Hi,
1st off this is such a fab site/page and find it so handy :)
Ok onto the question
My partner of nearly 10 years (and 2 kids) finally popped the question, what I'm wondering is anyone know of some really good places online to find a list of everything I'm going to need?
We dont want to spend a lot so also after a few budget cutting tips, (already I have found the dress on ebay made O/S and will get altered here, a friend who is a pastry chef will do the cake at cost, a cousin will be photographer, so the biggest cost so far is the reception about $5500, its the one thing we want to splurge a little on)
but if anyone knows some others I will be very greatful
Wedding budget ideas
Tuesday, 14 January 2014 - 19:39
Wedding budget ideas
Posted in:
Life Lessons, Relationships & Marriage, Money, FAQ
6 Replies
My main advice would be:
- do things your own way just because its the done thing to do something doesn't mean you have to do it, stay true to yourselves eg. Bomboniere what a waste of $ and very few guests appreciate it.
- make a list of everything you think you'll have to spend $$$ on and prioritise the 3 most important things, focus your time/effort/$$$ on these items
Good luck you can spend masses of time preparing and researching your special day....
We are also trying to do our wedding on a budget. Definitely proristise where you want to cut costs things etc.
The guest list will have a big impact on the price of the reception. If you have a reception venue that allows BYO you can save a heap on alcohol. My to be FIL is going to make home brew for us. We also found a catering company that is half the cost of many of the venues with their own chefs. You could have wedding cake as desert to save on an extra course.
Flowers: You could go to a flower market and buy your own flowers whole sale. It will also be cheaper if you choose flowers that are in season. You could do away with flowers and have a button or brooch bouquet too. You would also save by not having flowers as centre pieces.
Music: you could use an iPod and speakers. If you want a dj fnd someone who is just starting out and wants some more experience. Ask around, you may have a friends relative or even your own relative who maybe volunteer or do it for cheaper. Ask at the local tafe if there are any student bands etc.
Hair/make up: again ask around family and friends. Visit the local tafe students, they will usually charge less. Find someone who can do both as a package so you can save on travel etc.
Cars: use your own, families or friends. Hire one from a hire place and ask someone to drive it for you. Check out your local car clubs of you are after something specific.
Decorations: DIY. Save jars etc from when you make spag Bol. These can be filled with inexpensive tea light and ribbon wrapped around then. Paper flowers are easy and look beautiful. If you can sew, bunting is easy to make. Enlist the help of your bridesmaids/girlfriends/mum/MIL etc. Buy things when they are on sale or stores are closing. Fairy lights are cheap after Christmas.
If you want to give guests favours, think homemade. Does someone you know make jams/pickles/relishes. Homemade cookies are a lovely idea. Cupcakes in little boxes. A lolly bar.
Also check out vista print for invites. You could also ditch the menus on tables and the ceremony program and any extras you feel you don't need. You may not even want save the dates.
Thanks loads for the ideas, The home made favours are a fab idea, I make jewelry so im sure I could come up with something :)
Your an absolute gem :-) where was this site when I was planning my wedding 6 years ago :-)
I am also doing our wedding on a budget, I have an ebay dress from OS and it's gorgeous no alterations needed. I also bought my veil, hoop and headpiece on ebay from OS. All up it was $30 delivered for the lot.
I bought centre pieces 2nd hand on ebay and will just add my little flair to them, tea light candle holders are cheap and so are the LED tealight candles on ebay, they look gorgeous on a table. I am selling all of mine after our June wedding if you are interested as well as our candelabras.
I also visited the website http://www.efavormart.com/ for cheap favours and chair sash's and anything wedding, just watch the postage as it comes from America, but they often have bargains. Cost me the same to buy the sash's and have them delivered as what it was going to cost to hire them, then I get to make my money back by selling them after the wedding. I also bought my own organza to drape behind the bridal table and we are using our solar christmas lights behind the organza. The venue for our reception is happy to set it all up at no charge, because we are going to our local surf club and we live in a small community, so ask at the venue if they will do that for you.
For the ceremony we are hiring just 2 rows of chairs for the elderly and that will form our aisle. E favor mart also has silk flower petals for flower girls. We have also asked for normal kids meals to be served instead of paying $15 a head for them and it is costing us $8 a head instead.
If you know anyone who works for a place that makes security screens & sliding doors talk to them as well, my brother in law does and he is getting me 15inch square mirrors to place the candelabras on the table on.