Realizing my budget is extremely unrealistic.... I'm gonna go broke.

I don't think you need to say goodbye to your dreams, just readjust them. Have you tried a different type of a venue? Perhaps something that would include more for that price so that you can pay more for food and drinks given that is important to you?

Also, how much have you budgeted for the dress and HM?

If you are having a buffet, the impact will be less. Also, how old will the kids be? 1 y/o is diff from a 9 y/o.

The kids are not part of the estimated 75?

I have to disagree with Labake on the buffet being cheaper. You will have to buy more food for a buffet because some people will eat only certain things, and the others may or may not eat the rest. I've been to buffet weddings and there is a lot of waste IMO.

The kids are... but do i need to count them... 2 will be only 1 or 2 so i guess i can't leave them out.... Most are older like 7 to 12.

Really i thought buffets would be cheaper... you don't have to have someone serving and all that...

It may very well be cheaper where you live to do a buffet. You should cost it out though. I would definitely look for a new venue - it could be worth your while.

Also, kids under 2 aren't going to be eating that much, but 7 - 12 year olds can eat ALOT (from what I've seen).

$8K is doable

Venue -- keep searching for a better deal. No more than 1500. Try and shoot for a Saturday brunch style if Friday evening/Sunday afternoon isn't an option.

Food and Beverage -- (usually go hand and hand) I'd budget 4000. Check for venues that allow you to bring your own alcohol. That way you can buy gradually over time.

Photographer -- maybe choose one of your friends with the most profession profile and ask them to photograph your wedding for 400-600.

Stationary -- DIY everything for no more than 75 (this includes postage and programs etc)

Decorations -- because your theme is Rustic I'd look for second hand things. Think outside the box. Centerpiece don't have to be floral. Maybe budget 200.

Flowers -- Local grocery store the morning off -- 50 bucks could get your a nice arrangement for your and your girls

DJ -- To cut cost, ever think of making a nice mix on your Ipod/MP# player and ask a friend to man it? It would be free!

That's roughly $6500....

I dont think 600 is too low for catering. it really does depend on your area. The most expensive caterer in my area offers $8/pp as the high end. My caterer is $4.50/pp and that includes baked ham, fried chicken, corn, green beans, choice of potato, noodles, rolls, butter, salt & pepper for each table, disposable serveware, tea and lemonade. So...if you were using my caterer, you could actually get all that for around $370, which isnt bad at all. plus their food is amazing!! everyone around here uses them and they are soo good. its a local grocery store chain.

you are definitely lowballing the dj price tho. DJ is the most important part in my eyes. its what makes or breaks a party. I am spending $1400 on mine. He is a emcee, and a real like "scratch, scratch" dj lol. this package also includes uplighting.

like Mrs. S said you just have to redream your dreams. my ideas have changed lots since i started looking at wedding stuff. dont be discouraged!

The kids unless they are babies and still drinking milk need to be counted when budgeting for food.

Im gonna leave work and see where my money is going and email you. We are at 85 guests and aiming for $10,000

Definitely look for a cheaper venue and also maybe try to find ways to have cheaper food.

My budget (which is realistic as to what things are costing us)

Category estimated cost actual cost amount paid amount due

Hair and Makeup $275.03 $0.00 --- ---

Cake $0.01 $0.01 $0.01 $0.00

Cake and Cutting Fee $dinner comes w cake we wont do wedding cake

Catering $6,091.56 $5,600.00 $500.00 $5,100.00

Beverage $1,991.56 $2,000.00 0 $2,000.00

wine $600.00 $600.00 0t $600.00

Ceremony Music $friends are in a band they are playing as a gift

Bride's Accessories $borrowed

Dress and Alterations $605.00 $600.00 $600.00 $0.00

Groom's Accessories $30.00 $0.00 --- ---

Groom's Tux or Suit $free with 5 people in wedding party renting there

Headpiece and Veil $borrowed

Favors and Gifts $150.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Bride Bouquet $130.00 will prob pick

Bridesmaid Bouquets $100.00 $0.00 --- ---

Chair covers $192.98 $200.00 $100.00 $100.00

Groom and Groomsmen Boutonnieres $0 not doing this --- ---

hanging lanterns $30.00 $30.00 $30.00 $0.00

Reception Decorations and Centerpieces $440.00 $440.00 $100.00 $340.00

table runners $30.00 $30.00 $30.00 $0.00

Invitations $350.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Invitations and Reply Cards $300.00 $0.00 --- ---

Other Stationery $50.00 $0.00 --- ---

Her Ring $125.00 $0.00 --- ---

His Ring $500 $0.00 --- ---

Pastor $300.00 $300.00 add payment $300.00

Other $369.03 $350.00 $100.00 $250.00

Accommodations for Wedding Night $220.03 $250.00 $250.00

Bridesmaid Gifts $109.00 $100.00 $100.00 $0.00

Groomsmen Gifts $40.00 $0.00 --- ---

Photographer $400.00 $400.00 $200

Ceremony Venue Accessories $not decorating church

Ceremony Venue Fee $150.00 $150.00 $150.00 $0.00

Reception Venue $free with purchase of dinners

Rehearsal Dinner Venue $doing it at his sisters and simply ordering pizza

Grand Totals: $10,096.68 $8,100.08 $1,810.08 $6,290.00

(sorry so unformatted, stole it off my martha stewart site)

Food - Check with local restaurants and see what they will charge. Some of the smaller/cheaper ones may not up the price just because it's a wedding and with a large enough order you could negotiate free delivery and set up.

Photographer - I know this goes again all WW advice, but if you have friends that are good photographers, why don't you assign like 3 to help with the pictures and skip paying a photographer. I'm having my best friend and my cousin take my pictures and there styles and personalities are different enough that I think I'll get all the pictures I want between the 2 of them. You could assign 2 of your friends for each part of the wedding so no one has to miss the whole thing, and it'll give you 2 view points.

DJ - All this really takes now is someone with a halfway decent selection of music on their ipod/ipad/laptop if the venue has a sound system. If you have an internet connection at your venue, you can even youtube song requests! This is something else you could have a friend or relative can handle. We're having my FBIL and his wife man the DJ booth.

Cake - Do sheet cakes with a basic 1 tier round cake decorated fancy to cut. If you ask them to decorate it as an anniversary cake, you could get a cake to cut for as low as $20. When we saw how expensive tiered cakes were even from a grocery store we decided my FMIL could make cheesecakes for us. She took the idea and ran with it, so now we will have a full size cheesecake to cut and our guests will have 3 different flavors of individual cheesecakes to choose from!

Alcohol - If you have a Costco in your area, they will let you return any unopened bottles of alcohol.

Around here buffet is actually more expensive.

Also we are going to pick up bouquets possibly just at a supermarket and hand tie them that's like $10 a piece

Our centerpieces arn't floral and work out to about $10 a piece for 10 tables

We are also having our wedding 6hrs away cause we could get a WAAAYY nicer venue for no cost if we bought a full dinner for everyone. & dinner is $24/per plate.

Bought my dress at a wedding dress consignment store.

Putting 2 bottles of wine on each table and capping the open bar at $2000 which is equal to 5 drinks plus the wine per person (and I know about half our guest will have 2 or less so we probably wont cap)

If your food and drink are the only thing important to your FH have you considered just burning CD's in such an order that you can just play music all night. Or downloading everything you want. DJ's are expensive and in my opinion thats all they do.

I second Rebecca G about photographers. If some nice pics are important, you can always gear u

Gear up in your dress and he in a suit and o an instudio shot somewhere like Sears then you have a formal wedding photo. I am only interested in having a few GREAT shots so I hired a photographer for $400 for 4 hrs, and have a list of our amature photographer friends to take. Plus for $90 I got 9 disposable cameras from a photo developing place (with flash and developing included) to put on my tables for candids

You have a lot of people here helping you but i want to say that we had the same issue in the beginning ... we are paying for everyhting our selves my mom paid the blance of my flowers for me after i put down 300 for the deposit but everything i looked at was getting us 5k over our budget .... we are having a REALLY nice wedding low key for about 100 people. i have everything done, honeymoon booked and our grand total is 6230 there is only one other thing i have not gotten and that was a gift for my mom, but I am going to make her something so lol. the key to my success was a lot of leg work i mean a lot and talking to almost every one I know, you would be surprised at the people willing and wanting to help you on your big day by giving you services at a great discount, and alot of DIY projects coast ALOT of money if you dont already have all the materials for it. and look for places for the ceremony and reception that are not your typical hotel or inn, all will save you in the end,