Money Money Money, Moooney!

Re: Money Money Money, Moooney!

• MamaBear904 member

  

  October 2012

  Yep, you're just under $16k for everything.
  
  Here is my budget. It's a moving number, so I update it as often as I can:
  http://merryandmarried.weebly.com/budget.html
  
  Compared to the other ladies of this board I am having a small wedding 45-50 guests.
  My first wedding was about $18K and had to pay it almost all myself. This time, my budget is $6K and FI and I are paying it 100%.
  
  As for finding ways to help you with your budget situation, I would suggest first talking to your photog and videographer. There is editing and books / dvds included in your pricing. I would see if they would be willing to take part of the balance after the wedding before they do any editing. I did this with my first wedding and it really helped. This could help you by appx $1000.
  
  Second, I would talk to your florst about any suggestions they may have to bring down your floral costs a bit. Substituting one flower for another may save you as much as $1000. You are spending a lot of money with them, so its in their best interest to work with you. Tell them some unexpected costs came up and you need their help to see what you can do to save some money.
  
  Invitations - Is there anywhere you can cut here? Do some of the printing yourself? For example, I used vistaprint to print my invite and inserts, but Im assembling the invites myself. Im also printing the menu, table numbers and placecards myself.
  
  On a personal note I must ask. When you started the planning process, was it your intention to put some or all of it on the CC? I probably would have not considered that so early in the planning stages because in the end, there are always unexpected costs, and that is when you should consider putting it on the CC.
  
  A GF of mine put a good chunk of the wedding on her CC and it put a huge strain on her and her new husband. Continuing to pay for the wedding 6, 8, or even 12 months after really stings and I think you need to scale back a bit if you can. I've seen what it did to my GF and I'd hate to see you and your new H in that situation.

  May 2013 Brides Siggy Challenge January- Let Them Eat Cake!
  My cake is a 2-tier ivory cake with silver dotted scallops, ribbon and pearl brooch.
  
  
  

  Report0 Reply
• beckyh77 member

  

  October 2012

  This is a really interesting topic. Originally we started out wanting to do it for 10k but as we went along it's going to be more like 15k. Our parents each contributed 1/3 of that for which we are VERY grateful. Here's where we've spent money so far:
  
  DJ unlimited hours $595
  Dress & veil (without alterations yet) $1357
  Flowers $1124
  STDs $34.71
  Phtographer for 6 1/2 hours with copyrights $2199
  Pastor & janitor fees @ church $300
  Poilice fee (required by our venue if serving alcohol) $215
  My ring $1079
  Venue rental $1545
  BM gifts $320
  
  We have yet to do the food & alcohol but are hoping to keep that at $5k or under. Add in limo, his ring, invites & GM gifts. Things really add up. We didn't set a budget ahead of time for rings and he thinks we overspent on photography but I wish we could add more. We are planning to use our tax refund for some of that additional cost.
  

  

  Report0 Reply
• Swazzle member

  

  October 2012

  We have 160 guests and unfortunately live in one of the top 5 most expensive places to get married in the country. 

  
  

  Catering with alcohol: $20,500

  DJ with uplighting: $2400

  Photobooth: $1500

  Dress with alterations: $1700

  Flowers including centerpieces and decorations: $2200

  Honeymoon: $4800

  STDs, invitations, programs, menus, escort cards, thank you cards, etc.: $900

  Officiant: $475

  Photographer: $2800

  
  

  That's the stuff we've already booked or purchased. We've paid $8k so far. 

  
  

  My parents gave us $2k and FI's stepdad gave us $2k, the rest is paid for by us. We're currently saving $1200 a month and we'll also be relying on our tax returns which is about $5k between the two of us. 

  
  
  

  Report0 Reply
• beckyh77 member

  

  October 2012

  I guess I should be thankful I'm in the midwest.

  

  Report0 Reply
• tlc35 member

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  I am also on mobile so no dollar signs. We are having about 100 guests. So far venue for both ceremony and reception including food and alcohol is almost 10000. I spent 2000 on my dress and veil including alterations. I bought fake flower bouquets from another knottie for about 150 and am having candle centerpieces that will probably cost 200 or so. 250 on the officiant. 1300 on photography with CD and copyright release for 6 hrs. 600 for DJ. That is what I have so far. We are not going to have limos and I am trying to keep the cake under 300. I am doing michaels DIY invites and postcard groupon STD so paper budget is about 100. We are paying for the wedding ourselves but my FIL have graciously offered to host the rehersal dinner. The honeymoon isn't planned yet but I am sure it will be a big chunk of change since it is a big priority for us. ETA. I am in New Orleans

  
  

  Report0 Reply
• RebCappon

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  Bushnells Basin- invited guests  is 253

  
  

  Venue with alcohol: $6200

  Photobooth: free

  Photographer/DJ/Video: $2400

  Dress with veil: $700

  Flowers : $606 

  Centerpieces: Free Decorations: unsure making pomander balls

  Cake: cupcakes so about $700 right now 

  Honeymoon: free except for gas food and fun things

  STDs, invitations, programs, menus, escort cards, thank you cards, etc.: free

  Officiant: not sure yet

  
  

  FI's parents are paying for most of the venue (we are covering the alcohol portion) My parents are paying for our photo and dj and we are paying for the rest.

  
  

  We already have wedding bands but both need to purchase gifts for our wedding party.

  
  

  ETA: location and number of guests

  May 2013 January Siggy Challenge

  Cake

  

  Planning Bio(Updated 11/5)

  my read shelf:
  

  

  

  Report0 Reply
• MrsBad13 member

  

  October 2012

  Venue rental $800 (this is includes cermeony and recpetion)

  Cocktail hour/alchohol/dinner est. $3500
  

  DJ $150

  Photograper $1100

  Videographer $300

  Dress/blinged sash $1045 

  Cupcakes $200

  DIY projects (centerpieces, bouquets,bouts,pomander balls etc) $1000

  BP Gifts $350

  Guest Favors $200

  STD/Invites/Programs..I estimated to spend $350 (that includes designing them, printing and postage for STD and invties)

   

  We are hoping to have no more than 65 to 75 guest and that number incls WP which it will only be about 13 ppl.

  
  

  So with all that Im still under budget and we set it at 10k with no help from parents. My mom paid half of the cost of the dress. Mom said thats all she can contribute to. FI parents are not helping with anything. They said they may be able to host the RD but thats about it. 
  

  
  

  http://1badwedding.weebly.com/

  Report0 Reply
• tandrosoff

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  We are having our wedding in Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
  
  This is our basic breakdown:
  Inviting 180 people
  Ceremony is @  a church: $200.00 for the service + $175.00 to the priest
  Photographer (pics from getting ready-dance): $2200
  Reception (supper, no alcohol thrown in there yet) $6500.00
  Reception decor: $557.00
  Cake: $500.00
  Dress (paid for already, no alterations done) $1600.00
  Flowers (myself, bridal party, parents, grandparents & centerpieces) $1002.00
  DJ: $700.00
  Limo: $700.00
  His Ring: $600.00
  Invitations (haven't ordered any yet): roughly $350.00
  Still have a few random things to pay for/ add into the budget.
  
  We've paid deposits on most things. We have $6400.00 in savings right now, plus FI's parents $5000.00, a little more from my parents, we have 32 weeks until the wedding (we put away $150.00 each payday/week so our grand total right to the day of the wedding is... just over $16,000.00. Our budgeter says we owe just over $10,000.00 plus there's random things to be included.

  Report0 Reply
• FLGatorGal88 member

  

  October 2012

  We are having our wedding in Nashville, Tennessee.... So far this is what we have
  
  Guest invited 80 but pushing almost 100
  
  Venue- including ceremony and reception space $2700
  Draping for reception space- $1,000
  Alcohol and Food:$5000
  Photographer and Videographer-$1475
  DJ- $950
  DOC-$950
  Officiant- $350
  Cake- havent picked one just yet but I would say $300 to $400
  Flowers- $1545.38
  Invites- probably about $200 max
  Rings- Wont know until the first of the year.
  Dress- $450 alterations: None
  

  May 2013 January Siggy Challenge:The Cake!!!

  

  Planning Bio Update 12/15

  

  

  Report0 Reply
• bburkel

  

  October 2012

  I was actually just doing a breakdown for my FI the other day.
  
  My mom is contributing $10k to the wedding, becuase she and my dad paid for all of my sisters' weddings, and those were all over 20 years ago, so we figured in inflation and came up with the 10k number.
  
  We are going to be funding the rest, which will probably be another 10k.  We have about $2500 saved, and will be getting decent tax returns (I hope), and my FI plans on taking out a loan of $8-10k to cover the rest plus honeymoon.  He'd rather do that with a lower interest rate, than put it on CC. 
  
  His parents haven't said if they are contributing or not, but I'm really hoping they will cover part of the alcohol at the reception. 
  
  So far, my mom has paid for the dress (525), half the deposit on the venue(350) and the deposit on flowers (350).  We have paid for the other half of the venue deposit (350), both rings (600), deposit on the ceremony venue (100), DJ deposit (100), BM gifts (200), and we will be paying the cake deposit this week (250).
  
  All said and done, our wedding for 300-350 guests will be around $20k.  Honeymoon will probably be another 2500.

  Report0 Reply
• shano06

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  We have about 90-100 guests. DC area which is normally expensive, but we are doing everything about 20mins outside of the city. We started out at $10,000 but we're definitely going over. My parents aren't helping. My mom would, but she doesn't agree with our wedding, and my dad said he would pay if we wait until 2014. That's okay. We'll pay. FMIL paid for my dress/veil, and venue deposit. So that was $2500.
  
  Ceremony Space - $1000
  Reception Space & Catering (food, cake, & alcohol) - $6015
  Dress/Veil - $1420
  Grooms Tux - Free with GM rentals
  Decor - $800
  Flowers - $270 (bulk from Costco)
  DIY Centerpieces - $200
  Photographer - $600 (engagement/all day wedding day/no photobook..she's a family friend. Professional photog)
  Photobooth - $800-900
  DIY Etsy STDs & Invites - $80
  Officiant - $200
  Marriage License - $70
  Chiavari Chairs (still a maybe) - $945-1050
  
  Still not sure about the rings, dj, and transportation. We're torn between limo and car rental. I have to run the price by FI before anything. Lol. He just got a raise, and I just got offered a job with more pay. So with that, our savings, and our tax returns, we should be okay.

  May 2013 January Siggy: Cake.!
  

  Report0 Reply
• melb2013 member

  

  October 2012

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2013-weddings_money-money-money-moooney?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:ea657a87-d1dc-4588-999f-31c9deeef720Discussion:f57601b1-c38d-4c78-8d95-b098010098f7Post:30b69723-c274-4078-81d6-c47265434eb1">Re: Money Money Money, Moooney!</a>:
  [QUOTE]We have 160 guests and unfortunately live in one of the top 5 most expensive places to get married in the country.  Catering with alcohol: $20,500 DJ with uplighting: $2400 Photobooth: $1500 Dress with alterations: $1700 Flowers including centerpieces and decorations: $2200 Honeymoon: $4800 STDs, invitations, programs, menus, escort cards, thank you cards, etc.: $900 Officiant: $475 Photographer: $2800 That's the stuff we've already booked or purchased. We've paid $8k so far.  My parents gave us $2k and FI's stepdad gave us $2k, the rest is paid for by us. We're currently saving $1200 a month and we'll also be relying on our tax returns which is about $5k between the two of us. 
  Posted by rdr716[/QUOTE]
  
  <div>I don't feel totally comfortable explaining my exact costs, but we're close to this, plus and minus in some areas.  We're getting married in the immediate Boston area, which is also in one of the top 5 most expensive areas of the country for weddings.  It's kind of horrific.</div>

  May 2013 February Siggy: Invitations

  

  

  Report0 Reply
• [Deleted User] member

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  Our budget was originally $5000 but it's a little over that now. Some things aren't a necessity (or we can do for cheaper) so I will talk to FI to see if he wants to cut or change anything. Our guest list is at 24 (including our 2 girls). Here's a breakdown (you can see also in my bio: http://pnutbutrvegastime.weebly.com/all-about-benjamin.html):
  
  Ceremony-$273 (bouquet/bout. included)
  Reception-$560
  Room for 3 nights-$243
  Flights (for myself, FI and our girls)-$2000
  Officiant-$125
  Photographer-$348
  Paper (STD, invites)-$120
  Hair and Make-up-$150
  Dress-$130
  Tux-$100
  Food and Drinks-$550 (including cupcakes)
  Limo/party bus-$160
  Rings-$250
  Marriage License-$60
  Misc.-$500
  Honeymoon-FIL say they will pay, but just incase they don't....we're saving $3,000.
  
  My parents say they will gift us something but not counting on that, we're paying for everything ourselves.

  ETA: location is Vegas, if it was at home (NC) it'll be between 15k-20k

  Report0 Reply
• Sharpschruter22 member

  

  October 2012 edited October 2012

  In Response to Re:Money Money Money, Moooney!:Yep, you're just under 16k for everything. Here is my budget. It's a moving number, so I update it as often as I can:http://merryandmarried.weebly.com/budget.htmlCompared to the other ladies of this board I am having a small wedding 4550 guests. My first wedding was about 18K and had to pay it almost all myself. This time, my budget is 6K and FI and I are paying it 100. As for finding ways to help you with your budget situation, I would suggest first talking to your photog and videographer. There is editing and books / dvds included in your pricing. I would see if they would be willing to take part of the balance after the wedding before they do any editing. I did this with my first wedding and it really helped. This could help you by appx 1000. Second, I would talk to your florst about any suggestions they may have to bring down your floral costs a bit. Substituting one flower for another may save you as much as 1000. You are spending a lot of money with them, so its in their best interest to work with you. Tell them some unexpected costs came up and you need their help to see what you can do to save some money. Invitations Is there anywhere you can cut here? Do some of the printing yourself? For example, I used vistaprint to print my invite and inserts, but Im assembling the invites myself. Im also printing the menu, table numbers and placecards myself.On a personal note I must ask. When you started the planning process, was it your intention to put some or all of it on the CC? I probably would have not considered that so early in the planning stages because in the end, there are always unexpected costs, and that is when you should consider putting it on the CC. A GF of mine put a good chunk of the wedding on her CC and it put a huge strain on her and her new husband. Continuing to pay for the wedding 6, 8, or even 12 months after really stings and I think you need to scale back a bit if you can. I've seen what it did to my GF and I'd hate to see you and your new H in that situation. Posted by MamaBear904 Thanks for responding ladies! You have helped me feel better knowing others are in the same boat. Would those who didn't include general area mind editing that in? I'm curious to see differences based on region. Mama, thanks for your suggestions! A lot of it is my fault because I just started buying stuff when we got engaged. I knew what I wanted, but I should have just sat back and waited to buy a lot of the little things. I didn't intend to use a credit card at all. I've never carried a balance on my card and always paid in full each month. My interest rate isn't terrible and I will have enough points from it for 2 free flights at the end of it all so that will help if we go on a honeymoon. I just got carried away. Our videography is already paid. My photog does have options to lower the cost, but none of them are options that really work for me. Originally, we had a photog for half this cost, but dealing with her was so stressful because she closed her business a month after we signed a contract. The photog we have now, I am happy with. After photography, flowers are the most important thing. She had a package for all of that listed for 1,100, but that is leaving all the choices to her. Adding 400, I was able to get the flowers I want and more of them. Invitations. Completely my fault. If I could do it over, I would. I had them designed by a graphic designer for a decent price. I didn't realize how much printing would cost. Having the Groupon for VP will help though. The problem is that I wanted to put them together myself. I needed gate fold wraps, ribbon, envelopes, etc etc. Well...to figure out what I wanted to do, I ordered samples of all of that. Sometimes certain items weren't offered in samples and I would buy one pack of 25 to see if it would work. At the end of it all, I found invitation packs at hobby lobby that are absolutely perfect for the wrap of the invitation. It includes ribbon and I bought them all on sale. I still have to buy outer envelopes, cardstock backing, and RSVP envelopes, but at this point, I might skip the outer envelopes. I'm not trying to shoot all of your ideas down, I just have certain things that are important to me that I'm not going to cut out. If there's a little left over that is still on the balance, but I was able to do what I want for the wedding,then I'm willing to make that concession. FI and I discussed all of this and he knows where I'm at. I'll be able to pay off the couple thousand left over fairly easily after the wedding I hope. Knock on wood. Oh! I forgot about my tax refund. That will help a bunch. Thanks for the ideas and input, mama! Edit: the 5,000 on my card is not all wedding related costs. We had trouble with my car and I've been paying that too. If I were to add all the little things that I bought that I won't be using and a few other things like bridesmaid gifts...that would add another 1,000 or so that's been paid. Darn. The cakes. Add another 400.

  

  Report0 Reply