Post # 1
Member
324 posts
Helper bee
My Fiance and I are doing our wedding, budget-style! Our budget is $10,000 and under. But we quickly seem to be running out of money with lots of stuff left to pay for! My parents have given us a set amount of $5,000 to use on whatever wedding stuff we want (that’s all they can afford to give us), and his parents are paying for the food and appetizers (roughly $3,500) for about 100-150 people. And we are using some of our own money which isn’t much since I’m finishing up school and haven’t started a new full-time job yet (still part time, which sucks).
I have my dress and veil paid for as well as our photographer, venue, and music, but we still have to pay for tuxes and flowers and more decorations and our limo and services like our pastor and singers etc etc. I know it will all fall together in the end, but I’m just very stressed right now. Any advice on keeping (relatively) calm until the wedding which is 13 months from now?
Post # 3
Member
2935 posts
Sugar bee
@HuskerGirl: Breathe. Make a spreadsheet with your budget, if you haven’t already, because that will totally help you keep costs in track. You’ve got most of the biggest costs taken care of, so that’s great! Keeping that in mind will help with the calmness as well. You’ve got time to be able to try and save a little extra from what you were expecting, and this will help with the remaining costs. Kudos on being able to stick to your budget!
Post # 4
Member
532 posts
Busy bee
I thought you were stressing as your wedding was next month not next year.
Take a deep breathe, you have sooooo much time. You’ve got the expensive stuff done. Don’t stress yourself out for the next 13 months, it’ll do you no good.
Post # 5
Member
324 posts
Helper bee
@HisMoon:
It’s not exactly a spreadsheet of costs so much as it is a list of all the costs…we’ve checked a lot of the big stuff off and that makes me happy, but people keep freaking me out saying “Oh a year left? It will FLY by and you’re not gonna know where the time went!” or “Oh the time is going to go by so fast.” etc etc…
I can’t help but stress out when people are telling me these things lol.
Post # 6
Member
2935 posts
Sugar bee
@HuskerGirl: It’s only natural. This is so much easier said than done, but try not to let them get to you! You know what you need to get done, and you know your schedule. Let it be as water off a duck’s back. People are just trying to share in your excitement in their very weird way. In a way, sure it will feel like all of the time flew by, but doesn’t time always work that way when you’ve got a big project to do?
Post # 7
Member
1074 posts
Bumble bee
@HuskerGirl: To be honest, I’m a really religious person, so I guess I worry a bit about how tight my budget is, but I just have faith that it’ll all work out in the end.
However, I do keep track, almost daily, of all the wedding expenses and forecasting our future earnings to compare it all and see where we stand. This has led me to cut corners I didn’t think I could, and to seek out friendors to save money.
Here’s an example of a corner I was able to cut: going from small amounts of fresh flowers, to all silk, to manzanita/wood decor and sparse flowers everywhere else. Technically, slashing the flower expenses didn’t save us money because Future Mother-In-Law already volunteered to pay for and arrange all of our flowers. But by saving her money, it makes it easier for us to ask her for emergency funds if we fall short in the end.
So my advice? Keep regular track of all of your expenses, for every tiny thing that you buy. You’ll find that if you buy little things like postage, cardstock, tulle, ribbon, etc. here and there over a long period of time, it doesn’t make such a huge impact, and may even be counted as “out-of-pocket” expenses that don’t affect your wedding budget. Think of it like you’re taking $3 from your grocery budget and spending it on ribbon.
When you’re on top of your budget, when you really own it, it’ll allow you to breathe easier, or force you to get creative with your resources.
Post # 8
Member
577 posts
Busy bee
A big budgeting tip I’d say it really assessing your wants versus needs. I would’ve loved to serve dinner on china but it just wasn’t in the cards. I’m saving at least several hundred dollars in the end by serving on veneerware when scraping, racking, and cleaning costs are taken into account.
Other things I’ve saved on/compromised on:
-No limo – really big expense that I don’t think I’ll miss much the day of
-No appetizers – having a really heavy meal so nobody will go home hungry
-Wine and beer only
-No fresh flowers – making singed organza flowers instead for bouquets, and having non-floral centerpieces
-No chair covers or sashes
-No uplighting
The only thing I really wish I had a bigger budget for was the photographer. His photographs are very traditional and I really would’ve liked someone with a more photojournalistic flair, but I just couldn’t afford it.
Post # 9
Member
629 posts
Busy bee
@HuskerGirl: When people are telling you about the next 13 months flying by, they may be actually trying to help. However, I understand where your stress is coming from. Just remember you have time. You’ve taken care of a lot of the biggest things, and that’s important. A lot of what you have left doesn’t need to be done right away, you have time. Take a deep breath, you even have time to take a step back for a bit. Remember, a lot can change in the next 13 months. You said you’re finishing school, so in the next 13 months, you may find your full time job, or at the very least be done with school and can work more hours at a part time job, that will help the budget. I’m not saying rely on this, but remember you have plenty of time, and things can change. Keep track of what you’ve spent, and if needed, just take a step back.
Post # 10
Member
324 posts
Helper bee
@hyperJulie:
I wanted to splurge on the limo, even though it will be only $400-500. We are only doing two appetizers because we are doing pictures after the ceremony, not before, and I don’t want our guests to be hungry while waiting for us at the church. We are not doing an open bar, because we just can’t afford it lol. My father is purchasing tickets from the reception hall so he can give tickets to whomever he wants and the tickets are good for any drink. We are doing fresh flowers, but not a ton of them. We are sticking to calla-lillies and peacock feathers, but will try to minimize the number of real flowers we use. We are using chair covers and sashes simply because my mother owns around 200 chair covers and rents them out to people for profit, and we are using them and the sashes she has she owns as well, so no expense for us there. And we really aren’t doing much uplighting. Keeping it simple. As for our photographer, we found a wonderful photographer who does a “$1,000 wedding!” which includes 6 hours on the wedding day as well as engagement session. And the cd of the pictures is only like $300. I really appreciate your advice, though! It will be a busy year for sure!