Finance help- How do I cut costs for my wedding that is this September?

Question

I need a lot of help cutting costs for my wedding this month and a really good way to make money quickly because my fiance refuses to take a loan..swe had planned on my parents paying for the wedding but they have had a lot of expenses come up like medical etc so they can't. We have tried asking some people but it is not going in our favor. I am so stressed out right now but really refuse to cancel the wedding because of all of the expenses already poured into it. We only need about $2600 help!!! please :(

Answer 1

If you want to make some quick cash, I suggest maybe having garage sales, lots of them until you can get some substantial amount of money.  If it's too late to advertise in the newspapers, You can put flyer's in  businesses close by, put a sign up near the site, place balloons so folks can take notice the day of the garage sale.

1. It can be done at your folks home, or a friends.

2. you can have all those who want to help donate items for you to sell

3. you barb-cue food and get extra money

4. sell appliances radio, tv ,computers, clothing, shoes, coats, shirts dresses, ornaments, vases, dishes, books all kinds of stuff.



My friends needed cash in a hurry I suggested the idea and they made 600 bucks, in one day.

Answer 2

You don't have any savings?

You had the gall to ask others to pay for it (aside from asking his folks to chip in which might have been okay but the late date would probably be a problem)?

Let's see...how to cut costs?

Can you postpone it to have time to save money? Or would the loss of deposits be so great that there would be no financial advantage?

How can we squeeze $2,600 out of the wedding expenses?

You could write to all the invitees and say something like, "Due to George [bride's father]'s medical expenses in the past few months, Shelly and Carl [you and your fiance] would request that RSVPs are made at the earliest possible moment so we can get a very accurate count to the caterer."

If you will have a lot of Regrets, you might be feeding fewer people than you otherwise would.

Is the wedding in your church by any chance? If your clergy person knows about your parents' medical issues, maybe you could talk to them about waiving or deferring their fee or the fee to use the church for the ceremony.

Cut back on flowers and other decorations as much as possible. You'll barely notice them anyway. Surely they haven't been ordered yet, so go to the florist and cut way back on your order.

Have you made a large deposit to the DJ? You could switch from a DJ and dance to an iPod and dinner music while guests mingle.

In another question, several brides said favors were the biggest waste of money in their wedding. If you can, cancel the favors. No one will notice anyway.

Can you move to a less spectacular room in your venue and not owe as much for the rental?

Were you having an open bar? Switch to wine and beer an hour before dinner then cash bar for any alcohol after that.

Can you cut one course out of your meal? If you have an appetizer and salad, just go with the salad, and you don't need a dessert in addition to wedding cake.

Nix the candy bar and other miscellany if you were having one and can cancel the candy order.

Best wishes to you on a still-beautiful wedding and awesome MARRIAGE, which is what it's all about.

Answer 3

Why go into further debt? It is not going to make your marriage any better because of it - a marriage survives because of the commitment to each other

I am not sure what you can do to cut costs. I think you really need to sit down at a round table discussion with your intended and both sets of parents and see where you can save on things without compromising budgets and also those invited - you can't let your guests down last minute.

Another yahoo'er has already suggested things like using the flowers from the ceremony for the reception place and its things like this that you need to look at  for instance can you cut back on the costs associated with them meal by substituting for a lesser menu - perhaps you could so something like making pre meal nibbles yourself or asking a couple of friends to pass around trays to save on serving costs - drinks are another expense that you may be able to save on by cutting back on the amount to be served. If guests want additional drinks - have them available on a buy basis after the tab runs out

Perhaps you could also substitute the bridal cars for cheaper or even use cars belonging to friends if they can help out

I would go methodically thru with your sets of parents and see which items that guests are not involved in that you can cut back on without compromising the happiness of your day - that is the important factor anyway - you can still have a memorable day even on a budget - it would have been easier to have factored that in before you got to this late stage - but its not too late to do a little pruning and keep finances intact and still have a memorable wedding

Happy wedding day to both of you and congraulations on the rest of your lives  

Answer 4

Its hard to help you when you haven't said what is planned and set in concrete right now. Have you got a credit card? Can you use this instead of taking out a loan? Or can his parents help a little. Maybe if they don't intend to pay for it, you could pay them back? If you fiance doesn't want to take out a loan, maybe you should do it in your name. Your running out of time and it might be your only option. Good luck. Hope you find the money

Answer 5

I found the book Bridal Bargains by Denise & Alan Fields invaluable in finding money-saving ideas (they have older editions at the library that are great too, and free to check out).  However, it sounds like you're a little late in the game if you're getting married within the month.  I am surprised that your parents cancelled on you with such a major financial committment, but I guess that sometimes life happens (i.e., medical things).  You have several options at this point, none of which (in my mind) should involve asking people for money.  First, you could put your expenses on a credit card.  This is VERY risky; however, you may receive at least $1000 in wedding cash from gifts (DO NOT ASK FOR IT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM - POOR ETIQUETTE), which you could use to pay off much of the balance.  Second, you could negotiate "smaller" contracts with your vendors.  For example, you may ask your baker to make a less expensive cake, your DJ to play for an hour less, your photographer to leave an hour early, your reception site to change to a cheaper meal, etc.  Some vendors may not negotiate their contracts, but others will.  Your down payment (assuming you've already paid it) won't change, but your balance due at the end would be less.  Third, you could focus heavily on expenses that you haven't paid for yet.  For example, perhaps you could postpone your honeymoon for a year.  I don't know what items you still have to buy, but you could look seriously at eliminating anything that you don't absolutely have to have.  Fourth, you could look at possibly cancelling some vendor contracts and just taking the "hit" of losing your deposit.  For example, you might change your dinner reception to cake and punch.  If your total dinner cost is $5000 and you've paid $1000 in a non-refundable deposit, you'd lose the $1000 but still save $4000.  You then spend maybe another $500 in catered cake & punch and you've saved overall $3500.  If you do have just cake and punch, you may want to make the reception shorter so that people won't be hungry, since obviously it's too late to put "cake and punch reception" on the invitations and to schedule the wedding for non-lunch or dinner times.  Fifth, you could put in for over-time at your job to make extra money.  My guess is that if you use some combination of many of these ideas together, you will not need to take out a loan nor will you need to keep asking people for money (big no no, by the way, but I can hardly scold you considering the stress you must be under!).  GOOD LUCK!!! :)

Answer 6

I would start with any thing extra that you might have, like the Limo. I actually booked a limo and then ended up calling around a bit more and I found one a lot cheaper so I called the original place and canceled. I am expecting my deposit back soon. you can call the place that you have and ask them if it is possible to lower the price, if they tell you no, tell them you will have to cancel then. I am sure they will do something to help you out even a few hundred bucks.

Next, eliminate any liquor that you planned on buying. you can have a good time without paying for it. People will bring their own if they want and you are okay with it.

Just get pizza for reversal dinner if you are having one. Thats what I am doing. we are not having a big sit down meal with everyone. we are going to the hall to decorate that is the main thing we need to do, so we are just going to have pizza delivered to the hall, hang out, eat and finish decorating!

Contact your music for the wedding night. ask them if they can work out a deal with the price. Tell them that you are in a financial bind and you might have to cancel if they can not lower the price. Call around and see if you can even find a cheaper price if they are not willing to lower theirs.

make Jello shots for the dollar dance if you are having one. Jello shots are a lot cheaper to make than other favors. use the cheapest liquor that you can get to make them, it doesn't matter.

I do not know how you can "make" that much money from now until then, but those are my ideas on how you can try and save some money.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Is it too late to cancel things like flower centerpieces or extra food items that would cut the budget down? Since your wedding is next month, I'm afraid there's not much you can do to cut down your expenses because you'll also lose deposits if you cancel particular parts of your bill.

How is the whole arrangement set up for your ceremony and your reception? Can you use flowers from the reception for the ceremony location or vice-versa? Do you have a family friend who can do the photography or music, or would be willing to?

Unfortunately I can't think of any way to make quick money. I'm trying to find a better paying job my own self.

Answer 8

WOW! This is your wedding!  The only ONE you get....I would ask your future husband to reconsider going to your local credit union and taking a loan....even if its refinancing your vehicle or something(you may even get a lower interest rate than what you have now and save in the end)....this is your wedding,  and you will have the rest of your life to remember it.

Answer 9

There is NO need to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding, unless you are royalty or you want to impress your guests.

Also NO need to get yourselves into debt for one day which you will be paying off for years.

A simple wedding in which you, your fiance, your families and guests enjoy yourselves is the best way to go.

My wedding - April 2008 - only cost $2500 in total.

I brought a pre-loved traditional wedding gown, complete with hoop and veil.

My bridesmaids and flower-girl wore a day dresses, and the males had black pants, vest and tie with a white shirt, and we included a sliver or gold pocket watch and chain.

We had a rock'n'roll reception at home. Decorations were banners and pictures of the stars of the 50's and for the reception food we only had a cold meat & salads buffet.

Table decorations were flowers, candles and sprinkles on the tables

I did all the flowers myself, including the bridal party, table flowers and the flowers on the arch and doorways.

Wedding favors were a cd of the music used in the wedding and chocolate hearts in bags

Photographer was my husbands brother, and various others with cameras.

If you are not creative maybe one of your friends or family are?

Can you borrow a gown from a family member?

Answer 10

I too am getting married in September.  My fiance and I are paying for our wedding and not borrowing to do so.  We got engaged in march and began saving right away.  It's different for you because you weren't expecting to have to foot 100% of the cost right from the start.

Analyze what you have left to pay for and decide what you can cut back on and what is absolutely necessary.  We are going with a buffet, if we ran short, we could opt for a less expensive one per plate for example.  Do you have anything of value that you could sell to get some cash fast? Is borrowing from your fiance's parents an option?  I know how tight it can be.  The groom's dinner could be cut if necessary, that would save a few hundred.  Tough spot.  

I hope some of my suggestions might be of help.  Best wishes to you!

Answer 11

Get a second job.  Work fast food or as a waitress.  Don't take out a loan and start your marriage in debt it is not good.  If there is something you can cut back on that is not set like smaller flower displays, a single flower instead of a bouquet, have a friend play cd's instead of a dj, no favors, sell stuff on ebay, either make your own food or have a champagne and cake reception instead of a large one.