Getting Married!!!! Need Some (well a lot of) Help.....PLEASE!!!?

Question

I just got engaged and have started to think about my wedding, I seen a dress on line that I LOVED and it has some red in it, so I was thinking that the colors could be red and white...What do you think?

Also I need some help with planning and the decorations, pictures, all that good stuff. I found some magnets I want to get that you can personalize with the name and date but other than that I don't know. Anyone who has had to go through wedding planning before HELP please. I'm in this pretty much alone, no one has time to help and I don't know where to start or what to do first....

I want to have a wedding everyone will remember and that will make me happy but I don't have a lot of money or time to do it all....what can I do?

ANY IDEAS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED! THANKS...

Answer 1

First thing is to get a planner or at least a binder/notebook to keep track of everything and to help w/the planning.
Decide on the date and your budget. Begin your guest list, and choose your attendants.
Bridal Magazines and different wedding sites can be of GREAT help, you may see a lot of expensive ideas, but can actually do them very inexpensively.

We're planning/paying our wedding right now for a guest list of 125 for under $1,600.00
Here's how--
1-NO SITE FEES- We're having the ceremony and reception in my parents back yard. I purchased 4 party tents (the white ones w/windowed side walls) off ebay for about $500. After the wedding, we're keeping 1 tent and selling the other 3, so we'll actually be getting "some" of our money back.

2-NO RENTAL FEES- Tables and chairs are being borrowed from our church for just a small donation to the church, cheaper than renting and it benefits our church!

3-NO CATERES- We're doing a "Family Favorites" buffet having family members supply "those certain" dishes that they are known for making so well. Then I'm going to print out little table tents saying who made what. IF you opt to supply the food yourself, keep your menu simple as far as the number/variety of dishes. It's better to have more of a few then just a few of more.

4-NO FLORIST/DECORATORS- I'm just going to carry a single red rose tied w/ribbon and long streamers, my maid of honor a white one. Making my own centerpieces, which I have TONS of ideas/designs that can all be done for less than $5-$8 each, feel free to email me for ideas if you'd like!

5-DON'T ORDER INVITATIONS- Cheaper to print your own...utilize your local discount stores...I found wedding invitation kits that will make 40 for $2.99 per kit at my local Ollies discount store. And each kit includes: Invitation, outer mailing envelope, RSVP cards, return envelopes, foil stickers, instruction sheet for setting up printer format, and a sheet w/suggested wording for different family/hosting situations.
They also had kits for Thank you cards that make 80 for $4.99. Basically I only spent about $11 for all my invites and Thank You cards, and they are just beautiful.

6-I found a DJ who is just starting out, but had done some other events for people I know, He came highly recommended and is only charging me $300 for the WHOLE DAY and all included!

7-KEEP AN OPEN MIND!!!! Don't get "stuck" on certain ideas/patterns/items....you'd be amazed how much EASIER it all falls together if you just sort of "roll with it"...it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to sacrifice anything, just be willing to bend.

If you yourself are crafty or know any crafty people, put them to work! Utilize the talents of anybody willing to help! DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FRIENDS/FAMILY FOR HELP!

I have TONS of money saving ideas (favors, decor, wishing well, etc)....if there are any certain areas that you need or would want some suggestions for...feel free to email me! I know it's a LOT to do, and anything that can be made easier should be!

Answer 2

HOLD IT HOLD IT HOLD IT

If it takes a lavish affair of a wedding to make you happy, you're not mature enough for MARRIAGE.

When is the wedding
How much is your budget
Do you have other major debts to worry about

Now then, there's an old saying - quality, price, speed. Pick two.

this means that since there's no money and no time, you shouldn't be planning a big lavish affair.

OR you can have the big lavish affair - but it will cost through the roof - but you have no money.

OR you can plan a year and a half in advance to get the best prices for the big lavish affair - but you don't have that kind of time.

Or you can do a slap-dash, cheapo wedding for lots of people - which will be memorable - for all the wrong reasons.

SO you will have to do a small, intimate and inexpensive wedding.

That doesn't mean you can't have a lovely memorable wedding - it just can't be very large - like around 30 family members and guests.

If the wedding is in the next 30 - 60 days - plan on a small, family affair in your parents' living room or back yard.

If the budget is really tight - like $1000 - $2500 - plan on a small family wedding in your parents' back yard or living room.

If you have other major debts - student loans, huge credit card debts, big car notes, etc. - put your hard earned money into those instead of a lavish affair. Better financial sense.

Sit down and write all the things you're going to need and try to get the best idea of price you can.

Aside from the dress - which can eat your entire $2500 budget - Let's start

Outdoor wedding - with reception on the patio

Rental for 30 chairs - 15 for him 15 for you 1 day
Rental for Arbor - 1 day
Folding tables for reception 1 day
Solo guitarist (call the local university or a music store for names of guitarists)
Cake for 40 people (30 guests + wedding party)
Dress for Maid of honor
Tux for Best Man
Catering for coctail-type food - 40 people
Flowers - bouquet, corsage, boutineers, center pieces

Gosh! I think we've covered more than $2500 already!


OK how about just you two going to a nice Bed & Breakfast - invite just your mothers and fathers? and get married at the B&B by the local Justice of the Peace or perhaps a country minister?

Answer 3

First thing to do is pick the date. Then figure out how much money you can afford to put towards the wedding.
Red and white would be fine. You could also do red and silver if you want.
For your center pieces and things like that, don't be afriad to check out the different dollar stores in your area. I got all of the center pieces for the tables and small gifts for my girls at the dollar store. Be creative and you can do a lot with what they have there. If you have someone that is artistic you could have them do the flowers for you. The dollar store will also have different flowers you can choose from. My sister-in-law made all of the flowers for mine and it was nice because I got to keep mine. We also used them for decorations on the head table.
Check around your family, and his too, to see if anyone can do the pictures for you. Someone may have more experience than you think. My brother and his wife took their film to Walgreen's. Through Walgreen's website you can have your guest go in there and preview the pictures and they can buy what they want. They had over 500 picture to chose from and I got some that a professional would have never taken. You can also get the disposables for the reception and put them on the tables and give them to certain people and ask them to take some pictures for you.

Another place to check out is orientaltrading.com They have wedding stuff that you can have personalized with name and dates.

Invite your family over for a night of fun and make the invitations yourself if possible. There is many different things you can do on the computer now and that way they will be more personal for your guest and may save you a lot of money.

Just remeber to have fun while you are planning it. You also need to know that not everything will go as you plan, but remeber not to sweat the small stuff.
Have fun.

Answer 4

I like several of the suggestions already given....but here is my advice.

1. Decide on a date and time (afternoon, evening, etc.) Need to know how much time you have to plan. and what time of the year you want to get married. Give or take a year is a good amount of time if your doing most of the planning. gives you time to shop around for the best prices.

2. Make a realistic budget. this will change throughout the process, you may decide later to spend more here and cut more there. But, this has to be done before you can make other decisions.....how many guest to invite, sit down dinner or hors'duerves, live band or DJ.

3. Starting shopping around for a location. Do research on the web or purchase some local wedding mags. Make appointments to go visit the cites, have your questions ready. Wedding cites vary on what they will let you do and what costs extra.

4. Decide on your wedding party. Make wise decisions, you'll need several friends that you can count on as you will need to delegate some responsibilities out.

5. Start a binder, grab a few bridal magazines and pull out pictures of dresses, flowers, cakes, hair. Print pics off the computer if you have color printer. I had index dividers in a 3 ring binder....took it everywhere with me. My vendors loved it cause they could take one look at it and know my style. Make little notes next to the pics of why you like it or don't like it.

6. Make use of friends or relatives....we used a friend as our photographer and cut the cost to a third! another friend did the flowers...again we saved huge!!

This should get you started. Have fun and make sure you take photos of the process, it was fun to go back and look at me trying on dresses, flipping through invitation books, tasting cakes, etc. i'm glad to have visuals to remind me of the wonderful time of wedding planning!

GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 5

Well, first I would make a list of everything needed/wanted. Then a timeline it takes to get each thing. Then start with what takes the longest to arrange....for example. The place is usually what needs to get reservations. So, I'd start with that, then the music, flowers etc etc.
Also, while making that list, put another part as to how much you want to spend on each item.
Then after you subtotaled you can see how much you have to work towards saving. Then that way you can also see what can be cut back on.
Usually the main things are Place, Dress and Food.
For me it was anyways.
The only mistake I made at my wedding, was I tried to do everything myself and didn't enjoy my wedding at all. I didn't get to talk to all my guests or even hear the music.
So, I would find someone to help or hire a planner. Your wedding is something you want to enjoy, not just stress over.
Good Luck!

Answer 6

Don't go in debt. You sound like you are focusing more on the wedding than the marriage itself. In a year or two people aren't going to remember details about the decorations. colors, or anything, because they are not that important in the long run. You yourself won't remember a whole lot, either, no matter what you do, because hopefully the marriage will mean more than the wedding. We went with fake flowers, and they were beautiful. It's now 5 years later and I still have my bouquet, and my husband has his bouttineer(however it's spelled). We also have a few other things. I bet many women can't say they still have their bouquets. We had friends make finger foods. I made the cake due to my dad's diet. Most of the cake fell apart, except for the top tier, so my dad got to eat that and I went and bought 4 blank birthday cakes at the last minute. Sure, they didn't have our wedding colors, but no one cared. Make sure your man has at least half of the say. Don't say,"How about we pick these colors for the wedding, these for the decorations, whatever" and he just say,"yes, dear". You two sit down and decide who will be in charge of what, and NO COMPLAINING if you don't like what the other one picks. If you are doing a dance, let him and his mother pick out a song to dance to. Someone on here got whiny because the mother in law picked out a song the bride didn't like. Include your and his family in as much as possible. Let your families call around for reception halls, deejays, whatever. Let them do much of the calling for florists and whatnot as well. It will save you a TON of time.

Answer 7

Check out www.theknot.com This is where I got all my help.
And just FYI, don't worry about making it something that people will remember. Make it something YOU will remember. The best wedding I ever went to, my girlfriend had no decorations (just her bouquet), she had no bridesmaids or groomsmen, no music, nothing traditional. It was on a backporch, just her and her husband. There was something really sweet and meaningful about the simplicity of it. They had the most important thing, the two of them and their vows. That's the wedding I will never forget.

As far as decorations and saving money. I had my wedding at a bed and breakfast. The ceremony was outside, I just did minimal decorations, very minimal. I love just seeing the white fold out chairs. Our parents sat in park benches that had flowers on the back and I had rose petals down the eilse...that's it. Inside the house was already decorated because it was a B&B, so I didn't need any inside. This is a good idea if you want to save money. Our pictures came out beautiful! If you e-mail me, I'll send you a link to the pictures. [e-mail]

Answer 8

Several resources for you are:
http://www.theknot.com/?MsdVisit=1 Great website for wedding planning

http://www.onewed.com/ another website for wedding planning

http://www.brides.com/ Yet another website....

Also, get bridal magazines, you can get those at any bookstore or even at the grocery store checkstand. Go to Barnes & Noble or Borders, and go to the wedding planning section and there are TONS of books that are designed to help you remain organized. The best ones in my opinion will also have blank pages for you to keep notes in, and evelopes/folder pages for you to keep copies of contracts/receipts/brochures/etc. in. Look through those and find one that you think you'll be able to use and will work for the way you organize things.

As you look through magazines, cut out photos of things you like AND things you don't like. Note what you do and don't like about each photo--sticky notes work great for this. With dresses, take all the photos when you start dress shopping, the salespeople will be able to help you and will help you find a dress that looks fantastic and will fit your budget.

Yes, you need to figure out how much money you have to spend on this event. Don't worry about stuff like magnets and the like right now, that's a little detail that you add later, after you've developed the big picture. Get the money from all sources, you and your fiance, and both sets of parents. Find out NOW what to expect from parents as far as money--you don't want to be halfway through planning, realize you don't have enough money, and Mom and Dad won't bail you out. Please pay for the wedding and expenses, don't get a loan, if you can't afford it, don't do it, ok?

Best of luck to you and your fiance and have fun wedding planning! Just remember your wedding is one day, your marriage will last a lifetime. Keep it all in perspective, and you'll be fine.

Answer 9

I believe the first thing you put together is a budget, figure out how much you want to spend for your wedding. Also, figure out the date of the wedding, where you are going to hold the wedding and reception. Next, figure out how many people you want to attend. Than, write everything you want to have at your wedding and reception, on the side write how much each would cost you. For example, wedding dress- $500, photographer- $650, and so on. Those are just the beginning steps and than with that you should be able to get everything else going. Good luck. It's going to be fun but its going to be so much work.

Answer 10

I bought everything for my entire wedding off eBay and saved thousands of dollars. From my gown which was $99 to wedding favors for my guests. I was so excited about getting married that I hand crafted every one of my wedding favors. That personal touch in itself made it very special for all my guests. As for a photographer, word of mouth ususally is the best method. Just one crucial thing to remember....After every wedding there's a marriage. Communicate everything. Congratulations and God bless.

P.S. I don't know how you'd feel about wearing a used gown, after all you will only wear it once and I can't say all churches do this but some women donate their dresses and after a period of time the dresses end up in thrift shops. My first pick was a donated dress that my church offered to me for free, with the veil. As my ultimate decision about colors changed, I ended up with the dress from eBay and I simply returned the free dress and veil to my church.