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I would really love to say that we are going to stick to our $5k budget but I can already tell we are going to break it......
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I'm just going to write a quick tally of what we are/think we will spend.
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- Ceremony Site - $303 (inc wet weather option)
- Celebrant - $580
- Reception Food (Pizza) - $500
- Drinks - $750
- My Dress - $300
- My Shoes, Accessories - $75.00
- Bridesmaid Shoes - $200
- Bridesmaid Accessories - $100
- Hair for ALL of us - $200 (Sos friends sister)
- Make Up - $0.00 (BF#1's sister is doing)
- BF#1 Suit - $200
- BF#1 Shoes - $20.00
- Groomsmen Shoes - $120
- Groomsmen Ties -$120
- Puffing Billy - $20 trip x 20ppl = $400
- Marquees - $600
- Stationery/Invitations - $200
- Photographer - $500
= $5168.00
This does not include the following
--> Cars other than Puffing Billy (Thankfully working at prestige car companies - we will get these for free).
--> Flowers - Sos and Tin's (2 BMs) Mum owns a florist - I am budgeting $500.00
--> Decorations for the Reception AND Ceremony (inc favours) - $500.00
--> Other hire equipment - $500.00
--> Dessert Buffet - $300.00
--> Plates, glasses etc - $300.00
--> Gifts for Bridal Party - $400.00
TOTAL with this added in = $7668.00
Shit, fuck, shit - I mean it's not the end of the world, but it's not what we budgeted.
Do you have any ideas on how we can cut costs?
(p.s - I must remind you that a lot of these are GUESSTIMATES - eg: Flowers, Decorations etc and we may spend A LOT less than guesstimated)
7 comments:
I just wrote a huge thing about ways you could cut it back but I dont want to seem heartless. So if you want my ruthless version email me and I will email it to you lol
hey! i organised my wedding in less than 3 months and the whole thing cost less than $5K so my tips:
- you don't need to buy your bridal party shoes, accessories AND a gift. Normally they'd buy their dress and shoes - you can make their jewellery your gift.
go to the flower markets and make the bouquets yourself. really easy to do, inexpensive (all my flowers for bridal party, flower, rose petal aisle and decorations cost abour $120) and FUN! (well i thought so)
- make a deal with the pizza place and alcohol place (or go to a bulk warehouse for alcohol) they'll usually do a good deal when you buy so many. tell them you only have so much to spend. we used a spit roast place and it cost about $300 for memory to feed 45 people.
- what is the puffing billy? do you really need it? why not just use the free prestige cars?
- you could get your friends and family to donate their plates and glasses for the day. most people would have plain white china so if you made each table the same or mixed and matched them every second table it would be unique and free!
- for decorations make them yourself and think simple is best: a few fairy lights, flowers, lanterns and candleabras go a long way. paper also goes a long way and there are a billion things you could make with it. honestly, a few paper chains made from colours of your theme strung across the sky would look beautiful and is so easy to do.
- can you and your bridesmaids do your hair yourselves? or? have your friend do their hair as your gift?
- only use the photographer for the ceremony and the wedding pics afterwards. your guests will take numerous pics of the reception and you can always instruct someone to be snap happy once the photog leaves.
anyway, these are pretty standard ways of cutting costs i guess but they helped! our wedding was perfect for us and that's all we ever wanted. good luck! PS: my 6th anniversary is coming up this month and i'll be posting about it - i might think of something i missed when i do that post xx
I was also going to ask why you have bridesmaids acces and ties & gifts. That's what we gave as gifts :)
Also I decorated our tables with only a few (less than half) with tall (rented) vases with flowers from the florist and on the rest bought cheap vases and filled them with glass rocks (like for fish tanks), water and floating candles. Then used fake flower petals and tea lights. It was cheap and looked great.
Things NOT to go cheap on (in my opinion) photography! The day will be a blur and you'll want good pictures. We used a "friend" as a DJ for cheap... he was TERRIBLE! Wish we would have went with a pro :/
1. I think the obvious one for me is the puffing billy - are you really set on that? According to your schedule it will take you an hour on it too - seems like the novelty will wear off in that time..?
2. I think you could save on the decorations too (as listed above) get creative! You are good at these sort of things.
Favours? Is this the same as a bomboniere? To be honest I think these are a waste of money (sorry Brides!)..every wedding I have been to I've either left it there (in my drunken state) or if its made it home I usually bin it. I don't think they are essential and if you're worried about guests that would want one maybe have some for them (say like 20 or 30 or whatever instead of for every wedding guest). The best 'bomboniere' I got was a few gold-foil wrapped chocolate hearts in front of everyone's seat..yummy and practical for people like me that don't like clutter. I'm not sure how much this would cost though.
3. This is a bit tricky but asking the two BM sisters to pay for the hairdresser as their present. Depends on your friendship with them of course.
4. If you got really desperate you could half the wedding party but I think its too late to do this.
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1. bridal party shoes, especially the guys shoes. didnt you say they were wearing thongs?
2. puffying billy??
3. dessert buffet - I reckon the best desserts are homemade and Im there would be quite a few people that would be happy to bring a dessert along.
4. do you know anyone that can do you a deal on plate, glasses hire? know anyone that works in hospitality?
Good tips up there.
The plates seem expensive. for pizza fancy paper plates would do, but yeah I guess it all adds up. Maybe for desert also paper plates or yeah have your home set and a few other peoples.
Flowers seem expensive. Decorations seem expensive. Do you really need decorations? Notice how all those 'other things' are all big numbers? I say pick a few things you really want to do and spend on that. Figure out what you really want and skip the rest. Gotta have money for honeymoon too right :).
Hey! Firstly don't freak out, step back and breathe!
I'd be questioning things like the dessert buffet (are you having a cake?) flowers (I can't tell is that bridesmaids and yours?) and decorations
As for favors- I'm sure your guests will be thrilled with a little note and a homemade cookie or something sweet and from the heart.
Also I know you're on a budget, but don;t put too much pressure on yourself- don;t end up in a panic making centrepieces midnight on the eve of your wedding. Find cheap and cheerful things (hit up Ikea and flower markets) that won't stress you out but look great.
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