How does planning a wedding work?

Question

I want a nice wedding for about 8,000. How does paying vendors come into play? Will most venues take payments? Does money need to be upfront with some places? It will take me a year to save 8,000 i have calculated. Do I already need to have the money? Or while I am saving can I pay different people in installments? Does 8,000 sound like it is workable for a nice wedding?

Answer 1

That amount is certainly workable, although you should start out by doing a budget. There are sites online that can help with that - theknot.com, weddingchannel.com, or weddingannouncer.com - create a free wedding website and get planning tools to boot. I'm planning my wedding right now, and was initially planning to spend around $5000. Now that I've done the budget and taken into account what's important to us, I think we're looking at closer to $7000 or $8000. Since it's a year away, we've got time to save a bit more.

A budget will give you an idea of how fast everything adds up, and you'll also get a better idea of when you'll need money for what. For instance, things like favors and decorations can be purchased as you go along, when you have money for them. And it will give you a good overall picture; if you know that you only have $8000 and the reception, food, photographer, etc. will be x amount, you'll have a better idea of how much you can afford (or need to trim) for other things. (You wouldn't want to start out by buying $100 centrepieces just because you can afford them right now, and find that it blows your budget by a thousand bucks.)

You may be expected to put a deposit down on some things ahead of time (this is my preference anyway, since then I feel like I've actually secured the booking, and not just taken someone's word for it), but I've heard that you shouldn't pay in full for some things ahead of time (food, reception hall, etc.) since you may not be able to get your money back if something happens. (And I don't mean calling it off - I mean changing your mind about the venue, a hurricane, etc.) Even if you don't have the money for a deposit when it's required, you may be able to set up something with your bank, such as a line of credit or overdraft, that you can use temporarily. Just watch the interest that they charge, and factor that into the budget if necessary.

You could also put stuff on a credit card initially, and make sure you pay it off as soon as possible. (I've heard this recommended a few times anyway - you can collect points or air miles, and you have some recourse through the credit card company if a vendor doesn't live up to their end of the contract. If you pay cash, you're out of luck if they take off. I'm sure this won't happen, but it never hurts to cover all bases!)

If you're wondering about installments, you should discuss this with some of your vendors. Some may be willing to do it, some may not. If you have a written payment plan contract with them though, and they understand that you won't go with them unless you can make payments, they may be more willing to work with you.

Congratulations, and don't listen to people who tell you it's not enough money. Weddings cost different amounts in different areas, and the style and location can be HUGE factors in cost. A hall with simple food will simply cost you less than a fancy hotel with $50/plate food. All you have to do is decide what's important to you to spend money on, and what's not.

Answer 2

Don't sweat it....

$8,000 is a little low balling it but anything can be done if you're creative. Now here's something that you'll want to keep in mind, and really think about before you start planning the wedding.

Do you want a glamorous wedding, where everything will be admired for one day, or do you want a kick butt party reception where your wedding will be remembered for years and years.

My wedding is still being talked about till this day because it was amazingly fun. I'm not saying that to brag because at the time I knew nothing about weddings and didn't really care to know, but now I know a ton because I've studied them and why they're either fun or disasterous, and let me tell you, I've never remembered a dress (by the way, neither has my wife) a, centerpiece, or anything like that. I remembered having fun, dancing, and hanging out with all the other guests.

Now, my wedding kicked serious butt because my father in law was a drummer for a wedding band for like 24 years and he dissected every part of those experiences that he witnessed that made weddings completely memorable and put each piece into mine. It worked and there's really a formula to it.

Our budget wasn't all that much greater than yours, maybe about 50%, but we did it. Plus, because my wife was an incredible negotiator, and creative, it looked just as glamorous if not more so than most weddings I've been to since. You have to plan to have fun, set that intention, and be creative financially. There are tons of shortcuts that nobody will ever tell you about of course because they want their money. It's actually very sickening but it's life.

My wife read a ton of books and only one really helped her because nobody is ever really willing to tell the truth.

By the way, our reception actually went 8 hours long and we only had to pay a $100 bucks extra. 8 hours of dancing and partying. That's like a work day. Ha!! We end up partying just watching the video half the time. It's unreal.

Here's a huge tip. Plan your wedding as if you're a guest and what you would like to see, or what you've seen at others that you liked. With that perspective, what ratio of glamour to fun would you want. Sure, you can't just walk in with a crappy old dress that doesn't make you feel good, but you could get a nice dress if you know where to go.

I hope you have a beautiful amazing bash at your wedding, and I hope you don't let a dollar amount stop you. Anyways the marriage is the part that matters.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Get a book a the library on weddings

Everyone's definition of NICE is different, but you can have a lovely wedding for $5000.00.

#1 Do not hire a wedding planner. You can easily do it yourself without the extra cost.

#2 Never pay in full up front BEFORE you receive goods/ services. Usually you put a deposit down on your hall, DJ, Photographer, cake, etc. and pay the balance the day before or at the end of the reception. Remember, alot of hall's go bankrupt.

#3 Buy dress off the rack or at a discount bridal store. Or you can rent it. You only wear it once, and no one is going to ask you/care how much you paid for it. If they do then they are shallow and you should stay away from them.

#4 Make your programs, bouquets (if fake) Who's going to know?

#5 Keep it simple but tastefull.

Everyone wants a nice wedding that will be something to remember. You don't have to go bankrupt doing this. People spend so much money on the "DAY" when what really matters is your life together. You can have a lovely party for your guests and if they gawk about how you didn't have 10 ft ice sculptures or a butler for every 2 guests, or top-shelf liquor then they are not your friends.

I paid $5000.00 Total for my wedding (not including honeymoon) and no one knew and no one asked. I had 100 guests. Today people still comment on how my weddings was one of the nicest and prettiest they went to--and I'm not from a rural farm area either, I live in a nice suburb of Chicago. We got married in our home church (free) our reception was at a hotel--very nice, we had a dj and a local photographer and 1 hired car. The floweres were simple yet pretty.

It's only ONE day out of the rest of your life together. Don't go broke over a PARTY

Answer 4

with only 8,000 u r really going to have to cut things...i am gettin married next year and our food alone costs 8,000 for 200 guests!

here is a list of what i'm having and paying along with some ideas how to save money.

Dj-1,000
get a friend to download music on a computer and play that...i just went to a wedding like that and it was very nice.

Photo-2,000
have a friend take the photos

cake-500
make ur own cake or just dont have one

food-8,000
get a cheap place to catter or cut ur guest list

video-1,500
just dont have one r have a friend do it

invatations-100 i'm doing them myself

flowers-i'm only doing the bouqutes with flowers my cener peices are going to be long thick candles in a long vase with leaves nuts and pinecones...im getting marriend in the fall!

all of my vendors do not want the money untill ten days before the wedding but all need deposits of a few hundred dollars.

Answer 5

8,000$ is definately workable for a beautiful wedding. I had about 80 people at my wedding and paid about that. Now that you know what you have to work with, phone your local vendors and see what they are willing to do as far as payment. One thing that we did was pay a lot of things in cash, (some vendors will forgoe adding tax if you pay cash). Consider a dj instead of a band. And don't forget to take full advantage of the people you know....my photographer was a lady I took singing lessons with when I was younger, my caterer was a friend of my mother's, the ceremony was in my uncle's yard (beautifully landscaped), the reception was at a local hall (500$) and we did the decorating ourselves, and the classic cars we used belonged to a members of a car club my dad belongs to. If you use the services of people you know quite often they are willing to charge a reduced price or even do it for free. I found that most vendors are willing to take payments, however most of them do need to be paid fully before the day of the wedding (or on that day). Best wishes to you!

Answer 6

Hi there, $8000 is doable, but you will be really scraping by with that amount. I saw a Design on a Dime where they did it on a budget of $10,000 and it turned out really pretty, but they did it in their back yard with rented equipment, etc. You could maybe go that route. Or you can rent out a church. Don't forget you'll also have to pay the minister who preforms your ceremony. Each place of venue is different, so I would definately start calling around to see what they require. If it looks like it won't work in your favor, I suggest having just a very small wedding at your house with family and friends, a nice dress, some flowers, a nice cake and decorations...that is what a wedding is all about anyway. =) Congratulations!

Answer 7

Sweetheart don't let anyone tell you that 8000 isn't doable. I had over 200 guests, 16 people in the bridal party, a beautiful dress everyone thought was stunning, champaigne fountains, decorations and beautiful flowers, big cake, and the best honeymoon in Cancun for 7 days all inclusive, and it was all under 10k! My husband and I came from diff churches so we had the wedding and reception in the same place, but separate rooms, because our guest list was so big. Get your list together and see how many people you need to accomodate that is the most important part. Then decide if you want to have your ceremony in a church or a hall. Some place will do everything for one price thats decorations cake and all, take a look at the place try the food. It was very convenient for us to have it in the same building, (cheaper and it was nice for out of town guest not having to drive from ceremony to reception). And of course go to the big wedding shows going on in your local area mainly try out the food and the cakes there to give you an idea of what kind of menu to have. There is so much that I can tell you that will really help out and if you want proof you can see my pics online. So email me if you want more info, I'd love to help!

Answer 8

$8000 could be plenty. It depends on where you live. Most vendors will want a deposit and then the balance will be due a week or two before the wedding. We spent a little over $6,000 on our wedding and it was absolutely perfect. We only had around 100 guests,but we didn't skimp out on the details. I got the dress of my dreams, the flowers I wanted, the cake we wanted, geat gifts for the bridal party, and favors for the guests. We did do the invites ourselves, but they were easy to do and that way got exactly what I wanted. We got most of our stuff from www.customweddingsolutions.com

Answer 9

i'm doing my wedding for less than au$3000, you just need to shop around, ebay, check prices for what you want, and maybe change some venues to a cheaper one. ...... everyone is different ive been paying for everything as ive booked it. but most dont need the whole up front payment. just a deposit. then a couple of weeks before the wedding pay the rest.
i'm having a small wedding 60 people, a lunchtime reception so i wont need to supply alcohol, and then a after party for everyone to attend, approx 300 and girls bring a salad, and we are supplying wine, cause we work at a winery. utilise everything that you have available to you
good luck and have fun :)

Answer 10

It really depends on which vendor you use some need a deposit and everything usually must be paid by the wedding date. Call around and see how the vendors work their payments. My florist took 3 payments so it really varies. I hope this helps and good luck!!