Jump to content

Number of guests and price of wedding?


Recommended Posts

Hey ladies,

 

Im pretty new to the site. But I have introduced myself in an earlier thread.

 

Has or is anyone in a dilemma about how many guests to invite to your destination wedding. We are definite that we want to a destination wedding. Also we talked about having a HUGE reception affair when we return. However, when we started thinking about our guest list the list was freakin huge—and im almost positive that at least 40-60 people could be traveling with us, but thatâ€s only 50% of our list. I put my desired wedding options in the one of those wedding calculators and I nearly fell out at the baseline total—it was nearly 8,000 without all the frilly little extras. With all those people, I will feel compelled to have dinner, dancing and all the extras to show that we appreciate them joining us. At best we would like to spend no more than 10-12,000 for all wedding costs, including the reception.

 

I am playing around with just keeping the wedding to a limited few and going with our first plan to have the huge reception. Or we can just invite every one of our guests and let them decide whether they want to accompany us and nix the at-home reception. If you canâ€t tell—Iâ€m really confused on which way to go. I feel like I need to make a decision instead of holding my breath to see who confirms. Can anyone offer any advice? Anyone been in the same situation?

 

TIA

Kim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey ladies,

 

Im pretty new to the site. But I have introduced myself in an earlier thread.

 

Has or is anyone in a dilemma about how many guests to invite to your destination wedding. We are definite that we want to a destination wedding. Also we talked about having a HUGE reception affair when we return. However, when we started thinking about our guest list the list was freakin huge—and im almost positive that at least 40-60 people could be traveling with us, but thatâ€s only 50% of our list. I put my desired wedding options in both a Dreams and a Paradisus wedding calculator and I nearly fell out at the baseline total—it was nearly 8,000 without all the extras. With all those people, I will feel compelled to have dinner, dancing and all the extras to show that we appreciate them joining us. At best we would like to spend no more than 10-12,000 for all wedding costs, including the reception.

 

I am playing around with just keeping the wedding to a limited few and going with our first plan to have the huge reception. Or we can just invite every one of our guests and let them decide whether they want to accompany us and nix the at-home reception. If you canâ€t tell—Iâ€m really confused on which way to go. I feel like I need to make a decision instead of holding my breath to see who confirms. Can anyone offer any advice? Anyone been in the same situation?

 

TIA

Kim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a tough one. It's really up to you. We decided to invite everyone to Mexico with us - 250 people, knowing that we'd have only about 60 that would actually come. Personally, I didn't want to invite people to a party at home that I didn't invite to Mexico. In Mexico, we're having a dinner & dance (so no, it won't be cheap) and at home we're just having a big party at our house. We'll play our ipod, show the wedding video and have a BBQ so the cost should be pretty minimal. You can really go either way though. A lot of people only invite a small group to their DW and then have a big reception at home. I guess it just depends on how you look at it. The AHR isn't that important to me so a party at our house will be fine. So I'm ok with spending the bulk of the budget in Mexico. Hope this helps. Again, it's all about what you want to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a very personal decision. My FI and I decided to have a DW since I wanted to get married on a beach and we didn't want to spend $50k for a wedding in Jersey. We have invited about 80 people to our Mexico DW but I only expect about 40 to actually make it. We never planned on having an AHR since it just isnt' important to us and it really doesn't fit in our budget.

 

I also agree with sunstarsmoon, if you plan on having a huge AHR then I would keep your DW small.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We didn't really discuss the number of people to invite. We just invited our family and our best friends. keep in mind just because you invite them doesn't mean they will RSVP, or even book. So many of us girls have had people say they would definitely be there, but when it came time to RSVP they didn't and couldn't come, or they even RSVP but then don't actually book. Most of our friends just can't afford it period and aren't offended cause they know its our very best friends and family going and we're having an AHR.

 

We are having close to 300 for our AHR. We invited 70 to our DW and only 35 will be coming. Trust me, you can DEFINITELY do a DW for under 10K-12K. Really determine what the most important things are for you and FI for DW. Is it the location, photography, music, food, etc. Spend on whats most important and then do only what is really needed for the rest. We are not having a resort wedding so we don't have packages to choose from or anything. We have to do everything from scratch and we're spending under $6000 on DW. We haven't built a real budget for AHR but we're just doing a HUGE BBQ on a college football day, we live right next to the stadium. It's more like an open house type of thing although we will have a live band, but they are our friends so we have a GREAT deal on them. if you're going w/ a resort you can do their free wedding, alot of girls do that and then the only money they really spend are on extras they really want that aren't provided by the resort.

 

It is possible, don't always go for the first vendor or thing that comes your way. There are lots of great deals out there and every BDW girl is looking for them and sharing them.

 

The forum has sooooo many things that you can do that are really nice but don't break the bank. if there is something you want but you want a better price, negotiate you'd be surprised what you can get. Also search the forum many of the girls probably have been in the same situation, if there isn't anything ask!

 

FI and I don't have the money to spend on a huge extravaganza. We just had a baby this last year and are both students. You'd be surprised where $6000 got us. That includes our attire, photography, food, drinks, cocktail hour, music, wc, etc. I've taken on a LOT of DIY projects and I've been SHOCKED at the results and everything looks soooo great, much better than I ever expected. I don't know when your wedding is or how much time you have, but look for sales!!!! They will save you a TON! Also the girls are always posting coupons and promos going on.

 

I don't use the calculators, I did in the beginning but when it came down to it, they weren't even close to what I was actually spending! Hope that helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Best Destination Wedding Sponsors



    Facebook Pinterest Google+ Twitter
  • Posts

    • Hi everyone! I have been doing lots of research on various wedding venues all around Mexico, my fiance wants a destination wedding and I am happy to have a wedding wherever so long as the vibe is right and guests are happy!  I have been seriously looking at Cabo Azul and was trying to find potential costs for them, but only found a page about their wedding costs from 2010. Does anyone have any updated information on costs / reviews they would like to share of this venue? Or advice in general, anything helps. Thanks so much, happy wedding planning to all!
    • Hello everyone, I am dreaming of a wedding in Costa Rica and was wondering if I could get any help with venues and wedding planners. I am thinking Tamarindo because a close friend of mine lives there and I've been in town more than a couple of times, she's being helpful but is at a loss when it comes to this subject really so I was wondering if anyone here had recommendations. I am not closed to other town suggestions either, if I happen to find a good place and staff somewhere else. These are the places I have so far, has anyone had any experience with any of them?  Stay In Tamarindo Luxury Villas in Costa Rica Luxury Villas Pinilla Tropical Homes of Costa Rica The Point Luxury Villa Thank you so much for your help!
    • Have you ever considered having a wedding inside a bubble? With the current global situation, many couples are looking for unique and creative ways to celebrate their special day while keeping their guests safe. A wedding inside a bubble could provide a whimsical and intimate setting for your ceremony and reception. Imagine saying your vows surrounded by a beautiful bubble filled with twinkling lights and flowers, creating a magical atmosphere for you and your loved ones to enjoy.
    • Adult only resort or not? Let's discuss the pros and cons of choosing an adult-only resort for your honeymoon. While some couples may appreciate the peace and quiet that comes with an adults-only environment, others may prefer a more family-friendly atmosphere. What are your thoughts on this? Have you had any experiences at adult-only resorts that you'd like to share? Let's hear your opinions and recommendations!
    • When it comes to planning a wedding, one of the most exciting parts is choosing the perfect wedding favours for your guests. These small tokens of appreciation are a great way to thank your loved ones for being a part of your special day and to make them feel appreciated.
  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...