Wedding Budget????

[tha_mrs]

Okay now I am getting down to planning for real. How do you set up your wedding budget??? Do I price venues and supplies first or just estimate and then proceed?

[CindySue]

Actually the 1st thing you need to do is figure out how much money you have to spend. We started a wedding fund, took $20 each week out of each of our checks and ended up with a lot more than I anticipated.
Once you know how much you have, then you can either do it yourself or use one on a wedding website, but you will need tobreak it down so you know how much you are going to be able to spend in each area. It gets tricky, because you might not use all that you budget for your cake, but then go way over budget on your flowers.
Good Luck!

[tha_mrs]

so the wedding is next year in may, I need to figure out how much we want to spend? say okay if I saved 20 a pay check add that up until May and that becomes my budget?

[CindySue]

If you start now, just you saving until April next year is $1040.00. Double that if hes going to save too. I dont know what your finaces are but if you are able to set aside more, you will save more. Im going to pull my wedding off on right at $1500.

[Kacie_bride]

I don't really have a set budget. I guess we should. My mom just says she would like her part to not go over $10,000. We didn't allocate how much we would spend on one thing or another. We are just trying to keep everything reasonable. The only thing Justin and I are paying for is the honeymoon which is costing us $2,300 plus spending money. HIs parents are doing the rehearsal and he is buying my bouquet and the rings and all that. I am purchasing his ring.

[Jenn060306]

I went through and figured out roughly how much the things we need to get on average. I estimated a little high just in case. There have been a couple surprises though. So if you budget $20 a week for the next year keep some side aside just in case.

[tha_mrs]

okay. so would it be right for me to price things now and then I can know what I need to save.Most of my wedding things are being done by extended family and friends,but it is not free.And that's okay with me.I think what I am looking for is how do I get a picture of what I will need for the wedding?

[Jenn060306]

okay. so would it be right for me to price things now and then I can know what I need to save.Most of my wedding things are being done by extended family and friends,but it is not free.And that's okay with me.I think what I am looking for is how do I get a picture of what I will need for the wedding?

Google things, search on wedding web sites for ideas, or pick up some wedding mags. Martha Stewarts is kinda expensive, but has some awsome DIY ideas. There are also some posted on her website.
Have fun searching!

[tha_mrs]

thanks Jennifer!

[amystl]

ok I am now panicking because i am worried we wont have enough money to pay for our wedding. both of our parents are helping out with the wedding but they can only do so much. My fiance's father is being a real jerk and only paying for a few things. He has a lot of money and u would think he would want to help his oldest son pay for the wedding. Whereas my mom is on social security and trying to pitch in as much money as she can. Oh he makes me so mad and my fiance wont say anything to him. Sorry just needed to vent a bit. I dont understand why people have to be like that when they know they have money and wont help out their family

[rainbowtreat]

Nicholas and I are paying for this ourselves. I have some freinds and family doing hting like the flower and food and photos as a wedding gift to us but we still have to fork out most of the dough. We have no one who can help us money wise. Make your wedding the way you want it on what you can afford. It can still be a beautiful wedding. I know mine will be and I am taking as many short cuts as I can/ And I am not skimping on the things I want. I still got a very nice dress and my kids are going to have nice clothes as they are a big part of this day. That just means other things have to take a back seat. Like the napkins and such, I am just going to buy all white and that be it. I dont need to spend the money I dont have on getting printed napkins that people are just going to throw away. The only thing with our names na dndate are the favors i made. Not that I wouldnt have these things if I had the money. I think they are nice to have. But my day is going to be just as nice and fun without them. It in the end I will be Nicholas' wife and he my husband. I am doing as much as I am because I want to see his face when he sees me in that dress and takes me as his wife. Just do what you can and I can tell you right now it will be the best most beautiful day of your life.

[WebLady]

Here are some rough estimates I came up with a while back that might help ...

Many people have no idea what a wedding can really cost ... Establishing a realistic budget is one of the most important and one of the toughest things to do when planning a wedding. The type and theme of your wedding will
be a big factor in determining how much planning and how much money will be required to make it happen. The average traditional wedding can run upwards of $5,000 - $10,000 dollars or more.

Here are some basic components that most all weddings share and the approximate cost:

- The dress (A traditional bridal gown can be anywhere from a couple hundred bucks to several thousand dollars depending on the style and designer … there are ways to save though)

- Grooms attire (you can usually rent a tux for about $50 to a couple hundred dollars depending on the style)

- The Location (renting the venue can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars for the day to a few hundred dollars an hour … it all depends on the place … you will need at least 6 hours for the ceremony and a full reception plus set up and clean up)

- Food (a basic catered buffet usually runs an average of $20 per person (give or take) … the cost will vary by the type of food served, and of course the number of quests … seated service dinners will cost substantially more)

- Cake (A basic, traditional vanilla flavored round 3 tiered wedding cake can run approx $375 - $500 and should feed about 100 or so people (not cutting the top tier). This most likely will not include delivery, flowers or any fancy decorations. Then if you have a grooms cake that can run about $50-
$200 or so depending on size, flavor and decoration)

- Flowers (the brides bouquet alone can cost anywhere from about $75 to $500 or more … then you still have to get flowers for the bridesmaids, the groomsmen and the parents, the church, etc … the average wedding floral package could cost about $1600 or more. There are several factors than can
vary the cost, the size of the venue and the size of your wedding party and the type of flowers you use, just to name a few)

- The photographer (there is a lot more that goes into the production of your wedding photos and the finished album than many realize. An average photography package with a nice size album runs about $1500 or so. There are many factors that can affect the price here.)

- The entertainment (whether you choose a live band or a DJ or a soloist or a mix of these, the entertainment is going to be what many of your guests remember most about your reception. Full service DJ/Emcee services average about $200 an hour)

- The video (a fully edited professional wedding video can run anywhere from $800 to several thousand dollars. There are many factors affecting the price in this area well)

Aside from the honeymoon, the biggest expense is usually the facility and the food. The biggest overall money saving tip I can offer is to cut back on the guest list!

Of course these are averages for my area and may differ in other areas. DIY and help from creative and willing friends and family can help too.

:goodluck: everyone!

[WebLady]

I may have posted something like this before, but here are some general money saving tips ...

1. Consider a fall or winter wedding. Spring and summer are “prime time” in the wedding industry. Getting married in the off season could save you big bucks ... having the wedding on a Friday or Sunday evening could be another way to save.

2. Get married where you live. Out of town weddings often mean extra expense for everyone involved.

3. Find a location that can host your ceremony and reception all in one. This can sometimes save money and headache. Try a banquet hall or hotel … some churches have banquet halls too, however many churches do not allow music or alcohol so keep this in mind if that is something you want at your wedding. Public parks, gardens, community buildings and historical buildings
are often great spots for weddings too and you can usually get great deals on them!

4. Cut back on the number of attendants. You don’t need to have 7 bridesmaids/groomsmen! There is nothing wrong with having 1 or 2. More than 4 is a little much. The fewer attendants you have, the less you have to spend on flowers and on gifts!

5. Cut down on the guest list. Do you really need to invite your 3rd grade teacher, some stranger your mother works with that you have never met, your second cousin that you haven’t seen or heard from in years, and the neighbor you barely speak to? Think about it ;) Plus, the fewer the guests, the less you have to spend on food and if you cut back enough, you might even be able to rent a smaller facility and that can usually save you money too!

6. Shop for your dress in the fall/winter and/or shop last year’s styles. Again, with spring and summer being “prime time” you might be able to find better deals in the off season. You might even ask about gown that may have been ordered and never picked up. Look for off the rack specials and check consignment shops and eBay.

7. Go for cheaper flowers. Not only should you look for flowers that are in season at the time of your wedding; you might also consider a cheaper flower altogether. Example: Roses are a popular wedding flower but carnations are often cheaper and just as beautiful. Also, consider using loosely cut flowers in vases rather than structured centerpieces.

8. Go for a buffet service at the reception. Compare seated service at close to $50 or more per person (adding in the service staff) to less than $20 per person for a buffet. Multiply that times the average 100 guests! You might even consider a “mini reception” with just cake and punch, and then have a party at someone’s house later or even after the honeymoon.

9. Hire a photographer just for the formal shots. You can save big bucks on photography but cutting back on the time the photographer is there. Consider hiring the photographer for only a few hours rather than the whole day. Have all the formal portraits done before the wedding, and have someone else get the ceremony and the candid shots. Don’t want to see the groom before the wedding … and want professional ceremony shots? Then do most of the formals before the wedding, have the photographer shoot the ceremony and then finish the formals afterwards. Have disposable cameras at the reception and/or have a friend get the important reception shots.

10. Shop early and shop around. We have said this before, and we will say it again. Give yourself time to find the best products and services at the price that is right for you. When you are pressed for time, you leave yourself with fewer options and that leaves you open to be taken advantage of.

Again, DIY stuff can help save money too but be careful, you don't want to overwhelm yourself, planning a wedding is stressing enough ;)

:goodluck:

[tha_mrs]

thanks! this was a big help. Now i think I can get started.

[WebLady]

Always glad to help :D

[tha_mrs]

let me ask you something, do you pay the Church to use the santuary for the ceremony??

[WebLady]

let me ask you something, do you pay the Church to use the santuary for the ceremony??

In my experience, some churches do charge a fee while others don't, but ask for a donation. Some churches let you use the place for no charge if you are a member.