Fiance finally opened up about wedding wants, but now I have a whole new can of worms?

Question

ok, facts: wedding will be in 4 years (saving $ for house) I will be teaching at the time, so summer and winter break were the only "good" times to get married.

I assumed we would get married in the beginning of summer and i had things planned out so that we could spend about $1000 on the wedding and reception incl. everything except rings. the thing is, he finally opened up and told me he'd like to get married during winter break time. i agree that this would be a wonderful time to get married! at the same time, a lot of my ideas were summery and less costly than i think a winter wedding would be.

we are inviting about 20 people (close fam. and friends) including 3 kids. i plan on having a MOH and him having a best man, and including the kids by having them be ring bearer and 2 FGs.

can we still do a winter wedding for very little money? i am a Wal*Mart girl, so 'cheap c**p' doesn't bother me too much.

oh, should we have white and 1 shade of blue or a few shades? thanks!

Answer 1

Come back and ask that question in about 3 years.

Answer 2

Planning is good but if it's too far away things might change. Don't worry about the $ right now. Try to focus on the relationship. You guy might be so much in love and can't wait til the next 4 years. So be happy, work hard and save as much as you could. When the right time come, it doesn't matter if it's winter or summer; when you are both ready to get married mentally and financially; that's all that matter.

By the way, you only married once; try to have fun no matter what you spend on the wedding; as long as you happy right? $1000.00 might be worth $800.00 in 2012. So save as much as you could. You might change your mind about the whole thing in a $1000.00 budget and want to go over the top.

Good luck and congrats on the wedding planning.

Answer 3

You have plenty of time to plan. Since you both think a winter wedding would be nice, go with it. You can still do a winter wedding for a very reasonable price as long as you do your research about venues beforehand. There is no reason why it should cost considerably more than a summer wedding.

Answer 4

Well this post that a girl wrote about her idea for a Christmas theme might be a lot of help to you so I'll copy and paste it for you

i think id like a christmas wedding. at a huge stately home, with a big green wreath on the door which i'd keep and put on our new door later! i'd wear a ball gown, ivory, couture, and have bridesmaids, in a christmas colour (not decided yet!). it would be a curch wedding, and i'd get around in a black horse drawn carriage with sleigh bells!

there'd be a huuuge christmas tree in the entrance hall with classy but old fashioned decorations in bright colours!the guests would put their gifts under there. it would stand in front of the stair case (which would have green foliage and big red bows running down it).

mistletoe would be hung on all the door frames.

we'd eat at tables in a different room, very elegant and classy but jovial and holidayish and loads of fun, sort of informally traditional if that makes sense!

the centre pieces would be holly and ivy and berries and bells etc, but not over the top. the fireplaces would be decorated the same way. there wouldn't be too many decorations at all, but enough to set the atmosphere.

we'd eat a traditional meal, maybe ham, rather than turkey so as not to spoil the real chistmas meal. the colours at the table would be cream.

everyone would have a cracker to pull in huge circles and be drinking mulled wine.

the cake would be traditional tiered christmas fruit cake but there'd be a christmas pudding as well, with brandy butter.

later on (after our feast lol) we'd have, almost a ball in another room. it would start out incredibly formal with classical musicians but as it got later it would slowly change to classic christmas songs played on a sound system.

also i'd like a choir there singing carols! waiters would serve mince pies and marzipan fruits and drinks while we were dancing lol! it would be wild and fun but traditional, a real family and friends gathering (but lots of them!). very memorable!

our honeymoon would be christmas shopping in new york or even better skiing in switzerland! (im english by the way).

another idea would be the same, but in november-ish, but more formal and without the christmas factor! it would be on a thursday and we'd stay for a country traditional weekend with immediate family at a big stately home doing traditional eglish country things before going on a honeymoon to somewhere hot like thailand.

i think it IS incredibly exciting even though its so long away (im nearly 14). but its good to dream, and its the summer holidays! i've got a lot of time on my hands (sorry, long post)! it's wierd thinking, one day i really will finally be getting married! all girls dream about it. obviously not the first answerer though..

NOW you could change stuff around on it but it gives you an idea. And since you have like 3 Christmas seasons to go through before your wedding gets here, hit all the after Christmas sales and buy decorations...

For colors I think maybe white, light shade of blue and silver.

Answer 5

find a family member to make your cake or buy one of those cake making books and get practicing. i suggest having the reception at someones house and have kind of like a pot luck and maybe everyone can bring a dish. good luck

Answer 6

I so agree with It's Grimace!  It is too early to make definite plans at this point.

Sure, save up money for wedding and honeymoon expenses.  Sure, check out ideas at the Knot.

http://theknot.com

But definite plans?  No.  

Venues may close.  Dresses may be discontinued.  Parents or grandparents may fall ill.  Fiance may be needing dental surgery 4 years from now.

My point is you have no idea what will be happening in 4 years.  If you want to wed in December 2012, then start planning in December 2011.  That is plenty of time.

Answer 7

Buy your things during a sale like after holidays such as Valentines Days when things are 75% off. You have 4 years to bulk up. I would get things during the after Christmas sales like twinkle lights.

Answer 8

I think you are getting WAY ahead of yourself.  

But I am not a fan of winter weddings if you are talking about December.  When people say it's a busy time, they don't mean just tourists or shopping.  Unless you simply don't celebrate Christmas in Alaska, it's still going to be busy for people in general with gift giving, visiting relatives, having people over, office parties, club parties, fund raisers, caroling, and whatever else people do around the holidays.  It would be tough to squeeze in a wedding.. especially if you are talking about that winter break that kids have for a week or two right at Christmas.

Answer 9

There shouldn't be too much difference in price unless you were specifically planning for seasonal or outdoor things (like specific flowers/foods or getting married in a park).  You should have plenty of time to catch after-season sales since you have four years to plan.  Good luck to you!

Answer 10

Actually I think winter would be less expensive due to it being "off season" for weddings, sparing of course Christmas time. Where do you live? That could factor into your plans. If your area is given to bad storms, it might not be the best time to have a wedding. I love winter, and all the themes that come to mind, but in my area it would be a death wish or at the very least a wedding of very few guests.

Wait until a year or two in advance to start seriously planning. Too much can change in four years.

I think you should be able to keep roughly within your original budget, and you have four years to catch all the best deals =]

If you ever need anything, let me know. I have a great list of budget tricks, sites, and books that I compiled.

Answer 11

I think you should wait on planning too much to see if you are still together in three years.  

Prices of everything will skyrocket, so it'll be more than $1,000.

Winter break time is actually NOT a great time to get married.  Everything is hectic.  My parents got married Dec 29, and would NOT do it that way again.  But to each his own.

Answer 12

My brother did a very inexpensive winter wedding.  The only difference is that his was right AFTER Christmas & New Year, so the venue for the small reception was willing to work and negotiate because it was a slow time and they bought a TON of snowflake blue/white/silver decorations for cheap cheap cheap when Christmas decorations went on clearance.

You have tons tons tons of time.  Call and get a true idea.

Either way I think you'll be able to pull off a beautiful wedding.