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EXPENSIVE TASTE ON A BUDGET

lulacat504lulacat504 member
First Comment
in Louisiana-New Orleans

I'M TRYING TO PLAN MY WEDDING ON A BUDGET BUT I HAVE EXPENSIVE TASTE.
HOW DO I DECIDE WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR MY WEDDING AND WHAT IS NOT?
HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF LIGHT IN A BOX.COM, THEY HAVE REALLY NICE GOWNS BUT I'M UNSURE IF PURCHASING MY DRESS ONLINE IS A GOOD WAY TO GO. I WANT MY WEDDING AND RECEPTION AT ONE VENUE BUT, CAN'T DECIDE WHETHER TO GO WITH A HALL I'LL HAVE TO DECORATE WITH MY OWN TASTE OR CHOOSE A VENUE THAT PROVIDES MAJORITY OF MY NECESSITIES.
SMALL TOWN BUDGET, CITY GIRL TASTE....CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE!!

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Re: EXPENSIVE TASTE ON A BUDGET

  • eamcardleeamcardle member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    For your wedding dress, you could try JCrew. They have some reasonable ($300 range) dresses and you can easily return them. You can also buy a bridesmaid dress in white/ivory. I've seen brides wear a Vera Wang bridesmaid dress and it looked amazing. As long as you can return the dress and you have a good tailor, ordering online isn't a bad idea.

    For reasonable venues in New Orleans, look for places that let you bring in your own catering and, ideally, alcohol. You can save a lot of money if you can buy your own alcohol. Try some of the public/government venues in NO, like Gallier Hall. The Federal Ballroom and the Benachi House were also pretty reasonable. Mother's also has a private room. I think you can get married outside in Audobon Park for a reasonable permit price, but I'm not sure.

    There's a book called "Bridal Bargains" that has a lot of good cost-saving ideas.

    My wedding was at Jesuit Church and the reception was at the Wax Museum, so I wasn't able to use most of these budget tricks. But I recommend both places if they are in your price range!
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  • maxgyrl00maxgyrl00 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011

    I got my dress at bestbridalprices.com in one of the mark down areas on their site.  I used their size chart and the dress I ordered needed no alterations.  I did change the dress from halter style to two straps.  What is your budget and how many guests are you having?

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  • Kate504Kate504 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Nicole miller and alfred angelo also as resonable priced bridal prices

    About the braidsmaid dress thing, here is an experience with that. I have read that before and told my sister about it. My sister tried the bridesmaid gown thing and the shop she went to said (Pearl's Place) vera did not do "that", so I don't know. So she went shopping without my mom and just a friend who said "it's your wedding do what you want" and got a hiddeous bridemaids dress and had it made into white (it was a strapless white lace cotton mellisa sweet dress) I'm sure it would have been ok for something on the beach or in another color, but thankfully they ordered the dress 2 sizes too big and had to order another one and we went to davids bridal and got something a little better.

    So in other words BUY WITH CARE if you do that.
    BFP #1 6/18/2012 // EDD 2/28/2013 // Birthdate 2/7/2013

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  • lulacat504lulacat504 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    MY BUDGET IS $7000 AND IM LOOKING AT ABOUT 250-300 GUEST.
    I LOVE ALFRED ANGELO, HIS BRIDAL GOWNS ARE BEAUTIFUL. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO CUT MY BUDGET IF I CAN.

    THANKS LADIES KEEP THE GOOD ADVICE COMING!!
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  • Kate504Kate504 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I've seen wedding dresses at second hand stores. Check everywhere ebay, newspaper, message boards......
    BFP #1 6/18/2012 // EDD 2/28/2013 // Birthdate 2/7/2013

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  • cm10/10cm10/10 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I've seen some new David's styles in magazines that are nice.  check them out.  They do their $99 sales a lot.
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  • lulacat504lulacat504 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A FEW GOOD CATERERS AND DECORATORS? AND ARE THERE ANY PLACES WHERE I CAN PURCHASE LARGE QUANTITIES OF LIQUOR FOR REASONABLE PRICES ONLINE OR IN NEW ORLEANS SURROUNDING AREAS?
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  • jenfordemjenfordem
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Prytania Liquors will deliver for your wedding and will take back anything that you don't use. Pretty good bargain.


    Also, to save on sales tax try buying your dress in another state. Say I am from DC but I am being wed in New Orleans. If I buy my dress in New Orleans I don't have to pay sales tax and I save the $150 it would cost to ship a dress down to NOLA.

    Finally, most designer sample sales offer 10% off dresses. Just stalk bridal stores and the designers you like to find out when these are happening.

    Good luck saving money!

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  • eamcardleeamcardle member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We used Pigeon Catering - worked with Leah. They are willing to work with your budget and get creative. Food is great and nothing (I know of) went wrong. We also looked at LaBellas catering in Kenner. 

    I don't have a liquor store to recommend, but I'm sure they will be less expensive than most caterers. I read a trick where you actually order kegs of beer but have them hidden behind a bar -- the caterers then serve tap beer in glasses. Saves a ton, especially if you have a lot of drinkers!

    If you are looking to save money, I would try to round up friend to be your decorators and use ideas from magazines!
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