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ApoksVow
Joined: 26 Feb 2008
Posts: 7
Location: World
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 Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| My boyfriend and I want to get married in a year. We are planning on paying for our own wedding. I would like some ideas on how to cut cost in areas. We don't attend church so for now, we don't want to attend a church just to get married there, but maybe we should. We don't have a lot of money saved up. I live in Georgia so I would like something small and sweet. Any ideas? Where can I get honeymoon details, like places to go. I am thinking of Cancun, so where should I start? |
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aout
Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:17 pm Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| Look into public parks, and reception sites that offer the room for free if you pay for the food. Shop off the sale rack at the bridal shop, make your own invites & programs, and buy your bouquets from the local farmer's market. We also hired a photography student who was trying to bulk up their portfolio...we found her on Craigslist. Good luck! I had a ton of fun trying to get the lowest price on stuff, and I don't think we compromised a bit on style or fun! |
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aout8158
Joined: 09 Apr 2008
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:53 pm Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| If you live in Atlanta try to get married at Piedmont Park in April or September. Do it outside and set up chairs and have a garden wedding. What area of Georgia do you live in, there are many places that are beautiful here that you could use for cheap. Here is my favorite link from a question yesterdayhttp://www.save-on-crafts.com/wrhablgoclea.html you should do something similar to that for a little bit of money. Parks are suppose to be cheap. Also beaches if you live near Tybee. Honeymoon you could try an all inclusive Cruise or if your really hard up Disney World. Drive down there and stay at one of those beautiful hotels. Epcot is romantic and it wouldn't be that expensive if you got a package deal. |
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Applepie714
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:29 am Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| I'm in Georgia too. My son and gf were engaged for almost two years. She wanted pink and liked pink roses, so any time I saw some thing on sale, I bought it! I got lots of stuff at Dollar stores and yard sales for the decorations. Most small rural churches would probably let you use their sanctuary for a donation - like $50 or so - they might require you to meet with the pastor a time or two for premarital counseling, but that might be a good thing.My son and his new bride went to the mountains for their honey moon, some where around Helen GA. They got the honey moon cabin with a jacuzzi and all that.I've been to some very nice outdoor weddings that did well; some one's backyard or near a lake or some thingBest Wishes! |
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apambobsexfep
Joined: 12 Jun 2008
Posts: 2
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:05 am Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| My wedding is super low budget! But really, it depends on who you know. I got my wedding dress from a chinese store on ebay (type in "sexy wedding dress"). It was only $200 and should be worth about $2000. For some reason the chinese just sell really great quality dresses on ebay for really cheap. They make it just for you, and I LOVE mine. Check it out.Also, for my centerpieces I did "wishing wells". I bought $5 urns from a craft store that are pretty big. I'm sprinkling rose petals and pennies around it, and filling the wells with water.My friend has tablecloths and decorating things because she's a wedding planner.I'm not serving alcohol, you're guests will be just as happy without it.I'm not using a caterer, It's a dessert reception at night, and I'm getting the food partly from friends who offered to make it, and partly from Sam's Club. I splurged on the cake, though , haha. As for the honeymoon, that I can't help you with. We're so poor we're not even going on one, lol. We're using the money to buy new furniture. I hope this helped! |
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appetuide
Joined: 29 Dec 2007
Posts: 18
Location: Mali
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:41 am Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| Well I hear that.Totally.Take it as it comes.Everytime I see something I like in like value stores dollar stores I buy!It adds up in the end!Flowers, invitations, decor, glasses, all kinds of cute stuff! You never know what you will find! |
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aout
Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:17 am Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| To start, create a wedding vision with your fiance' and make a budget to suit that vision. Start a notebook with dividers for Ceremony, Reception, Music, Venue/Vendors, Attendants, Attire, Guest List, Budget, Receipts/Billing, etc. That way you will be organized and have everything together. I also invested in a crate (pink, lol) for all my wedding things that I've purchased. You'll quickly outgrow it, but it will keep you for a while.There are so many ways to cut the costs of weddings, you just need to decide on three things that are paramount to the day, and compromise on the rest. For example, photography, ceremony venue, and reception venue were the three where I put the most money. Add up your monthly earnings, subtract expenses, and then see what's left. From there decide how much each of you can afford to save.Just keep in mind that you don't have to spend your life savings or go into debt to have a beautiful wedding. I have seen beautiful and elegant weddings with a $2,000 budget. It's in the planning, the chosing, and the execution. I myself am having a $5,000 English Garden wedding, and while it is sometimes difficult, I can already tell it will be beautiful =] Here are some of my money-saving tricks:Ceremony: Have an early ceremony (around 2 o'clock). *Your guests will have already have eaten lunch, and won't be expecting a huge meal. You then can serve light food such as finger food and desert. This is the only way that my fiance' could manage to feed our 180-200 guests without going way over our budget.Wedding dress: I found a beautiful gown at http://www.groupusa.com/ for a little more than $300 (my splurge). They have beautiful gowns by wonderful designers from affordable to extravagent.*Try places like GroupUSA, David's Bridal, and even eBay for knockout deals.I just found this eBay store http://myworld.ebay.com/gianinarbridalOne dress is $39! Brand new. Add $89 for shipping from China and you have some knock out deals.Bridal Jewelry: I found my crystal wedding jewelry at no other than Wal Mart. Originally I had been looking at genuine jewelry from big name stores, but decided to scrimp here to save money for the wedding gifts my fiance' and I plan to get each other.*Don't forget retail sortes like Wal Mart and Target. My headpiece, earrings, and necklace by Crystal Collections came to $21.Wedding location: I have four choices, a lovely place on the property of a family friend, the beautiful garden of a local inn, a church that has a SMALL fee and goes well with my wedding style, or on the mountain where my grandparents' grew up, married, and live.*Look for unconventional venues; they'll be cheaper or even free. I opted for the for the garden for my English Garden theme.Reception Site: I have two options here, one of which is the brand new mansion-style library in our town. It would cost only $199 ($100 refundable damage deposit, and $40 for a library worker to stay on site). The other would be our local arts building of the town center. They have several large and beautiful rooms and are roughly the same amount as the library.*The same rule for venues applies here.Caterer: My friends and family are fabulous cooks, and are going to provide a buffet-style meal for the wedding guests.*Friends and family can really cut down on wedding expenses!Cake: A friend of my fiance' and I is a baker, and would only charge us the price of the ingredients.*If you don't have anyone who can provide this. Go for a two or three tier cake, and then have sheet cakes to cut for the bulk of the guests. That way you end up saving several hundred dollars. You can also have a two-tier cake, serving that only to wedding party, parents, and grandparents and serve guests with a cupcake tower.I'm simply having a three tier cupcake tower and forgoing the cake.Flowers: I am making my own bouquets. Flowers for a 30-stem wedding bouquet, toss bouqet, six 20-stem bridesmaid bouquets, arrangements, and 18 centerpieces (five flowers a vase would only run $288 before shipping costs from http://www.theflowerexchange.com. I am having a family friend do the arrangements for a fraction of the cost.*Do as much as you can on your own! Http://www.theknot.com has videos and step-by-steps on how to make your own bouquets and arrangements.Favors: For get then! Most of the guests toss these expensive trinkets.*Instead I am making a candy buffet--something even my smallest guests would enjoy. You need a small table, glass vases shapes and sizes, candy from a bulk store like Sam's (in your wedding colors, if you like), scoops, and little bags or favor boxes. Mine will come to about $60.Children: Do you want children at your wedding, but want the adults to enjoy the reception worry free?*If so, enlist a teenage niece, cousin, or friend. They may help as a wedding present, or simply be happy with $50 or so. They can keep the children happy and occupied with toys or color books in another room. Alternatively have the kid's table covered in a paper table cloth with crayons at each place setting. Invitations: You can purchase nice paper, envelopes, and an emblam, and an ink cartridge and make your own for about $50. OR you could go to http:///www.invitationsbydawn.com.She has great deals and some of them come to a total as little as $100.*Instead of $250-$350! Do what you can on your own, or look for budget-conscience resources like the one above.I am making my own invitations using beautiful, old postcards from the early 1900s. One-of-a-kind, over a century old, and inexpensive at a total of $90.DJ: My fiance's brother is a DJ, and will save us $975 by doing the reception as a wedding gift.*If you don't have someone like this, consider cutting the cost by having premade CDs of the music you want, and have someone man the player.Attendant Gifts: Try places like http://www.exclusivelyweddings.com*I found my 7 attendants gifts for $35, because they were having a sale on freshwater pearl and silver bracelets =]Centerpieces: Something simple. If you're having a fall wedding, vases filled with slender branches painted gold or silver is beautiful and inexpensive, and branches of berries can be added for winter. Spring or summer, simple vases with a few flowers.*I found short, square vases and am putting five gerbera daisies in each. Total cost for 18 tables is $99, and they look gorgeous!Have your bridesmaids' pay for their dress and shoes, and have a family friend who's good with hair or makeup help with that on the wedding day. Be sure to get them nice gifts!If your attendants are on a budget, go to a place like http://www.groupusa.com for dress ideas. My attendants dresses cost $119 each, and they're something they can wear again and again.GO TO http://www.theknot.com It has everything you could ever need. Also get these books: Wedding Planning for Dummies, The Knot's Guide to Wedding Planning, and Priceless Weddings for Under $5,000. Your local library should have at least one of them.Good luck! |
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Appovaroadyxsr
Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 4
Location: World
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:53 am Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| Look into public parks and other places like that. Some more historical places (like my bro got married in a old Victorian mansion). Try to get your family to do as much as possible. Like for pictures I'm asking my cousin, whom has a good camera, to take them. Shop around as much as possible. Use Tulle more then ribbon when you decorate. You could possible even use artificial flowers instead of real ones. Good Luck. |
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ApareTora
Joined: 01 May 2008
Posts: 3
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applejuicefool
Joined: 19 Jun 2008
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:05 am Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| Hi. Here are my budget wedding ideas:~ Have a small guest list (no more than 75 people.)~ Have a small wedding party. Have a maid of honor and best man....that's it! If you want, have a flower girl and ring bearer....but keep it to that. This cuts down on the gifts that you need to buy for your attendants and also it cuts down on the rehearsal dinner expense.~ Have something easy and simple. Get married outdoors at a park, garden, lake, beach, someone's backyard. This is very low cost.~ Have a small reception with "finger foods" like tea sandwiches, assorted cheeses and crackers, veggie tray with dip, fruit tray with dip, some other finger foods and then, of course....CAKE!~ Do NOT serve alcohol. Serve iced tea, lemonade, and water. ~ If you want to have something at a park or beach, check with the city parks and recreation department to see if you need a permit. Some cities you do, some you don't.~ If ANYONE offers to help....let them! If "Aunt Sue" knows how to arrange flowers....let her. Can "Aunt Betty" bake really good? Ask her to make the wedding cake. Don't turn down offers of help.~ Flowers and cake: Go to a large grocery store that has a floral department and a bakery. A cake and flowers from a grocery store will be much cheaper than from a regular florist and bakery. If you live by a Walmart, Costco, or Publix....their cakes are really good! Yummm....~ Dresses: Check out sales or online at David's Bridal. You can also "buy off the rack" at all bridal stores. These gowns will be discounted because they have been tried on. ~ Invitations: Get a boxed set of invitations from Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Office Max, Target. They have many different styles to choose from. You bring them home....format them on your computer and print them off! Easy and cheap. A set of 50 runs about $25 or $30.~ DON'T waste money on favors or table cameras.~ Your honeymoon: Look online! Just use Google and type in "resorts in Cancun" and see what comes up! Good luck and I hope these suggestions help. |
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Appovaroadyxsr
Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 4
Location: World
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:41 am Post subject: Low budget wedding? |
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| I've catered for many weddings and got a whole bunch of ideas on how to cut costs.If you're on a budget, have family members (like your grandmother, mother, and siblings as well as your boyfriends mother, siblings, and grandmother; if possible) cook all the dishes and appetizers. It will be a lot of work but I am sure they'd agree to it, since it is your big day!You should also checkout www.favorwarehouse.com, which has a bunch of wedding favors for way cheaper than other places. |
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