To book or not to book? Confused!?!?!!

So I wrote a long drawn out post a few weeks ago about how we want to wait to get married that way we can save money, etc., and I got such great advice from everyone and basically decided that we would wait until Dec 2011 or Jan/Feb 2012.

Well last night we went to visit Fox Hollow and we really liked it, and they gave us really great quotes for Feb 2010! I guess since they want to fill those dates they are much less than the following year.

I just don't know what to do because although it's a little more than a year away, which is def. enough time to plan, I am still worried about saving money. How are people able to save money for a wedding!??! I am becoming so frustrated. My FH keeps saying that whatever money we save with the extra year we will just end up spending on the RH since it's more expensive to book now for 2012.

I know my parents will help us with deposits and stuff, but I am not sure if we will be able to save the rest that we need within a year.. Who knows if we will even be able to save within 2 years!!! AHH

Anyway maybe I just needed to vent, or see what you guys had to say... how were you able to save and pay for your wedding without using a credit card or borrowing money??

Thanks sorry so long! (my posts are always too long)

I'd say that since you already know that your parents are going to be helping, sit down and have a conversation with them about it. Once you have a roundabout figure as to how much they can help out with, then you can figure out what you and your FH will have to contribute.

There are also a lot of ways to cut everyday living expenses in order to pay toward a wedding. For example, FH and I are huge concert freaks. We went to three concerts last year. Three. We normally would go to at least 20-30. I usually go to more. Huge savings right there.

Bring your lunch to work. Skip the Starbucks if you go there. Go out to dinner less. Having movie rental nights instead of movie theatre nights. Pay a lot of attention to supermarket sales and clip coupons. Those are all small savings each time you do them, but it adds up hugely!

I'm guessing you mean they gave you a great quote for Feb 2011 :)

I think the best thing to do as far as saving $$ is take the money out of your account each paycheck and put it into a totally seperate account (or if the stash under the mattress works for you then do that :) ) I find it helps to have it in a totally seperate account/place from where you usually withdraw $$ or can make transfers. At least for me; i know when $$ gets low i tend to dip into my savings because it's as simple as a click and bam. But for the wedding; i'm going to withdraw the money each time i get paid and put it in an envelope. THis way the money is just as good as spent and not to be touched.

Also if you decide to book for Feb 2011 with the exception of V-day (i think) it's off season. You'll be able to get some good deals on other vendors. Most halls & other vendors will work with you on a payment plan so hopefully looking at payments spread out by month is easier than looking at one large payment??

Just hang in there and know we're all here for support & advice! I know I'm stressing out about the budget!! But i know what my MUST have's are (reception/photos) and what i am willing to cut costs on (DIY invites/menu-no program RH place cards & table numbers) MAYBE DIY centerpieces or low costs florists.

Just try to get creative. I ordered a wedding budget book online hopefully that gives some tips-i'll be happy to share once i read through it! LIke you i DON'T want to use my cc for anything; or borrow-will pay cash. With that said maybe you can negotiate better rates for paying in cash (ask vendors about cutting tax if payment is made in cash). Just some tips...Good Luck!

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Posted by kris_gets_hitched

Bring your lunch to work. Skip the Starbucks if you go there. Go out to dinner less. Having movie rental nights instead of movie theatre nights. Pay a lot of attention to supermarket sales and clip coupons. Those are all small savings each time you do them, but it adds up hugely!

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DITTO! I bring my lunch EVERYDAY now!! And i ALWAYS search for coupons and only buy the things i need when they're on sale!! FH & I have been watching more movies at home and eating in-cut back on going out/eating out. I'd much rather stay home; cook & get a $10 bottle of wine than spend $100 on dinner out all the time! That was pre-engagment LOL!

Whoops!!! Yes 2011!!!

Thanks so much!! These are all great tips that we are really going to try and stick to. You should see me in the supermarket, lately I ONLY buy things on sale!!! So you are right, that definitely helps.

I also think the separate account is a great idea. We just have to make it to the bank and hopefully put some money in there out of every paycheck. and DIY is a must!!!

The only thing that we plan on spending a lot of money on (beside RH of course) is having a band. I know it's SOO much more $$$ than a DJ but we have just always wanted one and figured if we cut back on other things like flowers, invites, etc, that we could have one.

I guess we really need to have a dinner/sit down with our parents. I talked to them briefly to see what they were thinking, and my dad said he can't just give me a number off the top of his head... he wants me to go out and see how things go and how much things will be and then talk... arghh I tried explaining that it will be easier for us to shop around if we know how much they were thinking they would be able to contribute, but I didn't want to start an argument.

It's just so frustrating because I have other friends and my sister that have planned a wedding and their situations are so different from ours; their parents pay for most of or the whole thing, and my sister lives upstate where things were MUCH cheaper. fH and I have lived on our own for the past few years in NYC and have been supporting ourselves. ughh sorry I am venting again and this is way too long AGAIN! haha

I would say go for it. I am a February foxhollow bride myself. FH & I are paying for the whole ENTIRE wedding ourselves. February was a great price from them and we could not turn it down. We are having the ceremony there which is saving us a good chunk of money for not getting married at a church and having limos. Any maybe the down side of you waiting until 2012 is that your guest list could grow and you might just be adding all of these extra perks to the wedding. Their payment schedule is awesome. FM me if you have any questions!!!!! I have the contract where I can go over the installment dates with you if they didn't give it to you.

Do you have a set budget for your wedding? For example, I plan on spending X amount of money on my wedding in total--whether it be this year or 10 years from now.

I have had a vendor tell me flat out that I should wait another year so I will have more money to spend on him. My response was 'No way!'. It doesn't work that way for me.

If I were you I would sit down with your parents and get exact figures of how much everyone plans to contribute. You can then decide how much money out of your own pocket you feel comfortable enough spending and work out a plan of how to get there if you don't have that money now. You shouldn't have to go into debt if you plan a wedding that is realistically within your means.

The deal you are getting now will be probably be the cheapest option... because prices do go up every year (unless you can lock in 2010 prices for 2012).

I have family members who have been married for 10 years and are still paying off their weddings! They say if they could have done it again they never would have spent as much as they did.

To be perfectly honest, spend only what you can afford (or are willing to). There is really no other way around it.