Hi Ladies!

CoffeeBeanFiend91 · January 2012

I'm new my name is Sarah thought I would say hello before I started commenting or anything. Could use all the advice I can get on a short notice budget wedding:3

calisel · January 2012

Hello Sarah, my name is Lisa... Welcome to the board. What sort of advice can we help you with?

kaitlyn142 · January 2012

Welcome. Where are you at? What do you need help with?

Bejohnson5 · January 2012

Hi! Welcome!! What's your wedding date?

DrPB2b13 · January 2012

Welcome! This is a great and supportive place. Please, what is your budget, how many guests are you planning on, what is your date, and any other relevant details we might want to know to help you out!

CoffeeBeanFiend91 · January 2012

I'm from central PA and I am leaning toward the 9th of June. Things are still complicated with the family so its not definate but it will be June for sure. Um I've been engaged for an eternity so after having to set back our date after spending tons of money more than once we have decided no matter what were tying the knot in June. However we have gotten hit pretty hard by the Economy in this area and we are doing an outdoor wedding with a picnic reception and we have only just begun planning so I'm pretty stressed. I dont know where to start other than I found my dress and I know who to invite and what my colors are LOL

kaitlyn142 · January 2012

Lots of us understand. My engagement is 20 months, thank you economy.

Do you have an officiant? Do you know what kind of ceremony you want?

DrPB2b13 · January 2012

It can be pretty overwhelming! Do you have pictures of your dress? What are your colors?

We can definitely help you better if we know two things: a) the approximate size of your guest list, and b) your budget. We don't judge on budgets, if I recall correctly we have brides on this board with budgets ranging from $3000 to $30000, so we're all familiar with the various struggles at all budget levels.

What I can tell you right now, is to prioritize what you want. Sit down with your fiance and discuss what is most important to you when it comes to your wedding - is it the location? Is it the photos? Is it the food? This is where you will want to spend the bulk of your budget. Then talk about what is NOT important to you when it comes to your wedding. This is definitely where you will want to cut, or at least downgrade if they're still critical for your guests' comfort.

courtneyclare103 · January 2012

Welcome to the board! All of the ladies here are very helpful, so ask anything and you'll get many great responses!

CoffeeBeanFiend91 · January 2012

no real budget more or less depends on what the months income is it verys because I have my own baking business.

My colors are gray and yellow with pink accents. about 70 guests. I am going to talk to my sister about using her pastor as an officiant he is pretty understanding that were christians but not real traditional or deeply religious. Um heres the dress I am thinking of http://www.debshops.com/plus-size-strapless-beaded-prom-dress-with-satin-empire-waist/1000025649,default,pd.html?cgid=1152 dont laugh I know its a prom gown but its very similar to a gown and its cheap and I know how the brand fits me so I dont have to worry about a fitting. Reception will hopefully be lakeside on my familys property and the ceremony I hope will be in this huge park that has a lot of meaning to me

goodine11 · January 2012

Hello Sarah I am Mici when is your wedding date?

DrPB2b13 · January 2012

Using white prom gowns that look "wedding-ish" is a very common strategy I've heard of for getting a nice dress, cheap! It's lovely

A couple of things to consider:
- Some areas have fees attached to using parks for weddings, even if only for ceremonies, so definitely check that out with the town (usually it's a pretty cheap fee though!)
- DO consider what you will do if it rains - does the park have any structures you can use? Do those cost anything to rent?
- Where will your guests sit? Do you have someone who can bring chairs, or do you know where you can rent them for really cheap? Chairs are cheap-ish to rent, but if you need 70 or more that could end up quite costly.

This is a GREAT blog about a couple who held their wedding for only $2000:
http://2000dollarwedding.com/
It was really sweet and very elegant, on a tight budget with just their closest familiy and friends.

A lot of people do save a TON of money by just doing a quick cake and punch reception following the ceremony. Especially if you're holding your reception at your parents' house, this might be a good option for you, as it will require a lot less preparation and cleanup for everyone involved. If you're really set on having "real food" too, but find you really can't afford a full meal, you could consider also doing finger-food appetizers - things that are easy to prepare ahead of time and relatively inexpensive (e.g. cheese & cracker plates, fruit & veggie platters, mini pigs in a blanket, etc.) that can just be set out and still don't require a huge amount of preparation other than cooking. There are tons of relatively easy and free recipes online for appetizers everywhere!

Are there any specifics you're concerned about? Anything you're DYING to have but don't know how to fit in on a budget?

sweetcanadian1979 · January 2012

Hi Sarah, i am Bonnie-Lynn. That dress is gorgeous. WIth the pull ups now a days so many people's dresses look like prom dresses. Who cares, not everyone wants to spend thousands of dollars on a dress.

Make sure you have enough seating & tables for everyone. Outdoor weddings can actually be more expensive at times.

There is a budget board on tk as well as a diy board that you may want to check out.

I would recommend lurking on most boards before posting to get a feel for them.

Take a breath, relax, try to figure out what direction you want to go in, what elements you want, what is important to you, what you have now, etc etc etc. Things look so much different on paper. GOod luck

SheilaDancer43 · January 2012

Welcome to the board!!!

calisel · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.weddingchannel.com/main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_june-2012-weddings_hi-ladies-4?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:3ae4d68d-f10a-4dec-8810-da13c14a7b86Discussion:dee2305b-65b4-407f-ba72-baa0e84862caPost:a72c1e9c-393b-43bd-a8ea-9028108fe311">Re: Hi Ladies!</a>:
[QUOTE]no real budget more or less depends on what the months income is it verys because I have my own baking business. My colors are gray and yellow with pink accents. about 70 guests. I am going to talk to my sister about using her pastor as an officiant he is pretty understanding that were christians but not real traditional or deeply religious. Um heres the dress I am thinking of <a href="http://www.debshops.com/plus-size-strapless-beaded-prom-dress-with-satin-empire-waist/1000025649,default,pd.html?cgid=1152" rel="nofollow">http://www.debshops.com/plus-size-strapless-beaded-prom-dress-with-satin-empire-waist/1000025649,default,pd.html?cgid=1152</a> dont laugh I know its a prom gown but its very similar to a gown and its cheap and I know how the brand fits me so I dont have to worry about a fitting. Reception will hopefully be lakeside on my familys property and the ceremony I hope will be in this huge park that has a lot of meaning to me
Posted by CoffeeBeanFiend91[/QUOTE]

BTW: Congrats!!!

The dress is pretty. Are you going with the same color sash in the picture or are you changing the color to gray or yellow?

I think the most important thing is to start making a list of what is important to you. I would use the checklist that this site provides or get a wedding planning book from the book store. Decide on the big stuff first, then the little stuff will fall into place. Everyone here has such great advice so feel free to ask us about anything.

Zimsgirl · January 2012

Welcome!

HarperBargo · January 2012

Welcome! Good luck with planning.

hlzander · January 2012

Hi and welcome! What part of PA are you from? I'm also central PA!

Liss1485 · January 2012

Hi and welcome!

MMRoberts11 · January 2012

Welcome to the board! I agree with the advice others have given you already.

Even if your income varies, I would still get a realistic idea of what you could have to use for the wedding. Photographers, DJs, and other vendors can vary in price greatly. Plus, with a $ amount set you can manage what is left more easily.

kelsey+brandon · February 2012

What's an eternity?! I bet some of us have you beat!! We've already been engaged for 14 1/2 months.

Hi Ladies!

Re: Hi Ladies!

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