While my FI and I are planning on each planning on setting aside $50-100 of each paycheck we get after we move back to our hometown and settle down with jobs to help offset wedding costs so we can pay for some ourselves, I'm realizing that weddings are insanely expensive!
I have a $2000 dress budget (mom said she'll pay up to $1000 and I have another $1000 from my grandparents), so I'm not counting that in my overall budget, but if at all possible, I'd like to keep the cost of the entire wedding under 15k, and it's the reception that's gonna be the killer because having the ceremony at my church will only be about $750 when it's all said and done.
I'm not planning on lots of flowers (my church will decorate free of charge, and most reception venues I am looking at include table centerpieces), and I'm planning on doing my own bouquets and most likely not having bouts or corsages since I'm not that fond of them anyway.
Then of course, there's the catering, the DJ and the photographer. The DJ I want is $300/hour, and I might be able to get a discount on that if I go with one [more expensive] venue, and the photographer I'm thinking about is $2000 for 7 hours, and I'm sure I could get a contracted price for a shorter time frame...
And we're not having a small wedding -- I'm thinking 120 guests minimum, and there's no changing that (FI alone has over 100 guests to invite).
Ideas? Functional budgets?
Thanks!