Budget frustration

Are you doing real flowers, or fake? Fake can save you money, and there are some decent fake flowers out there. I've had to make some large cuts to my budget as well, and basically I've just been asking myself what actually enhances the experience for guests, and what will they remember? Most guests won't remember how great your flowers are or won't care, but they'll remember things like food, music, booze, etc.

I'm in the same boat. I'm looking over all of my items to see where we can cut. Even if its a 100 or so from here or there. I just don't want to compromise my reception for all the reductions.

I'm doing ours for under$3000 if you can believe that!! David's bridal has amazing dress choice for $99 so I'm doing that and having a friend do the alterations to save money and have bought alot of the decorations online from dollar tree and other discount stores, a friend is doing the music,chose fake flowers instead of real, we are catering in most of the meal and the rest my mother in law is making for us, my soon to be sister in law makes cakes, and we'll find a collage student to do our pictures at a lower rate then more seasoned photographers... Try calling on friends and family for some of it! Not sure if any of these will help you but good luck and I hope your wedding day is as special as you hope

October PA bride right here!

With the budget planning, FH and I both sat down and made a top 3 of what mattered most so we knew what to cut back on. (His was food and music. Mine was dress and photography.)
That meant that decor/flowers could take a cut, favors could take a cut, etc.

DJ we found and worked down, I'm DIYing centerpieces (saving ~20/table by DIYing - about $300 there), if I DIY my flowers I save ~$300, got my STDs and invitations 50% off (or you can get a kit from the store for cheap and print them yourself.) My cake I'm getting for $100 since it was a package included with my venue, and I also am working with a salon that I get a $200 credit to from our venue as well -- all inclusive (more or less) is great!

My dress I got on sale from DB - the $99 aren't bad at all! And favors are cut out, saving a couple hundred. Sales will be your best friend, and if you shop the sales it should totally save on a lot.

So essentially, see where you can compromise, and see where you can't. In the end, decor may be forgotten, and favors will probably be left behind if inedible, but we were worried about food and enjoyment. Maybe you two can compromise like that, too?

View Quoted Comment I totally agree with you. I am doing ours around that as well. I had already gotten a dress offline a couple of years ago that I had fallen in love with and then doing a smaller guest list and deciding on thing I can do myself and called on friends to help out made a huge difference!! Conrats!!

If you haven't picked a venue yet, I suggest Googling "[your state] state park wedding" and you'll find so many options for venues between $300-1000 where you can control from whom you're catering and your alcohol. That'll slice a lot of the cost and probably allow you to keep your guest list

If your fiancé is so adamant about cutting the budget again, let him figure out how to do it.

I'm sorry. It really is hard to have a nice wedding for a reasonable amount. I don't have advice, I just feel you're struggle

We're getting married in September in central PA with a $5000 budget. Fake flowers that I'm arranging myself, dress from David's Bridal, 115 invited guests, dinner will be a BBQ buffet at $12/person. DJ is $700, photographer is $1500, venue is $1000.

PA bride here septembet wedding! Where abouts in PA? Ive practically have the same budget and have manage really well! If your close by i can share some vendors im using with you! Alwayd willing to help!

I don't think you'll be able to decrease the budget by much in such. Would it be cheaper to find a venue outside of the city? what about a Friday or Sunday wedding. You could do a brunch reception and offer beer, wine and mimosas or bloody Mary's. You could cut out favors, programs and menus. You don't need a wedding party or you could keep the wedding party small.

What I did was got a cheaper dress it's only $117. My accessories I got from sales and kept it simple. My shoes I got on sale from David's bridal for $75.00. But you can find a nice pair on Amazon. We aren't doing favors, programs or menus. For us buffet is cheaper. We didn't go with an all inclusive venue. It was cheaper for us this way. We actually found an event planning company that offered , DOC, cake, photographer, servers and a bartender. We saved this way and they gave us 10% off our package deal. We hired a DJ we didn't need anything fancy like uplighting. We kept that simple. Our officiant was only $150.00
We found an inexpensive videographer. My hair and make up total is $220.00. We purchased STDs, invitations and RSVPs from vista print during a 50% sale that ends tonight.

Hair and makeup use a stylist you already know or your regular stylist.
Do a simple 2 tier cake for cutting and serve cupcakes.

You can do candles instead of flowers. Try quick candles they sell in bulk.

Ours is $6,000. No bridal party, programs, or favors. We're not doing a videographer or d.j. I bought my dress for $299 (Mom chipped in $150 of that.) Venue is $1,400 and that includes a lot, photographer is $1,150. Sheet cake and small cutting cake for us.

DIY and using people you know is the best way to cut costs. There really are so many things that people don't remember from weddings, what color the napkins are, flowers at the ceremony, stuff like that. If you've been to any weddings recently, try and think about what you really remember from it and focus on those things. My friend got coozies as her favors, which is cool, but we never use them because we have a coozie collection and we always use our favorites. Ask around and see if you know anyone or a friend of a friend that does hair, make up, DJ's, bakes... my BM's sister is a nurse but she's obsessed with make up. She's going to see if she can do ours the day of, and knowing her she won't accept any payment (but of course I'll find some way to pay her) Knowing the right people can cut costs dramatically. Good luck!

I’m doing ours for $5000 for a Destin private beach wedding! You’re lucky to have such a large amnt! Crap I wish I had that amount!

We are planning my youngest daughters wedding right now an our budget is $13000. I have purchased her dress so that was not included in the budget. There are numerous ways to cut costs...first try the guest list...Honestly think about who you know who will come......Changing the date from a Saturday to any other day is usually somewhat cheaper. We went from a Sat. to a Thurs. and saved over $3500. You can talk to several florists as many offer wedding packages. I know in Orlando there are many and they packages can be expanded for a small fee if you need any other flowers. Some include centerpieces also. Artificial flowers may save you some money but look at everything before deciding. Catering can be lowered by serving less choices and less expensive items. Obviously Prime Rib and Filet cost way more than brisket and roast beef. Chicken is inexpensive along with pasta and BBQ. Has your fiancé informed you of what budget he wishes it to be? Perhaps a conversation and taking him to some meetings where prices are discussed will help him see exactly how much thing are.

View Quoted Comment We're in Lancaster. And thanks for the offer! I'm on the verge of tears with these budget cuts!

View Quoted Comment Im about an hour from lancaster. I used a lady Named Peggy conway for my flowers , i went the silk route you can find her on FB at Memories in silk! Shes phenomenal and she ships. Im paying 300 for 1 bridebouquet 3 bouquets 2coursages 1 flower crown throwing petals 10 bouts i am not doing floral centerpieces or id use her as well she is wonderful! I also am using DJ her name is Karen Cleighton shes 6000 dollars for 5 hrs i can forward you my photagrapher to who is very reasonably priced.

I also am doing my own invites bought beutiful ones from Hobby Lobby and prunting myself i cut programs and favors out. And bought alot of my decor off yardsale fb sites and got it super cheap and oriental trading.

Believe it or not I savig a lot by ordering cupcakes from Wal-Mart and a small cackle on top for cutting ceremony. 2 dozen cupcakes under 12 dollars. I bought a cupcake stand for 27 on Amazon. My venue is setting up the cupcakes and it will cost under 75 dollars total. I ordered 72 cupcakes. That decorate mmwit my colors also made invitations and programs myself hope it helps

For 120 people in PA that sounds very low already! I think you need to show him the reality of how much things cost!