Wedding Etiquette Forum

Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette

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Re: Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette

  • 50K, we're counting our rings, honeymoon, etc,.
    The foodand drink is estimated about $20k. we're going to europe for the honeymoon and the fmil, invited everyone from her golf group and their family, old family friends... it is insane.
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  • Our budget is 5K but we are definitely trying to keep it under that amount! I'd love to have some left over! That doesn't include the honeymoon.
  • I think according to my spreadsheet, we're estimating around 12,000, including everything but the honeymoon, for 55-60 people.
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  • Our budget is $10,000 for 500 guests. That includes everything from the rings to the honeymoon. So far we have stayed under budget :)
  • It looks like we, well my parents, will spend 7,000 on the wedding.  FILs are spending 700 on the rehearsal dinner and giving us about 500 towards the honeymoon.  I was really hoping it would be around 5,000 but oh well.

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  • Our budget is $6K. So far we're at $5K without flower arrangements.
    Oh, and without the honeymoon - that's worth $8K :-)
  • Wow-I'm jealous of the budget friendly weddings! We're at about $25K for a Chicago wedding with about 100 people. This is not including the honeymoon (which probably won't happen until our 1st anniversary, but I don't mind). We are paying for as much as we can on our own, but my parents are helping with the rest. I was perfectly happy going to the courthouse, but my family would have been furious.
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  • Wow Im jealous of some of you! You are very smart, My parents told us we have $30k to do what we want with and we are probably going to have to put in some of our own money, I would say at the end it's going to be around $35-37k......
  • **^^^ and thats not including honeymoon which is antoher $6k
  • we weren't planning on inviting a lot of people, so our first budget was 2k
    but now it'll be about 5k when everything is said and done

    not bad
  • We spent just about $9K. And I saved everywhere I could: DIY favors, craigslist DJ, very little florals, a friend doing the photography.
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  • We're doing destination and having only 6-8 guests. Our budget is $6K. So far we're just above 5K without flowers, rings and honeymoon. 
    We have a separate honeymoon budget and won't have to spend for rings :-)
    I'm not planning on spending so much on flowers so hopefully there will be some $ left for extras, like a second hair and make up trial....
  • Ours is definitely going to be under 10k for an (estimated) 250 people (we're inviting about 265 or so). I've researched like CRAZY, I haggled, and I didn't settle for "set pricing". Here's what my big ticket items are looking like:

    Venue: $1300 (with a $500 non-refundable deposit). This was really hard to swallow to have to pay this much, but we needed to find a nice place that would allow us to bring in our own caterer and do our own liquor. In the end, I decided it was worth paying this much to cut our food and alcohol bill in half.

    Caterer: My Dad grew up in a SMALL town outside of our hometown. The grocery store in that town is owned by a husband and wife and they also do catering. My Dad and myself called and got quoted a price, and then I called back a few days later when the owner himself was there and haggled it down to $.50 less per person. So we're getting a buffet style dinner with 2 meats, 3 veggies, 3 potatoes, 3 salads, rolls, coffe/tea, all of the plates, cups, cutlery, napkins, etc...for $8.50 per person. For 250 people that comes out to be $2125.

    DJ: I splurged a bit on this and didn't try and haggle or anything as I know how awesome this guy is. We're spending $550 here.

    Photographer: I researched for many many hours for photographers. In the end, the best deal I could find, I just wasn't completely satisfied with the quality (although he was quite affordable). So I put ads up on craigslist and on Facebook marketplace. I received quite a few responses, and while I didn't end up going with any of those photographers, I did find ANOTHER photographer through one of the ladies who responded to me, and she is FANTASTIC. The work on her website is amazing, and I emailed her asking her to send me an entire wedding album, and it was just as amazing (and there were 600 pictures in there, so I know it's for real, haha). We're getting our photographer for 8 hours and get 400 hi-res, edited pictures on a DVD with copyrights for $950.

    Cake - We're making it ourselves. I started talking to people in my family about my cake as I am not ok with spending upwards of $500+ on a CAKE, and I found out that I had some aunts who followed in my Grandma's footsteps and learned how to decorate cakes! My grandma used to be an AWESOME cake decorator, but with her age (she's almost 90), her hands just wont work the same anymore =[ But my aunts all agreed to pitch in their talents and make cakes! So we're going to have a smaller 3-tier cake to show and then some sheet cakes in back. We're expecting the cost of this to be somewhere around $75 or less (as we make our own frosting, so the only thing we need to buy are cake mixes, and some cheap ingredients for the frosting).

    Dress: I haven't gone dress shopping yet, but I know of some 'inside scoop' places that I'm going to check out. I know that I will have no problem keeping my dress, shoes and accessories under $1000. In fact, I'm pretty sure it'll be under $750, but I'm planning on $1000.

    Flowers: We're going with fake flowers to cut costs. It's going to cost us about $200 for my bouquet, 5 bridesmaids bouquets, 10 bouts, and about 8 corsages.

    Reception Decor: We're doing  a variateion of tissue paper pomanders on top of vases with votives, and floating candles in a shorter bowl with votives. All of the centerpieces are going to cost us roughly $100-$150 depending on what size tables we use. We're doing tulle and xmas light type stuff on the ceiling, and decorating the entire hall is going to cost us under $75 (Xmas Clearance and wholesale fabric!), and we're not using real linens (if I can work it in to my budget...tablecloths may be another splurge item, but we'll just have to see. It's really not that important to me).

    So if we total that all up...we're at about $6500. Obviously there's other little details that come up, but definitely not anything that would put us up $3500.

    I hope that answers the question of how we're able to get it done for under $10k! Happy planning ladies!! =]
  • My budget is 20K not including HM, dress, or cake (dress and cake are being gifted to us).  I am hoping I come in around that price.  So far between venue (including food, alcohol, ceremony location) and photographer I am at about 12,200.  Hoping I can do the rest under 8000.
  • edited August 2010
    For about 115 guests, we're looking at coming righ in under $10,000, not yet including honeymoon, which is probably going to be another 2K. We got tons of great deals thanks to a combination of Friday wedding discounts and DIY projects. Plus we live just outside of a big city, so by not going with any of the major city vendors, and instead going with the slightly less known, but still as marvelous, suburban vendors, we're saving a lot there as well.
  • edited August 2010
    Our budget is $18,500 but as of right now we're coming in under budget by $4,000. 

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  • We are trying to stay within a $5,000 and it is working so far because we found a really nice venue w/food, cake and a couple other things included for $39 a head!
    I have my eye on a beautiful ballgown that is only $499 because it is a quienceanera dress but it's white and gorgeous and very underspriced in my opinion. I know a bunch of freelance photographers which charge pennies on the dollar because it's their hobby but they are great so we are hiring 2 and im a DIY bride so me and my mom are doing the invitations and the favors so im pretty confident in our budget!

    PS. Orientaltrading.com is a budget weddings bestfriend!


    Best wishes on you big day ladies!
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  • Oh yea not including our rings!
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  • Our budget is 10K but I do not plan on spending every cent.  I am doing everything in my power to keep it under the 10K because I don't want to use credit cards or my parents. They are divorced as well as my FI's. All have agreed to help, but we want to do as much on our own first.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_curious-very-not-proper-etiquette?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:20b66b0e-bedd-43d6-9044-d0a69f578d61Post:c10a64df-d089-46e3-883e-716fc927c5de">Re: Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette</a>:
    [QUOTE]Wow, do these under $10K budgets include photography, music, rings, hair & make-up, etc?  That's really good. We are right around $20K I think for 75 guests.  Boston is really expensive.  But we did splurge on a few things like our photographer was $3500 (totally worth it) and having a videographer for $1300.  But I thought we did pretty well.
    Posted by noodle_oo[/QUOTE]

    I was thinking the same thing when looking at the budgets--I have no clue how I could stay under $6000!
    I just started my planning--don't know if I am doing this the wrong way--I don't really have a budget...what i am doing is just pricing out vendors and then choosing the best lowest price one.  Am I doing this all wrong?
    Anniversary
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_curious-very-not-proper-etiquette?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:20b66b0e-bedd-43d6-9044-d0a69f578d61Post:bf772d19-5b48-49d5-a866-6138482fe26a">Re: Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette : we spent $5500 in Boston area for wedding, reception, photog, rings and honeymoon. 
    Posted by Calypso1977[/QUOTE]
     
    WOW! Where is your reception?
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_curious-very-not-proper-etiquette?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:20b66b0e-bedd-43d6-9044-d0a69f578d61Post:a962c8f3-c21f-412a-a5e4-4b86a76d66e0">Re: Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette : I was thinking the same thing when looking at the budgets--I have no clue how I could stay under $6000! I just started my planning--don't know if I am doing this the wrong way--I don't really have a budget...what i am doing is just pricing out vendors and then choosing the best lowest price one.  Am I doing this all wrong?
    Posted by pretzelgrrl[/QUOTE]

    Well you can choose to do it that way of course.... but you are likely to spend more in the end than if you decided up front how much you were willing to spend.  People who do it this way tend not to add everything up until the end and then they are shocked by how much it cost.  Whereas if you knew up front you would end up spending $X on the wedding you might have chosen a different plan because you don't actually want to spend that much on a one day party.
    Married 10/2/10
  • We are trying to keep it around 3 grand including our honeymoon. Pulling a lot of strings and asking for favors but if it helps us in the long run its worth asking and people are more then willing to help for your big day ( at least that's what I've found)
    I found my dress for 100 bucks. ((DAVID'S BRIDAL))
    My engagement was his grandmothers engagement band from Cuba.
    We are using a park recreation building for 600 to hold the ceremony/ dinner/ rehearsal. Tricky but it works if you work it ;)
    We opted out for a Dj and are going to use a pre-set Ipod.
    Because we will be in a wooded area we are playing that up and saving huge on flowers.
    Family friends are helping everywhere from the liquor to the alterations to the cake and the catering.
    We are blessed to have a wide variety of people in our family.
    We are even planning on a couple day honeymoon with money sparing.
    D & B
  • We are at about 11,500 right now. Trying to keep it that way! We are having about 70 people and that total includes the rings and the honeymoon. Parents chipped in 2,500 of that total, the rest was all us. Its nice to know that we arent going into debt or having to put anything on credit cards because its all in the bank!
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_curious-very-not-proper-etiquette?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:20b66b0e-bedd-43d6-9044-d0a69f578d61Post:6a747121-4d24-49b9-9e11-afe1a5822419">Re: Curious and Very Not Proper Etiquette</a>:
    [QUOTE]Seriously, there are people who spend over 50Gs on their wedding???!!!!
    Posted by srkropf[/QUOTE]

    <div>my SO estimates that his first wedding cost his wife's parents $150,000.  they wanted a spectacle for their daughter and went all out on everything!</div><div>
    </div><div>the marriage lasted 6 months.</div><div>
    </div><div>we don't have a budget for our wedding but it's going to be small and low key with about 25 guests and in las vegas.  i don't imagine it will be over 20k with everything except my ring included.</div>
  • I'm trying to go for a budget around 2-3k without rings or honeymoon. We're from a town of less than 3,000 people, so that makes it a lot cheaper.  Also, his family and I are going to do as much of it as do-it-yourself projects.. Such as the food. We're making our own food for a buffet, and my finance actually really wants to make our cake himself.  I got my dress, a custom-made original, for $125 from a wonderful lady on etsy.  (If you're interested, her shop is here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lunatiqueart?ref=seller_info)
    A budget this small sure isn't for everybody, but I LOVE the challenge of trying to find ways to get what I want for the cheapest price.  
  • The photography is one of the most important things we've paid for. My dad is an artist/photographer and my mom's an awesome photographer, and the last thing they want is for our pictures to be "out of focus". They said that in 15 years when we have kids, that they look back at our wedding pictures and say, "Dang, mom and dad were hot!" We're definitely sacrificing on other things to have awesome pictures.
  • I agree it varies so much by region. In the Northern NJ area, it is almost impossible to find a venue for less tha $100/pp including tax/grat - there are some places, but many are limited in space, etc. When I first got engaged, I had this fantasy idea that we could spend $30k or less on our wedding. After researching vendor after vendor, negotaiting, etc  I feel like I am getting great vendors for some of the best possible prices. Some areas were a bit of a splurge, like photo/video, but I wanted to make sure the people we hired will do a great job. Other areas, such as flowers, of course I want them to look nice, but as long as the florist shows up and the flowers are semi-alive I will be happy haha so this is an area I am saving in. I am also DIY anything I can such as invites, all stationary, favors, etc. I am not done planning yet, but the wedding including rings and honeymoon will be around $40-$45 (maybe slightly higher depending on what we do for the honeymoon and what rings we choose, but I am hoping to get some good deals here as well).  I think for our area I am right on track with the average for weddings here. And similar to the other posters, we are spending only what we can spend. I set up a wedding savings right after getting engaged and everything is being paid cash, no credit cards, etc. As much as I want a terrific wedding, I cannot see going into debt or starting a marriage w/ huge credit card bills for just one day!
  • Our biggest splurge is our photography, food/drink, and our venue. It was extremely important to us to be married in a mountain setting and to have amazing pictures. WE also wanted to treat our guests. Everyone who is coming is traveling at least 1500 miles and we wanted to ensure that we "treated" them in every way possible.  Everything else involved a lot of DIY projects that currently have me excited and exhausted - my favorite involves oragami peacock favors and our guest book. We have about 56 guests and are fairly confident that we will stay under our 15,000 budget.
  • Sadly I can't imagine spending less than $20,000 on a  wedding, though I would LOVE to. Living just outside of NYC, I dont even think it is possible to hire a photographer for less than $3000. Our total budget GOAL is $30,000, but at this point I feel like we will go over. I am trying to skimp on EVERYTHING too, which causes me a great deal of stress. My most important factors are the location (which includes catering), music, and photography. I want my 175 guests to remember having a great time at our wedding, so I am willing to cut down on flowers and decor if needed. I hate thinking about how much it will cost, it seems so silly for one day to spend so much money, but sadly in this area unless we drastically cut the guest list and don't invite the majority of our families, there is no way around the cost. If we thought our grandparents would not be devastated/not able to attend, we would have had a destination wedding!
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