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The BudgetWhile you’re dreaming of beautiful flowers and a tiered cake, remember that weddings cost money. Sit down and figure out how much you and your fiance have, and are prepared to spend, on your wedding. Plan to meet with any family members who wish to contribute to your funds, and find out who is giving how much and for what so there are no misunderstandings when the check is due. Don’t just assume that mom and dad are picking up the tab for the entire wedding. You need to sit down with them, without your fiancé, and discuss what their intentions are. Are they paying for the entire event...
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BudgetThis budget wedding featured on Style Me Pretty was thrown for under $2000, and it is beautiful! Here are my favorite ideas: Handmade white cotton pennants draped all over the ceremony and reception; a clothesline of black and white photos; self-arranged flowers; dresses from Urban Outfitters, shoes from DSW, and tights from Macys; bride went to Forever 21 and bought lots of hair pins and jewelry to go with the dresses, put them all in a big bowl, and let her bridesmaids choose; only wine for alcohol (Trader Joe's); cake made by the bride; the bride asked family and friends to choose a meaning...
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The Wedding Budget
Budgets are a funny thing. They are practical and boring, yet so important to the wedding planning process. On the other hand, they can be intimidating and uncomfortable, especially if you come from a family that does not discuss financial matters. The truth is that, no matter the size, weddings are expensive and costs add up quickly - after all, when was the last time you took 60 people out to a nice dinner and footed the bill? Setting up a budget at the beginning of the planning process will help you spend and allocate your wedding dollars wisely. Here are some tips to help you stay in your ...
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Small Budget?
I happen to love working with super small budgets because I see it as an opportunity to become really creative. I love creating events that are different and distinctive – not the same ol’ thing. Yes, it’s much easier to do a wedding with a couple that has no budget because they can have whatever they want. But, a great wedding on small budget? Now that’s a thing of beauty. Here are some great money saving ideas:1. Get rid of the wedding party. It’s amazing how much a wedding party can add to a budget. If anything, have a maid of honor and best man and leave it at that. If you have...
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Bliss on a BudgetOkay busy brides on a budget, we know you have had this dream before:You’re relaxing on the couch with your laptop, you log on and in a few clicks you’ve ordered your invitations, programs, personalized napkins, flowers, desserts, wedding rings and even booked your dream honeymoon! As you proceed to the online checkout, you smile with satisfaction realizing that after totaling up all of these wedding essentials you are still under budget! Then you make plans for a stress free weekend with your future hubby because you know that there is no need to run from vendor to vendor, as all of you...
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BHLDN On A Budget!Like many women, my heart swoons whenever I step inside Anthropologie. Sadly, I cannot afford to shop there regularly, especially on a grad student budget in the middle of a recession! However, I was thrilled to recently learn that the team behind Anthropologie decided to venture into another one of my passions, the wedding world, with their new store, BHLDN. A great feature of the BHLDN website is that it offers more than just a shopping experience for brides. It includes free interactive experiences to help inspire you while planning your wedding, and provide another great way to procrastina...
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Weddings and budgetsI received an anonymous comment the other day on my wedding post below and wanted to address it. Someone inquired about the budget of my wedding. I am very open to sharing my budget, if you are interested, please email me at eatdrinkpretty@gmail.com and I'll send you my (very detailed and nerdy) excel spread sheet broken out by element (reception, flowers, attire, etc). It's easy to get lost in a beautiful wedding magazine or image on theknot.com and dream about having a great wedding, but in reality, how much do you really have to spend? Weddings are not cheap and the more people in attendanc...
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Brides on a BudgetThe budget is one of the key elements to weddings. Guests may only see beautiful flowers, a memorable ceremony, and a put-together reception space, but the budget makes sure that all of those elements are present in the first place. One of the first steps in setting a budget requires talking to your spouse about how much the two of you are willing to spend. It’s also important to discuss the budget with the other people sharing the costs so they know what their contributions will be. It also doesn’t hurt to think about a budget-less wedding so you get a feel for your tastes and to h...
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Budget TipsLast week we showed you how to make your custom LHC map your invitation itself, so this week we thought it would be good to share a few more budget tips and also remind everyone to be sure to include printed materials in their overall wedding budget from the very beginning.No one forgets to budget for their dress or flowers or photography, but invitations and definitely calligraphy {even if you know you want it} are oft overlooked! Prices for inviations and calligraphy can vary greatly depending on paper, style, number of pieces and of course the vendor, but to get a basic idea for your bud...
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Bridesmaid on a BudgetOne of your best friends recently announced her engagement and you couldn’t be happier. She has also asked you to be a member of her bridal party, and of course, you accepted the invitation with honor. However, many don’t realize at what cost saying yes means. An average bridesmaid spends over $1500 when you factor in all expenses from dress, shoes, hair, shower, etc. The closer the friend, the more likely you are to spend more. There are ways that a bride can help keep the cost for her bridesmaid, while still having the wedding she dreams of. Bridesmaids’ dresses can be a big ...
