Wedding Planning Help!

Question

I recently got engaged two weeks ago and we are super excited! However, I began planning a week ago and I'm already stressed out! We've decided on May 23, 2009. That gives us 10 months to plan the wedding. I'm confident that I can do it without a planner. A planner in my area costs almost $7,000. We have a wedding budget of 12,000. I love www.theknot.com.

Is there any advice you can give me? Looking back on your wedding what would you do differnt

Answer 1

To save on money, if your planning on a church, do that, and then have the reception at a park. I'm planning my wedding also (well it's pretty much finished, we're getting married August 11th, so it's pretty soon). We're having the wedding at a big open field and the reception is at the country club we belong to. It's also going to be at on a field, which is the back of the club. Whatever you do, try to keep yourself sane. Don't worry so much, because eventually everything will be fine. Even if the little things aren't perfect, your guests won't notice. At my moms third wedding, the person who was supposed to bring this fancy beer showed up with Bud Light and Whiskey (that's so us though), and the guests didn't notice. Just don't get too stressed and have fun! No one will notice if one of the center pieces doesn't have the same amount of flowers :)

Answer 2

Here are some things I did (or suggest).

I contacted local venues and asked if they had any dates that they would be willing to discount. I told them I could do it in 3 months. They were willing to discount a Friday night sit down dinner (around here, buffets are actually more expensive!) for a date that they didn't ahve booked (but you could do a Sunday brunch too!). Many would rather sell it at a lower cost than not at all and honestly, in 4 months (that's how much time we had) they probably wouldn't have gotten another wedding booked on that date because most people plan far in advance.

We lucked out in that the place we went had a on-site florist and gave certain things for free, but here are some options if you have to make your own centerpieces. Get a glass bowl at a craft store like AC Moore, put some colored stones in the bottom and float a few candles and flowers in it. This is BEAUTIFUL and adds to the romantic atmosphere (and is pretty cheap!). I ended up going with their florist, but you can order flowers online at costco.com, bjswholesale.com, etc. They're basic sets, but you could use them. Or, go to a local florist and tell them you're on a tight budgtet and see what they can do. I'd suggest focusing on getting what you really want and pictured in your bouquet and the rest of the flowers is where you cut back. Your bouquet will be in all of the pictures and what you see and remember most. Make it what you really want. I also cut way back on flowers at the ceremony site. I only had a draped fabric and a few flowers in the corners of the fabric at the site. That was it. I figured we weren't there all that long and wanted to spend the money elsewhere. It looked great and really, we weren't there long, so I'm REALLY glad I didn't spend more on it! I skipped the favors. I foudn anything I liked was kinda pricey and people don't use them anyhow. You could just have nothing, or just make a small donation to a charity and ask if they have any cards to put on the tables at the reception. I made a donation to the ASPCA (we're animal lovers, so it was really appropriate) and they sent me cards to put at the table free of charge. Our guests LOVED it and all commented they'd never seen that before and it was a great way to not waste the money. You can use this "last minute deal" schpeel with your DJ and photographer too. Honestly though, after we spent WAY too much on our photographer, we ended up hating our pictures! If I had it to do again, I would buy a decent digital camera (like $300-$400) and ask someone I trust to just snap as many photos as they can. Or, ask all of your guests to bring their cameras because you're not getting a photographer. Most would love to help out and I bet you'd get way better (and more!) pictures. I really wish I had done this - I can't stress it enough! Oh, I made my invites myself. It wasn't the most important thing to me, so I saved money there and they came otu awesome (I got comments of how nice they were). I got boxes of invites at WalMart and printed them on my laser printer. I dressed it up by printing a Monogram at the top and then getting a jolee's flower sticker (nicer than it sounds, check them out) from AC Moore and put them between the monogram I printed and the wording of the invite. This also allowed me to make them all a little different! I got 5 different colored flowers.

Lastly, if you have a specific place in mind that you really want to go to, I say try it. If they offer you a discount because it's last minute or whatever, you could possibly afford it (I did and was SO thrilled because I really thought we couldn't ever have it there). Most places are also willing to offer up ways you could cut the budget. Don't worry about chair covers (no one notices that anyhow!), Keep your linens simple if they're offered cheaper, things like that.

Oh, as if I haven't babbled enough! We did a tab bar that we set at what we could afford ($1,000) and had the plan that after that, the bar would charge if someone wanted alcohol. It ended up being enough, but keep in mind that 1/2 of our guests didn't drink. But it's MUCH cheaper than an open bar (which is OUTRAGEOUS!).

Congrats and have fun! After all is said and done, you'll be so impressed with everything you've done!!!!!

Answer 3

What a wonderful wedding day! I am also tying the knot that day! We found that in Florida the end of May was very affordable! My best advice to you so far is : #1- Note that is is Memorial Day weekend in 2009 and send out save the dates.( save costs by making them on your computer-it's really easy and cheap!)

#2- Don't be afraid to bargain with your vendors- photographers/djs if their packages aren't giving you what you want- most of the time they will be happy to accomodate you to get your business

#3- DIY, DIY , DIY-recruiting family and friends  for hands on tasks like makign favors, centerpieces, program making etc can change from monotonous tasks to fun filled times full of memories leading up to the big day!

Congrats and Best of Luck!

Answer 4

Invite all of your family and friends. Get pre-marital counseling. Pray to God that all goes well. Pray for his comfort during this stressful time. Pray for his favor over you and future husband. Pray for his guidance during the preparation of your wedding. Congratulations, may all go well.

Answer 5

I know how you feel. We are planning a June 2009 wedding. It is very stressful. I am planning it all myself as well I am not going to pay a planner. I wish you luck. Congrats on your engagement

Answer 6

Congrats on your engagement! My FH & I are recently engaged as well! Although we are waiting until June of 2010 due to schooling and finances...

Anyways.. all I can say is from wedding experience and planning family members wedding is make as much of it you can yourself!! For flowers try making your own boquets or centerpieces.  We found all my sisters flowers at Walmart for under $50 and it still looked amazing! No one noticed they weren't real flowers either!!

All I can say is from on FB to another .... Keep your chin up and realize that although you may want your day to be "Picture Perfect" Nothing ever goes without some kind of a hitch.. realize that now and everything will go smoothly... as long as you and your FH are happy that is all that matters :)! And don't break the bank if you don't have to.. if you come out under your budget you'll have more money saved for the future :)!

Answer 7

Start reading the Sunday papers - they have great wedding sections and you can get ideas from other people's weddings.

Here's a link to the Boston Globe's wedding page:

http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/Celebr...

You can definitely do it without a planner - plus it will be the first project you two can work on together.

Make sure you get a good photographer...the day will blow right by - and pictures will be a real gift to yourself.

Answer 8

congrats!!!

just stick to your budget!!!

make cuts if necessary and dont feel guilty about it either!

i think planners are over priced and really dont do much of anything,

remember to have fun!! the day will happen in a flash!  

Answer 9

i planned my entire wedding and I would NOt have focused so hard on the details! It drove me to drink! It's still going to be beautiful without something stupid like the napkins matching the design on the invitations! lol j/k but for real....I tried that c**p I saw on tv and I made hte decision that I'd be the only one who saw you details anyway..