04 Brides

We're looking to spend between $20,000 and $25,000. That is not including HM, BM's gifts, GM gifts or any other gifts.

Half is going to the hall and the other half is limo's, flowers, DJ, etc...

The invitations we are looking at are going to cost us about $200.

We are not using flowers in the church, FI's mom is making the pew decorations, we're making the centerpieces, so things like that are what is saving us money. Our hall is providing our cake so thats another saving.

We are splurging on photo and video. Those things will be ours forever.

With a wedding and you'll see as you do your budget, you can cut one thing and the money you save from cutting that one thing you can apply to something else.

Welcome Alford! That is very funny, my FI is addicted to video games (unfortunately for me). I guess some advice would be that you should try and book certain things early (but I'm also a little obsessive so...). The reception hall, photographer and music should be the first things you hit.

Girls, I hear you with the budget. Mine is about the same, actually it may turn out to be more . We're only going to have like 125 people but everything adds up. I never realized the extent of what goes into a wedding until I had to plan! But, although it can get really stressful, it's also really fun!

Jess I agree I am having soooooooooooooooooooo much fun

The only stress I am having is with my mom and some family members. As for eveything else we're having a good time. I cant wait to go and try on dresses. I am going with my mom, my maid of honor and one of my BM's and I know its going to be a lot of fun. SHHH I cant wait to just try on a dress. It still doesn't feel real. When we went to the church and booked the church I said ok its starting to feel real. Then we booked the hall and I said ok its really starting to hit me that we're getting married. Now its 3 months later and I am still on the if this is a dream I dont want to wake up. I cant wait to be in the bridal shop and trying on dresses.

Brian and I are having so much fun listening to snogs, picking out vendors we want to go and look at, visualizing what our day will be like. I cant wait till the wedding is here.

Holy cow, this thread has gotten long! I am a summer 04 bride so I wanted to introduce myself to my fellow 04ers! So far I have booked the hall and I am trying to book the church but I can't get anybody to call me back! I hope to have my photographer by the end of January, I have about six appointments set up already! After I get the photographer I will focus on music than flowers. I don't plan to start dress shopping until June 03.
Good luck to all.

Welcome to the board!!

I can tell you first hand a $20K wedding can turn into a $45K+ one very easily. Including the honeymoon, favors and gifts for the BP we are looking at $45K+ and it just keeps rising! You have to keep in mind what is the most important thing for you and go from there. What are you willing to spend more on, what do you NOT need (limos, favors-use the place cards as favors).
There are many places that can do a reception in a package deal which does save money. The question is whether you want to do that.
We at first wanted to have a simple wedding, nothing crazy. Now between my parents going to weddings and us, we have all these ideas and the budget keeps going up.
We are sacrificing alot to have the wedding of our dreams. Now we go out to dinner once every 2 weeks if that. When we go out dancing, we share drinks and share cigarettes. I have cut down on ordering lunch and buying lunch too. I do my own manicure unless I am going to an event. We also have started putting all our change away. This year we saved $246 from May till the first week in December. And it helped for X-mas shopping.

Good Luck and we are all here to help and give you advice. Welcome!!

What we did is we found a hall that is offering so much for our money. We're getting an ice sculpture and a mini vianesse table and that is included in our per person price, where those 2 things are a lot of money as an extra. Our hall is also providing our cake so that saves us money on having to go out and buying a cake (but I am surprising Brian with a grooms cake that looks like his motorcycle)

We're not going overboard with flowers. We'll have 2 things at the alter, his mom is making the pew decorations, and all the bouquets are going to be in season flowers. The bouquet that will cost the most will be mine.

We're not getting centerpieces, instead we're going to the candle outlet and we're going to get bowls and floating candles and make our own centerpieces. Another cost saving item.

Its very easy to cut things and apply the money to other items.

We too dont go out as much, we have movie nights at home (I have a popcorn machine, an ice cream maker and we have at least 50 DVD's), and we just watch with our spending. Just like CW we have loose change in a jar and we havent gotten around to counting it yet. We havent done our holiday shopping yet (I know what are we waiting for???)

When planning your wedding, you have to just think about what type of wedding you want, what is important to you, what can you do without, and just search for vendors have packages.

We are feeling the pressure of the dollar too. It is tough, but we will be fine. We booked everything 7 months b4 we were officially engagged. We already finished the payment schedule for the hall. the limo's are going to be booked with in the next few weeks. as for boo-k's and such...i want them small for the girls as for my self I have no idea.
the centerpieces we are doing flowers...in my room the ceilings are very high we need something to fill it in.
My parents as a gift are paying for the band, photographer and the video...the rest is up to us.

I have someone who can make favors and stuff in the family. I also know someone who can do video for cheap or **** near free. I'm still debating on limos because we are going to have the reception and ceremony in the same place. I'm hoping to spend around $15,000 and I'll probably do the invitations myself, since I'm good at that. So, I'm trying to cut corners everywhere.

The gifts since we are going to have a small wedding party I'm hoping we can keep at a minimum. Good idea on the centerpieces maybe I'll make mine too.

What do you guys think about silk flowers?

I think silk flowers are fine. The girl who is my matron had silk flowers and i had no idea. I found out 2 years later that her bouquet was silk. It was so gorgous. I kept telling FI I want flowers just like Grace's, they were so beautiful. He told me they were silk I thought he was kidding me. I had to actually ask her if they were silk. When she told me they were I couldnt believe it.

I am doing real flowers, but we're not going overboard with flowers. We're cutting corners on certain things and then applying that extra money to something else. For example, we're making our centerpieces and because we're not spending a lot of money on floral centerpieces that extra money we're going to apply to something else we will treasure forever.

Another thing I have seen and heard is a good cost saver is the place cards have them in picture frames. It serves 2 purposes and saves a little bit of money. And if you have a little extra cash and want to do something sweet as a favor, a cute little cup or platter or something filled with jordan almonds or candy of somesort.

You just have to know where you want to cut and where you want to splurge. With all of that in mind you will have the wedding of your dreams.

We looked at it this way, we could have the big huge expensive hall but then we would have to cut a lot of corners on everything else, or we could have a hall that is not as expensive, but offers us so much food and the hall is so nice and the staff is amazing and the extra money we save by not booking the huge expensive hall we are applying to other wedding stuff.

We're on a budget (we are having some help from parents, but we are paying for the bulk) and we just said ok we want to splurge on this and cut corners on this. and it seems to be working so wonderfully.

Wow, we are on page 23! OK LI weddings, I think it is time to give us a link!!!

By the way, are you guys doing DJ's or bands? We are doing a band have 3 appointments coming up. If you are doing a band, any recommendations??

We are going to do real flowers. I love the way it looks. Friends of mine did silk flowers and they were beautiful.
I am doing lots of things on my own...but my work schedule is crazy so to save me time I'll have to pay for service

we're doing a DJ...

I spoke with Jacueline Nicole today and she said to check back with her in 2-3 months for trials for 2004. FYI for everyone.