Am I crazy, or is this possible???

Ok, our reception will be (incl tax and svc) $13,250, that's the minimum (175 guests), which we will probably JUST meet.

Now, FH just said our wedding is going to cost $30,000. I said no, I say it'll be MAX $20,000.

If you deduct the reception from $20,000, that leaves $6,750.

Is it impossible to do everything else for $6750? Keep in mind, my dad said he'd give us about $1000, and we have not asked my mom yet for $.

Thanks!

-Jill

I'll have to agree with Sebastian on this one. Flower quotes for 15 tables & BP flowers with 3 girls and my bouquet for us have been at least $2000 (all roses) and then photo/video is at $3600. If you want limos add on about $1000 then the DJ will be about $800 - $1500 depending on who it is and if you want ceremony and cocktail hour music.

If you want a band, I think at least $3,000.

Then there is the dress (even a inexpensive one is $300) and attire for Sebastian, favors if you do them, invitations which will be at least $500 (with postage maybe more) and bridal party gifts will be about $50 - $200 each depending on what you pick.

ETA - don't forget to budget for tips

I am not going to say it can't be done.
But I will tell you how much everything else costs for me excluding the hall.

The flowers, photographer, video is costing me $9000.00

That does not include the band (which happens to be $5,000.00

But don't get overwhelmed. I have heard about a lot of great deals. I was just foolish not to go for them.

Good luck.

I think it mght be tough to nearly impossible do everything remaining for only $6750. Unless you are planning to cut alot of things Here are some rather low estimates....

Photo $2000 and up
Video $1200 and up
Limos $1000 and up
Rings $900 and up
Wedding Gown $500 and up
Honeymoon $3000 and up
Flowers $1200 and up (extremely low estimate)
BP gifts $300
Officiant/Church/Ceremony fees $300 and up
Hair & makeup day of - $150

And more...

Shoes, jewelry, tux for your FH, favors

Generally, they say the reception works out to be about 50 - 60% of your total wedding budget. That formula held true in my case so if it worked out that way for you, yes, your FH is right and your wedding would be more like in the $26k - $30k range.

What does your hall include? Are CPs included? How about the cake? Are you doing a band or DJ?

I guess it is possible if you went with a relatively cheap DJ....Cheapest photo with no video...Not extravagent bo-ks....No limos...How about your officiant? Are you including tips in that amount? What about favors?

I highly doubt it.
Here is my breakdown after the hall

My vidoe/Photo was $3800
My flowers $1000 (got rose petals on tables)
my dress $1800
My invitations $400
Favors $500
Church $500
Tips $1000
Hair and Makeup $400
Wedding party gifts $1700
DJ $1500
Limos $2000
Rings - $3000
then there were programs, stamps, tablecameras...

I would say maybe $10000 - 15,000 above the hall cost.

---

Posted by MsKitty1274

Ok, our reception will be (incl tax and svc) $13,250, that's the minimum (175 guests), which we will probably JUST meet.

Now, FH just said our wedding is going to cost $30,000. I said no, I say it'll be MAX $20,000.

If you deduct the reception from $20,000, that leaves $6,750.

Is it impossible to do everything else for $6750? Keep in mind, my dad said he'd give us about $1000, and we have not asked my mom yet for $.

Thanks!

-Jill

---

Hmm, that will be tough but it can came close. I think $25K is much more reasonable.

Our wedding budget was $12,000 and our hall was $6150. We went over by $3K totalling $15,000. But that includes gifts the balance of my gown which I wasn't supposed to be paying for and the groom's wedding band, which I had not considered in the budget. But we only have 85 people coming to our wedding.

If you want help on how to budget out the $6750, FM me. I will help you.

I guess I can add in that Sebastian (FH) does not want limos, he sees it as a waste of $. We plan on having a DJ, preferably spending $1500 (or less). I have received a quote of $1700 for ALL flowers (incl 17-18 centerpeices) all roses. Our honeymoon is going to be in Savanna, GA (that cuts the cost on that). I do know that the MOST expensive thing (aside from the reception) will be photo/video. I do not want to skimp on that, I figure MAX $4000 for both.

I guess $25,000 would be a BIT more reasonable.

Thank you ALL!!

-Jill

there's a lot of little things that you don't need but your going to want, or you don't realize you need

personalized napkins/matches
cake top
your makeup trials
hair trials
save the date cards
invitations
gifts for bridesmaids
calligraphy for invitations
favors

For me this was the kind of stuff that pushed the budget to its limits.

Does that include your dress?
The dress cost can vary a lot.

I spent more that that, but I had a band & 1 limo & 2 photographers.

Wow - you paid an awsome price for your reception, I have the same number of quest and paid almost double what you paid. Amazing! I'm gonna go shoot myself now....

---

Posted by MsKitty1274

Ok, our reception will be (incl tax and svc) $13,250, that's the minimum (175 guests), which we will probably JUST meet.

Now, FH just said our wedding is going to cost $30,000. I said no, I say it'll be MAX $20,000.

If you deduct the reception from $20,000, that leaves $6,750.

Is it impossible to do everything else for $6750? Keep in mind, my dad said he'd give us about $1000, and we have not asked my mom yet for $.

Thanks!

-Jill

---

I AM NOT GOING TO SAY THAT I CAN'T BE DONE. YOU MAY VERY WELL GET EVERYTHING WITH THE MONEY THAT IS LEFT OVER. IT ALSO DEPENDS HOW YOU BOOK AND HOW MUCH MORE STUFF YOU HAVE TO GET. THE LITTLE THINGS DO ADD UP.

---

Posted by Princess047

Wow - you paid an awsome price for your reception, I have the same number of quest and paid almost double what you paid. Amazing! I'm gonna go shoot myself now....

---

No, no don't do that!! Keep in mind, I am getting married on at Thursday! That makes a BIG impact on the $$. It would have been $18,000 if we had gone with our original date on a Friday!

Here is the best tip:

do most things yourself.

do the centerpieces
do the rose petals on the table yourself
buy a cheaper dress
bargain shop
haggle with vendors
do you won invites and save the dates
be creative
by favors taht can be used as place settings as well as favors
think out of the box
if you are using limos(use royalty limo they happen to be the cheapes around-ask for Manny)

You can stay within your budget you just have to work hard at it.

---

Posted by Princess047

Wow - you paid an awsome price for your reception, I have the same number of quest and paid almost double what you paid. Amazing! I'm gonna go shoot myself now....

---

It's all about the night/day and season. We got a quote of $55 per person for Jericho Terrace for 10/10/05 afternoon - a holiday Monday. We originally got that price ($55 pp) for 2/19/06 = Sunday afternoon in blizzard season.

My FH parent's gave us around that and it was enough. The only thing is you really have to do a lot of pricing. My photographer, I forget how much we paid for that, but it wasn't much, we got a good deal. I used Sihouette Photography, but my friend used Queen's Bridal and she said it was even cheaper than mine, So you might want to try them, they have good package deals from what I am told.
The Videographer was $1275, the DJ was $950.00, the flowers were $1550, limos were $950.00 and my parents paid for the hall and my dress. I got mine dress for a good price, but my friend went to Estell's Dresses on Route 110 in Farmingdale and she got her's even cheaper! You should be fine, just keep pricing a lot of different places until you met your budget.