Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
Jan60504
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Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
Ok girls,
I'm running short on funds and still have tons to do. I need my advisors on here to give me opinions on the best way to allocate the piddly amount of cash I have left among the bizillion things I still have to do!
Ok, here's what the bank statement says:
$3,146.51
Here's what I still have to do:
Limos Flowers Invitations Thank You Notes Hair and Makeup Attendant Gifts Bride and Groom Hotel Room (one night) Tips Tuxedo
I know that's not a lot of cash left - that's why I'm asking for your advice on how to spread it out most wisely among these remaining things!
Thanks girls!
kelly6273
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
You have almost a whole year to go. You have plenty of time. I would consentrate on limos and flowers. You have plenty of time for the other stuff if your wedding is not until June 2004.
swags1016
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
I am not sure what you mean? You are not getting married until next year, so do you mean for deposits?
You still have a full year to save more? I am confused
Boop2704
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
Well, hair, make up, hotel room need no money now. Tuxes and tips can wait. I say go for flowers, limos . And you only need to put down deposits now so with whats left right now go looking for attendants gifts, invitations. Thank yous are usually included with photo package.
kelly6273
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
BTW...You are getting married on my 30th Birthday!
Jan60504
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
That's what's left of my whole wedding budget. I don't really want to go over my budget because it already accounts for what I feel we'll be able to save up over the next year.
Sorry for the confusion.
Basically after I deducted all of the costs from all of the other things that I booked already (not deposits, but totals), this is what is left of my already overstretched budget. So what I'm looking for is how I should allocate the money to make the most out of what's left (i.e. spend x% on flowers)
Eli
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
i agree with kelly... i am getting married in june 04' too but am only putting down payments here and there as i still have 10 months of pay checks to spread out and use. plus, i have left most of the down payments while my FH will take care of the other half. is your 3k between the 2 of you or does he have $$ to contribute over the year? you still have plenty of time to do a lot. get your limos and flowers taken care of first though. i just took care of my flowers with jack and rose and i can't tell you what a great deal he gave me..and he is so good. i am a teacher and have no $$ over the summer so leaving a d. payment with him was not stressful. it helps when you are paying for the wedding yourself! good luck!
swags1016
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
I am sorry I don't see how you will be able to do all of that on that amount.
Flowers 1000-1500 limos 600 invitations depends 300 (kind of in the middle range) hair 80 plus tip makeup 100+ plus tip hotel room 100+ tips (we were about 2000) Thank you notes? Attendant gift would depend on you
I hope that helps
Maribelle7777
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
Jan First off, the amount you have now (hopefully) won't be the amount you will have saved by the time the wedding comes. So put deposits down on the big things first like limo and flowers. Then book hotel room - but before you do that, find out if you will have guests staying in hotels. If you block rooms off for them, and X amount end up booking the rooms, you may get the hotel room for free. Find out from the hotel if you know your guests will be staying at a hotel.
Then as you have more money saved, put more down on the other things. Try not to use credit cards unless you have the $ in the bank to cover it right away. Otherwise you'll be in debt right off. Not good. Invitations don't have to be ordered until January in your case since you are getting married in June 2004. That's 5 months worth of savings there (now to January). Thank yous - you can get when ordering invitations. If you do that you save rather than ordering them separate. Attendants gifts don't need to be done until right before rehursal (depending on what you are getting). Tuxes should be ordered probably around March and some places do 'groom's tux free' if you order all the other tuxes from the place. Ask where you go to order. Everything else can be booked as you see you have more $ saved.
And put into a savings account at a bank - the dividends will add to the total!
Mary
Fran M
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
I think you really need to concentrate on what you Must Have, What you can do yourself and cut somethings. What does your guest list and bridal party size look like?
TIPS This depends on the amount of gusts you have add it in to the cost of the reception It will take up the majority of your remaining budget For 100 people Id say you are in the 1500 - 2000 range in tips alone
Flowers - If you do very simple single stems for the BM's a small hand tied for yourself and stick to a small arrangement of seasonal flowers for your centerpieces, you might get by at 750 - 1000.
limos - Cut unless absolutely necessary
invitations and thank yous - Can you print your own? There is great paper stock available you can really save a good amount here Dont forget to budget for postage.
hair and makeup - do you know anyone that can do this for you
hotel room - I hate to say this but it may have to be cut
Attendant gift - Look for sales be creative
julybride444
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
Hi,
What kind of wedding are you having and where? It depends on so many factors. For me, that didn't even cover my flowers, but everyone is having something diff. Maybe your hall includes centerpieces and basic decorations? Your thank yous can be paid for after the wedding w/part of your gift money. Does your hall offer you a night in a suite or do you have to book that yourself? What's nearby your hall?
For invitations I got a great deal and so many compliments. I ordered them from www.renaissancewritings.com and loved them!
I did my own makeup, or maybe you know someone who does Mary Kay that can do it cheap for you?
Do you have your favors yet? If not you could do a donation of whatever you can afford, and put a sign by the guest book about your donation. It will make people feel good, won't be wasteful, and you can decide how much you feel good about giving. Plus, it's a write off. My friend (also my stylist) did my hair and my bridal party hair as my wedding gift. Do you have friends that have talents they can offer to you as a gift?
Attendant Gifts are up to you, but I wouldn't skimp on them. They will understand if your budget is tight, but perhaps you could do something special and personal for them.
Tips- We were at $1500 for tips, with 90 people. Don't skimp in this area either if you can avoid it.
We did a lot of reusing. Our invitations/programs/menus all had vellum on them that could be removed and replaced with new vellum. The extras make lovely thank you cards now!! (I'm a total environmentalist).
Tux - maybe you can find a place that gives the groom's tux free with the rental of your bridal party tuxes.
EMO18:
jenny2penny
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
some of the prices depend on size of bridal party, guests etc.
If you invite a lot of quests that will determine the amount of c-peices you need for tables. Big BP means more B-Qs and gifts. (invitations depend on how simple you want to go and # of guests inviting. Think about making your own. I made my eparty invites and people loved them & thought they looked so professional. I printed them in marroon ink, then with a ribbon attached a vellum sheet and stamped the sheet with a gold butterfly and glued a rheinstone as it's head. Looked great.
My prices: limo (rolls royce, and 10 person 4 hours for each, balloor launch at church) is around $1,500???? Flowers 4 BM, me, moms, 13 men, church, 10 c-pieces $1700 + Tip Thank you - doesn't your photographer include for you?
kelly6273
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
ELI....You're getting married on my one year anniversary! This is so weird!!!
Deenice
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
Limo's - if neccessary if not 1 limo for all. Drop off the guys and then come and get you and the girls. Then all go to the hall together. $800 Flowers - slim down, see what is in season at that time - in June roses. $ depends on how many BM and Ushers. Tux's - shop around. many places have deals. No charge Invitiations/thank you notes- make them yourself. $100 Attend. gifts: go to the outlets. Hotel room - not neccesary. We spent our 1st night at our new apt. Also, the day before you could set it up nice and romantic or have one of your BM do it for you. Tips worry about in June. $2-4 per guest. Hair/make up shop around, go to Macy's and other Dept. stores for trials.
First put a dep on the limo's and flowers. Tux's can wait until Feb and March. Office and max's and/or seach the internet for specfic paper for the inv. and thank you's. GOOD LUCK!
butterfly20
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
for hair and makeup- go to a salon instead of having one come to your house..(it will total $150 for both instead of $300)
robyn7
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
You can do it all, just get creative!
Here's an example: Flowers are one of the easiest places to save and at the same time splurge. I bought 4 dozen Black magic roses from Costco for my engagement party for $24.00. If I had bought these from a florist and had them arrange them for me, god only know's what I would have been charged. That's just one example. If you need more help, fm me.
Good Luck
sanmik
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
The only way I can see you breaking that down is if you go to one of those places that includes everything in one package - - the flowers, limos and tuxes - - I think going to separate vendors you're not going to have enough.
divadeluxe1114
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
Robyn is right on the money with the flowers. Take yourself over to costco, because they really do have a nice selection. Go with roses because that's what they always have. Then put them in a bunch and wrap it with satin or organza. Another cheap alternative is silk flowers. Go over to Michaels and see which alternative is cheaper. I think prices for flowers are ridiculous and Im not even a big fan of them. As for centerpieces, Im not having flowers, but votive candles that im buying in bulk from Ikea. The wedding suite is really overrated too. You'll be spending money to sleep since you will be way too tired to do anything else. For that, sleep in the comfort of your own bed. As for limo's opt for the limo van which is much cheaper and nice on the inside, but even limos arent even that necessary. Good luck!!
dusksgirl
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
I tried to keep my costs down as well here are some ideas
Limos - only hire for pick up and dropoff to and fromthat is if ceremony and reception at same place I paid 350 dollars for a 6-10 pass limo
Flowers - low cwenterpieces are sometimes cheaper then high and tall. My flowers come out to about 1000
Invitations - do them yourself. I had a blast doing them and they cost me about $30.00 per 50 and no one could tell I did them
Thank You Notes - Get those at target. They have some really nice thank you cards
Hair and Makeup - Do them yourself or have a friend do it
Attendant Gifts - engraved silver jewelry/money clips is not expensive
Bride and Groom Hotel Room (one night) - stay home Tips - Stiff everyone J/K work with what you have left Tuxes - we went to mens warehouse the tuxes start at 49.99 ours though came out to 90 ea.
lesleyw
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Re: Please help me allocate this money as well as possible!!!
I agree with the girls who said do the limos and flowers now and maybe the invitations and tuxes. Definately order your invitations off the net -- you can get great deals. Then, as you get closer to the day, reassess your budget to address remaining items. We found that we ended up having 20 less people attend than we budgeted for, that freed-up a lot of $$. Although you can't count on it, you never know!
