help formal wedding small budget

BillieS12

I know I have two years but I am a student and have to plan on breaks . There for is it possible to do formal wedding for 100 to 125 people on a budget of about 10,000. Thanks and any ideas will help I allready have my colors.

jma1983

YES!  It's possible.  We did 175 on less than 10,000.  It takes a lot of leg work and a lot of DIY type projects...but it's very very possible.  My first suggestion would be to set your priorities.  Figure out what's most important...what can you absolutely not live with out or cut corners on?  And, then go through your budget and rank things from there to things that you might be able to cut out if push comes to shove.  I'd be happy to help with more if you need. 

BillieS12

Thanks that would be great. I have decide on a few things that I know I cant  go with out  like my flowers. Other than that I am at a loss. Can some one tell me what goes in to a formal wedding. My mom is lost as well on this one. That way I can decide on things thanks Would make budgetting so much easier.
I cant live with out flowers, a great photogaraher(sp). I am really not wanting to give out favors if I can help it.

AubriB

I completely agree - Rank your priorities!!

I think that's something that everyone should do, budget conscious or not...

tb583

I see that you're wedding is on a Saturday night.  If you haven't booked your venue yet and you aren't dead set on having a Saturday wedding, you can probably save a lot by doing a Friday evening or Sunday wedding.

BillieS12

Thanks . However my dad cant get off for a friday wedding and sunday  because I want a evening wedding and every one would have to go to work the next day once again my dad gets up at 4 am to go to work so that would not work either.

mrs.dilligaf

Are you sure your dad can't take off?  I saved $10/pp by having it on a Friday.  For 100 people, that's $1000 right there.  Other vendors can sometimes give discounts for Friday as well. 

Welcome and congrats!!

clearheavens

You definitely can do it under $10k!  Super formal, maybe not.  But definitely elegant and timeless.

The easiest way you can accomplish this is to find an inexpensive caterer and an inexpensive venue.  Those two are easily 50%+ of any budget, no matter how big or small.  (The rest is just details, like the favors you mentioned.  Favors make up maaaaybe about 1-2% of any budget.)  So look into these two big ticket items first.

I also have a tiny budget because FI and I are still students.  But time was on our side.  We also started planning two years ahead, which was how we were able to lock in prices.  For example, booking out photographer in 2009 saved us $700 before her price increase in 2010.  Easy savings.

Also, prioritize yourself!  You mentioned you can't live without great photography and flowers.  Look into these early because if they're booked then you're out of luck.  Let us know if you need florist or photography recommendations!  I got a few myself.

BillieS12

I am going to talk to a Photographer in the next two weeks and she is a freind of FI and his family she did his dad and stepmoms wedding and is giveing us a 25% discount. But I do need advice on florists. Mabey some affordable venues.

clearheavens

Some help to give us would be how you envision your reception.  That way, we can give you advice on caterers or reception venues.

BillieS12

I know that I want it to be a indoor affair with a grand look almost princess like if that makes sense I  Iike finner stuff and we want to fit in the Dallas Cowboys that is why my colors are Navy blue and Slilver. I only like white roses If that helps.

glassslippergirl

It can be done! My sis in law just did hers for 7,ooo and it was beautiful. She had her wedding on a Thursday (yeah I know.,.wow right!) and she had a great turn out and saved on everything including their honeymoom by leaving that night for it.

If you need florist on a budget she used Oasis who had a package for 999.oo that included her, the bridesmaids (5) and the groomsmen and groom. If that is over your budget, perhaps make your own using silk and using ribbon to tie a handle. We watched u-tube video 'how toos' for silk floral bouquet for my friends wedding.

For Photography the studio we are using has some packages that start at 700 and we think they are amazing. We had such great engagment pics!
Studio3photographygallery.com

For favors we are using favorwarehouse.com and are doing a 'candy bar'. We are buying the bags and placing a monagram sticker on the bags and then the guests can choose their own treats to take home.

Goodluck! I wish we all had unlimited budgets!!

clearheavens

For florist, I recommend you tell them what your budget is, then ask them, "What can I get for that amount?"  Of course, they'll need to know how many people are in your wedding party, how you expect the place to be decorated, no. of boutonnieres and corsages, etc. There will be a a huge questionnaire.  But in general, I found that even when I presented them with my tiny budget, I wasn't turned away.  The only thing was that some gave me more for my money; others, less!

mrs.dilligaf

You can do flowers for a lot less than 1000.  I had that, centerpieces and altar flowers for around that.  A princess, hmmm.   So you're looking for some type of ballroom?  You can do the Cowboys with a grooms cake, or your colors.  What part of town are you looking at?

shaypb

Here's a great, informative article from The Knot:

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-budget/articles/cheap-wedding-in-cincinnati-ohio.aspx

Excellent suggestions. 

BillieS12

Any really I am not picky . I am looking at loveland and A few other placews that are outside of the city.

jma1983

Ok, our wedding what black and white with red accents.  And, our reception was hockey themed.  We made our ceremony venue look extremely elegant and it cost us next to nothing.  But, we did it all ourselves.  PP is right, Reception Venue and Food will be huge chunks of your budget.  And, Photog and Flowers are pricier pieces as well.  I used a photog that is a hobby photog.  He's been doing it for 15+ years.  He did an absolutely amazing job!  Since he's not doing it to make money as much as he is as a hobby, his prices are super reasonable.  He has all of the equipment a pro has.  He arrived at my ceremony site at 10:30am and took pics of the venue, dress, etc.  Then at 11:30 he did guys pics.  12:30 girls picks.  2:30 was the ceremony.  Then he did pics after and at the reception until 8:30 or 9.  He charged $550 for the entire day and that will include an album with 1 of every single print.  And he took 425 pictures.  Prints are dirt cheap to order as well.  An 11X14 is $25...$30 if you want a special effect.  I can give you his info if interested.  Also, if you don't mind about a buffet style dinner, I can highly recommend our caterer as well.  We had a 25 item salad bar, 4 entrees/meats, 2 veggies and a potato as well as tea, coffee and condiments for $7/person.  We provided our own dinnerware.  Several people asked for his number because the food was great.  So, let me know if you'd be interested in either of those options and I can get you the info. 

Don't stress.  You have plenty of time to shop for great deals!    Have fun with it!

clearheavens

jma1983, who was your photographer and caterer?  I'm interested!

clearheavens

BillieS12 , for reception halls, look into Fort Thomas Community Center, Anderson Community Center, Southgate Center, Fairfield Community Arts Center, etc.  These are relatively cheap and allow you to pick your caterer!

BillieS12

Those are good suggestions. I will need to check the distance for my family though mom does not want to make people drive to far worried about drunk drivers most will come from an hour or so away no matter where I have it.

onlymels

Go to krogers for your flowers I'm having 5 bouquets  5 boutonniers 3 corsages and 2 flower arrangemens made up for 150 bucks. Oh and 1 box of red rose petals.

BillieS12

 How to do center pices because I want them as flowers too.

clearheavens

BillieS12, whoa, slow down!  You got time on your side.  Just pick on one area at a time and work on that.  No need to know all the florists, all photographers, and all reception halls in one day.

For your question on classes on flowers, check out The Flowerman.  They teach you a lot.  Their website is http://www.thankyouflowerman.com/classes/index.html

jma1983

clearheavens~

My photographer was Alan Wolfe "Portraits Plus" 937-884-7130  niteal at juno dot com

My caterer was Davidson's Catering 937-379-1791

clearheavens

jma1983, thanks!

BillieS12

I know I have time but I dont really. This is becsue I am only really planning during my breaks from school. I only ask the questions I do so I can start to put things together and find places and vendors. I already have my photographer so I dont need those refernces. but any other vendors such as venues would be fine thanks.

Mrs.Bedwell

For flowers, I went with the Flowerman. I am getting 7 bouquets, 2 corsages, 8 boutineers, and centerpiece flowers (60 stems of white snapdragons) for $403. I'm doing the DIY one where you go in 2 days before the wedding and make them all and they store them there, then someone picks them up the day of. This is saving me a ton of money.

Also, I am having a sunday wedding and I'm having it at The Elements in Sharonville where it comes with a coordinator (who will become your best friend, her name's Nidhi, seriously she's amazing) and she gets amazing discounts with a bunch of vendors, so with having it on Sunday and having Nidhi for discounts, I have saved about $8,000 and My budget is a little over $13,000 so that's pretty amazing to me.