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On a Budget need help

alishasuereynoldsalishasuereynolds member
First Comment
in Wedding Reception Forum
We live in the Perkasie Area of Pennsylvania. We are on a $10,000 budget. Our wedding isn't until June of 2014. I am trying to find ways to cut corners on anything, Flowers Photographer, videographer, even venue. We want an outside ceremony inside reception. We are going to the loft this weekend to look at it. It's $70-$105 per plate, we want to have an open bar and sit down style. We are trying to condense the guest list to 100. Any ideas would be great!
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Re: On a Budget need help

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    cbrown828cbrown828 member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    Try the Budget Weddings and DIY boards. Also, be open to things that maybe don't fit exactly into your "vision." By changing a few things that we realized weren't absolute "have to haves" (such as buffet rather than plated dinner), we are planning our entire wedding (70 guests) for $5,000.
    Daisypath Wedding tickers
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    alithebridealithebride member
    Name Dropper 5 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer

    here's some ideas:
    1) choose a non-popular time/day. have your reception on a thursday evening instead of a saturday night.
    2) change the month of your wedding. june is one of the priciest of the year.
    3) skip the videographer (unless vitally important)
    4) have an afternoon th ing iwth HDs, cake, open bar
    5) skip large pricey centerpieces and use small bouquets that you DIY the night before
    6) skip the pricey bridal shoes, bag, tiara, veil
    7) skip the grooms cake
    8) skip favors
    9) skip dj/emcee. use an ipod
    10) price out all food options: rsvp order, table side waiter order, buffet and HD.
    11) skip chair covers

     

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    PeavyPeavy member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    I don't think you need to look at that venue.  Even at the low end at $70 per plate, and 100 people, that's $7,000 before bar, tax and tip.  Just for the food.  Alithebride has some great suggestions, but the fastest way to lower the cost is to lower the guest list.  With your budget, you need to realize that it might not be possible to have a Saturday night dance party with open bar. 
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    mcda04mcda04 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_on-a-budget-need-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:eb402b56-ff03-418e-a5ea-a63517dc4dd8Post:0b748beb-3f90-4bf7-a7ec-0e685fa78cda">On a Budget need help</a>:
    [QUOTE]We live in the Perkasie Area of Pennsylvania. We are on a $10,000 budget. Our wedding isn't until June of 2014. I am trying to find ways to cut corners on anything, Flowers Photographer, videographer, even venue. We want an outside ceremony inside reception. We are going to the loft this weekend to look at it. It's $70-$105 per plate, we want to have an open bar and sit down style. We are trying to condense the guest list to 100. Any ideas would be great!
    Posted by alishasuereynolds[/QUOTE]

    Don't consider this venue. For an open bar, you're looking more towards $105 / plate. That's already $500 over your budget for the venue alone and not including gratituity. The normal gratituity is 20% which puts you at $12,600. Even if you're able to get open bar for a few hours at $70/plate, you're running really close to your budget.

    If you really love the venue, either reduce your guest list, have a brunch reception, or consider a wedding on a Friday or Sunday.
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    BoigleBoigle
    First Comment
    There are lots of great suggestions around DIY and Budget Wedding board, but one thing I like to tell people planning weddings is that they should look for things that could be useful in the future, or even for resell. If you are willing to deal with the hassle and work, buying instead of renting is often a good idea because you can get prices almost or even cheaper than renting, and if you want, you can resell making the value even better! Or, if it is something that will garner sentimental value, then you can keep it! So keep that in mind when shopping for linens, tablecloths and table ware, and other accessories.
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    MuppetOverlordMuppetOverlord member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    McDa04's comment about gratuity is important, but add tax on that (roughly 9% where I live)!

    This venue is entirely unreasonable for your budget.

    imageimageimage

    You'll never be subject to a cash bar, gap, potluck wedding, or b-list if you marry a Muppet Overlord.
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    duffnerashleyoccduffnerashleyocc
    First Comment
    At 70100 dollars per plate you could blow your whole budget on just the reception. I would recommend only spending no more then half your total budget on your reception venue. My limit is 11,000. I found a cheaper venue have enough money to splurge on a photo booth candy buffet. You could do a nicer bouquet for yourself maybe a cheaper one fot the bridesmaids. If you plan your ceremony reception back to back you won't need a photographer a full day
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    alishasuereynoldsalishasuereynolds member
    First Comment
    edited March 2013
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_on-a-budget-need-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:eb402b56-ff03-418e-a5ea-a63517dc4dd8Post:6fe93954-d20a-4839-94ef-4c187275888c">Re: On a Budget need help</a>:
    [QUOTE]Try the Budget Weddings and DIY boards. Also, be open to things that maybe don't fit exactly into your "vision." By changing a few things that we realized weren't absolute "have to haves" (such as buffet rather than plated dinner), we are planning our entire wedding (70 guests) for $5,000.
    Posted by cbrown828[/QUOTE]

    <div>Thanks for the help!</div>
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    alishasuereynoldsalishasuereynolds member
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_on-a-budget-need-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:eb402b56-ff03-418e-a5ea-a63517dc4dd8Post:886b6189-5144-497c-9de9-bd5b31379830">Re: On a Budget need help</a>:
    [QUOTE]here's some ideas: 1) choose a non-popular time/day. have your reception on a thursday evening instead of a saturday night. 2) change the month of your wedding. june is one of the priciest of the year. 3) skip the videographer (unless vitally important) 4) have an afternoon th ing iwth HDs, cake, open bar 5) skip large pricey centerpieces and use small bouquets that you DIY the night before 6) skip the pricey bridal shoes, bag, tiara, veil 7) skip the grooms cake 8) skip favors 9) skip dj/emcee. use an ipod 10) price out all food options: rsvp order, table side waiter order, buffet and HD. 11) skip chair covers
    Posted by alithebride[/QUOTE]

    <div>Thanks for all the ideas. We decided on a Saturday Afternoon affair which brought down our venue price by 20%.</div>
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    alishasuereynoldsalishasuereynolds member
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_on-a-budget-need-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:eb402b56-ff03-418e-a5ea-a63517dc4dd8Post:c4f4ca97-d642-4efa-9481-2787d1d729fc">Re: On a Budget need help</a>:
    [QUOTE]I don't think you need to look at that venue.  Even at the low end at $70 per plate, and 100 people, that's $7,000 before bar, tax and tip.  Just for the food.  Alithebride has some great suggestions, but the fastest way to lower the cost is to lower the guest list.  With your budget, you need to realize that it might not be possible to have a Saturday night dance party with open bar. 
    Posted by Peavy[/QUOTE]

    <div>
    </div><div>Thanks! We actually decided on a Saturday afternoon wedding, 100 guests, open bar, sit down, venue and ceremony at the same location. Outside Ceremony inside reception. They include all taxes and gratuities, center pieces butlered apps, wedding cake etc. and we are paying about $82 pp. My budget was $10,000 we are looking at about $9,200 total when all is said and done.</div>
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    alishasuereynoldsalishasuereynolds member
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_on-a-budget-need-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:eb402b56-ff03-418e-a5ea-a63517dc4dd8Post:0ea83ac5-dcb8-457a-8290-e4e098720a86">Re: On a Budget need help</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to On a Budget need help : Don't consider this venue. For an open bar, you're looking more towards $105 / plate. That's already $500 over your budget for the venue alone and not including gratituity. The normal gratituity is 20% which puts you at $12,600. Even if you're able to get open bar for a few hours at $70/plate, you're running really close to your budget. If you really love the venue, either reduce your guest list, have a brunch reception, or consider a wedding on a Friday or Sunday.
    Posted by mcda04[/QUOTE]

    <div>We actually found a place that includes the following:</div><div>
    </div><div>5 hour premium open bar</div><div>outdoor ceremony</div><div>indoor reception</div><div>cocktail hour with butlered apps</div><div>wedding cake</div><div>2 rounds of golf</div><div>rehearsal dinner</div><div>menu tasting</div><div>floral centerpieces</div><div>3 courses</div><div>champagne toast</div><div>pasta bar</div><div>
    </div><div>For all of this we come in under budget by $800 when all is said and done with $82 pp.</div>
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