Whats your budget?

Re: Whats your budget?

• lauly06 member

  

  October 2009 edited December 2011

  We are also paying for our wedding ourselves. We did not really set a budget we just made a list of everything that was really important for each of us and focused most of our funds on those certain things. For me it was photography. For FI it was music and food! So instead of spending a lot of money on some things that we cared less about, like flowers, we splurged and got a band! Instead of an open bar all night, we bought extra hours from our photographer and an engagement session. This is how we are going about planning our wedding. I would say that our entire wedding is going to cost us somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 dollars. I have heard of people having 3,000 dollar weddings or much less. It is just up to you and your FI how to spend your budget and where that money should go. GL!

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• YogisBooBoo member

  

  October 2009 edited December 2011

  My budget is around $15,000. When I first started it was at $20,000 with all of my estimates before I actually started comparing prices and figuring out where we wanted to splurge. For me photography and the location were very very important. Thats were the most of the $$$ is going, but my parents told me that I could have it where ever I wanted and they would make it work. But I have cut corners in some areas. Music is important to me but I lucked out and found a great DJ at a great price. I have the silver branches for the centerpieces and I'm renting the big Eiffel tower vases from my florist (and I don't have to set it up!!!) I decided to not worry about the chairs, I'll just use the conference chairs that the History Center has. Plus it'll be dark so you won't really be able to tell. I'm making my invitations myself for over less than half of what it would cost to get them made. My save the dates and rsvp cards are coming from VistaPrint and their glorious sales will cut the cost down even more. Our thank you cards will be postcards as well. I'm making the programs for dirt cheap but they'll look great! I'm making my gifts for the girls,minus the bags...I don't sew so...We are having catering, but only finger food stuff. Alcohol is questionable...if we do it, it'll be for toasting only. For flowers, the only ones we'll have are the bouquets, bouts, corsages, the arbor of flowers we'll stand in front of that will be over the sand ceremony set. No extra flowers since I really don't see a need for flower decorations since the backdrop for the ceremony and reception is beautiful and I don't want to take away from it.There's probably some other stuff that I'm forgetting and may remember later and if I do, I'll post that stuff...and this reminds me, I need to go update my budget spreadsheet...haha

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• Steven&Jamie

  

  October 2009 edited December 2011

  It really just depends on what you can afford.  Some people spend $3,000 others spend $30,000 so don't get discouraged if you think you'll have to fork over a ton of $$!For us, we spent about $6,500 for everything....location, invites, cake, dress, shoes, jewelry, hair, etc, etc.I DIY'd a lot of things (invitations, card box, etc.) and just really cut back in other areas.  For instance, our cake wasn't super extravagant, the guys (at DH's request) didn't wear tuxes, my dress was on sale, I searched for a photographer until I finally found one in our budget, we didn't use a florist (we ordered flowers from Sam's and a friend arranged them), no limo, no DJ (we just had a friend emcee and used CDs during the reception), and no catering or alcohol (our wedding was at 1:00).I would suggest coming up with an amount you and your FI are both comfortable with spending, then decide what things you're willing to cut back on and what things you're not willing to.  Also, shop around.  Get as many quotes as you can when looking for vendors and services.

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• lizziemoopsc

  

  October 2009 edited December 2011

  Our budget is $5000, preferably less! However, this includes the chapel, attire, rings, and reception at the Melting Pot. We wanted to do something different and so are having a sit down dinner instead of a more party reception. So, it doesn't include dj, caterers, reception venue, limos (we're taking a vintage porsche :-P) and basically most of the stuff that you would think of at a traditional wedding reception. Also, we are only having 50 guests. HTH!

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• lizardrach812 member

  

  October 2009 edited December 2011

  my budget is around 15,000. i didn't want to try on a ton of dresses, i knew exactly what i wanted and am having moe at the bridal showroom make it. bridesmaids are buying their own dresses, but we are paying for hair and makeup. i hired a band rather than a dj. no limo. i picked flowers that are in season and relatively inexpensive. i ordered invitations while they were on sale for 25% off. splurged a little on cake so i could have personalized toppers, but stephen's grooms cake is actually a choc chip cookie. we paid about 40 bucks for his cookie cake. we are having catering and providing beer and wine for our guests. probably will be a champagne toast, but don't know for sure yet. favors are going to be candy in small boxes from mason's in norman.

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