Wedding Budgets

CarissaW79

So, if it's not too personal to ask, what is everyone's wedding budget? What is eating up the most of your budget?

What is the cost of your venue / catering?
Photographer?


Do you have a wedding coordinator/planner?


Bill and I are trying to keep things under 10K - we don't have anything booked yet, so no set prices yet.

Nifftiffniffer

I'm aiming for 10K.  The only prices we have set is our ceremony/reception site which is $1500, but that doesn't include chairs, tables, linens, or food.  Our catering should be around 3K (that's the biggest chunk). Everything else is TBD.  Looking at my Knot budget for that, it's going to be tough.  I have not found ANY dress I like for their budget.  Cakes and photography all seem pretty pricey, too.  I am avoiding a planner, but I have lots of great friends and I don't work a crazy job.  Good lucK!

brownhenry

We are trying to go with 10k also. 

 

Our ceremony and reception venue is like 1400 with tables and chairs. We are able to rent out plates and flatware through the caterer and altogether the caterer is going to be about 3000.

I am working on getting a DOC because when something goes wrong I don't want to be the one dealing with it. 

One way we really cut the cost is by cutting out guest list. I did have almost 170 I've cut it down to 120. 

Good luck! Hope your able to stay on budget!

mommachev

My dad gave me a spending limit of 3 thousand...and I hope to stay within that.  I know that my sister spent about that with her's so I think with the help of my mom I can...my mom helped plan my sisters.  Nick and I don't have anything booked yet.  Only thing that is taken care of is that I'm wearing my mom's wedding dress she just needs to make some changes to it, she made the dress for herself when she got married.

~mRm~

Food/beverage/venue was our largest budgeted amount followed by photography/videgraphy and then decor. I found it helpful to do a lot of research on vendors and their packages, comparing quality, product and price. I didn't hire a DOC, I simply put a large binder together with all vendor information and contracts. I also did a ton of DIY.

I think if you start early and do your research, you will be able to stick to any budget you set. Best of luck!!!!

RogueQueen

Most our wedding budget is being eaten up by the cost of our venue which is providing the space for ceremony and reception, food, beverage, tables, chairs, linens, some decor, hotel rooms for ourselves and blocks of rooms fo the guests, etc.

The next biggest cost is the cost of photography followed by the cost of flowers.

If you are looking for good budget ideas i recommend looking into a date besides saturdays. Or if you have to have it on a saturday consider doing an early lunch or brunch reception or do it way late into the evening and do a dessert reception.

We are saving tons of money on our venue, photographer, dj and hotel rooms by having our wedding on a friday. Not only that but because lots of wedding aren't booked on fridays and sundays we really had our pick of vendors, zero scheduling conflicts.

I did hire a planner for day of coordination. I knew (being honest about my personality) that i would not be able to relax and enjoy the day unless i knew someone was taking care of everything and making sure things ran smoothly.  Also if you are looking at a planner remember that it is possible for them to help get you deals with a lot of vendors which can actually end up saving you money and saving stress (my planner helped me with deals even though i only hired her for day of coordination)

And remember this one piece of advice if you really really really want to same some money:
   Smaller guest list= more money to go around

CarissaW79

Thanks Girls for sharing, I enjoy reading about everyone else's planning!

jamie1103

Our budget is about $6,000.  Majority of our budget is spent on the location.  Our ceremony and reception is going to be at the same place.  Our guest list is about 90 people.  We negotiated our package for the reception.  We are also doing a buffet which has helped cut costs.  I know some people are against buffets, but we are buffet people and we love to eat, so it's totally us.

I did a lot of research on photographers on Craigslist and found a great deal.  I would suggest looking there. 

We are also trying to use friends or people we know as our vendors.  We would rather see the money go to someone we know than some random person. 

We are not having a DOC since my background is event planning. 

We are also doing a lot on our own.  Making our favors, made our STD, growing the flowers, decorations are coming from family since it's fall and we live on a farm. 

Good luck!!

aclaypotch

Our wedding budget is around 10-11k, hopefully less.  We were really hoping for a smaller wedding but our parents had different ideas about our guest list, oh well.

We are spending about 1500 on the reception location and catering/drink costs will be the biggest expense, although I continue to be shocked by how much photographers and everything else cost!  I am not hiring a planner, I am hoping to do as much stuff myself as possible, although I may regret this later

Good Luck with everything!

CarissaW79

So, Bill vetoed a planner, he thinks it is dumb to have someone. I still think someone to help out on the day of would be nice, so I am going to meet with someone next Thursday and talk things over!

MrsJPalamar

Budget is 3.5k
Guests 30

Reception /Lunch is costing us about 1300
Dress $500
Photographer $950
2nd Photo Free - Firend getting into weddings
Flowers $400

No Cordinator

sjquesenberry

My budget is like 4000
and my guest list is 150

To save money we are having our reception at a firehall ~ $250
Found a great photographer who was just getting started ~ 500
DJ on craigslist under events  ~ $500 all day
Flowers ordered from your local Vo-Tech School ~$150

We are doing most everything ourselves.  I did our std, invites, will do our programs.  Used ebay and etsy for anything I could (bubbles, flower petals)  and try to use the trash to teasure board for things you maybe able to use

We are going to have simple food, more like a pinic style that we can do ourselves and with help of family. 
Sandwhiches, pasta salads, potatoe salad, chips, pretzels, dips, veggies

Since it is at a firehall we can provide our own drinks, so we are getting kegs and wine maybe a couple of other bottles since I don't drink beer but not to sure on that one. 

aras8609

Where are you guys having your receptions for $1500 or less?  Everywhere I've looked so far has minimums of $6000 or something wayy out of budget. I would like to have it somewhere nice in the country, which I feel shouldn't be too difficult in Central PA, but still.. I'm having a rough time figuring out where to have a nice reception for only about 90 people where it would be under $6000...

lovebugjr84

Ours is $10K.

The venue is 1,800 (for ceremony and reception), caterer is 4,000 for 100 people and includes cake, linens, centerpieces, bar tender, drinks, day of coordinator, and clean-up. These are definetly the largest piece eating at our budget. Unfortunately we fell in love with the theater and as such have to pay the $1,800 to rent the stage.
Photographer is $800, videographer is $650, officiate is $350, DJ is $600 for ceremony and reception and everything else we are doing our selves (table numbers, flowers, decorations, place cards, favors, invitations).

Good luck and happy planning!

AaronAndNikki

Our budget was about 12K but is probably exceeding that now.  My father is paying so if he wants to add guests, that's up to him since its his money.  Originally I was set to be under, but he's added about 20 people so he shot the budget!

Our venue is $83pp which includes the room, cake, centerpieces (up to a certain $ amount), open bar, food, linens, tables/chairs, place settings, maitre 'd service, suite for bride and groom that night, 5 complimentary rooms for whoever we choose, etc.  Our guest list is about 135 at this point so we're looking at just over 11K on the venue.

Our ceremony is free essentially, except for a donation to the church.

The flowers will be $400 (includes all bouquets, boutonnieres, church flowers, and extra decor).

The photographer is $1300 (2 photographers, all day coverage, included engagement photos, includes copyrights, album, slideshow at the wedding, slideshow of the wedding photos, tons of prints, and photo thank you cards).

Limo is $600.

DJ is $800.

Dress and whole attire worked out to be $800 total (thank you David's Bridal!).

Favors (we have two) cost a total of $250.

We are making our own programs, table numbers, and escort cards so budget about $200 for paper (probably an over estimation but still.)

Invitations cost almost $300.

I don't think I left out anything (except tuxes and gifts)...  That gives a total of 15-16K.  Hopefully it doesn't go up more than that!