I'm finding it's a good idea to do a monthly Wedding budget (based extra on money AFTER your major bills). What did you do? Gosh looking at this spreadsheet am I ever going to be POOR for a while....Well until 5/3/08 that is!
2007-10-21 05:29:32 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
My fiance & I are paying for everything ourselves mind you--Our folks are retired. I'm discovering lately more & more rely less on their family do to this awful economy. :(
2007-10-21 05:30:48 · update #1
Poor to me is having 300.00 extra a check...don't assume someone doesn't have the money-- as w/ all things it's adjusting!
2007-10-21 05:39:05 · update #2
I am putting away a set amount every payday. And I am staying well within our means. It will be a modest wedding.
My mother has offered to pay for the cake so that is an added bonus, since that was just another expense.
2007-10-21 09:53:05 · answer #1 · answered by bluegirl6 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My wedding will cost less than $2000 and that is easily budgeted to be paid off in a year or two. But a $20,000 wedding is another matter.
I think that the wedding should be simple and elegant without spending a lot of money. The budget you mentioned should be minimal because you are starting a new life together and should not have a lot of debt or put a lot of debt on someone else. If you can afford it go hog wild, but if not do all things in moderation.
I hate the idea that some people spend thousands of dollars (theirs or someone else's) on a wedding and two years later they are not speaking to each other.
Later, you can renew your vows and plan a huge affair, here again if you can afford it. The bottom line, plan the wedding to match the pocket book of whoever is paying. If your parents are paying, don't hide your head in the sand and pretend you don't know they are bending over backwards getting whatever you want done for your wedding. Be senitive to the fact that they still have their bills and their own lives. Many parents never recover from the hassle of juggling their finances and paying for weddings for their children.
2007-10-21 12:43:22 · answer #2 · answered by Big mama 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
When we got engaged, we figured out how much of our savings we were willing to spend on the wedding, and from there how much more we'd need to save over the next 13 months. We opened a bank account specifically for the wedding expenses. We add to it as follows: a budgeted amount of savings each per pay day, any money we save using coupons and store-loyalty cards (it's pretty easy to put aside $6 or $8 when you get home from the grocery store, and it adds up quickly), any rebates or reimbursements (from our health flex spending accounts and such), and whatever is left over in our wallets on pay day. We make regular deposits into the account, and it's gratifying to see it grow. Because of the "extra" savings (coupons, rebates, "leftover" on pay day), we're ahead of our goal at the not-quite half-way point. We thought we might have to take a small loan, but now I think we'll make it without borrowing a cent, even on a credit card. It just takes a little thought, a little planning, and a little sacrifice. It's worth it for the kind of wedding we want. I think you're very smart to do it this way!
2007-10-21 13:54:47 · answer #3 · answered by Trivial One 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We are on a budget plan, and we are paying for all of this ourselves. My father has offered to help with about 2,500 dollars, but i know that he is tight on cash so i have not worked that into our budget schedule, it will be a bonus if he can. I told him not to worry if he is not able to, but he is persistent. Best Daddy EVER!
I also developed a spreadsheet. Actually a couple of them. One for the cost of everything. The other for our savings account to keep track of what we already spent and the deposits we make. And one with all the deposits we have already made and what we still owe on each purchase.
Its a lot, but it keeps me organized.
We are looking at about a 12000 dollar wedding after honeymoon and everything is said and done. Which to be honest for a guest list of 200 i dont think is that bad. I ve seen people spend way more then that.
2007-10-21 13:55:35 · answer #4 · answered by Gotta luv it! 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We generally have no money left over at the end of the month. His parents refuse to help financially, and my mom is living off of Social Security (she is severely disabled). I have cut back our 'going out' money to next to nothing. We have to put about $500/month in the bank until the wedding to have enough, but I don't see that happening- I think if we're lucky, we'll be short about $2000, and have to use a credit card for that portion. I've started picking up side jobs (I'm an interior designer and have been designing freelance in addition to my full-time job). He is a student and has picked up a couple extra hours at his internship to help us get by. I guess all we can do is hope and know that it will be beautiful even if we do have to resort to paper plates and plastic table cloths, ha ha (oh gawd, please no....)
2007-10-21 17:25:16 · answer #5 · answered by boggin828 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We got married 7/7/7and everyone helped. My in laws got the bar and rehersal dinner, my parents paid for the catering and brunch, and my sister got the cake and lots of the small things. I bought my dress and the flowers online at www.globalrose.com .
We worked it out that people helped with the wedding instead buying a gift. This way we got someone to bar tend, marry us, take pictures and decorate all for not cost to us.
Be kind - go with out the little things so yo are too broke - you will get some money as a gift but don't count on it. it wil be tight for awhile but think of it as an investement in your future.
Congratualtions- I love being married and highly recommend it! ;)
2007-10-21 12:35:20 · answer #6 · answered by elizallenleslie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My (now) husband and I had money put away for that. Now we have our savings account for our new child coming in a couple months. We plan for these things big time!
Allow yourself an allowance to spend each paycheck. Everything else goes into savings! (Not all for wedding, some for life)
Find out what you want for your wedding and get it priced out so you know ho much per month you should be saving for it. And don't go overboard. It's better to spend the money on the honeymoon or your life!
Enjoy this time, it's the best! But even better is the time afterwards!
2007-10-21 12:34:16 · answer #7 · answered by Happy Girl 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
My fiance and I arent getting any kind of contribution from our families either.
My plan is to make a budget of how much everything is going to cost and save up for one thing at a time.
Good question though, and im curious as to what everyone else may suggest as well.
2007-10-21 12:33:08 · answer #8 · answered by .Jules. 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My HTB and I started up a savings account (well, it's an envelope in my drawer actually LOL) to be used strictly on our wedding. It's just all the left over money, tip money, or coins that we've accumulated. Let me tell you, it adds up!
For the wedding itself my parents are paying, but for our honeymoon my HTB (who has a good paying job but can't get help from his parents) and I are paying for it.
To make extra money, not just for the wedding/honeymoon itself but for *life* after our wedding LOL, I started working more and recycling (sounds weird, but that also adds up!) Just little odd jobs like babysitting a friend's kid now and then helps put a little more cash in the wedding fund.
Good luck to you both!
2007-10-21 12:35:28 · answer #9 · answered by kiki 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The economy isn't particularly bad, but with people getting married later in life, it makes sense that they would pay for it themselves, as one does everything else at that age, rather than relying on your parents to pay for everything. Keep in mind that when the custom of having your parents pay for everything started, girls were getting married at 17 and 18, and couldn't possibly pay for it, and their parents were in their late 30s and early 40's - so that retirement wasn't even on the horizon for them yet.
2007-10-21 12:34:12 · answer #10 · answered by neniaf 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋