I am the first to admit that when I was planning my wedding I was on a serious budget.
I cut my guest list, and really penny pinched to have an elegant wedding. There were some things I did without or had less of. To be honest I was broke ALOT during my wedding planning.
I know a 2 people who are getting married relatively soon and they are always saying they are on a tight budget- Mind you these people are getting married at VERY expensive places and spending oodles of money on every facet of their wedding.
Please explain to me what being on a budget means because I do not see it with these people.
bridetobe
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
It means you have a set amount of money to spend. Their budget may be 50,000 or 100,000 and that is the range they are trying to stay with.
shelzyp
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
I think it is living within the amount that you have budgeted for the wedding and personal expenses. An 80,000 budget is still a budget, it is just larger then other's budgets.
goldilocks
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
I think it means that you get the $100 a head hall instead of the $150 one!!
For us, we don't go out as much b/c we're saving that $$ for the wedding. We had a $5000 budget for our band, I'm giving myself a $2000 budget for flowers, $1000 for my dress. That kind of thing. It's still way over the top in terms of spending, but I'm sure there are girls on here are paying more for all of the above. But then there are girls who are paying way less.
It's all relative to your idea of cutting costs.
Jordan
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
It means you've given yourself a number - whether it be $20k or $65k - and you work to stay within that number/budget.
It's all relative though.
Nora101004
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
I'd say 15-20K, but that's not mine. (mines less)
NYCHICK
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
OK I feel like I can help bacause I am currently studying Budgeting in school(getting my MPA). A budget is a place for the accomplishment of programs related to objectives and goals within a definite time period(the wedding). It just mean you alot money to a particular venture. You have the rite idea of being on a budget by penny piching and knowing the joy of a good bargain, but your friends may realize afetr the whole thing is over they may have bitten of more than they can chew. Good going for all the good budgeters out there!!!!!!!
Jordan
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
Yes, but it's all relative. Someone who earns $150k a year is not going to have the same wedding budget as someone who earns $35k a year.
Someone who can manage to save as opposed to someone who lives paycheck to paycheck, is not going to have the same budget as the one who is unable to save.
jennbaby
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
Kiesha alot of brides are not on a 'budget' like we were, their parents pay for the hall, or the photographer etc, so they do not have to save like those who paid 100% of the wedding themselves, like we did. Most even live home with their parents, while we did not.
I think it's great, but to me, budget takes on a whole new sense of the word when you discuss it the way I have above
Xelindrya
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
Amen to that Jenn!!
We're planning PB & J sandwiches for lunch for the next two weeks due to our 'budget'. Dinner is hotdogs, soup or steak/rice/corn.
Budget to me is setting a number (goal) and getting to it. I don't HAVE that money, but if we watch what we do and how we spend we 'will' have that money to give over for the items we want. My splurges were the dress & photo/video. Everything else Im counting beans on.
Misty
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
Being on a budget for us meant not doing things we wanted to do, saving money where we could and being smart about where we were spending it. We, like you and Jenn, paid for this wedding for ourselves (even though DH lived at home, and I moved home in order to do it). The average person can not afford a 50-60K wedding. It took a heck of a lot of scrimping, saving, sacrifices, and yes, not have everything we ever wanted for our wedding. We didn't pick the 7K band, we picked the 5K band, we didn't pick the 5K photographer, we picked the 3K photographer, we didn't spend $6 per person on favors, I made them and spent half that and gave my guests more than what they would have gotten for $6....these are just examples not actual numbers. But this, to me, is being on a budget...and it's the rules we followed from beginning to end. We had an end total in mind of what we could handle, and also knew what our parents were willing if at all, to help with. Being on a budget is knowing what you will spend before you spend it, and sticking to it!
KarenK122
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
Being on a budget means figuring out how much you are willing to spend and then sticking to that number. It doesn't matter if your budget is $100,000 or $20,000.
We also paid for the entire wedding ourselves and do not live at home with our parents. We set a realistic budget that let us live our lives as normal as possible and still save for the most important day of our lives. We were able to do everything we wanted within our budget and our wedding was just like I wanted....intimate and classy : ).
jannshari
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
To me, there is a distinct difference between having a budget and being on a budget. I think most people have a budget - a set range or number that they want to spend and try to avoid spending more. However, being on a budget means having that set number AND having to change the way you live or save or plan for things in order to make sure that you are able to achieve your budgetary goals. FH and I are paying for this wedding ourselves, and while we have a budget, I have also had to put us on a budget - we need to save X amount every week, every month, etc. and cannot afford to do certain things or purchase certain things in order to pay for this wedding. I think the difference is basically how you treat the word 'budget' - it's either a noun or a verb, and while I think every one of us has a budget in the sense that it's a noun, not all of us have to budget in the sense that it's a verb (if that made any sense whatsoever ).
ChristineC68
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
To me being on a budget is setting financial goals and meeting them.
It does not mean you can't have things or that you have to go with a less expensive option. It means you know what you can afford or you know what you plan to spend on something and that's your bottom line - whether it's $75 per person, $150, or $500.
I don't think having someone else pay for your wedding gives you carte blanche to spend tons of money. We paid for our wedding, did not live with our parents and we were able to do some of the things we enjoy during the planning because we included it in our budget all the while having the wedding we wanted to have.
Someone can have $10,000 to spend on their wedding and that's all there is they work with that. Someone else can have $100,000 to work with. It doesn't mean the person with more money can spend $200,000.
JMO
Tammy5-03
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
A budget is a relative thing. It does not have anything to do with the final amount that you spend, just the limits you give yourself. To someone who cannot afford any kind of wedding the most budget conscious bride on this site could be seen as spending an excessive amount of money. That's why so many people get married at City Hall. I also don't see how it matters who pays for your wedding. We paid for almost all of our wedding ourselves too but even if your parents pay, unless your last name is Trump or Hilton you probably still have a budget. Many of the brides on this site have wealthy FH/DH's and that's why they can do it without help. No matter what, most people should still have an amount that they are willing and able to spend-whether it is 10,000 or 1 million.
julybride444
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
Depends on WHAT your budget is and what you want. A budget can be $10K or $500K. And, it could mean giving up the $20K band for the $15K band to one person, or the $1500 DJ for the $900 DJ to someone else. Just depends. I was on a budget, but still had what my family would consider an expensive wedding.
Niecey
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
Dictionary Definition of budget: the amount of money that is available for, required for, or assigned to a particular purpose
I know for me and DH, we looked at what we wanted in a wedding, investigated prices and our financial situation and came up with a budget number. We picked a number we could afford but not have to majorly change our lifestyles. We did a good job and came in under budget and still managed to lead a normal life and have a wedding where we did not feel like we skimped or made hard choices. And I wouldn't change much about my wedding choices (maybe pick a different vendor here or there but that had nothing to do with $$$ or budget).
I don't think a budget has anything to do with who is paying for their wedding. Whether I paid for my wedding myself (which I did) or someone else paid for it, I would still have feelings of what is this wedding worth to me...maybe that is just how I was raised - who knows.
I think to everyone what a wedding is worth and how much they could afford is a personal choice and what works for you does not always work for others. I don't think being on a budget means you have to skimp or not afford things - because everyone's budget it different.
jennbaby
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
I guess if you really want it, you'll do it. We chose the vendors we really wanted, didn't stop dinners out & shopping but cut down on these things. And I did spend $6 on favors but like I said, if you can do it, go for it. You will do it if you really want it bad enough
nrvbrd
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Re: Can someone define being on a budget to me?
thanks.
It is good to get so many different perspectives.
I posed this question because me and my husband paid for our entire wedding ourselves.
I guess to me being on a budget- is not being able to pay that extra $15 pp to get the seafood station at the cocktail hour, or having a modified Viennese instead of a full one, not being able to pay $200 for toasting flutes (as one of my friends is doing)
So needless to say there were certain things I could not splurge on. So I guess having a budget and being on a budget are two different things.
