Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

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RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

I want to " Thank Everyone " for their helpful feedback of suggestions. But at this time, my nephew and his future bride want to hold off till 2009 or maybe 2010.

Post by JerrySchach

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

My husband and I just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary and our wedding cost under $100.00. We just had our immediate family in attendance, no aunts, uncles, cousins or close friends. My husband's sister played organ music, and my brother-in-law was the best man. I had a female friend from work who was my matron of honor and her husband.

Including both my husband and I there were 12 people which also included the minister.

I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and I knew that my parents couldn't afford to pay for an expensive wedding. My mother took me shopping and she bought me a beautiful white brocade dress, and purchased a wedding veil at a bridal shop. My mother-in-law was very gracious and she made our wedding cake. The ceremony was in the morning, so we had reservations at a nice restaurant for a wedding breakfast.

$100.00 now that's what I call a frugal wedding.

Post by MCW

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

I had a gorgeous wedding in San Diego at Presido Park on the brick steps of the Presido it. It was lovely. $15 or $30 for park fee.

Cake and Champagne reception we did have plenty of finger foods our cake was exquisite; chocolate and white chocolate from Switzerland. The bakers are from there and buy in bulk and just come back from a trip and I used to hang out reading at the coffee shop the bakers owned. They offered to do my cake. I wanted to pay but they did not want me to since I used to always clear my cup and others along
the way and they remembered that!

My fresh roses, fresias, tulips came from a grocery store florist and I paid $50.00 dollars as the store manager overheard me asking the florist. My family were faithful customers and they loved my parents. Incredible, I did not ask for discounts.

Just set a price and make things fit. Do not spend $ my mom asked me what do you want to spend $ on wedding or on honeymoon? We chose honeymoon. Best decision we drove up to San Francisco, then Oregon and had a blast and 5 weeks of FUN! Good luck.

PS A post here I saw once said BORROW as much as you can. For decorations use white or clear Christmas lights little bulbs or others you would be amazed what others save never to use again. I have loaned out my decorations that we made several times. Oh, we did bird seed in tulle bags closed with a ribbon tied at end and on end we glued a mini black stetson cowboy hat everyone wanted to know where we got those. Just an idea from seeing cowboy hats on salsa bottle tops!
There are so many ideas you can get from this site too!

Post by meoowmom

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

My son and his wife had a "frugal" wedding. Renting the pavilion on the beach for the reception afterward was the most expensive part. The ladies had simple Hawaiian dresses and men had Hawaiian shirts. Flowers where single stems of stargazer lilies (bride had a small bouquet). Food for reception was brought by various family and it was a potluck. Cake was small and simple...you could always fill in with a few sheet cakes or 13x9 cakes and have the small wedding cake. My sons wedding cost under $500 including gratuity for minister. Most expensive was our cost in getting family to wedding site.
Use the imagination, homemade invitations, decorations, you can really cut down...it is having people there to celebrate your union that is important.

Post by Har'iet

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

If the 4 girls all go and buy a simple black dress, they will get by pretty cheap. If they go to a thrift store, they will by still cheaper. Probably be able to wear the dress again, and again. The week after the wedding, they will have money in the bank, and not a credit card bill in the mail. Smart girls!

Post by WIsgal

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

I did a wedding in six weeks, and that was all I did every day all day long for six weeks. We had finger food and chips and salsa and served the wedding cake. It was nice, but not fancy and we still spend $4,000 (this was 10 years ago). Enlist the help of the Mom and and Mom-in-law and Grandmothers!

Post By Phyllis Barton (Guest Post)

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

I must be really frugal! I had 3mb, 4gm and 50 guests. I paid my mother's plane flight and for 3 bm dresses, had a first class sit down dinner and reception along with flowers, photos and cake. It cost $3,500.00 total. Oh yea, and rental cars! Hope this shows what being frugal means.

Post By denise w (Guest Post)

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

No way to answer. Depends on cost of dresses chosen, types of flowers, bridesmaids gifts, location of church and reception, pastoral fees, food and beverage, etc.

Post By Enter your name.Linda (Guest Post)

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

My first wedding was a no expenses spared top country house hotel wedding, expensive honeymoon etc the marriage didn't last. The whole wedding was my ex husbands family basically showing off their status, etc. Yes, you've guessed it my second marriage on a shoestring has lasted 20 years.

We got married in our local church with family and friends in attendance. I walked from my house to the church (about 100 yards) all the neighbours came out to watch. The choir sang and there were flowers in the church anyway all week. They are done on a rota, they rang the bells and the usual Sunday organist played traditional wedding airs, total cost was only £50 to read the banns and pay for the certificate.

Because we got married at the end of a Sunday service in front of the entire congregation ( who we knew anyway) the organist and choir was free. We bought blank cards and sent out invites ourselves £5.

I wore a charity shop white dress £30 my husband wore his best suit. The wedding ring was antique second hand £100 (the dearest thing) we skipped an engagement ring. I carried a white bible and pinned a silk flower to the dress. We played a mozart cd in the background for guests arriving and departing. The Sunday church elders escorted people to and fro.

We had our wedding at the end of the usual Sunday service so the whole congregation attended which was charming. Afterwards the pastor and his wife let us use the church hall and the canteen at the back of the church (so no transportation to reception costs) and everyone in the congregation supplied one dish of food each for free like a pot luck and the congregation set the food out and cleared up, too.

After the buffet we had all the usual music and speeches and reading of cards, then some traditional games for the youngsters. Friends and family took pictures on their own cameras and when we got back from our honeymoon the whole church gave us 3 white albums they had filled for us as a wedding present; 1 of pictures, 1 of hand written messages and 1 of wedding cards.

We left the reception in our own car which people had decorated for fun with spray foam and tin cans and just married signs, and went to stay with friends for the week who lived near the coast as their house guests and they wouldn't take a penny from us.

We had long romantic walks on the beach and in the woods and cozy chats by the fire with our friends, long lunches and home cooked shared meals & wine and many a evening in the local pub sipping beer. It was the most wonderful perfect wedding and honeymoon. I still get teary eyed when I think back to it. It cost in total £185 and £100 of that was on the ring lol

Weddings are not about how much money you spend but about joining as man and wife before God, church, family and friends, coming together in humble worship adoration and love to make your betrothal. Trust me none notices if your dress is 10 pounds or 10,000 pounds. What guests DO notice is LOVE and no money can buy it.

Post by cazpumpkin

RE: Calculating Costs for a Large Wedding

My daughter is getting married on July 4th, 2009. She has seven bridesmaids, seven groomsmen, six ushers, candle lighters, flower girl, ring bearer, train carrier, etc. 622 people will be invited so far. With all cost, she has gotten quotes and appraisals totally 47,000. That includes wedding, dinner, dancing, and alcohol for 350. Which is what she feels will actually attend. I will get it under ten grand and be better than she wants, if it kills me!

Post by momandmurray

RE: Calculating Cost For Large Wedding

We are getting married on 4-4-09. We have 4 maids, 4 men, no ushers, 1 flowergirl, and 1 ringbearer. For 200 guests, it will cost us about $10,000. We are having my fiance's uncle do our pictures. Which will save a ton. We are also having the Hall do all the work for us. (Cake cutting, decorating, serving the food, making the food, etc.) It was $3,000, which was the most expensive thing, but I think it will be worth it in the end. We had all the girls buy their own dresses and shoes. I bought their jewlery for them ($20 at Target on sale!!). We also skipped the limo service and decided to have everything done in the Hall (Wedding and reception). We also have two videographers coming too. This is not including the honeymoon to Florida. We also made our own invitations and save-the-date magnets. This saved a ton too. Kinko's printed 140 invites for less than $10!!! All we did was design them ourselves. We are using fake flowers for the bouquets too. This saved a ton too. The friend of ours is making them for us as a wedding gift. My mom is not sure what to get us for a wedding gift and I thinking of asking her to buy the wedding cake or at least pitch in on it. It was only about $400 for a three layer cake in the middle with four-two tiered cakes on the side. We got our cake at Hy-vee to save money too. To save even more money have the wedding on a weeknight or on Sunday. Everything will be cheaper than having it on a Saturday or a Friday night. Email me at dhull at tandt dot com if you want some more details.

Post By The Future Dana Newburn on 4-4-09 (Guest Post)

RE: Calculating Cost For Large Wedding

It's too bad that your nephew's future bride wasn't thrifty and frugal. She could learn how to save a lot of money by reading the following on this website.

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16173685.tip.html

Spending thousands of dollars on a wedding will never guarantee that the marriage will last.

Post by MCW

RE: Calculating Cost For Large Wedding

I am getting married October 25th, 2008, 6 maids, 6 men, 4 ushers, 2 flowergirls, 1 host and 1 hostess. For 220 guests everything is costing us 24,000 total.

Post by JoAnnK

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