North Carolina

Just Engaged on a Budget- Advice Welcome!

I really hope this doesn't double post- I just wrote it up but something glitched- sorry if it's a double.
Basically ring is now on the finger and I'm just starting to stress about how on earth to pull all this off! Noone in my family has had a "real" wedding before so I'm relying entirely on message boards and books for how to get things done.
Budget is currently set at $6000 (including honeymoon). Maybe the family will end up helping us out a bit financially, so we will see about that. Everything is just so darn expensive!
 I'm open to crafts for everything- already looking at some for the announcements.
Date is set to Halloween 2013- costume wedding. Any ideas for fun things to do at a Halloween wedding? Contemplating Nightmare Before Christmas/ Corpse Bride theme (epsecially for the cake)
Dream location would be the Sleepy Hollow Inn- but just for basic venue they are asking $2000 and for an all inclusive package its $8000 ($10,000 if you want rooms).
Dream honeymoon would be to Ireland- but I may just have to come off of my little dream cloud on that one. Thoughts on Disney World?
I'm looking at dresses and stuff on etsy and ebay.
Any advice/suggestions/help/etc would be very much appreciated. Also if you have any wedding stuff that's just going to be boxed up or thrown away when you're finished, please consider donating it to me- I'd be willing to pay a reasonable sum and come pick things up.

Re: Just Engaged on a Budget- Advice Welcome!

  • edited October 2012
    First off, Congratulations!!  A Halloween theme wedding sounds fun!  :-) 

    Being a budget minded bride, I know that you can have a lovely wedding and do it on a budget. I am proud to say that I have done the same thing, we are getting married this Saturday! My advice for getting the job done. Research everything, and I do mean everything, I can't stress this enough. Cutting costs doesn't mean going for cheap, it just means you have to put in a little extra time and compare shop for the best within your budget. 
    I made a lot of online purchases and I'll tell you, Ebay was my friend...again, you have to really research what's available and be patient. I purchased everything from my gown (be careful and KNOW what you are buying), to my crystal toasting glasses, to my wedding shoes, to my ring pillow and a lot more. Not one of my finds had been used, everything was new, in style, and lovely! I started my search a year ago. 

    David's Bridal Outlet is great.  I measured my girls and ordered the Bridesmaid's dresses online and they arrived perfectly, and David's Bridal will do all the alterations and pressing (for a fee) just as if you bought them in house.

    DIY thinking has saved me a lot of money. The thing to remember about DIY anything, is making sure the materials involved aren't going to end up costing you more in the end. Again, it goes back to being patient and doing your homework. 
    I made my own wine bottle centerpieces using bottles from Duplin Winery (they allow you to go and pick up empty bottles for free) and some beautiful fall flowers that I got from the dollar store which looked better than the ones at Michaels. My FSIL thought I had them made. 

    Vistaprint is a great resource for nice invitations on a budget. I received so many compliments on the invitations. 

    Good luck on your planning. I hope you find a lot of good ideas!
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • Hello First off.......congrats; I also just just got engaged 2 months ago and am also on a budget. Maybe i can help you if you help me. I have 12 different magazines that are new that you can have! Email me: Cathy
  • Remember that you don't need to do all the stuff that you see ads for. You don't need favors, or special toasting glasses, or even a special cake set (or any number of other things!). The folks on the DIY board and the Budget Wedding board are very helpful -- scroll through pages of threads and you can learn a lot without even asking a question. Remember, all you need is you, your fiance, an officiant, and a marriage license. Everything else is gravy.

    Congratulations and good luck!

  • STOP what you are doing and go shopping RIGHT NOW!! Start brainstorming more about what you could use and go buy all the generic halloween or spooky stuff on sale right now!! I know you don't know your exact theme, but the more generic stuff would be good.

    How many guests are you inviting? That cuts the most costs because every single thing you do from food, drinks, invitations, to decorations for the number of tables.

    You could rent a large bed and breakfast for the weekend (depending on # of guests). I'm sure there's some fun couple running a B & B that would love to decorate the whole plan for a theme wedding.

    Look for groupons for vista print as well!
  • I am a photographer in Charlotte. I travel and my prices are very reasonable. Most of the time lower than photographers that are closer to you. Check out my Facebook page to see my work. The link to my website is there as well. Email/message me for pricing : bsmithphoto10aol.com www.facebook.com/bsmithphotographync
  • Keep an eye on Craig's List and maybe even put a "want ad" on there for Halloween decoratons... or things that you could add cob webs or black paint to and have it look spooky. 

    It's not going to help you out financially immediately, but keep in mind that you can sell your decorations afterwards.

    You might look on Etsy, etc. to find clipart files that you use to create invites, etc. Keep in mind that your fav designer might not have Halloween themed items in their shop right now, so ask!
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