I need some HELP!
I am starting this post with something funny because I need to laugh before I vent.
So last week I was all optimistic about my wedding and all the things I had planed. And then this weekend we are singing a completely different tune.
I knew a wedding was expensive, but I never thought it was THAT expensive.
Yesterday, I talked about how Babe and I went and looked at venues this past weekend. They were expensive! Most didn't include food or anything really other then then the venue. I am basically freaking out! How am I supposed to pay for a party this expensive.. I'm convinced I might go bankrupt.
I know there are ways to cut your wedding prices down but some of these solutions are not feasible for us. (Babe has a large family so that impacts our guest list and wedding party.) This is making me stressed, overly stressed to be exact. I want this beautiful day and I want to marry the man of my dreams (which I get to do regardless) but I don't want to feel broke at the end of the day. And that is exactly how I feel right now. I think I might just hire a wedding planner!
So am I asking for input, how do I put on a wedding without making my bank account go in the negative?
Let me give you some simple info for my wedding:
Guest count: 100-120
Wedding Party: 10 people (5 bridesmaid, 5 groomsmen)
HELP ME!
Today's link up is brought to you by Chits and Giggles! Now if you are planning a wedding, been married or anything in between go have fun reading all the posts in this link up.
Aww it's OK! I feel you! It's understandable to be stressed about the money.
ReplyDeleteOther questions for you: where is your wedding? Are you doing two separate locations (one for ceremony and another for reception)? Do you have any friends or family members that can help with flowers, decor, photography, music or food? Those things can be a lot cheaper with connections! You could always do a cocktail hour with heavy appetizers instead of a dinner, or limit alcohol to beer and wine. Maybe some venues offer packages, too! Mine doesn't, but it does have its own in-house catering, which helps!
First off breathe. I stressed so much over the guest list. It was crazy. But now, looking back, I realize that I shouldn't have stressed out as much. First of all, pick your priorities. Stick to them. For me this was: The venue had to be in the mountains, an all in one place where people stay on property, I had to have a quality photographer and I wanted a videographer. I wasn't going to budge on these things.
ReplyDeleteOnce you have those figured out, you can find a venue to accommodate. I also knew that we wouldn't be able to do all these things within our budget, so we are paying for the photog and videographer ourselves. That saved quite a bit of money from the budget.
Also look for places with packages if you can. Hotels are usually great for this. What is your headcount so far? When I was in Orlando, there was a girl that was newly engaged and she was searching for a venue as well. My friend mentioned Paradise Cove? I have no idea where/what that is but it could be an option?
Just remember to breathe. It will be OK and you will get everything you want. And it will be beautiful!
Once you get the big items in line, and have the location set go to hotels nearby and have them show you around and let you know the basic amenties. That way after you have talked to all of the hotels you can sit down and figure out which one would best be suited for you =. You will probably have to talk to the sales coordinator at each hotel to figure out how many rooms they can set aside and how much your guests would pay for their rooms.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get to that point of the planning, email me. I work in a hotel and can help you out.
I am so glad I saw this post because while I have not started planning, I know weddings can be expensive. I did read similar posts on the knot.com, so you may want to check the message board there too.
ReplyDeleteMaria @ Tulle
http://tulleandpearls.blogspot.com/
Maaannnnn I hated the budget side of wedding planning. It was a nightmare! Chris and I couldn't afford more than 10k total for everything - so it was TIGHT. My suggestions are (1) find somewhere that offers packages (2) majorly limit the guest list (3) shop on etsy for your "stuff" (4) ebay ebay ebay (5) check your local parks and see if they have any affordable wedding venues. I promise it will come together - just take your time and explore your options!
ReplyDeleteWow, you got so much good advice I don't know what to add. I'll just tell you what I did.
ReplyDeleteMy guest list was 75. This meant that it is mostly family (his) and some of my friends and family. (Most of my family lives in Argentina). I did a lot of DIY. I made my STDs and found the cheapest (good looking) invites I could find. I blogged about it today - so check that out. We are doing the ceremony at a small chapel (that barely fits 75!) and then our reception is in his parents backyard. We had the same issue as you are having. We looked at a place or two but none would fit into our budget. We are buying a home and wanted to keep most of our money for that. Having it at his parents' place eliminated a huge cost.
I would just say that you try to do it yourself as much as possible, use coupons and sales. Look into parks/beaches that are either free or discounted.
Good luck!
Found you through little friday linkup- I'm going through the same thing!! Our guest list is 200+ which is non-negotiable so these are things we are doing to save $$:
ReplyDelete-Our venue is a civic center, it was a lot less expensive, we got a discount for being residents, and they provide tables and chairs. Also outdoor locations were a lot cheaper (and some free- public parks etc)
-we are doing ceremony AND reception there
-Getting it catered by a local BBQ restaurant
-Friend is djaying and supplying the speakers
-Mom is baking the cake
-getting flowers from a local wholesale flower store/farmers markets
-DIYing centerpieces (this site has used decor: http://ruffledblog.com/community/recycle-your-wedding-browse.html)
-Ordering my dress for $300 from a knock-off website that ships from China..my friend did it and her dress looked fabulous
I feel your pain, and I definitely advise going budget as much as you can. I overspent on my wedding, and I wish I had been smarter about that, so you're right to worry about the money. I did TONS of price comparisons. For your venue, look at every single option in the area you want to be in because you may be surprised to find a great price at a venue you like that you just didn't think about before. Ask friends for recommendations. Read reviews online. Go to bridal expos and see if you can get a discount somehow. For caterers, sometimes you can think outside the box too. I didn't go for "upscale" wedding catering, but I got an amazing deal for amazing food from a local Italian restaurant. Some grocery stores even have good deals on catering. I also ordered my bouquets on Etsy rather than having fresh flowers. I made my own centerpieces. Try and bundle purchases too if you can. Check coupons for things you need to buy. I also hired a friend to do my photography for only $800 instead of the typical $3,000 it would have cost otherwise. And don't buy something unless you think it's essential. You can be minimalist in some areas, and that's OK, so say not to some things altogether. You CAN do this!
ReplyDeleteOh! Sometimes it's also cheaper to rent items such as centerpieces and décor than buy it yourself.
DeleteI got married last May and one of the hardest realizations I had to come to was that even our second or third options for things were STILL crazy expensive! Prioritize what things you really want and work from there when cutting costs. We saved a lot of money using a friend of a friend to do our flowers and I could not have been happier with the bouquets and boutonnieres.
ReplyDelete