29 replies to this topic

[Sunny Sunshine]

Okay, so it's probably not right but I want to get my budget out here. I'm trying so hard to keep it under $8k

Ceremony Site - 3pm - 5pm -- $800 ($150 coupon off)
Possible Reception Site - 150 person limit - $1300
Set up Fee - $200
DJ - 6 hours - $580
Limo - 3 hours - $375
Photography - Gas and Hotel stay - $300 max - hopefully
Catering - $2300 max allowance
Flowers - Through my uncle - cost of flowers only - $500 max
Invitations - $120 max allowance
Bar Service - $600 max allowance
Favors - Plantable hearts and honey sticks - $150
My wedding ring - $600
His wedding ring - $250 max
Wedding Dress - $399
Save the Dates - $68
Officiant - $150 max allowance
Small Details - $300 max allowance

Total (hopeful) - $8992 - Already over freakin budget

Edited by Sunny Sunshine, 30 December 2008 - 09:50 PM.
Forgot Photography!

[Wende]

Do you have any help?

You can do your own invitations for less then 25 dollars.

[Wende]

I wish I could help you.

[Sunny Sunshine]

My parents are covering half of it. But we were aiming to only spend $6k...

[wookie luvvah]

I know you won't want to hear this but there's stuff still missing that will add up to more than your allowed slush fund (small details). You have wiggle room in there - it's totally possible. Lots of deep calm breathing!

[Dr. Lostreality]

Our wedding is probably going to cost under $1000, but we are having a pretty small wedding (only 20 guests).

Ways we saved money; for our reception (and ceremony) we're having it at a local state park and booked a picnic pavilion. It's a covered picnic area with seating for up to 80 people, and it only cost $84 to book for the entire day. Could you look into something similar in your area?

Do you really need a limo?

How many flowers do you really need other than the bouquet? For center pieces on our tables we've been going to this local thrift store every couple of weeks and have been buying up all their candle holders and mason jars. I'm going to get some fancy thick (white probably) ribbon and tie them around all the candle holders, and we're going to put clusters of candles in the middle of the tables- which are pretty cheap and will hopefully look awesome.

Save the dates, we did that through Evite.com- totally free (and people can RSVP right away too).

Catering- If you do it buffet style it will be a lot less expensive. We're probably doing buffet style appetizers...like a ton of different appetizers that people can eat as many as they want of.

We also have been collecting various fancy plates from the thrift store to use as plates for the wedding, and we borrowed 10 tablecloths from my future mom in law (who had 10 in various shades of green, which will match the outdoors I guess), so this way we don't have to rent tablecloths or plates.

[Wende]

Yea, I can't get over how much it costs up in NH for reception sites and ceremony sites. Weird.

[wabbit]

If you venture near the NH seacoast, it is even worse! Very spendy..

I had my reception and ceremony at the same place in NH. The Elks in Portsmouth is absolutely beautiful.. I had a real hang up originally about having my ceremony at an "Elks Club", but after realizing that the logistics for Prescott Park or Newcastle Commons (both beautiful, beautiful places, but no parking at the park and $3/person charge with no guarentee that we will get a spot at the commons) I finally went to the Elks and looked at the back yard (which was the Sagamore River, high up with awesome rocks and mist in the morning), I said, OK.. and looking back at my pictures and how easy it was to just step inside for my reception was all that mattered. plus, they brought me a drink on the lawn while I was taking my pictures!!

The price was perfect. I had a very small budget, but we made it work.. Good luck Tiff-- you'll make it work! You'll be surprised how many people want to help with favors (not the things you give to the guests, but real favors).. My advice? if they offer, don't say "thank you, I'll let you know"... say YES!

[deadheadskier]

As someone who has probably hosted over 250 weddings professionally in my lifetime, I'd say you're doing pretty well, especially with the catering budget of 2300 for 150 people.

The money part of the wedding is definitely the most stressful. Reveur and I won't have a ton of help with that and will be paying for most of it. Because I spent ten years doing whatever I could to ring the last nickel out of people working in the business, I'll be damned if I end up on the other side of the cash register. We're hoping to have ours in the Fall if we think we'll have the money saved. The last thing we need is to rack up a huge credit card balance for a party.

Good luck! I'm sure whatever it ends up costing will be worth every penny.

[vinandtonic]

do any of your friends have nice cameras? our matron of honor's husband did our photos for free. A lot of our friends have really nice cameras so we got some great pics. They sent them to us online.
it cost be $24 to get around 180 pictures printed from snapfish, and about $10 for the album we used.

[Karen]

Our wedding is probably going to cost under $1000, but we are having a pretty small wedding (only 20 guests).

Ways we saved money; for our reception (and ceremony) we're having it at a local state park and booked a picnic pavilion. It's a covered picnic area with seating for up to 80 people, and it only cost $84 to book for the entire day. Could you look into something similar in your area?

Do you really need a limo?

How many flowers do you really need other than the bouquet? For center pieces on our tables we've been going to this local thrift store every couple of weeks and have been buying up all their candle holders and mason jars. I'm going to get some fancy thick (white probably) ribbon and tie them around all the candle holders, and we're going to put clusters of candles in the middle of the tables- which are pretty cheap and will hopefully look awesome.

Save the dates, we did that through Evite.com- totally free (and people can RSVP right away too).

Catering- If you do it buffet style it will be a lot less expensive. We're probably doing buffet style appetizers...like a ton of different appetizers that people can eat as many as they want of.

We also have been collecting various fancy plates from the thrift store to use as plates for the wedding, and we borrowed 10 tablecloths from my future mom in law (who had 10 in various shades of green, which will match the outdoors I guess), so this way we don't have to rent tablecloths or plates.

I LOVE IT! I think the different plates, tablecloths, candles and mason jars paint a beautiful picture of an intimate, thoughtful and personal scene. How nice!

And to think I was just going to hire a caterer and a florist...I am re-thinking now!

[Wende]

I have been so very blessed with such an amazing family.

My dad just called to tell us he will be paying for the reception, his family is paying for the florist, the photographer and our honeymoon tickets were a christmas gift. We have to pay for the band and bar tab, which totals more than you can ever imagine but it's what we want.

[Dr. Lostreality]

I LOVE IT! I think the different plates, tablecloths, candles and mason jars paint a beautiful picture of an intimate, thoughtful and personal scene. How nice!

And to think I was just going to hire a caterer and a florist...I am re-thinking now!

Thanks! I think it's going to look really nice too....I was worried about how to decorate and thinking about getting a florist too, but everything kinda came together, and now that I have actually gotten a lot of the stuff I think it's going to look awesome. Hopefully it'll look as nice in real life as it does in my head!

[Wende]

It will.

Hey sunny... did you find a reception site?

[Sunny Sunshine]

We've got an appointment on Saturday at a local farm

www.stonewallfarm.org Our date is available still, it just sucks because it's $1000 more than we had originally planned

[Wende]

Oh man. I am so sorry about that. But when it is all said and done, it will be perfect.

[wabbit]

I KNOW this place!!! When I was still at KSC, a bunch of us went to this place for donuts and cider, etc. I remember that day, it was sooo beautiful.. I never knew the name, but the second I saw the picture, I knew it was this place..

sorry it is more expensive, but it is beautiful..

[Sunny Sunshine]

We're thinking about cutting the cake, and the limo. Phish will cut our guest list by about 20 people too...

[HoopsTer]

We've got an appointment on Saturday at a local farm

www.stonewallfarm.org Our date is available still, it just sucks because it's $1000 more than we had originally planned

Oh Tiff, that's beautiful! I love it

[wabbit]

how much did you have set aside for cake? I don't see it on the list.. You could always just do cupcakes, they are really so easy to serve and people do love them..

[Wende]

Oh mama. I'll make you a cake. Someone has to make you a cake. WHERE ARE YOUR MAID'S DAMMIT???????

[Wende]

I would cut the dj if anything. And the limo.

[Sunny Sunshine]

DJ is a no cut. We love music way too much, and he's an amazing deal. He's only charging us $580 for 6 hours! That's half what they charge for most big DJ companies.

Cake we had $700 set aside for because that's what we knew it would cost. We've already put a $50 deposit down on.

Limo is something we can cut, but I've always dreamed of arriving at my wedding in a nice sleek limo. I don't want my dress to get dirty before I even walk down the aisle...

We've heard that our ceremony location is a mess. Trees down everywhere due to the ice storms we got a few weeks ago. We're going to check it out Saturday after our tour of the reception site. If it's really bad, we'll try and get out $400 deposit back, and save $800 total from them. We'll see though...

[wabbit]

oooo, that's true, I didn't even think of how it could have been affected.. could you do your cermony at the farm if need be?

[Sunny Sunshine]

Yeah, they have a couple outdoor ceremony sites

[Wende]

I completely understand about the limo part. COMPLETELY.

I am actually thinking of doing the old cinderella carriage. ONly because the hotel where me and my girls are getting ready is less than 4 miles from the castle, and, IT'S A CASTLE!!!!!

[georgi]

I still think you should have one of your friends do your makeup. That will save a little $.

[sure-ur-rightdancer]

another makeup option is to go to a MAC counter a few days before with a friend and have her tape how they do your makeup .... you have to buy like $50 worth of stuff but at least you get to keep the products and then just watch the video and apply the same way (sephora will also do your makeup for free.... and then you can buy any brand)

if you have any makeup questions just ask me too! its basically my whole life and I have no issue helping out people (if your in the NJ area between now and then we could do a lesson too)

[wabbit]

A friend of mine gifted me my makeup for the wedding.. I had planned to do it myself and she had my stylist stay and do makeup as well.. maybe one of your maids could do that? give me an email address, I'll drop a hint!!!

[vinandtonic]

you could always get a much smaller cake for the 2 of you to cut, and then do a sheet cake for the guests, unless you have something super fancy planned for the cake.

cupcakes are a good idea too.

you can do your own invites at home for a fraction of the cost to order them. Also, instead of doing the mail back RSVPs, make a website and have them RSVP there, or call you. that would save a lot on postage, etc.

if your ceremony site is a mess, ask if you can do it at your reception site. They might give you a discount for doing both at the same place.

what are you doing for the bar service? just wine and beer?