Valentine Resources

Question: I just got engaged on valentines 2010 i would like to have a nice wedding reception but i am on a budget?

(Posted by: MYF on 2010-02-19 00:00:58)

Any ideas on where to get an affordable dress ..... catering .....reception location.... how to have an elegant wedding on a budget? i appreciate every ones input .....

Posted by: b2b 5/2/10 on 2010-02-19, 00:22:26

Go to a ton of bridal shows...it's amazing the deals you can get! my friend went to one when she hadn't even set the date yet...she found a kiosk of a new dress store that was trying to get their name out & found the perfect dress...it retails for over $2000, she spent $200 (plus alterations) my fiance and i decided to do cd's as our wedding favors...we bought the blank disks, labels, and cases for 130 guests (we had to buy more than that 'cause they come in sets) and spent about $10 because we bought them on black friday at staples... give yourself plenty of time to plan so you have time to seek out the best deals - shop around even a dress can be a totally different price from one store to another - and don't forget alteration costs anything you can get without mentioning the word wedding do it - vendors in general charge more for things when they know they are wedding related always try to haggle - what's the worst that could happen? they say no? when looking at catering look at everything that is included...while one may be $5 more a head, they may include a cake or something that the other place doesn't - make sure you're getting the most for your money, not just the least expensive thing ask for favors - my bosses husband is a dj...i mentioned to her the cheapest we could find was $750 & she offered me her husband for $600 and he's a much better dj...don't be afraid to ask friends for a favor if they know someone or are someone who can help - again the worst they can say is no good luck! feel free to e-mail me if you have questions :)

Posted by: gia on 2010-02-19, 02:39:35

Ebay! Craigslist! Seriously, you can get the most awesome deals on stuff. And whenever you can, make it yourself. If possible, get married in a beautiful park or garden somewhere- it may cost more than the senior home down the street, but you'll end up paying less for decorations. A place that is already beautiful needs less. Plus, if it's really nice you can have the ceremony and reception in the same venue. Only paying for one place+ no limo= big savings. Look for a place that lets you choose your own caterer, florist, etc. If they let you bring in your alcohol that is huge! I am saving soooo much money by bringing our own booze and having my friend tend bar. As for catering- I recommend going unorthodox. Get a caterer that doesn't specialize in weddings. A friend of mine had a Middle Eastern restaurant make shish kebab and hommos and fresh flatbread and all that for her wedding- it was very colorful, inspired and cheap! For my wedding we're having an awesome BBQer that has a mobile kitchen come and do it. It's playful and delicious. And for the quality we're getting (all organic and free range meats) we're paying next to nothing. The downside to this is usually you'll have to rent plates and stuff, but if you're ok with plastic there are really good looking flatware that look like silverware, until you pick it up and realize it's plastic. Another thing I'm doing is to forget about all the stupid extras. Think about the traditions that are really important to you, and focus on those. If you need to have a really fancy cake cutting set, skip the engraved champagne glasses! And ditch the crappy favors that nobody really wants anyway- how many weddings have you been to that had a favor you threw away or just left there? If you go simple on some of the aspects, and just skip others altogether- it allows you to spend money on the things you Must have. My husband and I (ya we're already married but having a wedding this summer.. lol) really wanted to have an open bar and good food on the lake. So we are bringing our own drinks and bartender and staffing the rest of the service staff with dishwashers from the restaurant I work at (hardest working people on earth!). We are having a friend who plays violin play music as we walk down the aise, and having another friend dj (mostly just keep a playlist going for us- who really wants to do the chicken dance again, anyway?). That reminds me of teh best piece of advice I could give- use your friends!! Think about friends with skills- and ask them to help you out. Most of them will feel flattered, and would love to help! I'm doing all the alterations on bridesmaid dresses for my best friends' wedding, thus saving her hundreds of dollars. And I'm happy to do it- I think most people would be! Good luck with your day, and enjoy!

Posted by: Avis B on 2010-02-19, 04:56:04

You can have an elegant wedding on any budget, it has nothing to do with your buying power, and it has everything to do with your priorities and the decisions that YOU, the Bride and Groom, make. Example: Will you be happy getting married in a State Park with a picturesque background or do you have to get married in a hotel with crystal chandeliers? Example: Will you be happy getting married at 1PM on a Sunday afternoon or do you have to get married at 4PM on a Saturday afternoon? Example: Will you be happy carrying just a single white rose or does your bouquet have to have five dozen white roses? Example: Will you be happy with just having a Maid of Honor and a Best Man or do you have to have six bridesmaids, six groomsmen, six ushers, a flower girl, and a ring bearer? Here's an example of a budget elegant wedding, the Bride and Groom made all the right decisions . . The Bride purchased her gown from an internet site and had it altered by a local professional seamstress. The Groom purchased a good dark suit. The ceremony was performed in the chapel of the Groom's college alma mater by one of the college chaplains. About one hundred people were invited to the 1030AM Saturday ceremony. The Matron of Honor purchased a black cocktail dress with an ornate jacket and the Best Man also purchased a new dark suit. After the morning the ceremony, everyone went to a nice local restaurant for a breakfast/ brunch reception. The reception was held in a private room. The menu consisted of waffles, blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit trays, and assorted mini pastries followed by a wedding cake and champagne. The Bride and Groom purposely selected a morning ceremony and brunch so their guests would not have to drive home in the dark or stay overnight at a hotel. The Bride saved over $500 on her wedding gown. The Groom invested in his future by purchasing a good new suit. They selected a brunch menu that cost $24.95 per person over a dinner menu that cost $89.95. The Bride carried a bouquet of three red roses over a bouquet that cost $225. The Bride and Groom created their own wedding invitations and stationery with a friend who was a graphic designer. Instead of ordering floral centerpieces for the dinner tables a big tray of fancy cupcakes were put in the center of each reception table. The Bride and Groom decided not to have a DJ or entertainment but they did hire a well known professional photographer. The Bride and Groom decided not to serve alcoholic beverages except for a champagne toast. The Bride and Groom decided to keep their reception short (three hours) so they could leave for their honeymoon later that day. Answered by: A Certified wedding specialist / A Professional bridal consultant / A Wedding ceremony officiant

Posted by: Nora on 2010-02-19, 11:02:11

Can you wear your Mother's or sister's dress? Do the food yourself? Have the reception at home? Have only one attendant? Honeymoon in a nearby area.

Posted by: Barbara B on 2010-02-20, 10:43:47

Dear one, Budget - is a relative term. Some people believe that somewhere in the 6 figures is the minimum to spend on a wedding. Others can only afford a hundred bucks or so. Let us assume you have saved about $1,500 for a wedding. That's a do-able figure (if you and fiance can save $100 per month, you'll be there in under 18 months.) I agree. Go to bridal shows, look on Craigs List, EBay and other places for a dress. Also, call in every favor you can for help for the cake, flowers, decorations, music, invitations, catering/ food etc. Consider wedding cookies or cupcakes instead of the big traditional 3-tier cake. Keep from feeling like you need custom everything - like those silly idiots on shows like Bridezilla or Whose wedding is it anyway? do. Little stuff can eat up your budget in no time. So you don't release doves when you say your vows. So you use the fellowship hall at your church instead of the country club for your reception. Look at getting married in your parents' yard, living room, etc. and have finger foods and punch instead of a big catered affair. You can get pretty decent snack-ey-type foods at the warehouse clubs. Finally, keep the guest list down to say, no more than 12-15 people on either side. Yes, you don't get as many presents, but you do the math - fewer people also means lower costs.

Posted by: Donna C on 2010-02-20, 20:10:28

It's hard - here's what I did, I moved back in with my parents for 6 months and saved a ton of money. It was a sacrifice, but I'm now able to afford everything I'm going to want :-)

Posted by: Missy Autumn on 2010-02-20, 21:52:25

If you are on a budget for location look around at places in the community, park shelters can be decorated and make for a inexpensive and fun place, if there is a field with it than think about setting up a volleyball net or other summer games it could be a fun way to provide some cheaper entertainment in addtion to music. Dress, ebay.com has many overseas dress makers that make dresses that cost thousands for just a couple hundred or there is always vponsale.com, or you can just hit davids bridal during their 99 dollar gown sale. catering, if you have a family that likes to cook think about making the food yourself, keep it simple and do a buffet, do salads (green dinner salad, potato salad and fruit salad), baked beans, lunch meat and cheese (lay it nicely out on a tray, to avoid store cost), and serve other items. frugalbride.com is a good site to check out for tips

Posted by: Andrea M on 2010-02-21, 11:00:14

Congratulations! I know all about having to save bucks- so many of us are in that boat these days. It's good to know you're not letting that stop your plans to move forward with your life, and best of luck with all your wedding celebrations. I'll give you a link to e-wedding favors. They have so many appropriate favors for whatever your theme- LOW COST! They have gifts, decorations and fun stuff too! Good Luck! Let me know if it helps....

Posted by: Cranberry on 2010-02-21, 16:09:53

Congratulations! ...and welcome to the club of wise, budget brides... myself included. lol. My wedding will be costing me a $4,500 budget, but I hope it would be less than that. I signed up to join a "win a wedding " contest kinda thing at The Knot, which would be gigantic help if I win. You might wanna sign up there too, 'coz if I don't win and you do, I'll be very happy for you. :-D Aside from that, I'm DIY-ing nearly everything!... my gown, invitations, favors, garter, purse, bouquet... and getting married overseas because that's a way cheaper option for me (got a $1,200 reception package deal overseas, good for 100 people at a classy hotel... couldn't ask for any better!). By the way, the link below has such fantastic budget ideas on all elements of a wedding that can help a lot.

Posted by: Striving for Honesty on 2010-02-21, 23:18:24

"A budget " - I take it you mean a small budget? There are things that affect the cost of the wedding - such as large wedding parties, formal weddings, catered receptions at a posh hotel. Not knowing your tastes or budget one idea that I've had a couple of my brides like is a saturday or sunday late morning, informal ceremony in a pretty location (one chose a park one's looking at beach permit requirements) and a brunch afterward... If you have someones back yard you can use you could have an array of continental breakfast items, and perhaps even hire an omelet chef (a student at a local cooking school is probably qualified and has access to pans, etc); The day and time of your wedding may affect costs.