I originally planned to have a wedding for $10,000...yeah that is so not going to happen. I am currently working very hard on keeping it below $15000.
With my 3 major expenses being variable costs depended on the number guests that attend it will be awhile before I will know exactly what I will spend so I've decided to play it conservative and budget on 200 attending (There are 230 possible guests but 30 are children which I plan to negotiate pricing on).
I can see how easy it would be to spend $20,000+, as I'm really don't have a lot of expenses; wearing my sister's dress, mother-in-law to be is sewing the bridesmaid gowns and groomsmen vests, my mister's cousin is a professional photographer and has offered to do the pictures for free, and my best friend and I are baking the cake(s) and doing a lot of DIY decor.
And technically of the $15000 budget my parent's have offered to pay for the food, which will probably be around 1/3rd of it, and since I live in Manitoba where pre-wedding socials are very common I will be throwing one of those a few months prior to the wedding date and my goal is to raise enough money to pay for the alcohol. So that only leaves my mister and I with approximately $7500 to look after which is still below the original $10000 budget.
I just wish I could actually have the wedding I want and pay that amount I want!
Well here's to a year of penny pinching planning! Luckily I'm an accountant by trade so I hope I can manager a simple budget.
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Friday, April 3, 2009
Budget friendly Manitoba
This week I saw a post on Martha Stewart's Wedding Blog about a bride that has created a blog where she is asking people, strangers, to help pay for her wedding. In fact she even has a link built into the site where you can click to Donate.
With the economic uncertainty the way it is around the world right now, its no surprise that more and more brides are realizing that they can't afford to go into debt over their weddings and even reducing their budgets to $10,000 or less isn't enough, as they have NO money saved for it.
Its times like this that I puzzle over why more communities outside of Manitoba, Canada don't embrace the idea of a PRE-WEDDING SOCIAL. What is a pre-wedding social you ask? Well just the bestest friend to the budget savy bride!
A social, something that is apparently unique to Manitoba, is an event much like a high school dance for adults that you sell tickets for. It is primarily used as a fundraiser and is very popular here for brides and grooms to throw prior their wedding to make money to put towards their wedding, hence 'pre-wedding social'.
Basically you rent a hall, much like planning a wedding reception, book your music, stock the bar and have a midnight snack available. People pay between $10-15/ticket to attend, purchase drink tickets for their alcohol and then additional tickets to enter into draws for prizes. Some couples will add additional games that cost money to play and add to the fundraising. If done right you can make a few thousand dollars after expenses.
To those that aren't familiar with this they tend to respond with distaste, marking this up to basically just ASKING people for money but the truth is people that attend are actually very happy to spend the money. How is buying a ticket to attend a dance any difference then spending money on cover at a bar? And at least they know its going to help a couple to start off their lives debt free (hopefully!).
The nice thing about the social verses a reception is that it is very casual and there isn't the same pressures to decorate, have center pieces and provide favors, and yet it is still an opportunity for friends and family to get together and have fun.
Personally I plan to have a social where the money I make will go toward the cost of the open bar at my future wedding, if I plan it right I might even have enough to cover part of the food costs as well.
With the economic uncertainty the way it is around the world right now, its no surprise that more and more brides are realizing that they can't afford to go into debt over their weddings and even reducing their budgets to $10,000 or less isn't enough, as they have NO money saved for it.
Its times like this that I puzzle over why more communities outside of Manitoba, Canada don't embrace the idea of a PRE-WEDDING SOCIAL. What is a pre-wedding social you ask? Well just the bestest friend to the budget savy bride!
A social, something that is apparently unique to Manitoba, is an event much like a high school dance for adults that you sell tickets for. It is primarily used as a fundraiser and is very popular here for brides and grooms to throw prior their wedding to make money to put towards their wedding, hence 'pre-wedding social'.
Basically you rent a hall, much like planning a wedding reception, book your music, stock the bar and have a midnight snack available. People pay between $10-15/ticket to attend, purchase drink tickets for their alcohol and then additional tickets to enter into draws for prizes. Some couples will add additional games that cost money to play and add to the fundraising. If done right you can make a few thousand dollars after expenses.
To those that aren't familiar with this they tend to respond with distaste, marking this up to basically just ASKING people for money but the truth is people that attend are actually very happy to spend the money. How is buying a ticket to attend a dance any difference then spending money on cover at a bar? And at least they know its going to help a couple to start off their lives debt free (hopefully!).
The nice thing about the social verses a reception is that it is very casual and there isn't the same pressures to decorate, have center pieces and provide favors, and yet it is still an opportunity for friends and family to get together and have fun.
Personally I plan to have a social where the money I make will go toward the cost of the open bar at my future wedding, if I plan it right I might even have enough to cover part of the food costs as well.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Budget Loop Holes
So I've been thinking that since I'm not engaged yet and even when that does happen I won't be getting married any earlier then a year and half from now, does it count towards my budget if I start buying things now? The way I figure it...no!
Here's my plan, I love entertaining and if I gradually buy things that I would want for my future wedding but use then now and afterwards for other parties, they shouldn't count as money spent from my wedding budget. TECHNICALLY I could get by with out them in my life when throwing parties that aren't my wedding but I think they will make things prettier and I consider these parties trial runs.
So come spring I want to start my hunt for the following things, at yard sales and second hand/antique shops:
Here's my plan, I love entertaining and if I gradually buy things that I would want for my future wedding but use then now and afterwards for other parties, they shouldn't count as money spent from my wedding budget. TECHNICALLY I could get by with out them in my life when throwing parties that aren't my wedding but I think they will make things prettier and I consider these parties trial runs.
So come spring I want to start my hunt for the following things, at yard sales and second hand/antique shops:
- Strings of outdoor lighting
- Jugs, pitchers and/or glass beverage dispenser
- Flatware, dinnerware & cups
- Mason Jars
- Vintage sheets
- Cake stands
- Serving platters and deep bowls
I'm also looking for a farmhouse style hutch for my kitchen but that isn't really wedding/party related. I just want it.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
My current budget estimations...
Before I start spouting off ideas that I have, here's the budget I'm working with right now for 200 guests... $10,900.00
Food, Alcohol & Corresponding rentals (dinnerware, flatware, etc) $6000 - Backyard BBQ theme, still not sure on the 'Open Bar' idea...more on that later.
Ceremony & Reception venues $1500
Music $0 -plan to use an MP3 player/laptop, make playlists and borrow a speaker system.
Flowers $150 -I really don't care about flowers and assume we can do some DIY work to create what we need.
Favors $200 -I figure $1/guest is fair as how many people actually REMEMBER their favor at the end of the night?
Invitations and other Stationary $150 -Another DIY project, letterpress, although beautiful, is way out of my budget
Our rings $200 -this is NOT including the engagement ring, that's the future fiance's expense!
Officiant $200
Photography $1000 -this extremely low budget is based on the assumption that family professional photographer will agree to do it for this cheap OR I get one of my friends that are starting out
Wedding Cake (& cupcakes) $100 -I'm assume the ingredients won't cost more then this but basically bff's Nan was a professional baker so that's my vendor!
Wedding Party gifts $200 -not 100% sure what I will be purchasing so this may increase, I'm leaning towards custom made jewelery for my BM's but who knows what he'll pick for the GM
Beauty & Pampering, day of $200 - this is JUST for me, is it cheap to not get the BM's too?
Groom & Groomsmen's attire $600 -I'm assuming he'd pay for the gm since I'd be paying for the bm's but who knows
Bridesmaid Gowns $200 -I plan to have 4 BM and being a bm myself 4 times I strongly believe that a bride should pay for their dresses UNLESS that bride is willing to let them pick WHATEVER they want and since I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to details I want to make sure they get the dresses I want. Now $200 seems low for 4 girls but alas I plan to have them made! We'll see how that ends up working
My dress $100 -WHAT!? I know these is extremely low but I refuse to spend a fortune on, all be it a gorgeous gown, a gown that I will wear for less then 24hours. So I'm budgeting enough for material to make it myself, and by myself I mean the future finance's mother...
Veil & accessories $100 -Again, DIY here we come. I'm currently in love with the bird cage veil but since I wear glasses I'm still not sure
Okay I think that covers it. Hopefully I haven't missed anything big and that when the day comes I can stick to this budget! Or come under...
Food, Alcohol & Corresponding rentals (dinnerware, flatware, etc) $6000 - Backyard BBQ theme, still not sure on the 'Open Bar' idea...more on that later.
Ceremony & Reception venues $1500
Music $0 -plan to use an MP3 player/laptop, make playlists and borrow a speaker system.
Flowers $150 -I really don't care about flowers and assume we can do some DIY work to create what we need.
Favors $200 -I figure $1/guest is fair as how many people actually REMEMBER their favor at the end of the night?
Invitations and other Stationary $150 -Another DIY project, letterpress, although beautiful, is way out of my budget
Our rings $200 -this is NOT including the engagement ring, that's the future fiance's expense!
Officiant $200
Photography $1000 -this extremely low budget is based on the assumption that family professional photographer will agree to do it for this cheap OR I get one of my friends that are starting out
Wedding Cake (& cupcakes) $100 -I'm assume the ingredients won't cost more then this but basically bff's Nan was a professional baker so that's my vendor!
Wedding Party gifts $200 -not 100% sure what I will be purchasing so this may increase, I'm leaning towards custom made jewelery for my BM's but who knows what he'll pick for the GM
Beauty & Pampering, day of $200 - this is JUST for me, is it cheap to not get the BM's too?
Groom & Groomsmen's attire $600 -I'm assuming he'd pay for the gm since I'd be paying for the bm's but who knows
Bridesmaid Gowns $200 -I plan to have 4 BM and being a bm myself 4 times I strongly believe that a bride should pay for their dresses UNLESS that bride is willing to let them pick WHATEVER they want and since I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to details I want to make sure they get the dresses I want. Now $200 seems low for 4 girls but alas I plan to have them made! We'll see how that ends up working
My dress $100 -WHAT!? I know these is extremely low but I refuse to spend a fortune on, all be it a gorgeous gown, a gown that I will wear for less then 24hours. So I'm budgeting enough for material to make it myself, and by myself I mean the future finance's mother...
Veil & accessories $100 -Again, DIY here we come. I'm currently in love with the bird cage veil but since I wear glasses I'm still not sure
Okay I think that covers it. Hopefully I haven't missed anything big and that when the day comes I can stick to this budget! Or come under...
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