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- We gave up on any kind of fancy uplighting. The cheapest quote was $1800, and I'm ok with dimmed lights and lots of candles for atmosphere.
- No chair covers. Our venue offers ugly banquet chairs. However, I absolutely loathe how chair covers look and can't afford chivari. So we went down the middle and are renting nice wood folding chairs.
- Flowers. I just couldn't justify the cost of spending hundreds or even thousands on lavish floral centerpieces that will just die. We're doing lots of candles. My floral budget is bouquets and boutonnieres.
I'm giving up lavish centerpieces and just doing hydrangeas in small vases. I'm keeping the linens, chairs and dinnerware the restaurant where our reception is at provides us.
Im (sadly) giving up a high end photographer. I do love all the artsy shots and crazy angles, but I dont love it $4000 worth.
@misspeanut: I think candles are a beautiful option!
@Bichon Frise: Just had to comment because hydrangeas are my favorite. If my parents had enough hydragea bushes, I'd just steal my bouqet flowers from there!
@adnama: $4000 does seem pricey, but I suppose it depends what you get with that package. I'm sure you'll find someone in your budget that you'll be happy with!
Awsome floral arrangements in Efil Tower vases. The florest quoted me a price that was the same as the cost of the reception!! WHAT?!?!?!?!
I've been thinking-who needs centerpieces? LOL
I'm giving up:
-Floor length tablecloths ($15 per table extra at my venue)
-Chair covers and sashes (not that into them)
-A flower arch (I think the oak trees make a beautiful natural arch)
-Hosted hard alcohol (we have free beer and wine. I nearly choked when I heard how much hard liquor was going to cost to host...would have like to host but not in our budget)
We gave up uplighting and a dance floor... of things that I really wanted
There were a few other things that I considered early on but gave up as soon as I found out the cost.. not b/c of budget but b/c I just couldn't bring myself pay that much even if it WAS in budget...
Ceiling draping, chair covers, and all real floral items (we went with paper flowers), and pew decorations... I just couldn't bring myself to drop money of these things. lol
basically everything... we had a super cheap wedding, we couldn't even afford an actual photographer. We didn't have flower decorations, any fancy lighting, chair covers or any of that. But oh well I guess, we are married and that is all that matters :)
-Flowers for centerpieces. I created crystal trees with curvy willow for around $12 a table!
-A+ photography BUT... I got lucky and found an amazing photographer who will work with our budget. (which is half the price of her lowest package... again I got lucky) lol
-Chair covers. Our chairs are green and that's our main color focus so I feel like that was the best thing that could have happened to us!
-Possibly and probably ceiling drapes... this one makes me want to cry but we got $1260 for the quote to run 4 drapes from the center of the room the each corner... is it really worth THAT MUCH? ugh. Still trying to figure out if I'll do anything for the ceiling.
-Glass dishes and cloth napkins. Our caterer can do glass for $3 a plate or plastic and the plastic are free plus they look awesome so I'll go with free and awesome. Everythings extra even the napkins so we'll also be going with the free paper napkins.
-A long reception. Our reception was originally going to be 6 and 1/2 hours but now it's 5 to avoid all the added fees. This doesn't bother me much seeing as how we would like to enjoy our hotel room and have to be up early for the drive to port.
-The bar fee. We thought we could afford this and we soooo wanted to but it's just not going to happen and cash bar is better than no bar! They did mention they have lower prices than bars where all my guests are from and discounts since we did this extended package deal with the venue itself.
-A venue close to home. Our venue is an hour away but will cost us 1/10th of the ones in my area... plus we were able to find our own caterer! =)
It is what it is... but I'm still stuck on the ceiling... argh.
@cyndistar3: "But oh well I guess, we are married and that is all that matters :)" - Exactly.
@HappilyEverAfter54: The ceiling drape thing just kills me because it's such a rip-of no matter how you look at it! In real life, I've never been to a wedding and said, Oh wow, that ceiling is ug-lee, hmm shoulda put draping on it!!
Seriously, I think some of these things, floor-length linens, ceiling draping, and a few other decor, were commonly included with the venue. I feel like in the last few years of so, they've taken these things away so they can bring them back with a charge. It's like McDonalds, they used to give you all the McNugget dipping sauce you wanted, but now you have to pay if you have more than two per order :(
I just wanted to say that I don't know what Chivari chairs are NOR do I know what uplighting is. I don't want to find out, in case I want it, too! Haha.
I think the things we're giving up, nobody will miss and we're not really cutting anything out enitrely, just replacing it with cheaper options. I'm giving up aisle decorations, a white aisle runner is included with the venue but I just didn't think it was worth the $400+ dollars for some shepherds hooks with flowers down the aisle. We gave up big flower centerpieces, opted for candelabras with small floral arrangements. We were going to give up a limo and rent a van but we actually just won limo service for the entire day in an auction for crazy cheap, so the limo is back on :) We're going with chicken and pasta for the menu, I really wanted a beef option but not for an additional $10+ a person. We're giving up chiavari chairs and we're not doing any chair covers, just plain white chairs.
'I created crystal trees with curvy willow for around $12 a table!'
I've often thought about doing this. I've seen so many 'DIY' that look as beautiful as what the professionals do. There isnt' actually a difference. At the end of the day it's the same materials and still look elegant.
I like the chair covers but I've also seen actual Chairs for hire that look pretty in itself and it's cheaper.
Celing draping- I don't think is nessercery. The buildings I've found to get married in have they're own beauty and charm so draping would ruin it (plus the amount they charge :-o ).
I don't think thoes lights are nessacery. Candels are just as beautiful :)
Companies I think try to convince us, we need all these expensive things. But I don't think it's nessercery. You will make it special. Your marrying the one you love and wnat to spend the rest of your life with. A chair cover isn't going to change this :)
hear hear!
I'm still 9 months away, so I'm sure the list of what I will give up to stay on budget will grow, but so I'm not even considering:
chair covers and sashes
big, fancy, expensive centerpieces
limo transport day of (I will already be at venue in dressing rooms before guests arrive anyway)
a big diamond ring
an expensive gown (got mine for $400)
open bar
pro photographer (my brother is amazing and has a digital SLR camera)
oh yeah, and whatever that uplighting is. Wouldn't work for my venue anyway, since it's mostly open air!
We cut out favors because honestly, most people throw them out unless you do something really creative and/or expensive.
I'm hoping to give up flowers on the cake and maybe even a cake topper. I mean, what are you going to do with that cake topper after the wedding? (Although if I were made of money I would totally get one of those personalized ones).
And, cake related, we opted to forgo ganache because it was going to be an extra $150.
I also decided to use shoes I already owned instead of buying new ones and my sister will be doing my hair.
food ! well were having wood fired pizza comcany comming and cooking all night its onlt costing $15 per head
no fancy cars just driving our own
no cake just having home made cup cakes
ohh and its at a foot ball club
@Juliepants: Haha I never knew what chiavari chairs were until I got on the Bee!
@redhead46: yikes, $10+ per person really adds up!! That's crazy!
@CMSnails: I'm not 100% decided, but I'd like to do cake centerpieces and just kill two birds with one stone. I still need to price that out properly before I make a decision. And funny you mention shoes, I just pulled an ivory pair of kitten heel slingbacks from the back of my closet that I think would be just fine. I think I've only wore them once or twice! I'm glad I'm not the only one :)
@loveneverfails: Seriously? Wood fired pizza? My mouth is watering as I type.
@SugerPlum: Cake centerpieces are so awesome! I love that idea so much! Also, I noticed when I brought my shoes in for the fitting that I kepts slipping out of them even with extra holes punches in the strap so I'm going to have to wear them around a bit and see if I can still wear them. Here's hoping!
@CMSnails: If it's one of those adjustable slingback straps, maybe a cobbler can sew it with a bit of elastic instead? I had a pair of black kitten heels (notice a pattern?) that came adjustable but with elastic and they never slipped off.
I gave up. My fiance had a better idea of the real cost of everything. I'm going to make a lot of things and and buying stuff to resell afterwards (like linens), so that's helping a bit.
I'm giving up the fancy catered dinner in favor of heavy appetizers.
No alcohol, except for toasting.
No special, personalized knife and server for the cake. I'm just going to use my mom's Royal Crown Derby bone china knife.
We aren't doing save the dates.
I gave up my dream venue, with a stage and velvet covered seat.
We more than likely won't have a fancy car.
And, as of the last two days, we may just be going down to Florida with some close friends.
I gave up on a lot of the little decorating touches - ceiling craping, uplighting, etc. All gorgeous...but not enough to make up for that gigantic price tag!
I also passed on a photo booth, I thought we needed one out of worry people wouldn't like the band and would be bored with nothing to do besides dance, but everyone was dancing and having fun, whew!
The things the wedding world tells me I OMGNEED but that I personally didn't like and passed on were a veil, flowers or some sort of decor for the aisle chairs during the ceremony, a limo (reception and ceremony at the same place, so who cares?), gifts from my husband and I to eachother the day of (our handwritten notes mean a lot more to me), flower boutonnieres (I handmade them out of guitar picks, cheaper and way cooler), a garter, toss bouquet...I know there's more but that's all I can think of right now.
I haven't really given anything up in the first place--I'm just trying to be realistic and know what's in our budget and what isn't. That being said, I'm still trying to convince FI that we really do need a DJ and that no, just plugging the ipod into the speaker system at the restaurant will NOT cut it.
I gave up a candy bar and favors, who really needs all that stuff anyway?
Other than that I am wishing I had given up more considering our budget keeps growing.
@SugerPlum: I was at a wedding this summer that used cakes as center pieces and it worked out great and was very inexpensive. Also I reccomend looking into Patty's Cakes in Anaheim, they were very nice and budget friendly and their cake was amazing.
Thank God Chair covers were included at no cost at our venue (along with linen overlay and color chargers) because I just think there is nothing that ruins the beauty of a dolled-up venue more than hideous chairs. This was important to me. I've never heard of the twinkle light backdrop (I think that's silly too).
Uplighting may seem like a good idea but I think it's highly overpriced and doesn't make pictures look very nice. Why would anyone want their wedding venue to be dark purple and pink? It's strange - it's a reception, not a night club.
I also don't get the point of ceiling drapery....who really looks up at the ceiling anyway?? Unless you are a stained drop ceiling for your venue, it's 10000% unnecessary.
I like a lot of the special touches but I think it can be done for SO much cheaper than bridal magazines and other websites would like you to believe. I went to DSW on Sunday and found the most gorgeous pair of ivory slingback high heels with a satin bow and rhinestone clip for (drum roll please).... $15!! (this is after tax). Gotta love getting 80% off on clearance (and nothing was wrong with them - just not in season). I'm doing a lot of DIY things for the ceremony/reception that ends up being over priced (Ringbearer pillow, FG basket, guestbook). We are doing favors but we got an amazing deal on some fantastic favors so I am thrilled about it.
I am doing without a choreographer for dancing at my wedding - I actually don't understand the point of that at all....
I loved the idea of a videographer...just wasn't worth it.
Also- my venue has horrible ugly chairs, but covering them or renting new ones is way out of the budget too!
I'm using friends for a lot of things...which is helping keep prices down- photography, hair, makeup, band.
We are still quite a ways out... but I can already list a few things we will be passing on.
Chair covers - the chairs our venue has are "restaurant-y" and fine.
Uplighting
Ceiling drapery
LIMO - our ceremony and reception are at the same location so this is just an unneccessary expense.
Transportation from the hotel to the venue for OOT guests - would have been nice... just too expensive.
We didn't do anything for the chairs-- they were silver chivari and silver was one of our colors. We didn't any fancy trasport-- we had rented a car and our bridal party decorated it. I didn't do the hanger-- I wanted one, but it seemed frivolous at the end. No groom's cake-- he picked the flavors for ours. Now musician for the cocktail hour- I wanted this, but DH said no. Oh, and I bought table runners ($2.50 each) instead of renting them for $7.50 each, plus $40 in delivery. I also just used black linens provided (hence the silver table runners).
I had a hard time saying no to the small stuff, but in the end, even what I bought didn't get used :(
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As brides to be we are mass marketed to like there is no tomorrow. Who knew that not only did I need chair bows, but also rhinestone buckles on the chair bows?? Hang your dress on a regular plastic hanger? BAH you must be crazy! You need a special hanger with your name craftily spelled out in wire! Alright, so I'm being a little sarcastic. Admittedly, some of these things really are nice. However, these things all add up, and quickly!
As a future bride trying to stick to her budget, here are some of the things that I've "given up": full-length linens (we're doing a double overlay "8-point" linen instead at no additional cost), renting their special chiffon/twinkle lights backdrop for our head table (honestly, just didn't like it, seemed high-school prom-ish), ceiling draping (HOW much??).
What, if anything, did you ladies give up to keep within your budget or just to keep to your own aesthetics?