I need some help

Mandee89

My wedding isnt until May 2014 (thank god I need time) but I am trying to figure out a good reception place and alot of people want like 8 grand to host my reception, that is like more then half of my budget. I am on a budget of 12 grand and that has to include my honeymoon as well.

I am more then willing to do DIY projects and actually work for this wedding. I was thinking maybe if I could find an industrial building I would do that and find a nice backdropping for it, and then arrange everthing else....

I have also thought about finding a VERY good wedding planner but I dont know anyone and I just dont wanna call random ones....Has anyone used a wedding planner or recommend one? 

Thanks in advance

Mandee

mpickl

How much would you ideally like to spend on a reception? My reception is definitely going to be more than half of my budget, so I don't necessarily feel that is a bad thing... Also, what city are you thinking, and for how many people?

Regarding a wedding planner, how much are you looking to spend there? A "VERY good" planning is going to be VERY pricey. 

Meegles4

I agree that the reception is going to be about half your budget, give or take. That's the most expensive part because you're feeding people and it goes up or down based on your head count. So, my easiest suggestion would be to cut your guest list because that will help the cost drop quickly.

I'd also say that given your budget, a wedding planner might not be an expense you should take on. I had one and loved her, but if it was a wedding planner or something else (like photography or DJ), I'd probably spend the money in another place.

Sue-n-Kevin

A lot depends on the size of your guest list, the area you are looking in, and what you prioritize for your wedding.

The answers to the questions from mpickl above are important to help us help you. If you have found a venue that costs you $8000 for everything including food & alcohol and you have a $12,000 budget including your HM, then that seems about right. You don't say if you already have your dress, have booked other vendors, etc.

About 80% of my budget went to the reception, but I had bargains for photographer (a former Knottie's hubby), DJ/officiant/bartender (one vendor did it all with a veteran discount for my hubby), bought a sample dress for my reception and made my ceremony dress, and I did a TON of DIY stuff. If you are doing a lot of DIY stuff for the reception, you may consider hiring a "day of wedding" coordinator who is less costly than a full-fledged wedding planner, and they can do set up and clean up on your wedding day. That's what we did. They run $350-$700 depending on who you secure.

How you allocate your budget also depends on your priorities. I am a big foodie, and the food and venue were the most important things to us. We used an historic village in Livonia that had a max capacity of 100, which fit our wedding size. This venue required us to bring in our own caterer and alcohol, as well as linens, plates, glasses, utensils. If the $8000 you have is for an all inclusive venue with all of that supplied, and it's 66.6% of your $12K budget, as I said, that's pretty good. But, if you want a $4000 dress, or a photographer who is $2000, or a live band, or a florist who charges $2000 because those things are important to your vision for your wedding, then you have to re-look at everything and make decisions on what to scrimp on or cut.

Are you and your fiance paying for everything? If not, and other family members are helping out financially, then theoretically they get a "say" in your guest list and how the wedding is arranged. Some family members provide financial assistance with no strings attached, others believe they get a lot of input because the money talks.

Farther down below there is a thread I posted regarding venues that was a blog by a former bride. Many of the entities she named in there are somewhat blank canvases. However, it's been my experience that those "blank canvases" charge a pretty penny for their rentals because the buildings are vacant for a reason (they can't rent or sell them), so the owners are trying to obtain some cash. Historic venues are even more pricey, as are the "non-traditional" ones.

Good luck. Let us know more, and read the threads at the top of this board with the stick pins for other ideas from brides, if you haven't already.

schweetiec

I agree that depending on your guest list size your budget sounds reasonable.
I think that this is the shock most brides have when first planning a wedding.
"OMG the whole budget goes to the venue and food?!" I think its pretty average to have the reception cost about 50-100 dollars per person (including tax and gratuity)


After I came to terms with that, I figured out ways to discount the rest of my wedding (not wanting to give up on head  count). I bought a dress online (its gorgeous and 200 dollars), My friend who is a DJ offered his services, Im doing my own flowers from Cost Co, and a bakery I have been a regular at for years is doing my dessert /cake table for minimal cost.

There are so many ways to cut corners, and Sue is a great resource!!! You can search back posts to see what other brides did as well.

KBLDC2012

I would also say that your budget probably won't be able to include a full wedding planner but you could look into hiring a Day of Coordinator (DOC) and they offer some of the same service pre-wedding as well in terms of recommendations and such. Plus its so much cheaper. I would also recommend it just bc you are doing a lot of DIY so you will prob need help with the set up and making sure everything comes together the day of without YOU having to stress about it. I used and loved Shelly from Simplicity DOC.

drandreasalazar

Take a look at Arnaldos banquet. I think their prices were great and their pictures looked good. My fiancé and I went to so many country clubs only to find rusted dirty places. I really wanted Arnaldos but they didn't have my date and my fiancé wouldn't let me change the date with the church. He likes simple