Intro/Budget wedding Ideas

amberps8821

Hello,

I have just started even contemplating this whole wedding thing, after we got engaged last year in the most perfect amazing way.

At any rate, a little bit about me.  I was married for 15years (all we had was a courthouse ceremony).  My fiance was married for 8 years, they had a small wedding with a really bad photographer  We have 6 children between us. 

I am back in school for my nursing degree and he is in the Navy.  Basically this means our budget is miniscule!! LOL  

We have recently relocated to WA state, and ideally want a very small ceremony on a beautiful beach.  We don't know many people anyway in this area

I am interested in ANY AND ALL ideas on how to do this on a budget.  Really, it will just be a few very close friends and our children and a few family members.  No more than 20 people total. 

I don't even know where to start.  I am just LOST with all of this stuff.  I want it to be special and intimate, but I really don't know how it all works!!

TIA!

Amber

Sue-n-Kevin

Welcome Amber! It sounds like you have your hands full with life issues in addition to planning a wedding. THIS board is great to help with that.

Did you have a specific season or month/year in mind? It helps to give advice if we know how much time you have to get it together.

Your local board is great for the "locality" stuff. Also, see the post a bit down about Budget wedding, great advice there.

If you are handy, check out the DIY board for inspiration/ideas. But remember, for a reception/ceremony that size, you will need very little "fluff" as we call it, because it will probably be more personal and less about putting on a huge party.

For catering purposes, I myself found that many great gourmet stores have catering departments, and their prices are more reasonable than vendors that just cater. In other words, they are ordering and marketing these great foods anyway, so they can cut a few corners and have great contracts with other vendors like tent/linen/tableware suppliers. Many also have chefs and bakeries for cakes. We went with one local gourmet store, and all our linens, tent, dancefloor, a chef onsite, 3 people to set food, clear, set up & clean up, 3 courses including 2 main entrees, a cake, and a sundae bar came out to $43 per person. For us, that was a reasonable price, not sure what you are looking at. I'd go out on a limb and say a stylish area like Seattle (or other areas in WA state) have similar such stores.

Welcome, and good luck planning!

amberps8821

Hi Sue,

We are thinking about this coming August.  It will literally be just children and a few of our closest friends/family members.   I think in all likelihood, NEXT August would probably work, but we'll see!

I've thought about renting a house on a beach or something, but the thought of being there for more than 8 hours with my dad and  his limited patience with children just doesn't give me warm fuzzies.  

I myself have only been to 2 weddings in my entire life... crazy I guess!  So, I feel like I'm doing this completely blind. 

Thanks again,

Amber

thealphabride

Hi Amber, Congrats and welcome to the board!

If the party is going to be small, you could marry on the beach and have lunch or dinner at a local restaruant with a pre determined menu.

Some restaurants have beach access so you may be able to work with them on the wedding and reception.

OR you could have the wedding and have just cake and champaigne afterwards.

Not knowing anything about your area that is all I can come up with right now. We live in the totally land locked midwest near a big city..Chicago....

Best Wishes Amber!

ichellemay1

Congrats and welcome!  Check out the Budget Wedding board - we are on a pretty tight budget, too (although who's not these days?) and I have found some good ideas there.

MikesAngie

Are you on the Olympic Pennisula?  If so there is a minister in Port Hadlock that owns the Valley Tavern his name is Chuck, he is realitively inexpensive for preforming weddings outside of his Tavern.  There are some lovely beaches on Marestone island and in Port Townsend. 

Also if you get permission form the La Push Indian elders you can get married on one of their more private beaces.  They also have cabins that they rent that are not horribly expensive.

It just depends on where you are at and how far you want to travel.  I lived in WA for 12 years and know a bit about some of the areas.

Congratulations and welcome to the board!!

[Deleted User]

As you have just recently located to Washington, I, who grew up on the Pacific coast, will try to talk you out of getting married on the beach.  One of the things I miss about living on the west coast is the beautiful coastline so I understand why you would want to get married there, but the weather on the northern Pacific coast is totally unpredictable.  Even in August you and your guests could very well be wearing fur-lined parkas for your wedding.  If you could find some lovely location overlooking the ocean -perfect - but actually outside on the beach frankly I'm shivering just thinking about it, but now is the time to let your imagination wander, get in touch with your inner bride, bounce ideas off of the other brides  here and then begin your own planning.  We're all here to help.  I was married in December, and I found the planning to be fun as long as you eliminate a lot of the silly fluff and it sounds like you're headed in that direction already.  Good luck, welcome and enjoy the planning - it's really fun.

amberps8821

Thank You... the beaches there sound gorgeous, but I think it's kind of a hike for us.  That might not be a big deal though

I appreciate all the input!  The weather definitely IS the biggest thing I worry about.  I HATE the weather here, and that is putting it mildly.  We got engaged in Key West, FL when we lived there.  I sooooo wish we could afford a wedding AND all the $$ for airfare for all of us to get married there!

sandyraden

Hello,

I am looking for some ideas, locations or ideas for remarrying my ex husband.  I live in Michigan and could travel for the wedding, although do not want to have a full blown large marriage.  Maybe just the two of us, or maybe us and some family members and possibly come close friends.

I do not want to do the "Justice of the Peace" idea.  Looking for something romantic.

I would love your ideas.