How much is your wedding costing you?

[Peach]

Well I am setting up my budget, and now thinking I might be forgetting something... We can go up to 10 000, but our parents have said they will help, and so we did another budget with their help and are closer to the 5000 mark. I have priced things out but nothing is set in stone.

That being said, I do not want an elaborate dress (the most expensive one I have seen that I like is 300 - and my dad said that is one item he may want to pay for), and I am very crafty - all handmade invites and so on. We are having a very small bridal party (1 BM, 1 MoH and 1 GM), and my BM did a complete DIY wedding for herself a couple years ago (even made the dresses) so she is helping me a lot. His parents are extremely thrifty, too. Plus we are having a long engagement, so we have been cutting coupons and making notes about when sales are on. Including the AHR it will be closer to the original 10,000, but even there, centrepieces are mismatched vases from thrift stores with small in-season blooms.... focus on candles instead. AI includes a lot. My brother is a musician, so his gift to us is some music, and the rest is on CDs or (more likely), iPod. Plus his parents both took a lot of photography classes (his mom used to shoot weddings back in the day), so the "extra" pictures (those not included in our package), will be done by them. We are also not doing engagement shots (again, DIY). We are talking about splurging with TTD; originally I wanted fun pictures, so his mom was going to do that, but now we have seen some sexy ones, and I do not feel comfortable with her taking them. We are not doing gifts to each other (except I might do a BD shoot, for both of us, if I can find a good deal). Is there something I might be forgetting? I know that prices will go up over the next year or so, but other than that? I want to DIY as much as possible - I can even do jewelry. Our AI and pkg includes a lot, and our whole point behind doing this is to keep costs and size down. We are just frequenting dollar stores and thrift shops and craft centres and relying on the natural beauty of the area (as well as friends and family).

Also, the biggest cost-saving trick? Go off-season. I am a teacher. That means built-in vacation time. In the summer. When costs are half-price. I highly recommend this, unless you are afraid that you might melt! It does get hot, really, really hot!

Sorry for the long post, just going through things in my head!

[celticgirl]

So far, our costs have worked out to be between 6000 and 7000.  The only thing I have not accounted for is OOT bags, I was wondering... How much are people spending on OOT bags per person?! I have 65 people, so I am trying my hardets to keep that cost down.

[jszy10]

Have you considered doing an OOT bag per ROOM instead of per person?!  That is what I did and it cuts your cost in half!  I would maybe shoot for $8-10 per bag.  I spent about $10-12 per room/bag.
 

Originally Posted by celticgirl 

So far, our costs have worked out to be between 6000 and 7000.  The only thing I have not accounted for is OOT bags, I was wondering... How much are people spending on OOT bags per person?! I have 65 people, so I am trying my hardets to keep that cost down.

 

[celticgirl]

 

That is a great idea! I had not even thought of that!! Thanks a bunch for that tip!

 

 

 

Originally Posted by jszy10 

Have you considered doing an OOT bag per ROOM instead of per person?!  That is what I did and it cuts your cost in half!  I would maybe shoot for $8-10 per bag.  I spent about $10-12 per room/bag.
 

 

 

[torilynnsmith]

We will be doing OOTS per couple and then one for each single (we dont have many) this way we cut some costs and also minimize some of the stuff we have to bring!  We were aiming for $10 a person (so $20 a bag roughly) well see how we do, this is one thing I get really carried away with! LOL

[canadiangirl]

wow...i just added our up too and although it is cheaper to do a DW then a wedding back home, its scary to think of the cost now lol ... adding everything up right now we are looking at under 8000.00 for a week all inclusive

[susan1672]

I believe ours will be about $20,000-22,000 including our week long stay in an oceanfront room. Luckily, I have a year to save but it's really hard because I love to shop but I just have to stop and ask myself - do I really need it! Only buy it if it's something you can wear now AND on the trip/honeymoon LOL.

[JayKay]

Our budget started out around 10,000 but now I think we are only going to be spending somewhere around 6000, which is great!!

[torilynnsmith]

HOW?! Share your secrets!!!!!  I find the trip takes up a big part of the budget... 

Originally Posted by JayKay 

Our budget started out around 10,000 but now I think we are only going to be spending somewhere around 6000, which is great!!

 

[JayKay]

I agree, the trip is the most expensive part. 

 

Some of my secrets, well lets see:

 

-We chose a resort which offers a free wedding!
 

-We aren't doing many extras or bringing many decorations, just what is provided.

 

-Our travel, is our biggest chunk of our budget, but the travel company we are going with offered us a free trip if we had so many people booked (only 16), so we are only paying for one trip!

 

Other then that I dont really have any other secrets haha!

Originally Posted by torilynnsmith 

HOW?! Share your secrets!!!!!  I find the trip takes up a big part of the budget...