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I just need some advice, I've been upset all morning. We are footing the bill for our own wedding. We set a budget and stuck to it for the most part. We just found my FI's checks between now and our wedding (he works on commission) and our wedding is 9/24/2011, will NOT be enought to cover the remaining costs of our wedding. Everything is already booked, deposits are made, some items are paid in full like the photographer and caterer, the invitations have been sent out, etc. So there's no way to trim the guest list or uninvite people, the items that have already been paid off are nonrefundable. We have credit cards but they are maxed out, we don't have any way to take out a loan or borrow any money. My mom just lost her job, so they've helped all they can. His parent's can't help. We are still REALLY short on what we owe. We thought my FI's checks were going to be twice what they turned out to be. So we budgeted accordingly, and now he didn't make as much as we thought and we are in a big hole. Any advice? Please! I don't know what to do!!! I'm really upset.
This exact thing happened to us. breathe first and foremost. Funny, we got married in sept too. I hate to recommend this so I hope someone has a better idea after me. What we did is took out a payday loan. After we received our money gifts from the wedding, we paid it off.
You can take out a payday loan, like the PP suggested. Or maybe try calling the vendors you owe money to and explaining the situation, and ask them to set up a payment plan if at all possible?
I really have no idea what to tell you.
You need to call the vendors you still owe and see if you can work out a payment plan.
Have yall thought about taking out a loan on the remaining balance?
Don't forget that not everyone you've invited will be able to come. If you don't invite people to replace the 'no' responses, you'll be able to save some money that way.
Are there any options you can downgrade? Maybe go for a less expensive version of something you've already booked, like less cake, fewer flowers, a reduced photography package, no favours and stuff like that. Look for places to trim.
The PP's have had some great suggestions... also would a 2nd job be possible maybe to help with the additional funds??
We have already taken out three pay day loans. We still owe balances on all three that comes out of his check ont he 1st of every month. We are completely tapped out on those too.
I'm officially in freak out mode. All of this hit the fan this morning when my FI found out what his check on Aug 1 and Sept 1 will be, we added up all the numbers and did a big OH NO we don't have the money gasp.
Talk to your vendors. Explain the situation, and ask about reducing the services you're getting, or working out a payment plan. Some things you may need to lose the deposit on in order to go in a cheaper direction, for example flowers. You could use a purse or a clutch instead of a bouquet, or use wildflowers (what I wish I'd done). Don't panic, just get creative. And entertain ideas from people you trust, but don't expect anyone to swoop in with a bag of money.
Other than that, you could consider having a garage sale to raise some funds, or see if you can pick up an extra job somewhere.
are you sure you can't take out ANY loans?? Our credit wasn't too hot but we went into a really great credit union (not a bank, well we did but they denied us the loan) and took out a $5k to pay off the rest of our wedding.
Go to a few credit unions and see what you can do, you never know until you try.
Good luck!!
It depends on how large this lump sum of $$ is.
SO and I had a huge garage sale before our wedding and made $1,000+ (not joking) on just random crap we didn't need anymore. You could also do something similar with eBay, although it would obviously be more work...
@mhackney21: What vendors do you still owe money on? I would suggest cancelling their services, tbh.
@mhackney21: also, any weekend jobs you can pick up until the wedding?? Barista? Server? Tips add up quickly...
Take up babysitting, dog sitting, cleaning houses, delivering newspapers or general labour around the house.
Def follow pp suggestions of working out a payment plan with vendors.
Can you pick up some side work in the meantime as well?
You say his parents can't help, but don't elaborate. Could they possibly pay for it now and you pay them back (with interest, of course)? Can you ask siblings/grandparents/aunt/uncle to pay now and you'll pay them back with interest?
Cut back on EVERYTHING from now till wedding. Cancel cable. Cancel dinners out. Bring food in to work. Eat pasta. Cancel honeymoon if needed.
Take a new credit card?
If you've got very good friends, maybe let them know the predictment you're in and they'll be able to give you cash gifts instead of things on the registry.
And...vow to yourself never to get in this situation again. Pay off the credit cards afterwards and pay them off monthly thereafter so you don't max them out.
ETA: Definitely cut back on what services you can. Instead of the steak dinner, maybe make it all vegetarian. Take out an app or two. Go with a cash bar instead of an open bar. Cancel the floral arrangments (lose the deposit, yes). If you can't cancel the photographer, cut back on the hours - just get the photos at the ceremony and staged, ask friends to send you photos from the reception.
@mhackney21: I did EVERYTHING diy. I trimmed costs everywhere I could already. I am doing my own flowers and makeup. I designed and made our invitations (that already went out). I made my own favors (they are already done). I already bought my dress. I paid off the photographer. I paid off the caterer. We are doing simple cupcakes instead of cake (and I ordered a LOT less than people that are coming to save money). We are having a backyard wedding/reception that's free, so no venue cost.
I've done everything I could think of to trim the cost and we are STILL short.
Call your caterer and provide less food or less expensive food. For sure call all your vendors and see if there are other ways to cut back (less expensive flowers, no bouquets for the BM's), etc.
Also, I like everyone suggestion about the caterer. What about instead of a full meal just like finger foods or appeitzers?
if photos, flowers, favors, and venue and food are taken care of, what are you still short on?
I'm going to disagree with PPs and say stay away from loans. You're already up to your ears in debt. Adding more will just compound your problem.
Negotiate payment plans or do without certain items. That will suck, I know, but you have got to stop spending money you don't have when your income is so unstable.
I am in the same boat and we have put deposits on things but not all items are paid off. My cat is dying and so far the vet bills are totalling almost 500 for the past few days and we are still not done. I am trying to think of ways to tryim the costs as well. I am looking at credit cards at this point. Not an option I wanted to consider but it might be the only thing right now.
Do you own anything you can sell?
Or does your state offer money for plasma donations? It wouldn't be much, but every bit helps.
I would follow the PP's..cancel all of the luxuries! Cable, eating out, going to the movies, etc., are very easy ways to save cash. And definitely ask your vendors for payment plans! A lot of businesses are understanding about this crazy economy that we're in. They might cut you some slack if they know your FH works on commission. You never know unless you don't ask - the worst they can say is no.
@teaadntoast: I agree - I'm not sure being further in a hole is a good way to start a marriage.
@futuremrsmp: Agree. Maybe you can tell us what is left to pay for, and we can help you determine what to cut out?
@futuremrsmp: if photos, flowers, favors, and venue and food are taken care of, what are you still short on?
Second this question. Seriously, what do you have left to pay if you've already covered all of this? Be specific including sums and we can help you better.
Try seeing what you might be able to sell...have a garage sale...if there is anything you're handy with see if you might be able to pick up some odd jobs like previous posters mentioned, babysitting, pet sitting, or doing something for other people if you are crafty.
I will elaborate a little as to why we are in this predicament. Last December my FI took a job promotion that moved us from Texas to California. Because he essentially volunteered for the job through his company, he didn't get a relo package, we footed the bill for the entire move ourselves. We maxed out our credit cards, took out pay day loans AND his parents loaned us money for the move. Keep in mind this was 9 months ago. WAY before wedding planning. It was a huge leap of faith, because in the long run, he will make a ton more money with his company. We didn't decide to get married until 3 months ago. Up until this next month, he's been doing fantastic at work and his checks have been more than enough to pay off what we have already paid off on our wedding. So here we are. Right now today, with a balance still due, the entire frickin wedding planned and 2/3 of it paid for. And we don't have any way to pay the rest off.
Thank you so much for your support, I've definitely gotten a few ideas I can start working on. But as I mentioned, I'm in complete freak out mode right now. And I've cried all morning. :(
the other thing you can do is sell stuff. My GF sold 5K worth of things on online classifieds, pawn shops...have a garage sale!
Don't take out more loans though! That will make this whole situation even worse :-(
@mhackney21: okay what we owe:
Caterer: $3500
Beer and wine: $1000
Wedding dress alterations: $200
FI Suit: $200
Plane tickets: $500
what we've paid for:
Wedding dress: $900
Shoes: $150
Save the dates: $300
Invitations: $500
Postage: $300
Band: $1500
Cupcakes: $500
Tables, chairs, table cloths, silverware, plates: $2400
Wedding favors: $150
Lights (for outdoor reception): $500
Candles & Votives: $100
What vendors/items do you still owe money to? You should start making calls asap to explain the situation and see if they can wait until 2 weeks/1month after the wedding for the balance of your payment. Also, go through your old jewlery and "cash for gold" (or something similar) any broken jewlrey, sweet 16 era stuff you will never use - it is good for your wallet and recycling!
Are lights a rental or did you buy them? Can you pre-sell them to another bride then ship them out the week after your wedding?
Yeah I agree do some PT work (I picked up tutoring for the wedding). Go on craigslist and see what type of jobs you can do and start getting money right away. If you have any really close friends or family and you're worried you won't be approved fro a loan you can get them to co-sign or take out the loan for you.
I guess the big expense is still the caterer. And we found a cheap one in Dallas! Oh, we are getting married back home. We live in California now, but are getting married in Dallas.
And our plane tickets and alterations, and other travel expenses and FI's suit and other odds and ends. But it amounts to about 1/3 left of the budget.
You decided 3 months ago to have a wedding and you sent out save the dates and invitations?
Well the past is the past.
Beer & wine- drop that and turn it into a dry wedding? Or just do champagne?
Is the suit rented? Are the alterations already done?
All I can say, is go through everything, line by line and start hacking. We cut our original $10,000 budget down to $2500. We cut tranportation completely out of our budget, we decided we don't need a limo and we can drive ourselves. Instead of a professional DJ my nephew (who has worked weddings before) is going to DJ for us as a gift. I also have a friend doing our photography. We went from a 4 tier cake to a 2 tier and sheet cake-that saved a few hundred right there! I also am going with the Sam's Club Collection flowers, which are 1/3 the price of the flowers I was intending to get through a florist. The most difficult decision was cutting alcohol. But, we decided to have a dry reception, then if anyone was interested, an after party at a local bowling alley with a great bar, for the partiers in the crowd. I am DIYing as much as possible. I am using the tablecloths already provided by the hall, and not going with any chaircovers. I am doing my own centerpieces and aisle decorations. I also found an online source for my dress, where I can get it $300 cheaper. My guys tux is free with the rentals of all of his groomsmens tuxes, with the deal we got, so that saved us over a $100 right there.
Everyone wants their dream wedding, but at the end of the day you do have to be realistic, and realize that really, the only thing you need, to get married, is a groom and an officiant. Everything else is just fluff. Even if you have to cut a lot of things out of your wedding, it is STILL going to be special and wonderful, because at the end of the day you'll have yourmarried your dream guy, and that is what is most important.
@Eva Peron: wedding dress is still at the tailor, and I owe that balance on the 24th. The plane tickets are for our trip from California to Dallas. We do NOT have a honeymoon planned.
Like I mentioned, I'm in freak out mode, so that's why I turned to the board for help, ideas, encouragement etc
Have a dry wedding. Work out a payment plan with caterer. Nix the registry; Ask for money gifts.
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