Can't afford food, need to figure out reception time

Kelly, you try to grow up a little. Look at the people that have had shit circumstances but still make sound decisions.

I thought she was having sandwiches? You can definitely cater lunch for $8pp as long as the $600 doesn't need to go to anything else? If you're thinking of cutting out sandwiches start at 10 finish by 12-1230

Nope, not giving any fucks here, people. You say "have the wedding you can afford" on so many threads. She isn't having a wedding she can afford. She admitted to adding more people and now the guest list seems to be out of control for what she could handle before.

You guys have fun, I'm not going to get sucked into this black hole of going back and forth.

Time; never.

Congrats on your engagement! I think a punch and cake reception sounds beautiful as does the idea of having your wedding while the most important people to you can be there.

It must be fun to be you LillyBean. That high horse's legs may break one of these days. Best of luck.

The bigger problem here is not your wedding, it's your finances in general. This post comes with 0 judgement but my profession is helping people at or nearing retirement age do financial planning. I strongly strongly recommend you set aside some time with FH to sit down with a financial planner. Since you mentioned you're in your early 50s you still have 15 years or so to save and it's good that you're not spending very much on your wedding (athough I agree with PP about the feasibility of such a small buget with 80 people). If $600 however is an indication of your finances I would NOT recommend extending your engagement to pay for a larger wedding. You have much more important pressing things to save for. I can't emphasize this enough, but after the recession more and more people of your age bracket are literally planning to keep working until they die. Given that your medical needs etc. will increase in the next 10-20 years as well, I really am going to step out of line with this unsolicited advice: the wedding is not important, having a financial plan in the future is. People need way more than they expect in their later years.

Can you do a 10:00 am ceremony perhaps? We did something similar when H and I got married (2nd wedding for each). Ours was in the church and we had pinwheel sandwich platters (from Jewel), punch (water, coffee, tea), and cake in the church hall afterwards. Best of luck to you on your planning and congrats as well.

Lillybean be like:

OP, it looks like you got your answer. Many people say to do a ceremony around 130-2 and then have like a 2 hour reception.

All the money stuff confused me so I went back to read your post and it looks like you're good with money.

$600 budget

-$80 drinks

-$280 sandwiches

-$0 cake

-$? Flowers

------------

$240 leftover

You got your answer a while ago. I also don't think you needed to mention budget stuff. It seems irrelevant.

I'm sorry about your family members I hope they stay in good health. Good luck!

Lillybean is on point.

sorry not sorry.

she's 100% correct.

this is a colossal mistake and headache- and you're asking for it all by setting yourself up to be stressed. Per your original post.

Either push this shit back- or change your plans.

And get some financial counseling or do some research on it- because you shouldn't' be in this position. I get that shit happens- but at some point you have to take some ownership of whats going on.

Not gonna lie....if I showed up to a wedding and all they had to eat was an Albertson's sandwich and some bottled water, I'd be a little pissed.

Kudos to you if you can figure out how in the world to make that ish work. I can spend nearly $200 just to have 4 people over for dinner on a Saturday night.

Oh come on now Kelly. People come here with blatantly unworkable situations and sooner or later a few people clop up on their white horses and tell them that yes, you CAN feed many people on no dollars. And sure you can, but it smacks of not treating the people you theoretically love well.

A wedding is not a family reunion. I respect that OP wants to get married with relatives who are ill and may not be able to be there if the date is changed, but there are some really troubling things in this thread, and Jenny pointed them out.

If you can't afford even the most minimal refreshments for your guests, you don't invite 80 of them. It's really that simple. People act like these guest lists just create themselves; they don't. You construct them and you have control over them.

Try pushing your reception time to about a year or two ahead so you can save and host your guest properly?

Also, with a $600 budget, that wouldn't cover even ten guests, no matter what you do. Cake alone cost at least $400.

What do you mean real wedding dress? Like you went to a bridal boutique and spent $$ on it?

If I went to a wedding that was cake and punch and the bride is wearing a dress that looks like it cost more than the spread, I'm giving side eye.

Either push your wedding out or go to the courthouse.

@angela. Realistically it's going to be very difficult if you ENTIRE wedding budget is $600 (which I think might be everyone's question here). I couldn't tell you one thing I spent $600 on because everything was much more then that. I'm not saying you can't, I'm saying you will have a hard time.

The question has been more then answered here, albeit quite rudely and poor mannered. Your personal finances are no ones business despite the fact that some people seem to think that because post questions about our weddings, everyone is entitled to so much more detail.

I would strongly recommend slimming your guest list to family only. Remove any friends or coworkers. I would then suggest an early wedding around 1-130 and serving what you've suggested. If $600 covers your food only you can serve small sandwiches, punch and water along with cake later. End the day at about 4.

Everything will work out. At the end of the day, remember that this wedding is for you and FH and no one else. Spend your time and money one making those who love you enjoy spending this day to celebrate. It's not about reunions. It's about a new union.

A morning wedding might help. Bagels instead of sandwiches? Or just do cake and punch.

No Sarah. Once she has one guest it's not about OP and her husband. It's about the guests.