Wedding Budget

Budget Brides: How do you Stick to a Budget???

oooh and pardon that pic with no make up, i look sooo pale yikes! LOL! I cant wait for the summer time!!

hey hun :) first of all you are one beautiful bride on a budget ;)

ummm i really dont know what would help but i think DIY projects would definitely help in cutting down costs. These can be done with your Invitation cards, favours, center pieces, and if you have enough hands to help you and people who can cook, food :)

Having a wedding on Sunday is cheaper, I notice that banquets tend to have deals going on in the months of February and march cause those tend to be slow months.Lots of DIY's those help out alot I have save nuff money by doing my floral deco Im using beautiful foam roses that look realistic to make  my ladies pomanders, the guys bouts, the moms crosages, flower girl head pieces, center pieces Ill even be making my own bouquet. Dh and I agree that spending that much money on real flowers that will last one day is crazy especially if you try to have a wedding on a low budget.Favors are also things you can make if you have an idea just google it and you can find nuff things you can make.Food wise if you can have family  help out with that then thats great.Im a budget bride and proud of it too lol! I found my dress at a boutique that was closing so I got my dress at 70% off  got me a beautiful wedding dress for $112. So keeping your eye open for sales, clearance sales that tend to happen in the summer to clear out the old inventory and put out the new stuff and this applies to everything not just gowns is a must.Dollar stores wow I cant even begin to stress how much they have helped out with wedding items and supplies for DIY's. You will be surprised at what you can find in them  dollar stores have come along way they dont sell cheap looking stuff anymore so you gotta go in and take a look. For us we are spending the most on the venue but it includes a DJ and since its a green house banquet its beautiful as it is and no need for decorating just some things here and there.We want great food and a beautiful atmosphere so thats really important for us and spending a lil more on. There are so many ways you can save and still have a beautiful wedding hope some of this helps.

Happy planning girl! :)

P.S
you are one very pretty bride to be, remember natural is always beautiful makeup just enhances it ;)

I think you definitely do a wedding on a budget. If you have a friend or family member with a big yard space you have your reception in their yard. DIY florals by either going silk or going to a place that sells bulk florals. All stationary can be DIY or VistaPrint. You can also have your family help cook food as well. So there are many ways to save and still have a nice wedding.

Wowie! Congratulations on your family!  We are doing renewals and been looking to do a destination wedding. Some of the  Florida areas popped up and they are really gorgeous.  Some really not that expensive. I know it wasn't Jacksonville, but it was more like Daytona Beach weddings, Myrtle beach.  I don't know how many people you are inviting, but we are doing a small wedding/renewals this time around. You might want to downsize your guest list to see what works better with your budget?

Sorry, I didn't even ask you if you were having a venue type of affair.  I really like the beach areas that we've looked at for weddings. Try:

http://www.ultimatebeachweddings.com/

http://www.beachbrideweddings.com/

These don't necessarily mean that you have to do a beach theme wedding, but I'm sure they have venue ideas to share!

Sorry, I keep coming up with ideas.  I was a budget bride before. The VENUE is were majority of the money will be spent!  If you can find a decent and affordable location you are set, then you may work your way around that with your own projects, silk flowers and a not so expensive wedding dress. Happy savings!

YES YES I agree with Glamdiva, backyard wedding, but careful those can get expensive if you let them only because you have to bring everything in via rental.  Nows the time to network, enter contests, and roll up the sleeves and do DIY projects.  Majority of my budget went on 1st Venue and the Food/drinks.  If you can get somone you know to do those things for you, you can do it!!! Good luck hun!!!

Im only responding like 2 years later, lol! Thanks soooo very much ladies for your advice, i will deffinitely consider them all.

@Christy  thanks for the compliment girl, you know strangely i have a light skin complex...i really do lol. I always wanted darker skin, Im alwAys tanning(I know bad). I always considered those DIY projects but they seem so intimIdating, but im going to give a few of them a try n see how it goes. I think it adds a more personal touch anyway.

@ Glamdiva & Justmeandhim initially FH & I did consider having our wedding at his aunts house in Jonesboro, GA, she has a huge house that sits on alot of laand, we immediately nixed that idea because we thought about travel expenses for our guests who live here in FLA and also all the rentals we would need(A tent, tables, chairs etc). We actually have a great venue(which i will soon be posting about) which is 1400 flat to rent, its in a nature preserve so were going to have the ceremony outside under a big Oak Tree and the reception will be inside of the Hall located in the Nature Preserve. Kayla im definitely going to by silk florals in bulk, theres a place in Hialeah that sells realistic looking silk flowers for reasonable prices.

@ Rhonda I think the biggest part of our budget will be attributed to the venue as well and also the caterer, i was thinking to have family cook and just hire wait staff, is this ghetto???? Im really worried that people will think its ghetto if i dont hire a professional caterer...i am a really good cook and so are my & FHs family members, and i would rather have food that im used to but im not sure???

@fairytale thanks for all the advice! SUPER HELPFUL!

THANKS LADIES!!!!!!!

Hi! There are lots of diy wedding decors and favors you can find on the net and I am pretty sure that you will enjoy doing those things. Ask some of your friends to help you on those things and be practical. Why not limit your guests on your wedding (no kids, just few close friends and family you must invite) to cut the wedding costs and I think this might help you a lot. If you want decors on your chair/table, you can visit http://www.yourchaircovers.com/ and look for the the items that suits your budget.  Renting is quite expensive than buying chair covers/tablecloths.

Put the most important things first like venue and food, and take it from there you can always go lower heck i justvlowered my budget is now 2100......you have realise what is important and what is really tangible and what you really cant afford. Some brides go overboard on the littlest things, or get in diva mode i want i want and lose sight of the budget.

Thats when you start coming up short, start cutting guests, and taking things back