Budgeting

Has anyone tried to create a budget for their wedding? I am really not trying to spend tooooo much but We are going to be having a lot of people (figure inviting about 250) does 30K sound totally unrealistic?! I really haven't started pricing anything but halls and I am alreaydy starting to think 30K is too little!

Re: Budgeting

IMHO i think it is possible BUT if your inviting 250...i think maybe it may be a little tight with the budget.....granted not all 250 will come but just something to keep in mind....doable? yea i think ..you just need to do your research!

Re: Budgeting

It is doable but you will probably get more for you money but booking the off season Jan-Mar..most RH will really work with you and give you so much because those months are kind of slower

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I'm working on my budget right now as well. We are having only 50 people though. What I have been doing is emailing all sorts of vendors getting pricing ideas so I can formulate a budget from there.

Our total budget right now is $20,000 and so far that seems doable for us.

Re: Budgeting

I have a very small budget... Way under 20,000. I am doing a Thursday night wedding with only 50 people. It does not seem doable for us- IF you include the honeymoon or RD or anything extra than the day of. For the day of ONLY not including HM, it is probably do-able with a lot of sacrifices.

For 250 people you said?? If you do off season and maybe a friday or sunday instead of saturday you could probably do 30,000 maybe a little more... It depends what you want besides the hall itself... because I think your catering bill will be about half of your budget!

Re: Budgeting

definitely a tight budget for that # of people. You'd have to really think about what is most important for you for the big day and then cut back on those things that you don't feel are very necessary.

When we were budgeting, we kind of just had a roundabout # in mind so as we go along, we change the budget for certain things based on the prices we found for others. I've been using the WeddingWire.com budget and I found it's very user friendly.

Re: Budgeting

Okay. Yeah, I didn't think it was leaving me too much room. I am sure we could afford more, it just depends on when the payments are due, and I would like to have a number to go towards so we could start saving. My friend's wedding was around 30 and she had 220 - and seh said the same thing.. she decided that all the people she was inviting were important to her and she didn't get a super expensive place and only paid 5K on flowers and 1800 on a DJ etc... I am excluding the honeymoon on that too...

So we shall see.. I think I might have to up it a little bit. That's a good idea about e-mailing vendors to get a range.

Thanks for the help girls!!!

Re: Budgeting

Check out the suggested breakdowns that the professionals suggest when figuring out your budget. There are sites that let you input your budget and then they break it down for you and tell you what you should be spending on each aspect of your wedding. Try www.myweddingbinder. They have a great budget tool!

Re: Budgeting

We are budgeting 30k but we are having about 125 people and we're struggling to stay in budget.

Re: Budgeting

I believe that a budget of $30,000 can be done. I believe that you should just make out a list of those things that are important to you and begin from there. Put the most money in the things that are important to the both of you.

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We originally had a budget of 25,000 and quickly went over, and we got great deals on alot of things!! We are now probably looking at close to 35,000 and that's WITHOUT honeymoon and living expenses....I get hives just thinking about how much everything is costing!!!! We are having about 150 guests. I'm getting nervous....spending way more than planned! Anyone else stressing like me??

Re: Budgeting

Jennfer - I am! lol I am slowly realizing that my 30K original budget will be blown out of the water. and the sad thing is we didn't even book a hall yet... I jsut don't think it will be possible to keep 30K - I might have to do 35.the hall we looked at last night I loved.. The Crescent Beach club. that would cost us about 27K for 225 people. Our biggest expense will definitely be the hall (as with anyone's wedding) but I am thinking maybe we can reduce that # somewhere else... I am really getting stressed over this and we haven't paid a penny yet! lol

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I'm glad I'm not alone!!! It's stressful, but will be worth it in the end!

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I think 30k is doable for 250 people.. Just dont go to a hall that has $100+pp for the reception...

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Mine is 20k, and the only thing I've booked is the RH which will cost me about 12k (for 100ppl)!!! Try looking at budget wedding tips to cut costs. I have the book bridal bargains which I'm hoping will help me save some $$. It's just so insane to think how much money this day costs! I started looking at honeymoons, and I have no idea how we will afford one after using all we have on the wedding.
My plan is to book a photog with a basic package and buy albums after the wedding with whatever $ we get. I also don't want to spend much on a DJ or video. I'm also capping my flowers at 1k. I'm doing cheap invites from vistaprint or 123print (they get thrown away anyway!) and making menus, programs, and escort cards myself. Oh, and I'm only spending $1 per favor (otherwise I wouldn't be having them!).

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We are setting down to figure out our budget this weekend (so fun ) and we were thinking 30K too, and we are having 200 people. We picked a February wedding b/c we found that a lot of vendors were willing to negotiate more than in June. This was just in the few phone calls I have made in the last week.

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Jennifer - yes it will be worth it in the end! :)

I am happy to know that I am not the only one struggling with this and wondering how we can afford it! It seems impossible! but somehow it will work out...

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Kelly - what places have you looked at (if any) it's hard to find places that will hold that many people yet still stay within budget I seem to find the the bigger the hall is the prices go up per plate accordingly almost! I have been to Captain Bills a lot for receptions and know that they are reasonable, as well as Sunset Harbour. They are both nice places, but I was trying to do something different that none of my friends have been to... which might be a little harder...

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we set our overall budget at $50,000 - SOUNDS INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank GOD my parents are helping out A LOT!!!! And we have some help from FH parents and my god-mother but its still insane!

Re: Budgeting

This thread might be helpful to look at. It lists what everyone is spending on each of their vendors. It might give you a better idea of much to budget for each area.

http://www.liweddings.com/chat/topic-645777-1.html

Good luck !