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Keep your wedding small!! Our biggest expense was the actual reception (priced per person) - we paid $150pp including tax, most tips, etc. Just a few people really added onto the cost of our wedding! Remember that anything that you think of that you'd like to have at your wedding, but isn't necessary, won't be missed my your guests (ie- costly programs, baskets of flip flops, extravagent flowers, to name a few). Take advantage of the great things NYC has to offer - nearly free transportation, beautiful parks, great restaurants that can work with your budget. Good luck!
I agree with Ladytron... Keep it small! My friend recently had a small ceremony in Central Park and it was simple and lovely. I'm not sure if she had to get a permit to have the ceremony there, but it's something to consider.
Also, I know that Betty's Total Events in Elmhurst, Queens has a lovely space. She does a lot of all inclusive packages (ceremony, reception, flowers, dj, etc) that I think would be in your budget. It might be worth contacting her to see what she can offer.
I saw FOUR weddings on TLC and met with the wedding planner who pulled off a wedding for I believe 80-100 ppl for under 10,000 in NEW YORK. She actually showed my the pictures of the wedding and I already had in mind what I saw on TV. I think you should give her a call or inquire about her contacts because it is definitely possible. We are using her and have quite a small budget and so far she has made it happen. You can PM me and I will pass you her info. Hope this helps.
FYI she has officiants, her own flower company, stationary company, and cake company. She also has contacts for musicians, transportation, and venues. :-)
I too was stress but to date have been enjoying the process.
You can have a nice, traditional wedding in NYC for 12K with dinner and dancing and all that, but you will have to make some concessions. Pick 2-3 things that matter the most to you and agree that other things will be sacrificed.
There are so many articles in bridal magazines on how to save money, and they're useful but they're often relegated to details. Remember that in the end, the "Big Three" in terms of cost are your guest list and the fact that you have to feed and shelter everyone. So headcount, venue, and food/drink are probably going to be your largest expenses and if you can make concessions in those areas, you will probably see the biggest effect on your bottom line. That's not to say that concessions in the little things don't add up, but saving the $200 by not having favors is not as big a deal as saving $2K by not having an open bar and serving just wine and beer instead or $1K by slashing 17 people from the guest list (assuming around $60/head) (not withstanding the additional savings in number of invites, number of table numbers, number of centerpieces (you get my drift) by cutting guest list.
Don't get sucked into "this is your one chance to have it all and you MUST HAVE xyz." The only thing you must have at the end of the day is a signed marriage license. Everything else is gravy.
There was also a recent thread on what people didn't remember (centerpieces cam up a lot, as did linens) when it came to weddings; that might be helpful to you in deciding where you might want to go budget.
$12,000 for how many guests? It's possible, but in NYC you're probably looking at a 50 person guest list ,realistically.
Realistically, you can pull off a $12,000 budget. Our budget is $10,000 and that includes the rehearsal dinner and our honeymoon.
Questions for you:
How much of a DIY queen are you?
What are your priorities?
Create your budget and STICK TO IT!
It can be so tempting to give in a little here and a little there, or "Splurge" on that $5,000 wedding gown... or whatever. At the end of the day its a celebration of you and your spouse. Make it uniquily you by thinking outside the box and getting creative... also avoid anything with "bridal" in the title. I'd be happy to share research I have done if you are interested.
Remember to stick to what is most important to you when tempted with all the extra junk.
Here is something I read from time to time to stay motivated:
Sunday, September 21st 2008, 8:34 PM
I've never been a girly girl with visions of a princess gown and grand ballroom reception dancing in my head. So when it came to my wedding, I wanted a day that reflected my husband's and my classic and eclectic tastes, and our love of family, friends and good food in an intimate, nongeneric setting. Most importantly, we didn't want to spend a fortune.
According to The Knot, a leading wedding resource, the average cost of an American wedding is $28,000 - and $46,000 for a New York City love fest. Yet, John and I spent just under $5,000 for our 70-guest Brooklyn affair - a total that included my dress, our rings, the ceremony site, reception venue and food, flowers, photographer, violinist and wedding officiant. Sounds impossible, right? By channeling my Jedi-like knack for finding a bargain and bucking the bridal industry trend to overspend into debt, however, we orchestrated a budget wedding that looked like a million bucks (or at least $28,000).
HERE COMES THE BUDGET BRIDE
Out of curiosity, I went to the Filene's Basement's chaotic "Running of the Brides" sale, but none of the countless dresses tempted me to part with $250. It was a deal for some, but more than I wanted to spend. So I did the next best thing - I checked eBay. And there it was, a simple yet elegant, sleeveless, satiny, ivory sheath with only one bidder and 40 minutes left on the auction. I won the dress for $27. The seller said she'd purchased it from Saks' Off 5th outlet but didn't lose weight in time for her wedding. Fortunately, her diet disaster was my happy ending.
DO IT YOURSELF
We saved hundreds of dollars by printing our own invitations, a silver-and-flower embossed design from Party City ($30); recruiting friends to shoot video footage of the ceremony and reception, and having a photographer friend snap the wedding shots ($200). Flowers are also a huge expense - with bouquets priced at $100 and up - so my matron of honor fashioned my long-stem, white rose bouquet and the groom's boutonniere from a supermarket dozen. Another friend's aunt crafted the requisite Jordan almond favors, using a 5-pound bag I purchased online ($40, www.nutsonline.com), homemade keepsake tags and leftover tulle.
AFTERNOON DELIGHT
A morning ceremony and early afternoon reception was a good fit for us. Between 9-10 a.m. on weekends, several sites at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden can be reserved for a private ceremony ($350 for up to 50 guests). Once we saw the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, with its covered viewing pavilion, manicured shrubs, orange Shinto shrine, wood bridges and colorful koi fish, we were sold.
The reception was at Madiba, a South African restaurant in bohemian, brownstone-lined Fort Greene. We loved the restaurant's sunny vibe and funky details: an old-Coke bottle chandelier, a huge portrait of Nelson Mandela (Madiba is the leader's nickname) fused with the African continent, and Mason jar water glasses.
Because of the early time, Madiba's charming owner didn't charge a rental fee for the five-hour reception (regular dinner service resumed at 5). By having a restaurant reception, we also skipped catering charges for table linens, flatware and flowers. With the bar's front tables removed, there was even room for a "Soul Train" line to an iPod mix of disco, new wave and contemporary favorites.
After several tastings, we refined the $40 per person menu that included pumpkin fritter and vegetable samosa appetizers; a guava juice and Champagne cocktail; ravioli topped with John's homemade marinara sauce, and a choice of salmon or Cornish hen entrée with veggie side dishes. Instead of splurging on a wedding cake that would cost about $350, in addition to Madiba's Jenny's Malva Pudding (a traditional South African dessert served with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream), we served a tiered assortment of red velvet, coconut and yellow cake cupcakes from One Girl Cookies in Cobble Hill ($184; onegirlcookies.com) topped with a mini-lemon and raspberry cake we happily devoured a week later.
Okay so, Uniquely not uniquilly... silly sticky keys. Sorry about that!
I just had my own wedding in NYC for $12,000. That included live music at the ceremony and reception, limos, ceremony site, reception site, the officant, favors, invites, save-the-dates, 5 groomsmen and 5 BM gifts, Parent Gifts, Make-up, hair, my dress and accessories and alteratations, my groom's suit and shoes, Open bar, Apps &Coctail&Cake recpetion, an AMAZING photographer.
Message me if you need specific reccomendations!
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For now our budget is 12000...i need some tips on how to be able to pull off a wedding at this price in NYC...the budget doesnt include our honeymoon...HELP!!!!