Des Moines Wedding Cost??

Re: Des Moines Wedding Cost??

• EJPint member

  

  May 2010 edited December 2011

  A destination wedding with a reception at home will probably be more expensive than just doing it all here, depending on what you do.  The wedding isn't the expensive part, it's the party!!!  If you do destination, do it because you want a beautiful day on the beach, not because you're going to save money.  If having your closest 200 friends with you when you say "I do" is important, do it here.
  A Des Moines wedding is going to be much more reasonable than a larger city or the coasts, obviously, but it can be as much or as little as you want.  I had friends who did theirs for 200 guests for $12,000, including the honeymoon and the rings, and I had another who spent almost $30,000.
  

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• juldar09

  

  May 2010 edited December 2011

  We are planning on 125 guests and the total cost should be around $3,000, which includes everything. We don't have to pay for our ceremony sight because it is at a clubhouse in a housing development where my brother lives. Our reception sight is the Carlisle Recreation Bldg and is only 180.00 for the day plus we have to have a police officer since we are having alcohol. They have recatangle tables and black chairs their, so we don't have to rent those. We are getting a lot of help from family and friends for things like photography, officiant and helping with the dinner. We are having a small bridal party and doing our own flowers (artificial). I suggest getting as much as you can from Hobby Lobby and Michaels when the items go 50% off and also use their coupons for 40% off when the items you need aren't on sale. You can also use Vistaprint for things like save-the-dates, photo cards, car magnets, banners, menus, programs. You can a lot of stuff from them for free if you pay for shipping. I have ordered some things from them and have been very happy with the quality. I am hoping to finish my bio today and will have pictures of the stuff from there. We are doing a buffet for our receptin dinner (mexican food) and have many friends helping with a lot of that stuff. We are doing a candy buffet and a flower seed packet for favors.
  I won't make this too long, but it is definitely possible to have a very nice wedding here, although a destination wedding would be nice also! Good luck!

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• cheesecakethrill member

  

  May 2010 edited December 2011

  I'm actually having my wedding in Ames. I have a budget of $15k and am looking at a guest list of around 200. I still have a couple months yet until the wedding but so far I'm staying within the budget. The biggest expense is the reception hall ($500 for the day at a hotel) and food (about $22/person but we have to do the catering through the hotel). Be sure to look around and ask around and you can find some pretty nice deals or find people who know someone to do things at a lower price.  I've also become a fan of shopping at Michael's and Hobby Lobby. Just wait until the things you want are on sale 50% off.
  
  Like another poster said, it really just comes down to if you want to say "I do" at the beach or with all your family and friends. It is your day.
  
  

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• phoeny_moonstar member

  

  May 2010 edited December 2011

  I had my wedding and reception here in Des Moines, and with everything my wedding was 4k.

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• JenniferC2010

  

  May 2010 edited December 2011

  I'm planning my wedding in Des Moines for $7500 for 30 people. I'm doing a 4 course dinner at Fleming's steakhouse for $69 a plate, passed apps with cocktail hour and a limited bar (2 choices in wine, soft drinks, tea, coffee, water). I'm sure we could do it for way less, but heck we like the idea of a fancy schmancy dinner which is almost half our budget.

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