BudgetS

Ok.. Since I am VERY new at this..

What kind of budget am I looking at in a ball park figure?

Will I spend less bc I am getting married in the winter?

What costs the most and where can you save?

Re: BudgetS

If you do a search on budget you will get a lot of answers.

There is not enough information in your question to give you any ideas specifically.

Re: BudgetS

Ball park.. Meaning over all it will cost me what?

50k?

30k?

25k?

What is an an average price for all things needed!

Re: BudgetS

To give you a ball park, tell us the number of guests, what halls you are considering, etc.

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My hall is Russos on the Bay.. That is NOT what I am worried about. Mom and Dad are having Dinner with the owner tonight and I know he will 'do the right thing for them since they hav ebeen friends for 40 years....

I wanted to know about everything else!

Re: Budgets

Flowers cost less... you save save thousands there... thereare weddings done for 2,000 - you would think that they spent $15,000. Weddings for $15,000 that look like they spent $2,000....
Winter? I think that costs less, but flowers might be more expensive due to time of year. Just a thought.

Re: BudgetS

Hi,

I think it depends on what you want. I started off thinking my wedding will only cost me $30k, little by little I've been raising my budget I've been having a hard time keeping costs down so I keep allowing myself more to spend. I DO NOT want to go over $50k! But who knows I still have a lot to do!

Here's where I would cut some costs:

Invites
Flowers (no need to have arrangements at the church/temple/etc & you can make your own pew bows)
Favors
Cut out the disposable cameras and extras like that

If you want to keep a low budget:

- Look into DJ's rather than a band - you pay by person in a band (some DJ's are expensive, BUT you can get a really good DJ for much less than a BAD band) :o)
- There are plenty of good photographers & videographers for reasonable prices. Keep searching for those.
- Have a friend do your make-up

Just some ideas. Hope I helped a little.

OH WOW! Russo's on the Bay, congrats to that! I guess you're not really looking to cut costs, just looking for a ballpark figure of costs. Sorry I misinterpreted your post.

Re: BudgetS

Theres a big range on everything else. Flowers I can't estimate no know how many tables. It could be anywhere from $3000-$10000 depending on what you are looking for. Photography also, $3000-$7000 depending on who or what. Dress $500-$5000. Band $3000-$9000 or DJ $2000-4000. Video $1500-$3000.

Re: BudgetS

photogrphy costs the most, imo and should cost the most... Don't play with pricing on photog... There are people on this board paying 6-7k for photography and the whole budget is like 25,000. Videography you can save a little (around 1599) and flowers (2000)... Music is important but you could get a dj. We got a band and the price was crazy- 9k.

Re: BudgetS

Than again if the owner gives you a good price, you won't have to skimp on the vendors.. there's alot of ways too save.. I thought my wedding would be 30-40, grand tops.. So far, I'm looking at like $70,000!

Re: BudgetS

Thank you so much....

I dont' want flowers for my BM's I want muff's...

Ok.... I am not sure what I want for the tables but something VERY different!!!! So probally not flowers there either but Mom and Dad know a florist so he said theresa I will help you..

future grandfather in law will do all invites FREE!!!!!

I am not sure if I want a band or Dj yet!!

Favors I want something with the holiday theme of my wedding so I am sure I can get ornaments at a good deal AFTER the holidays next year....

Thanks SO much!

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70k.. WOAH!!

I hope you are getting HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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BTW Theresa, being that you're having a winter theme, eveen though you have PLENTY of time, I would gather some thoughts as to whatyou want as decorations and favors.. a winter theme can be soo much fun and there's soo much you can do.. and there will be soo many sales after the holidays are over.. you can get all that stuff for alot less than normally.. =)

Re: BudgetS

Well...you're off to a good start by seriously considering a budget. It's crazy to jump into wedding planning without some idea of what you can (or can't) spend.

You really need to decide what's important to you. We wanted to get married in the fall. At most of the reception sites we checked into, prices dropped between October and November. Didn't want to get too close to the holidays, so beginning of November it was!

We didn't want to struggle over cutting our guest list. The $ difference in choosing a Fri. night over Sat. night gave us that flexibility.

I happened to have fallen in love with a gown that was well within the price I could afford. With that extra $, I was able to splurge a little on hair and makeup (and pay for mom's and MOH's) and buy a new outfit for rehearsal dinner.

Just some ideas to get you started. Yes, winter prices are usually lower than 'high' season. Fri night is less than Sat, daytime less than evening.

Sit down and seriously talk with FH about what you can afford. I don't think it's worth going into debt for your wedding-and you don't need to in order to throw an amazing reception.

Hope this gives you some ideas. You'll find lots of good advice here, so keep reading. Shop around! The wedding business is big in NYC and LI...you have many options!!

Just make sure you have fun!!!!!!

Re: BudgetS

U have Mail!!!

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Marcella- I am with you!!! Started with a budget of like 25K. and at last count, it was like 70. My fi and I were laughing so hard- we were almost crying... It's not so funny.... but I have to tell you what is. You know if you go on the Knot- they have this wedding budget thing--- you plug in your magic number that you want to spend.... It separates out what you need to spend where.... It is such a hoot!!! It is for a wedding in Arkansas not NY... We sat with this thing for hours and were like
'we should scrap this and wipe our (you know where's) with it'... A ny bride can't follow that thing!
The reception idea for the budget I had was like- 'get some friends together and have your reception as a picnic, a bbq'- or instead of band, have someone play banjo.

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Sept20yay! You are SOO RIGHT!!! Todd and I are paying for about 85-90% of the wedding ourselves... it's not easy, but the only good thing about paying for it ourselves it that we can do what we want, how we want it, which is fabulous..We aren't sorry that we're spending that much, we're looking at the fact that this is the most important day of our lives and we want to do it the way we think is right..

editted to say: yeah, and they suggest that instead of buying a gown, you borrow one lol

Theresa, I got you back..

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Can be very painful! The things I do to save up the money.... On my birthday, we had pizza.... Not Le Cirque, Gramercy Tavern, Luger's... Ray's Pizza lol

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Hi Theresa- By any chance, do you live by Russos. I do and I was just curious. Russos is excellent!! my fiance and I set a budget first and then from there I am working. My wedding date is New Years Eve 2003 . Since we are paying for everyhting ourselves, we have one full year to save. We both agreed we would like a nice wedding, but a house is more important to us. Good Luck!!

Re: BudgetS

The first thing you should do is set your priorities. What things are most important to you? Than work from there. For instance, location was a HUGE factor for me so most of my budget is going towards the receptionn, whereas invitations are not as important so I am not going to spend $1000 on them. Happy planning!!!!