Some of Rutherford County’s finest married, engaged and soon-to-be-engaged couples came through and gave us all the dirt on their wedding plans. They even came through with some words of wisdom for other locals planning on tying the knot.

To show our appreciation, one lucky survey taker will receive a Gigi’s cupcake gift card. Watch your email if you were one of our survey participants to see if you won, and keep your eyes on our website, BoroPulse.com, for chances to win delicious prizes in the future.

While every survey was a little different, there were a few patterns our local participants shared.

Engagement

Survey takers spent a wide variety of time dating before they got engaged. Some of you took your time to get to know the other person for 10 years or more, while other couples just couldn’t resist the urge to get engaged after knowing each other less than six months.

One thing they all agreed on was how long to spend engaged. None of our couples were engaged for more than two years, and several couples were engaged less than six months before saying “I do.”

Budget

The most common wedding budget in Rutherford County is between $5,000 and $10,000, according to our survey. Some readers managed to plan a budget-friendly wedding for less than $5,000 or less than $1,000. Now that’s a budget-savvy wedding.

One reader shared his wife’s money saving strategy. David shared

“My wife, ever the creative one, created a wedding/picnic combo. About 100 guests total. We were married outdoors, at Cheekwood, with our friend playing a single violin.

Before the ceremony, we laid beautiful picnic baskets all around, with a huge picnic basket that included lunch for that particular guest (usually four people). The baskets were given away to each guest group. Instead of a formal cake, each guest received a huge, super formal, kind of pastry thing. Everyone loved it. Total cost, including honeymoon in California, dress, etc. was under $10,000.”

Most survey takers agreed that their money went to two very important details, the location and the honeymoon, with food and décor running close behind.

Style

Following local tradition, many of our survey couples planned laid-back, family-centric events. A handful did plan themed affairs, and a few less locals said they planned on pulling out all the stops and having a formal occasion.

Words of Advice

In case you were wondering what other local couples have to say, here are a few tips from our Pulse survey takers for future couples planning their weddings. Look for next year’s wedding survey to have your say!

“Pray!”

“Keep it simple!”

“It’s about you, and whatever you plan. Life happens. Don’t forget the wine.”

“Contact Joe Hendricks Photography for your pictures.”

“Elope.”