Wedding Planning + Economy = Unhappy Bride

[kate.com]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel&B I hear you all too! So far, it's airfares that are killing me. The west coast to PVR is about $400 to $500, which isn't so bad. But I live in Atlanta and flights are $820 right now. I have no idea why this route became sooooo expensive, so I'm just hoping and praying prices come down. Kate, I'm don't know where you were transfered to in NC, but everyone I know in Atlanta loves Ashville!!!

Yes, it's asheville! I was thinking that I wished it were atlanta! I will probably have a lot of free time in the evenings, maybe we can have a group BDW happy hour when Im around. How far is Atlanta? 2 Hours or more?

[Mel&B]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kate.com Yes, it's asheville! I was thinking that I wished it were atlanta! I will probably have a lot of free time in the evenings, maybe we can have a group BDW happy hour when Im around. How far is Atlanta? 2 Hours or more?

You are so lucky it's Asheville! I would love to have a get-together, but Atlanta is actually about 4 hours from Asheville...

[JoLo908]

I feel you... FI got laid off three weeks ago, and some people are trying to not spend a lot and attending a destination wedding is just not in their budget... Bad timing right?

[Erica053009]

I have down graded a lot of things for the wedding. We have been saving and saving playing around with the stock market and we lost so much of our wedding fund in the past few months we want to pull out what is left but then we have no chance and gaining it back. It is funny though how much my views changed the way expensive invites I was going to get didn't mean as much as I thought and totally down graded. Sometimes we get caught up in the wedding thing and forget about the marriage that is taking place if someone doesn't come to the wedding because my invites are not as grand as they think they should be oh well

[mackenzie]

I'm definitely feeling the effects of the economy on our wedding. A lot of people can't afford it, flights are very expensive, etc. It's cliche but the people who want to be there are really going to try to go. And it's kind of a blessing in disguise because I always wanted a small wedding. You really have to think of the positives and, like Erica said, the whole point of the wedding is to get married to the one you love.

[Nitnylyin1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sloan Kinda sucks that none of our friends/family (except for immediate family) are going to be there for our wedding, but its about us and not them ( I keep trying to tell myself that... ugh) and we're not having an AHR b/c that defeated the purpose of our no-frills wedding + laziness comes into the picture again, there's no way Im planning or paying for an AHR.

I totally hear ya, Thought about an AHR but then it's just more money to shell out and in times like these I need to save. I am also lazy,lol, and tired of planning!

Quote:

Originally Posted by niels408 The guests that originally RSVP'd for our wedding has dropped down to about half actually going now...our resort is closed (as of now), i feel some animosity from guests going just bc they are having to drop the $ for the trip, which makes me feel horrible! It's tough for everyone & I picked the worst time ever to get married I feel like (due to economy)

I feel your pain. My resort has a tower being renovated and of course it's the more expensive one that me and my guests initially booked. Now we are forced to stay in the lower end however having difficulty getting refunded. I recently got mine back but I understand my guests haven't and theirs is not the right amount to begin with! I am so pissed with the resort and my travel agent. I'll be happy when this is all over and I can just be married and move on!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kate.com I hear you! I am stuck with unpaid rooms and a contract! And now, I am being transferred to North carolina which I will have to do until after the wedding, which I leave for in 90 days so I dont have time to look locally or train for a new position. Luckily, I get to commute for the first 90 days...and I'll deal with the rest after the wedding! Things will always come up, good and bad, regardless of the economy!

Hey I live in NC, Raleigh that is. It's a great place, I am a transplant from PA. Asheville is an up and coming area in NC, lots to do!

I guess anyone getting married this year or next regardless of destination or traditional is in the same boat. At least we are not alone.

[kate.com]

Cool! Well I'll be in Asheville starting Nov 4th.

[michellepicksbrent]

Sorry to hear about your FH being laid off My FH is worried he may not have a job in the new year - he's in sales, and companies are not buying expensive software at the moment. We've been praying that a) he doesn't have to find a new job before the wedding, and the Canadian dollar increases. If it stays at the current rate, we'll be paying 20% more for everything

[K&Rwedding]

Below I am posting info on flight cost

Ways to cut wedding costs (all prices are estimates)

and some positive feedback

 

Colleen I saw you are back in planning mode for next Oct/Nov 09' congrats. I know you didn't want to postpone that far, but having an extra year will go by fast and you will have time to save.

 

I do want to shed some HAPPY news on this topic.

 

I have a friend that works for an airline company, she is a VP of finance. She has assured me the prices will go down closer to the dates everyone needs to travel.

This is what is happening. Airlines are charging a lot, because if they can book seats at a higher price they are taking it. But every month they relook at availablity and are ajusting their prices based on that. Which the airlines have never done before. I know what she is telling me is true I tested it. You can too.

 

Example:

7/21 i looked at flights for PV from NYC for 8/11 the price was $328

so I checked for 5/16/09 price $781

8/30 i looked at flights for 11/06 $690, but then checked again mid Oct price was $450 Next May went to $671

So I kept checking this to see what was happening.

When booking flights 6-8 weeks plus, out the prices were really high, when booking 4-6 weeks out the prices were half. Check it yourself the best site to do so is www.sidestep.com

 

I just did more recently. I check Oct. 18th for Nov. 12th flight it was $480 I checked last week for the same flight for Nov. 12th it was $390.

 

So have some faith girls.

 

As for wedding costs. I have been doing a lot of research and have found ways to cut costs for my wedding. I have saved a total of $3000 from my original proposal, by looking into things on my own. Areas I was able to cut costs are below:

 

Mariachi band - quoted $700 - found on this site a band for $400

-$300 saved

Open Bar - quoted 5 hours - decided to do one hour of Mexican beer and two signature pre-made cocktails for Cocktail hour (instead of open bar for that hour)

-$500 saved

 

Candles vs Flowers - PV already has so much natural decor, we opted for minimal flowers and increased candle light and also decided to do the whole branch in a vase trend (which I love)

Not 100% on savings but will be around

-$400 saved

 

Booked rehearsal dinner with our catering companies restaurant. Doing as many events as possible with one company or location.

 

Rehearsal dinner for 33 guests, by going with our catering companies restaurant

-$400 saved

 

Originally we were going to transport our wedding guests from the ceremony site to the reception site via Luxury bus but it only fit 47 people so it would have to make 2 trips only going 1 km. Quoted $650

Check this, we used the same cab driver everytime when we were in PV in May he gave us his card. We called him and he will have 10 cab drivers ready for our guests, which yes they will have to make 2 trips

-$500 saved

 

No Wedding cake... I know this may be hard for some to give up but guess what

-$300 saved:)

 

No wedding favors... AGain when was the last time you kept or loved a wedding favor you got?

-$200 saved

 

DJ 4 hours quoted $700, negotiate to pay in cash

-$100 saved

 

Last.... Videographer. Quoted $800 for a professional

bought our own video camera $550 and a tri-pod and talked all our guest who own a video camera to bring it. We will have my brother-in-law video and I have a friend who will edit and put music to it.

 

-$200 saved

 

We are also booking 30 rooms at the Dreams Resort, which will mean they give us the bride/groom room for free.

 

-$1024 saved (Well not yet, hoping 24 rooms booked so far, cross your fingers)

 

One last idea.... OOT bags, not sure if you knew this but there is a Costco and Wal-mart in PV. Wait and buy the things you will put in your bags until you get therel. The prices are much cheaper and honestly you could end up saving half what you would have paid to fill them in the states.

 

I really hope this helps. Sorry so long. PM me if you need any assistance.

 

I am also doing a lot of DIY things I am happy to share.

 

BEst

Kathy

[tylersgirl]

My job and my FI's are okay, but I just feel so bad asking everyone to spend the $$ to come to our wedding. I have a lot of friends building houses and having babies, so they can't come for sure. I am getting nervous the others are going to say they can't come b/c of the economy. I can't get upset about it--I am just going to be happy with my fam, my FI's fam, and us being there...anyone else who shows up will be a bonus! That's how I have to look at it b/c of the crappy economy.