Asking for money contributions?

I agree with Brian hun. Honestly, it's not the wedding that counts, but the marriage! We are having everything we want in a wedding for right at $5500. I know that still seems like a lot, but there are a lot of DIY things you can do! Besides you have over a year and 1/2 to get everything taken care of...I would suggest doing your wedding within your means!

I have to be honest when I say that you guys need to create a budget that YOU can afford. Your parents can't help, and there are several couples that do it on their own. You have over a year to continue saving. I think that it is tacky to ask for money to help with the wedding even if its not so uncommon these days. You may want to push the wedding back if a year and a half is not enough or scale down what you have planned (if anything at all). Start pricing things and create a budget.

At the end of the day it is about what YOU are comfortable with doing. No one here can tell you what will work for you, and how your friends and family will receive this type of request. We would probably be laughed out of the state of CA but your fam and friends may not be so harsh

Its called deposit a gift. www.depositagift.com. There are also honeymoon registries out there.

Thanks, you're probably right.. it's just so hard to look at that number and think it's even attainable! reeeaaalllllly makes me wish I hadn't bought a car last year..

I agree, too, and like one of the girls said, it's not about the wedding day. Sometimes people get too wrapped up in all the material details that they forget WHY they are getting married. A year is a long time to save up and you just need to itemize what is a need and what is a want. I agree, too, that it's ultimately your decision but you do have some time to save up. Maybe you can't have all the things that you wanted to have before, but you can still make it beautiful. Remember -- it's a day to celebrate you and your FS love and unity. That's what is the most important thing and should be your main focus.

How many people are you wanting to invite? You would be surprised at how much you can DIY and save on!

Something to think about.... if you start this week, you have 80 weeks until your wedding!

If you put a total of $65 aside every Week.... You put $30, your FH put $35, you will have...

$5,200 by Sept 1, 2012!

What do you spend $30 on weekly that you can stop? Coffee from Starbucks? Do you buy your lunch every day? Smoking? Drinking at the bars? Go without cable for a year.

Take your paycheck every Friday and transfer $30 of yours and $35 of his into a Wedding Savings account. And DON'T touch it, until you need to start putting deposits down.

You can totally do a wedding on $5,000!

Another things to think about is your guests won't contribute to that fund until right before your wedding (as their wedding gift to you). This does not help you when you need to put deposits down and pay up front for everything you need for your wedding.

Great idea hayley! you just have to commit to an amount to save and you and your FH can do it! i know i spend more than 30 dollars a month on coffee and now with Hayley's little math equation- i know i better stop! LOL.

I don't think you can ask for monetary gifts- it's still tacky, regardless of the reasons. I like the idea of a honeymoon registry better, because while it is cash- it is supposed to go towards a gift. Many honeymon destinations will actually allow guests to pay for excursions, etc.

If you are having trouble saving the money- take Hayley's advice and budget for it. Look at expenses you can cut in your daily life.

I also know several brides who have picked up a part time job, sold items they don't use anymore, etc to get extra funds. I personally sold alot of stuff I didnt' use anymroe on eBay and it's funded all my purchases for the wedding from eBay! Linens, veil, tiara, FG dresses, crinoline...

Shop for used stuff and price shop for everything!

Yep there are sooo many ways to save..it may take a temporary lifestyle change like no starbucks; no eating out; no buying new clothes; limit spending at the grocery store which can be done by planning out your meals for the week, sticking to sale stuff and coupons. Luckily I have enough in savings (not that it would wipe out all my savings) for our modest wedding..but I"m in grad school and as we get married we'll need stuff in the future: home, car etc..so it's a good idea to start these habits, the sooner the better :-) Don't despair, many girls on here have have very beautiful weddings for cheaper on the budget spectrum!

Thanks ladies! I think I'm just feeling overwhelmed.. I actually DO work two jobs, but my part-time money seems to continuously go toward medical bills or vet bills (we have two doggies and I guess I just have this feeling that there won't be enough time to save! But you're absolutely right, there are plenty of small things we can do that will add up in the end! Thanks for the tips and encouragement!

You have plenty of time to save up. We did exactly what Hayley said. I gave up getting my nails done and he quit smoking (which was a health choice as well). I understand the car thing. Mine went out this past September and was going to cost more to fix than what it was worth. Throwing an extra $300 out there a month for a car payment and full coverage insurance really didn't help the wedding budget much.

You basically have 2 choices. 1) Do what you can afford 2) Wait until you can afford something more lavish

I do agree that it is about the marriage, not the wedding. My cousin got married last year and they couldn't afford much. They didn't do a dinner reception. They had their ceremony at 1:30 and afterwards they had cake.

Def have the wedding you can afford. Someone on here once said "If you are adult to get married you are adult enough to pay for your own wedding". It's true. We had a fantastic wedding for 2 grand. That's it! We did a lot of work ourselves but to us it helped personalize the wedding. Good luck to you! Stick around this site for tons of great tips as well that will def save you money.

I love Hayley, isn't she great?! I also agree. If you have extra time, pick up some part time work. I wish I could deliver newspapers its good money I think I'm going to take Hayley's suggestion. Also, use up your tax return that is how we are paying a bigger portion of our venue, half my dress and our photographer.

You can do it!theres lots of tips out there and on here.great suggestions ladies.just save little bits..devote to it...and it will add up.DIY everything you can!make your own stuff.ask for help.look for sales from now until the date.Income tax too..and look through the DIY section on here.So many great ladies on here with so many great tips and most of em also don't have $10,000 to throw at a wedding.good luck!!and happy planning!

I am in your same boat Jennifer. I bought a car and also have two jobs and it's still tight so a wedding does seems so out of reach. I am thinking about keeping it small, intimate and simple. Unless it's your dream avoid the circus wedding.

Time to call David Tuterra LOL! If you can't afford the wedding of your dreams he just might be able to give it to you

But, My parents when my FH and I told them that we were getting married we didnt even mention to them about them paying for anything they just straight up volunteered without us even saying anything at all about it. Also, When I told my grandma she started asking me about what kind of flowers I will have and what colors and everything, and the next thing I know she is making the bouqets and everything else that deals with flowers. She also baught my wedding dress, which I wasnt even there to pick out she just looked in modern wedding mags. and went and got one and sent me pictures of it and asked if I liked it. Which I dont mind, it came from her heart. So I will be wearing it.

Oh and also, I have been googling EVERYTHING! Lol I mean I love google, its a handy tool when wedding planning and you can look at tons of free pictures instead of buying bridal magazines....I wish I would've known this so much sooner!