New member planning BUDGET wedding

Coogee · by **Coogee** » Sat May 12, 2022 7:55 am

Candlequeen you have the right attitude. It's a great idea and I'd certainly consider it if I were doing a big hotel wedding but I've decided on an intimate family meal followed by a party for friends for more than cost reasons. I'd love going to a buffet wedding but I don't think it's going to be right for me and the venue I want. I'll certainly check out your other saving tips though.
Already I've realised I'm going to have tweak the budget - I reckon it'll climb a bit. Invitations for a tenner would have been grand if I was happy to buy packets but already the bug has hit me and I've picked colours after all and will want to make invitations in those colours. I still think I can make them for under 25 euro though looking at the supply costs online. I only need to make about 10 proper ones for the family and then 50 or so party invites. I don't need to go to fancy but I think I can do nice ones for 25.
Another thing I forgot to include in the budget was a cake. I know I could make one - and I probably will - but there is even a cost to making one.
And after all my talking about not being interested in colours or anything like that - the bug has got in the way again and I think I want colours which will of course push costs up a bit again - although I'm hoping I can maybe work with a decoration budget of about 50 euro - I'll use it to get ribbons and Christmas baubles which can be used to decorate the Church and table - with only 20 going to the Church and restaurant I'd get away with decorating just a few pews.
I

by **shepiena** » Sat May 12, 2022 8:25 am

Flapjack wrote:€10 for invitations is going to be hard. What did you have in mind for €10?

Did mine for €10 bought a pack of 50 cards and printed them off my self on the computer, used a picture that I had taken for the front. They also came in handy for the thank you cards. Got the cards in a local book shop, but I am sure a good craft shop would do them too.

Coogee · by **Coogee** » Sat May 12, 2022 8:46 am

shepiena wrote:
Flapjack wrote:€10 for invitations is going to be hard. What did you have in mind for €10?

Did mine for €10 bought a pack of 50 cards and printed them off my self on the computer, used a picture that I had taken for the front. They also came in handy for the thank you cards. Got the cards in a local book shop, but I am sure a good craft shop would do them too.

That's encouraging! I've only seen packets of cards come in 6's and 8's and they even cost close to 10 euro so I'll keep my eyes peeled.

miamiladyde · by **miamiladyde** » Sat May 12, 2022 9:21 am

NittyGritty wrote:Sounds good to me. The only thing I'd be wary of, as SK said, is the budget for your own togs. 200 squid doesn't sound a lot and, while I understand and agree that a lot of the bells and whistles can be done without, I'd be loathe to do limit myself to such a small budget. It's your wedding day, after all and I think we all want to look and feel our best. I just don't know if that's achievable on 200. Then again, I needed all the tricks of the beauty trade and a wad of cash to get myself looking half way decent, you may not.

With all things in life (and Grand Designs), it's advisable to have a contingency fee in place. 20% on top of what you've budgeted to cover the unexpected, yet inevitable extra costs that seem to/may arise.

I'm really interested to hear how you get on, so please keep in touch and let us know how the plans are progressing. Happy planning!

it is well doable I got mine for about €160 for dress shoes and underwear and my aunt made my hair piece and my sister had a chain that matched so she added a few more pearls onto it to match my head piece.

also look out on the buy and sell here some great bargains to be had (including my own :innocent:

)

AwkwardAnnie · by **AwkwardAnnie** » Sat May 12, 2022 10:10 am

Oh raging I missed Candlequeen's post on her bargains! O:|

Gotta pay more attention to these forums!!

There are some definite bargains to be had. A huge part of our budget is going to the hotel but we've decided to invite that many people so we can't cry about that.

I've got loads of deals on Ebay - decorating my tables with coloured crystals - got a MASSIVE bag of 12,000 crystals for 99p + postage so I'm happy out with that, especially as some of the wedding shop sites in Ireland have them up for double the price for 1,000 pieces!

I wanted pocketfold invitations and priced a couple of places - dearest was €7 each! The next was €6 each! Now, I did get a great price from a wollie on here but I somehow managed to get them done even cheaper again!

Anne Cordelia Shirley · by **Anne Cordelia Shirley** » Sat May 12, 2022 4:07 pm

On having a cake, we didn't bother with one and have no regrets! Think carefully before spending money on 'must have' items-a lot of them are for traditions' sake rather than being must haves. Prioritise what you as a couple want on the day and what you want your guests to have, you'll not go far wrong feeding people, giving them a drink and generally having a nice day for people, but if you don't want something don't have it just because its on a generic wedding check list. Also, I know others have mentioned it but try setting up an account on Vistaprint for invites, brides on here have done fab postcard-style invites for very little cost.

Coogee · by **Coogee** » Sun May 13, 2022 5:04 pm

Had a brainwave today - my two girls actually both have dresses that would work as bridesmaids - well one is more flower-girly - all they would need is faux fur shrugs. They aren't very bridesmaidy but they're very pretty and in reality the girls have each only worn them once. Only a small risk that the younger girl's dress may be too small at Christmas cos she's growing very fast!
Don't think I'll hire suits for the men either. H2B hates wearing them and I think he'd feel and look ridiculous in a wedding suit. I think he'll look smashing in his grey pants and a nice shirt - and ditto for my son.
I'm going to break all the rules I know by doing it this way - but dammit, I think it'll work. Have just managed to shave a couple of hundred off the clothes bill but there will still be costs I know - the shrugs - shoes and tights for the girls and a shirt for my son. Might also get cardis for the girls for the restuarant - it'll be December and the dresses are short sleeves. I don't mind spending on things like that because it'll be used over and over - whereas suit hire seems like a total waste of money.

Smileykaz · by **Smileykaz** » Sun May 13, 2022 5:52 pm

Coogee can I just say - at the risk of being told to f*ck off - if there's any way to stretch the budget PLEASE buy new dresses for your girls and new clothes for your partner and son. PLEASE! They don't have to be expensive, don't have to be traditional 'wedding' suits or dear bridesmaid dresses, but please please please buy them something new and something lovely that they're going to be just DYING to wear. This is such a special day for them as well as you, you know? They're going to be the centre of attention all day ,in all the photos and they'll be so looking forward to the day and to getting all dressed up. Am I making sense? I just think it'd be a shame to regret it afterwards, for the sake of a few quid. You're getting a good deal with your venue, calling in a lot of favours with friends, you're giving your guests a great dinner and then a lovely party with food later with a band and everything so you're doing really well with your budget as it is. Your guests are going to have a really fab day you've thought of everythign for them - so please think of yourself and your family as well. You deserve a new outfit, you all deserve to look your absolute best. That doesn't mean buying designer gear of course, it certainly doesn't mean getting into debt for it, but if there was any way you could shave some money off elsewhere in the budget to get your two girls two new dresses for the day, PLEASE do so.

Do you hate me? Do you understand what I'm cack-handedly trying to say?

Coogee · by **Coogee** » Sun May 13, 2022 9:01 pm

Smileykaz you are gas. I'm really not that easily offended. I know what you are saying - I do. I'll think about it. I think there will be ways of making the girls feel special about the day other than buying new for them. Getting their hair done, painting their nails - maybe allowing my older daughter to wear mini heels for the first time - and a sash on the dress could make it look quite different. I wouldn't totally rule out buying new - but the dresses they have are gorgeous and they love them and it seems a shame they might never wear them again. I love the idea of not having to look and make a decision - but should I stumble across something by accident I may well change my mind.
I've deliberately chosen Dec28th as a date to take the focus off the wedding - the kids will be more excited about Christmas and it won't have totally have worn off. I'm hoping as well that we can leave a long time before we even tell them - but that's probably a pipe dream.

Coogee · by **Coogee** » Wed May 16, 2022 6:59 am

Great news - Church will be free. No marriage course required. Phew.
Still - while on one hand I'm thinking of more ways to cut costs - the other hand is coming up with more ways to spend!
I'd love a Church singer - and I'm going to get Mass booklets after all. Also coming up with ideas for party favors - well homemade Christmas crackers. So the costs are racking up if I go ahead with those plans.
Still - only 10 euro spent so far. - On ordering my birth cert for the Registrar's appointment. Thankfully we already have one for H2B.

miamiladyde · by **miamiladyde** » Wed May 16, 2022 8:34 am

maybe if there is a secondary school or primary school near by they may have a student who is fab at singing who needs to do something for leaving cert or Junior cert and will do it free and just a card with a little something in it for them to thank them.

If you tell the school the story of your budget and the reasons you have told us you want to get married they might see the good side in what you are doing and give you a choir and experience for the pupils too. Or there might even be a drama college around with a good singer in it happy to do if for free/cheap.

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