Is anyone else going over budget??

I know for a fact that I will be going over!!! I set the budget to $30k and my caterer, with linens and things, is exactly half ....I wish my family wasnt so big, ugh! I swear I wish we could just run off & get married & use that money for a really nice house!!

Hey! At least it's a one time deal right!

I originally had 13K, but it looks like we will be more like 15K. We cut out the limo, and I really wanted a photo booth, but that got cut too...

I don't know how far into the planning process you are but there are many ways to cut costs to try to get yourself back on track. Limiting the guest count is a great idea or opting for an afternoon wedding vs. evening will also save you. If you have any friends or family that are crafty you could always have them make your favors or even have a friend do the video for your special day to save money. Opting out of expensive transportation and renting a nice car like a town car is also a cost saver. You may even want to register for your honeymoon so you and you fiance will not have to cover that expense. There are some great DIY invitations, programs and place cards that you can buy at AcMoore or even Target and that can save you big on your budget. Most people end up over their original budget because most first time brides don't anticipate all of the costs involved in having a wedding. Don't get discouraged, just get creative!

I was really hoping to do my wedding for about 10k... what was I thinking?! Maybe for a really simple wedding with not many people but not with a guest list close to 300. It's all or nothing in my family and FH and my mom were pretty unreasonable with the amount of people that they wanted to invite. In the end, our parents pitched in with some help surprisingly but it was extremely stressful for months. To do it over, I definitely would have cut the guest list, less wedding party, and made it smaller and more intimate. I also would have hired a cheaper photographer and done even more research there because he just did not deliver photos in quality or variety, not for the price I paid and my friends actually did! wow.

Im soo over budget!

I wish trimming the list would help. I don't actually have a ton of guests I want to invite. I'm contracted for 118 guests so if I landed at 120 I'd be fine and that includes the bridal party. We are pretty good. I didn't factor in the honeymoon and I went a bit over on flowers. Hindsight is 20/20.

Right now we're doing good but I'm afraid of what will happen now that we're in the second half of the engagement. Like a lot of little things will come up I think but hopefully we'll stay around our budget.

Haha I am glad to see other girls in the same boat as me...I am tired of people giving me "that look" when they hear what my budget is. Everyone has something that means the world to them and to me I was that little girl who dreamed of her wedding day...I just think everyone should be happy no matter what that means; a house, a wedding, a new car, a boat, a vacation...just be happy

I think everyone goes over there budget if its a little or a lot but we all do LoL

Yep in trouble with my FH! We are over budget to by a few thousand because I keep adding stuff! LOL!

Wow, I don't feel so bad now! My budget was $8000 including honeymoon - but its seemed to have run away with me. Right now its almost $15k (including honeymoon and spending cash while gone). I don't know WHAT to cut...limo? $525 - Guests? (166 currently) - we already cut our photog budget from $1500 to $950. We have no video... I'm totally at a loss...

@ Bride to be - the idea of a changing to a destination wedding definatly plays into the overbudget idea! I would have been WAAAAYY over if we had decided to stay stateside! THankfully our guest list didn't change much (since most people were going to having to travel anyways) but instead of 10k plus for a venue location and food and stuff we have been able to cut our costs by 75%!! I know it's not an option for everyone, but it is definately a way to help the overbudget aspect (if monies are still refundable and you aren't moments away!)

However I will say - that even though we saved $$ by doing the destination thing... I'm still looking at being over the budget I had set for it! HAHAHAHA!!!! TOTALLY WORTH IT THOUGH!!!!!!!!!

Good luck all & HAPPY SPENDING (even if it does make for many ramen noodle nights!)

Budget is $5k. probably at around $4k once I find a photographer. I just need a dj! so far weve had to give up my dream venue, chair covers, the decorations i want... but my mom and dad are pitching in about $2500 between the two of them, and his dad and uncle are taking care of the honeymoon... so i might sneak in some chair covers and decorations with the money were saving...

Lol its nice to know I am not alone. We thought having a friend be the cater would be good but then w struggled to find a venue that wasn't a gymnasium with basketball hoops and all that would let us bring in outside food. We started out saying we wanted to spend 8000K but that has quickly turned into 11K and that doesnt include the honeymoon. I keep thinking we could go to the JOP and remodel the kitchen with that money after we get back from our honeymoon.

My FH and I have had many, many "discussions" about taking that $15K and buying a house and a puppy.... he's starting to make me feel like I'm being unreasonable....and he wants to do the destination thing....but I'm Catholic so...

I wish my destination wedding would've saved us money! Lot of family members in England who couldn't really afford the vacation in Cabo, so guess who's flying them in for the wedding and renting out a villa so they have somewhere to stay? that would be me. Then again, I'd rather spend the money on having my closing family there than on anything else I'm thinking of it as a really expensive vacation/honeymoon/family reunion with a wedding thrown into the mix!

"closing" family? I work in real estate....laugh

Mrs Joseph - Mexico has some beautiful catholic churches, just because it's a destination wedding doesn't mean you have to get married on the beach

I had a budget like the first two days..then vendors gave me a reality check..