Is my Budget realistic?

Re: Is my Budget realistic?

• GoBucksOH member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I would recommend cutting out the favors. They are unnecessary, especially with your tight budget.
  
  I dont see that you have budgeted for a photographer or videographer.
  
  Dont forget about dress alterations.
  
  There is also nothing up there mentioning your cake.
  
  You could also cut your guest list. That will be a big way to cut expenses.
  
  TBH, your budget is realllly tight. But its possible. You will just have to be very tight with expenditures and stick to basics.

  5.21.11
  

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• Gabriella101

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

   yes I forgot to put the cake and alterations up. Aghh!!! Why is everything so exspensive. I'm only planning on geting maried once and I want to/have to keep to a budget but at the same time I dont want to look back on my wedding that ive dreamed about since a little girl and wish I didnt cut out so many things. 

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• GoBucksOH member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Well you still have a year and a half of time to save up for it, so thats good. Maybe you can find a home baker to do a cake pretty cheap. And alot of times you can find photographers that are just starting out in the business and will give you a great deal.

  5.21.11
  

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• emmmbeee member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Congrats on your engagement and welcome to the board!  It sounds like you've already done a good amount of research on venues.
  
  Ditto PP.  I think a $6000 budget for 150 guests is doable but it's going to be really tight and probably won't work given the quote you've gotten from Receptions.  I started with a similar budget and # of guests and I've gone over budget.  You have to factor in these things too:
  
  - Groom suit/tux
  - Ceremony decorations
  - Invitation supplies (paper, ink, postage, etc)
  - Reception decorations besides centerpieces (chair sashes, escort cards, etc)
  - Rehearsal dinner (if you decide to do one)
  
  Have you looked into other venues (like community centers or park lodges) that allow you to bring in your own food and alcohol?  That can help drive down some costs.  Some recs I've seen on this board:
  
  http://www.hamiltoncountyparks.org/reservations/lodges.shtm
  http://parks.clermontcountyohio.gov/lodgepics.aspx
  http://www.southgateky.org.yew.arvixe.com/dnn/CommCenter.aspx
  http://www.ftthomas.org/Recreation/homepage.html
  
  

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• shaypb

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  This Knot article is filled w/ info on budget weddings - in fact I think they even mention your ceremony site.  She has some great suggestions.  Maybe some of them will work for you, especially since you have some time yet.
  http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-budget/articles/cheap-wedding-in-cincinnati-ohio.aspx

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• DanceM

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Congrats!  I agree with previous posts.  $6K will be really tight.  You might go over some.
  
  Don't forget about postage.  You'll need stamps for STD, invitations, thank you cards, and thank you cards for gifts from your shower (s).
  
  You'll also need to budget for a veil if you're wearing one.  The little things really add up.  You can do it if you're careful.  Good luck!

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• Erin Heyne member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  It's doable but I would look at a 'checklist' so your mental wheels will start spinning and you recognize the budget items. Yes, there are hidden cost involved with everything. However, you need to figure out what is important to YOU. For example, I did not do Save the Dates, this saved me probably $500 (I have 300 invites tho). Also, I found my cathedral length veil for $40 on etsy.com and LOVE it! I did my own invites, no videographer etc..

  
  

  There are ways to cut cost, just write out a list and decide what is important to you and leave the other items off.

  
  

  I will say that you may want to find a venue that will allow you to use your own caterer. This can save you BIG. You can hire a caterer for as low as $7 per person (buffet obviously). 

  
  

  The girls on here are EXTREMELY helpful. I learned so much by reading the blogs.

  
  

  
  

  You have plenty of time. Do your research and decide what matters to you. You can make it work!

  
  

  Good luck!

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• emmmbeee member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_ohio-cincinnati_budget-realistic?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:108Discussion:c4478534-8d5f-465a-aa90-597ff64a6a81Post:79735d70-7537-4062-9914-a19a230843ba">Re: Is my Budget realistic?</a>:
  [QUOTE]I will say that you may want to find a venue that will allow you to use your own caterer. This can save you BIG. You can hire a caterer for as low as $7 per person (buffet obviously). 
  Posted by Erin Heyne[/QUOTE]
  
  Ditto.  I have Pompilios catering my wedding and by using their a la carte menu my total for food is coming out around $5 a head (and that includes the cost for delivery and servers).  However, since I don't have an all-inclusive venue I have to factor in the cost for drinks, venue rental, linens, plates, cutlery, cups, etc.  My rough estimate is around $14 a person with all those additional costs and I could have done it even cheaper if I had gone with cheaper disposables and more affordable drink options.  

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• almiller78

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Ditto the ladies that said your budget is do-able but tight.  If you check out the weddingchannel site (same owner as theknot, so you can use the same login) you can create a budget in there.  It's helpful to remind you of all the hidden expenses, like postage and veils...etc.  Basically, you tell them your budget and they tell you how much you have to spend on each line item.  From there, you may find that you can't really get a cake in the budget they have recommended, so you mayl have to cut other lines to make up for the loss or increase your budget.  It was helpful to me when we were trying to figure out what a realistic budget was.  I think originally it only gave us $100 or so for cake and that helped us see how green we were to what things cost!

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• mrs.dilligaf

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Honestly, I think you may be lowballing it here.  Finding a dress for under $200 will be hard unless you go used (or get a bridesmaid dress), and alterations can run that much sometimes.  The biggest issues I see is the hall.  Does that include tax and fees?  That can run up to 20% of the stated price. 

  
  

  There are a lot of budget options.  Do Kroger for flowers, or do fake.  Michaels runs a ton of sales on invites, and they  have some really pretty ones (sign up for coupons!).  You also don't have an officiant, if I'm reading right.  That is easily $100, more like a few hundred.  The extras add up fast- hit Hobby Lobby during their 50% off sales in wedding.  It seems to be once a month. 
  
  And I don't like to be a downer, but what about a rain plan?  An outdoor wedding can be beautiful, but it can also be a big stress.  Again, not trying to be a downer, but there are lots of things to think about here.  Good luck with your planning.  The girls here are fantastic!!

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• hccpsu member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I think it will be tough to do it on that budget for 150 people.  Can you cut your guest list?  Definitely make sure your quote includes the service charge and bartender fee.
  
  I didn't see your hair/makeup in there, either, unless you're planning on doing it yourself.
  
  I did manage to find my dress for $99 at David's, but I agree that finding a dress for under $200 will be difficult.  I then spent $65 on alterations.

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• jjhumdy

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Ditto i agree with the other ladies, a $6000 budget is tight. Make a checklist and decide what's most important to you. Take a look at your guest list, see if cuts can be made without hurt feelings. Try scaling back on the food options, but not to the point where your guest are eating turkey on wheat. i had to alter my menu for the sake of the budget. We're not trying to start our life together in debt.
  
  Found a DJ that's having a special, that's only going to cost $600 for the ceremony and reception. Your cake North College Hill Bakery is reasonable and I've heard their baked goods are delicious. Flowers a company by the name of Flowerman provides consultants to brides that would like to DIY their flowers.
  
  Hope this helps! Good Luck!

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• Janeyliz member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I agree that cutting your guest list is probably necessary, especially if you will ahve been and wine. But also bear in mind that not everyone you invite is going to come. Chances are, you will end up with somewhere around 115-125 if you invite 150. 
  
  Also, can you find an officiant who will do it for free? We used a fransiscan friar (friend of mine) who did not charge anything. We of course gave him a donation for his province. I too was on a budget for my wedding, though not as tight as yours, and I found all kinds of ways to save. For one, seek out vendors who work out of their homes or have low overhead, most of them then pass that savings onto you. For example, I used a florist who does no advertising and works out of their home. They are strictly word of mouth and so their prices were the lowest I found. They are called Oakwood designs, and can be reached at 513-469-2596. The lady's name is Rosemary. For cake, I used Marilyn's Cakes. She is excellent, and has been doing cakes for many years now. Her bakery is in her basement! She charges .$75 per slice! I had a cake for 200 people and the cost was about $200 (I also rented a cake stand from her for an extra $40). She is the cheapest in town and makes delicious cakes.
  For invitations, I would definitely make your own. Micheals has very nice ones for very cheap. Or I am sure you can find some great stuff online for even less.
  Cut the favors, people usually leave them behind anyway.
  If you want a veil do NOT buy one from a bridal shop! They are horribly overpriced! You can either make it yourself if you are crafty like that, or you can get one from Etsy.com. I got a bubble veil from there for a fraction of what it retails for. If you want a tiara, again, STEER CLEAR of retail. Instead go to Banasch's fabrics. They sell the exact same tiaras that bridal stores carry, but for 1/10th the cost.For Calligraphy, I used Calligraphy by Kerry. She was super cheap ($65 total for all my invitations AND table numbers!) and fabulous! I highly recommend.
  I spent quite a bit on photography because that was the most important thing to me. I also spent your total dress budget on just my alterations because I wanted a complicated bustle. It is possible though, to find a dress for $200 or $300, especially if you buy OTR. My friend found a beautiful $2000 dress on clearance for $300 somewhere in Covington. I would definitely shop for a used dress though or stalk the clearance racks like a hawk till you find something. Also, have you seen that Vera Wang is now doing dresses for David's? Oprah had them on her show last season, they are all priced VERY reasonably.
  I was going to do my own makeup and decided at the last minute that it was worth it to hire someone. The artist I found was Sarah Cormier. She was priced much less than most of the artists in the area that had comparable experience. She used mostly MAC products, was very prompt and came to us on the wedding day. She will also do a trial run with you in advance which is included in her price which was very nice. She also will provide and apply lashes for you at no extra charge. She is AMAZING!!! I loved her, can't say enough great things about her.  www.sarahcormier.com.
  
  Good luck and happy planning!

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• jessandjoe2005

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  We started with a $6000 budget...yeah, that didn't work out! I know it can be done though. I'm not the do-it-yourself type, so I would say that's why I went over.
  
  Just a couple of suggestions of some of the cheaper things I found -
  I'm using Greene's florist, they were the cheapest (we met with 3 different florists)..about $945 for my bouquet, 4 bridesmaids, 5 corsages/wrist, 10 centerpieces (using tall vases with submerged orchids and a floating candle on top...a more simple look, but less flowers = less $$ usually), and a fairily large arragement that will be used at the ceremony and on the head table at the reception. Of course, if you use your reception sites centerpieces that would really cut costs. 
  
  We got a deal on tuxedos at President's Tuxedo (used to be Skeffingtons) at a bridal show. I'm sure you could get something similar anytime if they really want your business. Groom's tux was free (with parties of 5 including the groom). Each groomsmen/dad got $30 off, plus an additional $150 off that we divied up among everyone.
  
  If you get tux's at President, they offer half off their invitiations (only invitations, not save the dates, response cards, etc.) We are not doing save the dates. Not sure how formal you are wanting to be, but the invitations we are using look really nice and have a perforated response card that tears off. Not only do you save money because you are only buying the invitation and not all those extra cards and envelopes, but you can use postcard stamps for the response cards. For 100 invites it is only going to cost about $70 (plus postage). I attached a picture of the invites, they are called Seal & Sends. They have different designs (plus you aren't doing it yourself!..which I heard can be a headache and just as expensive between the invites and ink and all that!) I have a picture of the invite if you want it, just let me know.
  
  Good luck & happy planning!
  
  
  

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• HeidiMonroe

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  http://www.younghouselove.com/wedding-album/
  
  ^^ This couple did their wedding for 4,000 - they had to get creative but that's half of the fun! 
  

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• GoBucksOH member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Here is also an article on a Cincinnati bride who had a gorgeous wedding on a $5,000 budget.
  
  http://www.projectwedding.com/biography/list/amanda6033/my-big-fat-5000-wedding-article

  5.21.11
  

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• jjhumdy

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  @ Janeyliz
  
  Would you happen to have the contact info for Calligraphy by Kerry?
  
  Thanks!

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• Janeyliz member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Yup! Here is her site:
  
  http://www.calligraphybykerry.com/
  
  Take note that I did not have both inside and outside envelopes. I just did one. I also did not have her write a return address, as I had the return address printed on them from the place I got our envelopes from. That made it a little cheaper as well.
  
  
  

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• Janeyliz member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  Another tip in general that I forgot to mention yesterday. The more attendants you have the more expensive it is. I did not realize that until after I started planning and was so thankful I only had 4 maids! You have to buy flowers for each of them, plus boutineers (major spelling error there) for the guys, AND gifts (usuallly jewlery for them the wear on the wedding day) for all of them. So if you can manage to have a very small wedding party, it will save you ALOT of money.
  
  Another thing I have heard of people doing is soliciting vendors who will will give you a break if you advertise their business at your wedding. It does not have to be tacky. People do it in the form of putting the vendors business cards on the tables, or printing the business names in their programs. Some vendors, especially if they are just starting out, might be open to the idea.
  
  Speaking of programs! I can't believe I forgot to mention this in my last post. Here is what I did. I drafted up a program on my computer in word and printed it out. I designed it very simple: an 8X10 piece of paper that folded long ways.  THe outside was the cover, then both halves on the inside consisted of the program content, and the page on the back was a little message from us. I bought some heavy card stock online for CHEAP. Google it, there are tons of discount card companies online. I then took the original that I printed off my computer and the card stock to Office Depot and had then photo copy onto the card stock. I sat and folded them in half while watching Greys Anatomy. CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP girl friend! I don't even think I included it in my official budget, it was under $100.
  
  I do think programs are required so people know who is who in the wedding party and understand the flow of the ceremony. But they do not have to be expensive!!! If you do what I did, you will save. I actually stole the idea from my sister who did the exact same thing, but got extra fancy - she punched two holes in the cover and tied a little ribbnon through them which was also very cute and cheap.
  
  
  

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• marinabreeze

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I started out with your budget and your number of potential guests, and I found that to make the wedding actually nice and stay within budget, I was pretty much forced to cut my guest list by about half.  Don't assume the number of guests that won't come.  Some couples have near 100% attendance.
  
  We're paying a bit for food and drink (although we did get an all-inclusive venue so we don't have to worry about doing everything piecemeal) and for the cake.  However, there were some other things we did to cut the budget.    I'm DIYing the WP flowers and invitations, and since we're also having an outdoor ceremony, we aren't using flower decorations.  Michaels and Hobby Lobby have awesome coupons and sales from time to time.  Also, my FI, who is in web design, worked out bartering deals with associates who do photography and DJ work.  That is saving us a ton.
  
  Don't forget that sometimes (especially with food and bar), the "price" isn't really the price, and you have to factor in things like taxes and especially gratuity/service charges, which can end up spiking the bill by 20-26 percent.  For our reception venue, we are going with a banquet center run by the Hamilton County Parks.  They only charge based on in-house catering and bar, and they don't charge nor accept gratuity, which means that while it's not exactly cheap at $31pp, it is relatively reasonable considering it's all-inclusive.

  Wedding Photos and Vendor Recs 6 August 2011

  

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• clearheavens member

  

  May 2011 edited December 2011

  I'm revisiting this post kind of late because I remembered that there was a girl from Cinci on this board named amanda6033 who did her entire wedding for under $5k.  Her article is here:

  
  

  http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/my-big-fat-5-000-dream-wedding

  
  
  

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