Is anybody paying for a wedding this/next year and worrying about paying for it because of the credit crunch??

Question

We have our wedding booked for November next year, it ha been booked for quite a while, before Britian was in a credit crisis. Although we have set out a budget which we can afford, I'm starting to worry now that we won't be able to afford it all. Rising food and energy prices this year have made our living expenses shoot through the roof, everything we are buying for the wedding itself is getting more expensive too.

And to top it all off, if we do have alot still to pay for by next year, we are unlikely to get a loan because they are becoming increasingly difficult to be approved for. We don't want to put much on the credit card as again, the rising interest prices are ridiculous!

Is anybody in the same situation?

Answer 1

You don't have to have an expensive wedding. Getting loans and running up credit card bills to pay for a wedding must be the lamest reason in the world to get into debt.

Cancel the lavish stuff, you'll lose your deposits etc. but you'll be cutting your loses. Have a very small basic ceremony at the Registry Office. What's more important - the wedding or being married?

Answer 2

Try cutting corners. If you don't have a wedding dress, buy a used gown or one that is discontinued from a salon to get a steep discount. Also, I bought my accessories at a great discount website... stores.bangordreamdress.com

Also, trimming down your guest list can help. You can also make your invites for a LOT less than having them made. Pretty much any craft store now-a-days has nice printable invites.

Answer 3

Definitly try not to put yourselves in debt due to the wedding. Have a slightly lower-cost wedding if you have to.

Buy things slowly, since you have over a year, that way the cost is more spread out instead of waiting to buy it all at the last minute.

Answer 4

Yeah, I'm engaged and going to get married in May 2009 and I'm worried about the cost. Luckily family is going to help pay for the reception, i've already bought my dress and shoes, hopefully everything else we'll be able to afford to pay for ourselves, but I'm keeping the budget, as well as the guest list very low to keep it tight because with all the bills and rising gas and food prices, we aren't getting by as easy as we used to. So, we don't have as much money as I once thought we would have to spend on a wedding. It's good to know that both families are willing to help pay for some of the expenses though. I have one family member who is doing the flowers and another who is taking the pictures, another family member of his family is going to pay for the cake, so we are very fortunate to have so much help.

Answer 5

yeah mine is next year and i'm really begining to worry a lot i've starting rushing to book things before the prices increase and i'm buying all the little things now while there on sale, the thing i'm worried most about is the food and drink if the prices keep increasing the way they have been i'l need to reconsider my original plans which will be really upsetting,

i'm allready keeping guests to the bare minimum and only having the essentials , there will be no piper or string quartet lol

Answer 6

I am getting married in March next year.  I havent finalised all the plans yet, but what we have decided to do is pay for the main things first i.e. hotel because we are holding the ceremony and reception there and the honeymoon which we booked a few months back and has to be paid by christmas.  We are going to wait to order things like table decorations, rings and flowers so that we can see how are buget will go. I already have my dress (ordered from china on e-bay cheap and very very nice).

www.24studio.co.uk and ebay are great for wedding bits.

If you go on the studio website put 'wedding' in the search bar on the website and it will bring up all sorts including, invitations, guest books, place cards and they personalise it all for you.

Answer 7

I'm in a similar situation.

If I don't manage to sell my house - and soon! - there is no way I'll have the money for the wedding next year either.  I had half the wedding money saved up and have had to dip into that to cover mortgage and living expenses because my house hasn't sold yet.  I've cut back on everything - we used to go out to eat once or twice a week now it might be once a month.  I don't buy a coffee on the way to work, I pack a lunch.

Its tough.

And I'm worried how my guests are going to be able to afford to come to our wedding.  Its about a 3-hour drive for most and they could get by with staying just 1 night, but my fiance and I have a few relatives that would have to fly in to attend and airfare is getting so expensive and there are the new baggage rules, too.

Answer 8

We've ended up booking a wedding-moon so we know the cost can't change and have told friends and family where it'll be if they'd like to join us. It's meant that we can keep tabs on everything from day one.

It depends how set you are on your plans and if your able to down-size things if need be? I'm sure a year is enough time to be able to re-arrange if you really are worried.

Answer 9

I've saved up and getting help from family however I feel the same way and feel the crunch every time... there's just so much to pay for and I really don't care and can't afford to have 2 dozen flowers at every table.

This is what I've done. I made a budget and I constantly go over it and see what I can cut back and how. For example, I googled florists like crazy (it's actually costing me less to have it professionally made!). I bought a gorgeous pony tail clip for $30 and I'm going to do my own hair. I called a makeup college and will pay one of their grads to do my makeup at a fraction of the price, etc.

Just research research research. Don't be shy to ask people for help and referrals.

All the best.

Answer 10

We have been very blessed and have pay for our wedding cash and have not incur in any debt as a result of our upcoming wedding (8/31/08).

We have been very careful not to do anything with credit because, you said it, high gas prices, increasing energy bills and economic recesion will make putting large amounts on credit bite you in the rear: interest rates are high, people are losing their jobs, banks are not granting loans, everything is so expensive and liquidity is a must.

Additionally, people do not have the money to attend weddings anymore. People here in USA sopend around $2k attending wedding and now people are declining invitations for wedding more and more, because not only they cannot afford to travel, dress appropriately and gift accordingly... everything is so expensive nowadays that they prefer to stay home and pay their bills instead.

My advice to you is to downscale your plans if possible. Starting your life in financial trouble during tought economic times is not wise or romantic. I rather have a wedding that I can afford, than being deep down the debt whole.

Good luck

PS/ We are not going out to eat anymore either, it's been a long time since the last time!