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Savvy May 2022

Feeling like I’m settling due to budget

Amanda, on May 12, 2021 at 12:12 AM Posted in Style and Décor 0 16

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Hi fellow beauties.

We’ve postponed our destination beach wedding to next May, and now that we’re a year out, I’m starting to second guess a lot of the choices we’ve already made on decor/rentals, colors, etc. Moreover, I keep looking at photos of our staged table set up and still am not in love with it because we really had to scale it back due to budget.
Example: wedding hotel package comes with the white garden chairs (which I personally do not like) so we opted to splurge on wooden tables and not rent chairs to match. We’re also keeping florals minimal by going with tropical scapes so table looks a bit bare as well with a few monsteras and small clear vases/candle holders.
Deep down, I know the decor is not the most important thing (and is certainly not the thing people remember most) but I’m just constantly thinking about what I’d change and I go back + forth with wanting to just splurge since it’s the big day.
Any advice? Will I regret not going for what I want? Or will I be happier we saved thousands on chair rentals and table decor lol.

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16 Comments

Latest activity by Tara, on May 14, 2021 at 11:03 AM

Master July 2019
Hannah · on May 12, 2021 at 12:47 AM
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Personally, I would leave things as us. When you think back to the memories of your wedding, you're going to think about this moments with your new spouse and all your friends and family. You'll hardly remember, if at all, the tables or the chairs. Your guests certainly won't. To be honest, I'll be married for 2 years in July and I only vaguely remember what my tables looked like.
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VIP December 2021
mrswinteriscoming · on May 12, 2021 at 2:26 AM
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I'm much the same in that I have been picking at some of our details and questioning if I'm happy with them / if everything matches / if anything needs to be changed etc.
In my opinion, if it is keeping you up at night and you can reasonably afford to change things, do it. Literally for months I was tossing and turning about our ceremony venue (COVID postponement gave me lots of time to think) and changing our venue was the best option in my opinion. It is a $3,000 splurge but I am so happy with the decision!
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Dedicated September 2022
Christina · on May 12, 2021 at 5:20 AM
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I agree with PP. I had put in upgraded farm tables and chairs to match... a few months ago I was contemplating taking them out as they were a little over $2-3k depending on final number of chairs and tables... Thinking now though, I just wouldn't be happy without them. I am lucky enough, I can pick up quite a bit of overtime so that's what i'm going to do, but I think if its really making you think or you'll be sad about it, do it. Being that it is pushed out now, see how much it would cost and see if you can save X amount a month to see if you can swing the cost!
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VIP August 2020
Katie · on May 12, 2021 at 7:35 AM
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Hi Amanda! If you’re worried about the tables looking bare, we used palms (inexpensive and beautiful!) for our rehearsal dinner. Do you have a photo of your table staged setup?

I did splurge on my florist and her package handled all setup and tear down- that was worth every penny!!! Having professionals handle the manual work reduced my stress significantly and allowed me to enjoy myself and be fresh to mingle with our guests. Here is a pic of rehearsal dinner palms just to give you an idea. 6 tables with generous palms, seashells, white candles cost $300 (including setup and tear down - I touched nothing!).
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Savvy May 2021
Alexis · on May 12, 2021 at 8:05 AM
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I hear you girl. I'm in the same boat. My husband and I had a wedding part one back in December where we officially got married. Our wedding part two is on May 23rd, 2021. I feel like I settled on the wedding part one, and partly with our wedding part two coming up. I want to splurge on uplighting, but my husband doesn't think it is needed.
If you think it is something that is going to be a major bummer that you'll think about in years to come, and you're able to save up the money, I say change it and go with what you want. It is only one day, but it is YOUR day.
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Master May 2019
Cyndy · on May 12, 2021 at 8:08 AM
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I personally didn’t worry about tables and chairs for my destination wedding. We had our reception on a rooftop on the Gulf In Florida and people were so focused on the scenery that nobody cared about the other things. I guess it depends on what you really want. For our tables we went with simple vases and candles and a little greenery ( inexpensive too). Most people care about good food and drinks and fun music at weddings, but you have to be happy too. Another tip is to ask your florist to reuse anything from your ceremony in your reception area that will lessen your florist bill a bit. Good luck!!
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VIP November 2021
Allie · on May 12, 2021 at 9:18 AM
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I think this is something you might look back on and not think about after the wedding honestly, but I completely get where you are coming from because we chose to not go with a venue based on the chairs they offered. If you can afford to change it, maybe look into doing that. Otherwise, try to find some ways you can spice it up that aren't crazy expensive. The tables and chairs won't be too memorable, but they most likely will be in photos, so it's kind of a toss up there on what to do!
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Devoted March 2021
whirlwind · on May 12, 2021 at 10:11 AM
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I think in the end how ever big or small your budget is everyone settles on some thing due to budget. No one is able to afford everything they might dream of.

I had the wedding of my dreams within our specific circumstances. They are a ton of things I would have done different if I had had a different budget, time, place,... . But thinking what if doesn't help me. I chose to marry my husband at this point in time (aka in the middle of a worldwide pandemic), at this place and with this budget. If I had waited longer I could have spent more but we didn't want to wait.

If you are able to increase your budget and it's worth it to you and your fiance, do that. If not, focus on all the stuff you can afford or the number of guests you can invite and the things you are happy with.

As far as chairs and table decorations. Most guests will not care and not notice. But I also understand that it's important to you.
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Master October 2021
Sexypoodle · on May 12, 2021 at 10:16 AM
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No you won’t regret it because, as you mentioned, it’s not the most important thing anyway. Plus you’ll be having too good of a time for something like that to even matter.
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Dedicated October 2021
themost · on May 12, 2021 at 10:40 AM
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I decided to splurge on upgraded for chairs for our venue. Looking at photos of other folks weddings online, the very few that didn't upgrade their chairs or at least use chair covers stuck out like a sore thumb. Anybody getting married at the venue has already shelled out thousands on the venue, catering, decor etc so at that point, I think it's like... What's another thousand on chairs? FH and I looked at the pictures online and agreed that the ones with the venue-provided folding chairs just looked less polished and/or like they were trying to save money (which I totally get... We're not rich either). But I know I would have major regrets seeing the chairs in any photos.
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Legend June 2019
Melle · on May 12, 2021 at 12:22 PM
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I think it depends on what your priority is. if decor is important to you then i would just go for what you want and go away with that nagging feeling of "am i gonna regret this later if i dont do it" but at the same time, if leaving it as is frees up the funding to do other things that you also want, then you may be ok with it
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Just Said Yes June 2022
Presley · on May 12, 2021 at 1:18 PM
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I can't speak for you, but I think "I wish we had the money to do xyz" sounds like a bigger regret than "I wish these pictures had prettier chairs in them."
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Devoted January 2022
Jess · on May 12, 2021 at 3:17 PM
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I understand what you mean I have also rethought about certain things I wanted to change that I might regret not having like pink up-lights that are about 1k lol. My only advice from personal experience is since I had to postpone to 2022 it gave me a whole year of saving more money for the certain decor or upgrades I would of wanted prior , to make it fun I find money challenges on Pinterest for certain decor I wanted to save more for which is exciting . Haha
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Sammy · on May 12, 2021 at 10:51 PM
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I think, you shouldn't look at it like a zero sum game. Upgraded decor for big day OR regret forever. Why don't you and your FH pick another savings goal for something fun- a home project, a trip, fancy cooking equipment, a car paint job... anything splurgey that will last and you both want. Then it can be, William Sonoma pans or upgraded chairs, and you're choosing between two things that can give you joy.
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Just Said Yes June 2022
katieishere · on May 13, 2021 at 6:32 AM
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Think about whether it will bother you when looking back through your photos, then go from there. I'm working on my second wedding, and am grateful for all that I learned in the first.
Yes, you'll be crazy busy and happy the day of because duh, YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED!! :-D So on the actual day you won't really care and the guests won't really remember much beyond how much fun they had.
But the photos of the day will help you cement your memories as time and life move on. Do you think you'll be bothered by the setup when you flip through the album 5, 10, 20 years from now? If not, then try to let go of the current frustration and move on. If so, see how you can change it.
Good luck!
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VIP November 2016
Tara · on May 14, 2021 at 11:03 AM
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If you're getting married at the beach there's natural beauty all around!! Play off that and really take advantage of that... If you want more decor I think there's ways you can do that inexpensively. are you driving or flying to your wedding? (Not sure if it's in the states and not too far from you, or out of the country and you have to take everything with you.)
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