcresBanquet.com
Wannamoisett.com
WeekapaugInn.com

*Vendors used and recommended by Taylor and Ryan Buttie

 

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