Which should we cut back on (poll)

akcrrr · July 2011

As our wedding date approaches fiance and I are going to have to cut some things that we originally would have liked to have due to budget constraints.

We have a $ minimum at our venue and were originally going to have 90 people and offer a choice of entree tableside the day of the wedding. Our guestlist has gotten out of hand and with the ammount of people we have now we can not afford the per person cost.

My fiance wants to cut the tableside entree choice, offer a duo entree, and keep the guest list the way it is.

I want to cut some people off the list and keep the menu the way it is.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

mbcdefg · July 2011

As long as your venue offers a vegetarian options (which most places offer at no extra charge), I would keep the guest list as-is and serve one entree. But that's assuming that there isn't anyone that you'd be glad to cut. I've never been to a wedding where the entree was outstanding, so I'd never be bummed to not have a choice. Mostly I look forward to the cocktail hour food!

However, for your third option, what else is an option to cut? Your guests are mostly going to notice if the food is decent, if the drinks are plentiful and not watered down, if the entertainment is O.K. and if they have a chair and it's not freezing/boiling. I wouldn't cut back on those things if you can help it ... cut back on stuff like stationery, favors, extra rentals (special chairs, colored linens, etc.), exotic flowers, elaborate centerpieces, and stuff that can't be re-used after your wedding (Soon to be Mrs. X hoodie, stuff like tank tops and flip-flops for your BMs), high-end attire (nobody will ever know where you got your shoes or veil).

JoBell123 · July 2011

I'd go over the guest list first. If they did not receive a Save the Date and you have no idea who they are, then cut back.

Denise91980 · July 2011

I honestly would cut back on something else, possibly the guest list. Some people may not like either of the duo entree items and it would be a waste anyway. I cut on flowers and invitations. I paid about $800 for all my flowers and my invitations cost me more to send them then I paid to buy them.

ashlieandfrank · July 2011

I voted to change the entree!

USER876 · July 2011

how much are you looking to shave?

akcrrr · July 2011

Thanks everyone for the responses so far!
We are looking to shave about $1000-$1500 off of the total.
Since we have about 15 extra guests then what we planned (right now anyway) that is $2000 more then what we had budgeted.

I am hesitant to do a dual entree because as someone said what if people don't like it. I also think that we shouldn't invite anyone to the wedding that we have not seen in 3+ years.

I don't see us cutting any of the floral budget (only spending around $1000) but I am trying to do my best to cut the invite costs and favor costs but still need an extra something to get the number down to where we need to be.

USER876 · July 2011

Since it's only about 2K, I would consider just sucking it up, in the long run it's not a huge setback and you will keep the wedding that you originally planned and had envisioned.

Also remember that you will be getting cash wedding gifts. If you don't invite the 15 guests, you will save 2K, but you will also probably give up getting the gifts from them which could be the 2K....so it would be a wash.

I would look to save in other areas if you absolutely have to. Perhaps make tables of 12 instead of 10 and save on centerpieces. Consider doing DIY favors. Two places I wouldn't cut anything are food and entertainment, those are the things that make a wedding memorable. At the end of the day, people won't remember the favors, or the flowers, or even your dress.

Sammydan703 · July 2011

Can you talk to your venue? Since you will be having more people then originally thought maybe they would be willing to throw in the extra entree without charging you a fee. The money might work out the same in the end for them.

annandted86 · July 2011

Take a look at the people that are "on the bubble". Only you know how important they are to you.

MissButters · July 2011

Let me preface this by saying I'm not from NJ and other than my wedding, I've never been to one here.

Having said that, I've never been to a wedding where I've been offered a choice of an entree tableside.I've had to choose it ahead of time or it was a dual entree or a buffet. We had the duo entree for our wedding, and I've always liked them at weddings I go to. In most cases (besides vegetarian), you'll either choose a beef, chicken, or fish dish. So, most likely someone is going to like at least two out ,of three of those. We did steak and chicken because I thought more people would like those over fish, and our venue did offer a separate vegetarian option. So, I say go with that and most people will be fine with whatever two options you choose.

Which should we cut back on (poll)

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