I've set out a certain amount of money I can spend each month, and I buy whatever it is that I need or make payments towards certain vendors depending on the month's budget. Things I've bought are: card holder, ribbon, candles, invitations, venue(s), DJ, food/drink, uh... drawing a blank... the dress, shoes, veil... the list goes on forever.
Ashley has a good suggestion, buy things as you go along, that way you don't all of a sudden have to spend a lot of money at once. This site is great for DIY! Etsy is great, and so is Oriental Trading for the little things.
Also, shop coupons and stalk sales. Hobby Lobby has a bridal sale and flower sale about every two weeks or so. Michaels does the same, and they both offer 40% and 50% coupons on a weekly bases.
I'm doing a LOT of DIY and buying things here and there, rather than everything at once. Our budget is approximately $15,000, including the honeymoon.
1- saving all our birthday/christmas/tax return money. Neither of us make a lot so we can only save maybe $40-$50 a month, but when we get $1,500 in tax returns it really helps.
we are shopping around A LOT. don't think that renting and DIYing are always the cheapest options, we have found buying things are sometimes cheaper. and less stressful. don't rule out technical schools for catering, for a full meal ours is about $15 per person after all the delivery and chef fees. Buying things a little at a time using coupons is also a great money saver.
2. our current budget is $8000, though our projected spending as about $9000 right now. we are searching for deals to get that last $1,000 out.
3. Everything. Venue, catering, linens, centerpieces, flowers, my clothes, his accessories, photographer, the only thing I can think of that we aren't having is a DJ. probably. if we get an extra big christmas present that may change.
Budget $3500 (500 of that was the dress)- no including honeymoon.
most of my money went to venue and photographer.
We saved on shopping for good deals, or DIY projects, and roping in family friends to help with the little things.
we set a budget did some window shopping, and then paid for things in full. I love not having to worry about being in debt or making last min payments.
I paid $60 for 150 favors. I went to lakside collections and got the bride and groom boxes and then got the bride and groom mints on oriental tading. Our wedding is costing us around $9,000 total
Mine is about $7,500 including honeymoon I'm doing some DIY doing a lot of shopping before making purchases. Getting married on a Friday to save some $.
Ours is about 5,000 we are having a small wedding no honeymoon no open bar i wanted a photo booth but cant afford that either. we only have 1 income comming in because i just had my son and was working a min wage job anyways . but we do have the reception site cake food centerpieces and linens all included in our package. then about 500 for the dj, dress with alteration around 450. just need favors and we are pretty much done
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August 2020
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I was lucky enough to get a venue that includes A LOT! Ceremony, white glove servers, 5 hour reception, open bar, wedding cake, 5 course sit down meal (including Banana's foster flambed [spelling???] right at the tables), centerpieces, champaign toast, and even the DJ for under $65 a person!!!! It sounds like a lot, but really if we paid for everything separately it would cost way more! We shopped around a lot and we are doing a most of the other stuff DIY- even my wedding dress- my mom is making it. The only things we really have to pay for other than the venue is the photographer and the chair covers that I have to have. As far as the HM we are setting up a Honeymoon registry. We don't really need much else so we decided to do that instead of a typical Macy's or some other department store. Other than that, we are saving as much as we can, saving tax returns and any extra money we get. My fiance works 2 jobs and I'm home with the kids all summer, but come September I will CONT
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August 2020
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Be back to work and all of my pay will go right to the wedding. good luck!
My FH and I are paying for 90% of our wedding ourselves. My mom and step-dad are paying for some things as a gift, not sure what yet, and we're pretty sure FH's mom is going to rent our photo booth for us, or pay for something else as our gift too. We're doing a lot of DIY stuff, as well as borrowing or bargain hunting for other things. For our center pieces for instance we're borrowing the rose bowls we need, and making the candles ourselves.
Three words: Do It Yourself...I'm making all the flowers for my wedding the only things I really have to pay for are the Dress, Venue, The DJ, Food and Officiant, and of course the cake(can't make it myself venue won't let me) everything else is just extra, and if I have the money for it, I may think about getting it, other than that, I'm making my invites, flowers, and everything else I can think of so I don't have to spend money on it
We are paying for things as we go. Trying to do a lot of DIY. My FH wants certain things- I was okay sandwiches for dinner- he wants a buffet and nice tablecloths. I am planning on making my invites- favors- flowers- centerpieces. Catering is still up in the air. Hoping to spend about $5,000 total- no honeymoon.
We booked early and broke everything down in payments. We started book our vendors about 16 months in advance. One this helped us secure the vendors we wanted and secondly gave ample time pay everything off. We started from the largest items first (photographer, planner, florist) and then worked our way down to our small items. Our venue is the last thing we are taking care of b/c we meet with them next week to confirm meal selections! Definitely shop around and way the cost of your DIY items.