Budgeting! What to diy and what to skip out on in order to save?

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That does make sense. I've never considered that point of view!

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I can understand how some people could view it as morbid and distracting vs sweet and memorializing. I do still want to do a small display with simple pictures in frames, but I do agree that any more than just that is too much. Sounds like what your cousin did was over the top (not to mention how rude it was that she didn't thank your living grandmother for helping). I also agree that Florida Marlins point that readings and songs is too much. Thanks for the different point of view!

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Where did you print your programs? I was thinking of doing that also!

View Quoted Comment I also view it as sweet! My FH and I both have lost our dads..his 13 years ago, mine 1 1/2 years ago. I'm doing a small table with pictures of us with our dads when we were little along with a candle in their honor. It's hard enough that I wont have my dad here on this day, if having a photo there of him smiling makes me happy..then I'm gonna do it.

We are doing save the dates but online rsvp. So far my bridal party has gotten the cheapest bouquet arrangements for $35 and mine starts at 65$. Our venue includes catering, food, cocktail hour, top self open bar, includes place cards, hotel direction and accommodation cards and menus for each table. We aren’t doing anything huge for the alter. What my venue has as a basic set up is fine enough. They also include basic floral arrangements for each guest table and our cake is included too. Some of the best ways I’ve found to say money isn’t always DIY. There’s a few things we plan to DIY which I’ll share but I found it more helpful to pick and choose what was really important. Do I need to pay for all these extra flowers other then the basic ones and cheaper ones? Not really, it’s nice but I believe as long as you have some flowers, it doesn’t look bad at all. My FH groomsmen also for baby breaths bouts except my husband kids and brother. We were able to find a extremely good deal through a photography and cinematography company that offered 10 hours of video and photography, a hand made album and bridal mount flush album, all copies on a usb, a highlight trailer of our wedding to a song of our choice and 2 sets of chaptered dvd sets. This came to 2700 which was a huge break compared to other companies and good photography and video was important. Decorations can be expensive but you don’t need a ton. I also set rules for my guest list so I don’t go over budget and I did have to change it a few times but I haven’t had to send invitations out or anything yet so that fine but we made it so anyone married or with a SO for awhile would get a plus one. Anyone now who’s single, will not get a plus one next October unless they may not know a lot of people there and people traveling got a plus one. Doing that really helped because I was able to remove some plus ones that weren’t needed ( me trying to be nice) and that freed up about 3-4 spaces and since some guests are younger they may not be with the SO when they invites do go out in which case they won’t get a plus one because They know other people at the wedding and by then I’m not giving someone a plus one to bring some random person just because they aren’t with their BF GF anymore. There’s lots of ways to scale back but I have found that picking my priorities were helpful. I may want xyz but maybe it’s Y that will have the most meaning so I’d rather spend there and cut back in x and z if you know what I meant !! BTW you can do so much with baby breath and they come in colors other then white, and are very cheap!!!

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Do you mind me asking why you don't like the "memory table"?

DYI all my signs such as menus good & bar welcome. Flower girls baskets my friend made my programs they where fans.

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Sure!! I think I am becoming known as the Anti-Memory Table person around here! First off, they are a new "thing." I am 54, been to A LOT of weddings since the early 70's and never saw them until about 10 years ago. My peeve is this: We are at a wedding to celebrate a HAPPY occasion, why are putting up photos of deceased people? I would never show up to Aunt Edna's funeral and try to turn it into a wedding, why are we having a funeral vibe at a wedding? I once went to a wedding where there were three songs, dances, a dove release, etc all for dead people!! I was like, huh? Finally, my parents would be HORRIFIED if their photos were out at our wedding. We had funerals, now let's have a wedding. Plus it can be really jarring to see deceased people. Mention them in a program, perhaps in a toast say "We all wish our loved ones who are not here could be here" or something.....but to set up a table or place an empty chair with flowers on it? Pass. Now, I would never ever say anything to a couple, I would just walk on by.

But see, I feel the same way about signs, lol. I think I can figure out where to sit and how to get to the bar without a sign, lol!!!!

I was unable to save as much as I wanted to on gown & alterations. No STDs, online RSVPs, using venue centerpieces & decor-its all inclusive, DIY favors (jars were free from craigslist) & DIY invitations (design, print, assemble)---DIY can save you money but not always on time---; we have been promised gifts of a photobooth, makeup, day of planner, florist (pay for some supplies only), photographer (fee for supplies only), a friend as officiant, discount on caterer, buying own alcohol (using a 3 ticket system per person); high school/college bound musician for ceremony & 1st dance music (our fee is a donation to his college fund), DIY programs (using this primarily to thank vendors for free/discounted gifts with advertising, many have been open to providing a fair discount in lieu, some vendors are included in our meal count to ensure they are well taken care of for free/discounted services; FH already owns a tux/shoes but we bought him a special tux jacket to stand out, GM all wearing "tuxedo black" all black plain suits; GM bow ties from Amazon (will monogram), donated desserts for table & something small for ceremonial cut (FH doesnt like desserts too much & I do not need to eat them!).

View Quoted Comment Omg I'm sorry but this made me laugh and almost woke up my 17 month old lol!! I thought about diy projects but just the thought of it made me exhausted lol I have two toddlers and diy projects went straight out the window lmao

I work by day for a company that does a lot of catering and am in a wedding band by night, so I see tons of weddings and have some insight into costs. The things people remember at weddings: food, venue, entertainment. The things people don't remember: bar, flowers, decor or favors. Worth it's weight in gold? A good photographer. Tips to save money: An app station like a veggie display is typically cheaper than served h'ors d'oeuvres. Prime rib is less expensive than most red meat options. Keeping your as strictly bar beer & wine and a signature drink or 2 (or pay by consumption and not open bar), or better yet, find a venue that lets you bring your own alcohol but provides a bartender. Other tips: don't contract your photographer for 10-12 hours - do 5 hours and you can likely get some "getting ready" photos, and all of your ceremony plus the highlights of your reception and make your schedule appropriate to get the shots you want before your photog leaves. Also - your photographer's skill that's worth money is taking the pictures - find one whose style you like and that delivers high res digital files and the rights to the photos. Skip the options for prints/canvases and albums - they mark those up 1000% (I am serious) and you can DIY whatever you want if you have the files. Flowers - keep your flowers in season or local. Anything out of season or that needs to be flown in is going to cost a lot. You don't need elaborate centerpieces, and repurpose as much from the ceremony as possible for the reception (bouquets can double as table arrangements, swags can also decorate your cake table, etc) or do bud vases or single bloom arrangements in simple containers (thrift shops, the dollar store and flea markets have excellent cheap containers). Entertainment is also worth the money as I have seen what happens when a friend DJs - they screw it up and there is no flow to the reception. I feel like then you're putting too much pressure on someone who isn't really valuing the job because they're not being paid. There are DJs and musicians out there that are good that don't charge $10k - do your research (try a Google search - there are plenty of good musicians out there that don't want to spend a lot of money on advertising - and those are ones that charge fair rates!). DIY your invites or consider using editable templates from Etsy that you get printed - cardsandpockets.com has some awesome, impressive invitation designs and cheap printing (as does Vistaprint) - they are saving me $300+ on invitations, envelopes, etc. Good luck!

I'm having my Aunt DIY a lot of our wedding decorations like signs and stuff like that. I might DIY centerpieces using faux 💐 not sure yet.

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Https://www.printkeg.com/products/5x7-folded-cards?variant=1082648735

I used these because I don't like seeing the popsicle stick. They're cards, so already folded which is nice. Worked really really well!

Agree with Allie, definitely flowers.

View Quoted Comment Thank you!!!