budget stress!!

You can do it! I believe in you and the power of holiday, seasonal, annual sales!!! And did you ever think of DIY invites? You can make pocketfold invites for a fraction of the cost a place would charge you to make them for you. Just a thought....

I feel so much bettter now!

I guess the best thing to do is take advantage of the fact that I have so much time, so I can shop around A LOT for great prices... good to know you girls dont think its TOO crazy!

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by AngnShaun

when youre buying anything online go to retailmenot.com and see if there are any coupons... also go to ebates.com and register... you get a percentage back on any purchase you make online through the website

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Angela you have so many great suggestions!! Im saving all of this!!!

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because i pretty much refuse to pay a lot for anything!!!! LMAO!!! if im thinking about buying something I search the internet from high to low for the best price i can possibly find...

Bing.com is a really good search engine

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Posted by AngnShaun

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by AngnShaun

when youre buying anything online go to retailmenot.com and see if there are any coupons... also go to ebates.com and register... you get a percentage back on any purchase you make online through the website

---

Angela you have so many great suggestions!! Im saving all of this!!!

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because i pretty much refuse to pay a lot for anything!!!! LMAO!!! if im thinking about buying something I search the internet from high to low for the best price i can possibly find...

Bing.com is a really good search engine

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well you and I are on the same page!! I want a nice wedding ,but geez some of the prices out there are NUTS!! I was reading a thread where some people paid like 1k or more for invites ... I thought thats how much invites cost and I almost hurled!! I feel much better knowing you dont have to break the bank for these things!

btw if you HAVE the money to spend 1k on invites, then more power to you... im totally not bashing anyone who spent a lot of money.... I just dont have it!!

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by AngnShaun

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by AngnShaun

when youre buying anything online go to retailmenot.com and see if there are any coupons... also go to ebates.com and register... you get a percentage back on any purchase you make online through the website

---

Angela you have so many great suggestions!! Im saving all of this!!!

---

because i pretty much refuse to pay a lot for anything!!!! LMAO!!! if im thinking about buying something I search the internet from high to low for the best price i can possibly find...

Bing.com is a really good search engine

---

well you and I are on the same page!! I want a nice wedding ,but geez some of the prices out there are NUTS!! I was reading a thread where some people paid like 1k or more for invites ... I thought thats how much invites cost and I almost hurled!! I feel much better knowing you dont have to break the bank for these things!

btw if you HAVE the money to spend 1k on invites, then more power to you... im totally not bashing anyone who spent a lot of money.... I just dont have it!!

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I agree... if invites were important to me then sure, id spend whatever... but i cant rationalize spending $1000 on paper that will be thrown out by 90% of the people that recieve it...

I'd rather spend that extra $700 on the buses im using to get my guests to and from the RH... which is more important to me!!!

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Posted by AngnShaun

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by AngnShaun

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by AngnShaun

when youre buying anything online go to retailmenot.com and see if there are any coupons... also go to ebates.com and register... you get a percentage back on any purchase you make online through the website

---

Angela you have so many great suggestions!! Im saving all of this!!!

---

because i pretty much refuse to pay a lot for anything!!!! LMAO!!! if im thinking about buying something I search the internet from high to low for the best price i can possibly find...

Bing.com is a really good search engine

---

well you and I are on the same page!! I want a nice wedding ,but geez some of the prices out there are NUTS!! I was reading a thread where some people paid like 1k or more for invites ... I thought thats how much invites cost and I almost hurled!! I feel much better knowing you dont have to break the bank for these things!

btw if you HAVE the money to spend 1k on invites, then more power to you... im totally not bashing anyone who spent a lot of money.... I just dont have it!!

---

I agree... if invites were important to me then sure, id spend whatever... but i cant rationalize spending $1000 on paper that will be thrown out by 90% of the people that recieve it...

I'd rather spend that extra $700 on the buses im using to get my guests to and from the RH... which is more important to me!!!

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I forgot I have to get those too!!!!!!!!

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by AgaBride062610

Dress maybe try David's Bridal or RK bridal-they have a great selection of dresses in a wide variety of prices..

Invites-maybe think about DYI..I got a kit from Michael's and printing them myself... They are really simple as I think guest will read the invite, write down the date and throw away the ivite...

Makeup and Hair-this will cost you at least $300 to $400

Accessories- you can get nice ones in macys or lord & taylor also there are sooo many websites that sell jewerly $50 to $70 a piece..

Parents gifts-depending what you are thinking about getting them.. I was thinking about getting my mom & Fmil a pearl set (maybe from macys I think they run around $80) and maybe a watch for my dad and ffil...

BM gifts- maybe a coach wristlet? Coach outlets are having additional 20% coupon

I think if you do your research online you can stretch the $5000 and buy a lot of stuff..

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Thanks so much!! I was waiting to see if you girls thought it was rediculous for me to even think I could do this or not... if it doesnt sound too crazy then I will try to make it happen!! Just stresses me out that in the next year I can only spend 5k!! HOW BORING FOR ME!!!

RK bridal?? Ill try there too.. I thought I was only going to be able to go to Davids to be honest...

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Look at Maggie Sottero dresses... a lot of them are under 1000, but then remember you have to factor in money for the alterations. YOU CAN DO IT!

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Posted by Tessie728

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Posted by heathery72

You can do it! WE are budgeting 1500 for tips. What are you thinking about in terms of money on your dress?

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Honestly I dont think I can spend more than 1k on my dress I hope I can find something I love in that price range!

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I got a BEAUTIFUL Maggie dress for under $1k! It can be done! Good Luck!

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Posted by Tessie728

So FH and I were going over our budget which we said from the start we were NOT going to go over. So we have already spent almost ALL of it and I still have almost a year!!!
Basically we only have 5k left in our budget for the rest of the wedding...
I still have to factor in:
MY DRESS
invitations
accessories
BM gifts
Parent gifts
hair/makeup
card box
tips for staff
(and im probably forgetting some stuff)

is this even realistic??! or do I have to break it to FH that we are going to have to re-hash the budget...
If anyone can tell me what you spent on these things because i have NO CONCEPT of if its feesable or not!

I need your help!!!

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Dress, try RK Bridal. When I was there a week or so ago they had a yellow tag sale, dresses were around 300-500, you walk out with them that day (some originally were 2k.)

Invitations: I would recommend DIY, I helped a friend make her invites using the kits from Michaels. With coupons (and check Black Friday sales) you may be able to get 150 invites for around $100.

Accessories: Which kind? Veil you can get on Ebay for around $30, you can DIY for the unity candle, use something you already have that is meaningful to you for the ring pillow (example, a stuffed toy FH got you, tie the rings around the neck)

BM Gifts. If you are crafty, things like bath salts and sugar scrubs are not to difficult to make. I have links I can send you. Also check American Bridal, they have been having lots of sales lately. And Black Friday sales. You can get good deals on things (I got sapphire bracelets for $20)

Parent Gifts: I am still figuring this one, cant really help there. :(

Hair and Makeup: do you like doing your own makeup? I know some girls who do their own and love it. Otherwise, if your ceremony is in the afternoon or evening, go to one of the mall makeup counters, they will do makeup for free, or purchase the lipstick to keep it fresh. Hair, my hair dresser is 135 to come to me and do it, you can also look into a salon, or if you have any friends who are hair stylists.

Card Box: Not necessary, but one option we are looking into now is taking 4 picture frames, Plywood, black paint and a lazy susan to make a photo card box. Total cost I was seeing would be around $50, with black friday coming up, maybe even less with the sales and coupons.

Tips: I am figuring $1,500 for tips with all the vendors and such.

So you could get it all for a final cost of around:

$300 Dress
$100-200 invites
$100 accessories
$120 (depending on how many girls you have)
$100 parent gifts
$135-235 hair and makeup
$50 for card box
$1,500 for tips

$2305-2,605.

I hope this helps. If you want any more info, let me know.


ETA: I am getting my alterations done at Tanya's Fine European Tailoring. A bridal salon quoted me $500, she is doing my alterations and bustle for $235. She is a vendor on here, and is a sweetheart