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For starters do you have a place in mind? You could do the food yourself and get help from friends/family. There are a lot of DIY projects for favors, centerpieces, etc. Do you know someone who can do the pictures?

Well I have been pretty lucky so far. I have a reception hall in mind that is 500 and someone we know will pay half. And I was planning on doing finger foods for the wedding. Im just so scared everything will not work out. And about the DIY on the centerpieces and favors. Im am not that creative and Im worried it wont look good. Im so worried that I wont have enough time......

Well if you start planning and doing now, it may fall into place. There are very simple things you can do yourself. Check out www.michaels.com and look at their DIY ideas. They even give step by step directions. You can also do a lot of research online. Get your girls to pitch in, or family members. I think that as long as you know what you want and what you're able to stick into it, you can make anything work.

Thanks so much. Its just seems so hard cause of the prices of everything. Thank you, I feel a lot better!

for centerpieces, try those short square vases filed with carnation heads and a ribbon around the center of the vase. You can do one with red carnations and a white ribbon and one with wite carnations and a red ribbon, then a few votives (3-4) around that. online you can find all of the stuff to make these very cheap. E-bay is great for votive holders and candles. I got 144 frosted holders for I think $80 free shipping and 144 battery operated candles for the same price. its very possible.

Also check out sites like www.ebay.com and www.amazon.com. They're auctions sites where you can find almost anything! Also there is a site www.bravobride.com where people who have already had their weddings can sell their items for lower cost! Anywhere you can save will help!

Also check out Craigslist, there are TONS of wedding items on there for sale.
You could save a lot of money on flowers by using carnations. Carnations look beautiful when you bunch them together. http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww131/somethingbluedesigns/ms01.jpg
The Dollar Tree sells pretty vases (cheaper than renting). http://www.dollartree.com/floral-decor/vases-bowls-containers/202c203c203/index.cat

Cut the guest list. Is it really important if Ron from accounting and his wife go to your wedding? Really! Ask your parents to pull out their photo album and ask them how many of those people they remember or if they even really cared about them being there. It may sound harsh but this IS reality. I have done weddings where the per head price was close to 200.00 and 5 or 6 guests did not show up...That's a thousand dollars! Tighten up your list, to the people that mean a lot to you both.

Just do lots of research! Once you find something you like, research like crazy to see where you can find that item (or something similar) for the best price!
For centerpieces you can find cheap glass vases (these are only a $1 each online http://www.dollartree.com/floral-decor/vases-bowls-containers/Cylinder-Glass-Vases-with-Flared-Rims/202c203c203p302805/index.pro ) and decorate them with ribbon in your colors and a small candle inside. Or have some river rocks with one long stem rose inside and fill it up with water.
Also think about having a pot luck style reception to save on food costs.

your in EXACTLY the same boat i am!!! we are expecting somewhere in the range of 75-100 people. and the budget is right in the neighborhood of 2000.00. we are doing well so far! i found A dress at davids bridal for 100.00. after researching i found THE dress on e bay for 150.00FREE SHIPING! my family is going to make the food FREE pastor is a friend of the fam FREE. have some friends that do photography/video FREE FH has a sound system he is going to borrow FREE. so all we have to pay for really is the reception place 250.00 and decorations. i hope that is it anyway.:) good luck!!!

http://www.efavormart.com/
http://www.sparklecartel.com/
http://wholesalepartyplates.com/store/(saved us about 20.00)
hope
good sites i have found! hope this helps

Well I'm a little late but we are on a buget as well so far the most pricey thing was photos but other the that try and do silk flowers instead of real because they are really cheap I know I'm getting a lot of my thank u gifts in bulks o and dollar tree has a wedding section and the sites I'm look at is www.orientaltrading.com under wedding and I'm having 150-175 people and we are spending like 300.00 on thank u gifts and that's it so look around

There are some great Ideas here to help you with your event costs, but remember, your friends and family love you and are there to support, honor, share and witness your Sacred Vows. The Ceremony has been the most memorable to me. Not the food or gifts or alcohol.In this economy, spending too much money at the beginning of your life together doesn't even sound like a good Idea. You don't need the pressure. I agree, family members and even co-workers are great to approach to help. If someone creative can make centerpieces or Thank you gifts- My Mother in Law sewed table runners for her Son and his new wife. Best of luck to you!

If you are a crafty bride and have the patience I would suggest doing your own stationery. There are alot of DIY posts on the forum that can give you some great advice. Should you wish to purchase your stationery, visit us to help save money.

Good Luck!
Annette

I used our left over DIY invitations to print poems and also used them for the POB and POG signs for their tables. I just took some frames from the house and cut them to fit in 5x7 frame. Of course most of my frames look very similar at home. Black with a thick border so they all pretty much matched. My Husband and I BOTH lost our jobs during this process AND lost a car, lol. We managed to make it work out somehow. Luckily my mom helped out a lot.

I think my biggest hurdle was to just stop researching and DO it. I spent more time looking for the best deal and stressing myself out trying to find the perfect things that in the end...I was still doing and making things 9 hours before walking down the isle.

For your reception, have a potluck dinner. Have a short, intimate wedding followed by a large reception (that way you can have all of your guests at a big party, but not have to pay for the ceremony site for so many people).

Thank you all so much for your help....We have really tried cutting the Guest list down but it has been really hard cause we both have big familys and we cant not invite them. We r going to have at least 75 people there and thats the best we can cut down. I have someone who is wiling to pay for have of the reception hall which the hall is 500.00. And I think my mother is going to pay for my dress. And someone is also paying for out honeymoon to the smokies.....I just hope everything works out okay.

We are having the same problem! We want to cut down the number of guests as well, but we can't. Because we have to invite all of them, we both are settling for a cheaper venue. To save money, I'm planning to do the favors, bouquet, invitations and everything I possibly can by myself. Every little bit adds up.

Don't forget to save the coupons from the Sunday paper for stores like "Michael's" or "Joanns". They often have 40% off coupons for an item of your choice. You cang get some great deals this way. Also...the $1 store has some things that are great that don't look "cheap".

you can do it! when we were planning on a wedding in florida, we had a list of 125(and i know for a fact, there would have been more, my family is tight like that!)...here's how we broke it down!

ceremony @ garden center(they have an AWESOME circular garden)=$200
reception @ community center=$400
DIY food=$200(spagetti, alfredo, chicken/meatballs/breads, veggie trays, etc)
invites=$35 for all things, including neat punchers for designs ;)
dress=$300
suit=$175 we found a suit store here, everything but sucks and undies for $159!
license=$50
centerpieces=$60(total for 12 tables!!!)
linens=$45(12 twin white flat sheets @ walmart, 3.50/each)
unity candle/RB pillow/FG baskets=$20(big lots/walmart clearance!)
hair=$25(style, versus updo)
alcohol-$350(1 keg of beer $90, 4 bottles of vodka $40, 5 bottles of JD $120, 3 bottles of wine $30, mixers(juices) $30
favors=$75(candy bar, with tiny ziplock baggies, with hole punch and ribbon-punched in bottom of bag

total=$1915.00