Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

Dedicated August 2020

Wedding Wants/budget/style Change After Touring Venues.

Tara, on July 2, 2019 at 11:30 AM Posted in Planning 0 33

Saved

Flag
Hide content

My fiancé and I recently started checking out wedding venues. We came into all of this preferring to have a smaller budget, limited amount of guests, sort of simple venue nothing too crazy. We felt like the actual marriage and love is what is really important, not shelling out thousands and thousands of dollars. Though we still believe that to be true, our perspectives kind of changed a bit when we toured our latest venue, which we knowww is the one. It was like once we walked in and saw how beautiful and glamourous everything was, the vibe, what they had to offer, how warm and welcoming everyone was, we actually felt like this was the place we could see ourselves getting married. We did a total 180, it was like a switch flipped. It's not crazyyy crazy over our initial budget or anything, definitely is more than we were expecting but is affordable/doable for us. It makes me wonder if I just wasn't being realistic before about budget/pricing/and what I really wanted. Did this happen to any of you? Once you actually got into the planning process/touring places/making decisions did your feelings/wants change?

Flag
Hide content

33 Comments

Latest activity by Tara, on July 8, 2019 at 12:41 PM

Master December 2019
Courtney · on July 2, 2019 at 11:34 AM
Flag

Hide content
I know that feeling lol. I was all for a small wedding, even a courthouse wedding, but my fiancé wanted something larger. I agreed because I knew the sticker shock would change his mind.
Wouldn't you know it, we toured a venue that we looooved and it was less then what we wanted to spend for the guest list we had in mind. I ate my words that day lol.
- Reply
Master May 2021
Cristy · on July 2, 2019 at 11:38 AM
Flag

Hide content
It's not so much that our wants changed. But we did feel the sticker shock once we started researching venues and pricing. We had no idea what weddings cost before that. So, although we never wanted anything too extravagant or huge, we knew we were going to have to get creative about a lot of things because everything costs so much!! We ended up pushing out our original date about 9 months so we could have more time to save, and get everything we want!
- Reply
Super July 2021
Alycia · on July 2, 2019 at 11:57 AM
Flag

Hide content
The venue is always the biggest expense. The only other thing that you might go bigger on to match the venue is possibly your dress, the cake, and (if it's not included) food. The rest you can keep the same. A DJ and photographer won't be affected by the venue.
- Reply
Legend March 2017
Pirate & 60s Bride · on July 2, 2019 at 2:23 PM
Flag

Hide content
Yes, we originally wanted a destination wedding weekend. With one themed event one night, wedding next night. Venues were crazy expensive! After touring venues we ditched the weekend idea and had just the wedding night planned but it all worked out because the venue we chose had everything... gorgeous ceremony spot, awesome wine cave for reception and a resort for us/guests to stay in!

Then we did a local reception later for our second themed event.
- Reply
Dedicated August 2020
Tara · on July 5, 2019 at 8:48 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Hahaha 😂. That’s beautiful and it’s awesome that the pricing worked out so well! I guess everything happens for a reason and you get placed right where you need to be. 😊
- Reply
Dedicated August 2020
Tara · on July 5, 2019 at 8:52 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Omg that’s exactly what happened to us, we neverrr realized how expensive everything is! Yes time for saving is everything and really helps. Thank goodness we have a decent amount of time to do the same. Getting creative about things sounds like a great idea and definitely something we’re going to be looking into as well! 😊
- Reply
Dedicated August 2020
Tara · on July 5, 2019 at 8:59 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Yes, agreed the venue is definitely the biggest expensive! I do want a beautiful dress and pretty cake, but nothing too too crazy lol. 😊 But yeah you’re right about keeping the same sort of vibe all around, good point. 🤔
- Reply
Dedicated August 2020
Tara · on July 5, 2019 at 9:04 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
A themed event sounds like sooo much fun! It’s awesome that you got to do everything you wanted and it all worked out! The venue we fell in love with has everything we want too. I just feel like once you find the one you know, and just like yours did, it always turns out beautiful and even better than expected! 😊
- Reply
VIP October 2019
Jessica · on July 5, 2019 at 9:14 AM
Flag

Hide content
This somewhat happened for me. There were certain things I was not realistic about price wise, such as my wedding dress. I initially bought a dress online for $100, did not lovvvve it, so went to several dress apts and ended up spending $1,000. I absolutely lovvvve my dress now. I thought i wanted a simple all over lace gown, but my dress is much more glamorous than I would have ever thought before.

As for our venue, i suggested getting married at his parents home, which he thought was great because it would "save so much", I just liked the idea of being able to go back to the place where we said our I do's. It saved us between $300 & $1,000 (we won't know for sure until the week before the wedding when we figure out which size tent, in case of rain, we need to add on to our rentals).
To answer your question, I think this probably happens to a good bit of people. Don't stress it, just don't go beyond your means.
- Reply
Devoted January 2021
Shelly · on July 5, 2019 at 9:34 AM
Flag

Hide content
I always thought i would be laid back and not want anything too extravagant. But now I'm super obsessed with details and we are way over budget lol. We both want all of this stuff though we just didn't understand how much things coat at first. I think it's normal to have your ideas and vision change. It's an exciting time and I want my guest to leave thinking "wow this was the best wedding i ever attended !!!"
- Reply
Master August 2019
Allie · on July 5, 2019 at 9:47 AM
Flag

Hide content
Our "wants" didn't change, but we weren't realistic about budget and what weddings (even simple, smaller ones) cost.
- Reply
Master December 2019
Courtney · on July 5, 2019 at 11:56 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment

Thank you. Apparently since we booked so late in the year (12/1/2018), we were supposed to get 2019 rates; instead they gave us 2018 rates and we're already saving $1,000.
- Reply
Expert October 2020
Soon2BSmith · on July 5, 2019 at 12:02 PM
Flag

Hide content
For me it was like I was being unrealistic. My guest count keeps going up thanks to my mom, and I thought I would find something I love in my budget. Apparently, I have champagne taste on a beer budget.
- Reply
Master September 2019
Sherry · on July 5, 2019 at 12:04 PM
Flag

Hide content
It definitely happens. Although ours was the opposite. We originally planned for something much larger until we went to tour the venue we liked most and fell in love. We had intended on around 175+ guests but the venue we chose has a capacity of 80 so we really had to scale back and looking back, I am so glad we did. Always go with your gut! There are plenty of ways to save money on decorations and wedding extras. Congrats on finding your venue, it is such an exciting part of the planning process.
- Reply
Legend March 2017
Pirate & 60s Bride · on July 5, 2019 at 5:56 PM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment

Themed events were very "us." Can you post a pic of your venue? Would love to see it. For us, venue was a priority because it set the stage and mood for what we envisioned so I totally get your excitement!!!
- Reply
VIP April 2021
Alisha · on July 5, 2019 at 6:08 PM
Flag

Hide content
I know that feeling because my budget change because I am having my wedding on a Sunday. It was cheaper on a Sunday because it was few thousands lest than a Saturday. I am having my wedding at a venue that we love. We are withing budget of what we wanted to spend by having our wedding on a Sunday.
- Reply
Super October 2019
Cassi · on July 5, 2019 at 6:17 PM
Flag

Hide content
I think it's hard to be realistic till you start touring because honestly things cost a lot more than most people realize. We set a high budget 15k and actually everything wedding related were just under 10k and that includes our attire and everything else. We did add another almost 6k on there for lodging for our wedding party but that's a budget we decided was okay because was still within range of our original wedding only budget.
- Reply
Dedicated August 2020
Tara · on July 6, 2019 at 7:38 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Yes I totally agree about the realistic part! I started looking at some dresses online and thought wow these are pretty cheap and could work! But after talking to my Mom and using my knowledge from watching “Say Yes to the Dress” over the years lol, I decided that $1000-$1500 would be a good budget.

We actually thought about doing his parents’ home at one time as too (they have a cute backyard), but we’ve changed our minds about an outside wedding altogether. I hope it works out great for you guys and that you really do save a ton of money doing it that way! And the whole being able to go back to the place where you said your I do’s is super cute!

And yes thanks for the advice. We totally won’t, it may be a bit more than what we expected but it’s def doable for us. 😊
- Reply
Dedicated August 2020
Tara · on July 6, 2019 at 7:43 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Haha omg you sound exactlyyy like me! Yeah, I definitely feel like it does have to do with not realizing how much things truly cost, weddings aren’t cheap! I totally agree, I mean I’m glad it did change because deep down this is what I really wanted and can’t wait for my fiancé and I to have the night of our lives with all of our family! Your wedding will be amazing, and I’m sure going a bit over budget will be worth it lol. 😊😊
- Reply

Dedicated August 2020
Tara · on July 6, 2019 at 7:47 AM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Yeah I totally agree! We had no idea about the cost of weddings and set a budget that was unrealistic for us. Like you said, even smaller weddings can get pricey. I’m just happy that we’re back on track with a better budget/vision/and really know what we want. 😊
- Reply