tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3757566963317785734.post4511574524754394252..comments2023-08-07T11:10:01.219-04:00Comments on Brave Bride: #101: What is the Wedding Budget Sweet Spot?Kim NYChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17656685309192458647noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3757566963317785734.post-15817126636795202612010-10-06T21:46:24.148-04:002010-10-06T21:46:24.148-04:00Our wedding cost $20K but between my mom paying fo...Our wedding cost $20K but between my mom paying for my gown and Gabe's mom paying for the flowers we spent around $18k. I tried to do everything cheap. I had candles instead of flowers for centerpieces, I didn't have a limo, I didn't hire a videographer (big mistake IMO since I'm still waiting for one video and the other is shaky and you can't hear it), I got married on a Sunday which is much cheaper than Saturday, etc. I can send you the spreadsheet if you're that interested. Yes I did stress about the favors which is stupid because we ended up having at least 40 leftover. If I could do it over I would have: made my seamstress take in my dress more and not give in when she told me it was better to have it loose, do my hair differently (when I did the hair trial people said it was too plain in the front so I got a curl which annoyed me the entire day), I would have left in the morning without my dad since he caused me to be 45 minutes late and the guys in the bridal party kept texting me and texting me asking where I was. I guess I also would have invited more people since we paid for 5 people more than showed up to the wedding. We had some no shows which kind of sucks. My biggest regret: the ten pounds I gained from all the stress of the wedding planning. My wedding was a lot of fun but I think it would have been better had it been on a Saturday night instead of a Sunday afternoon but Saturday night was $125 a person and Sunday afternoon was $65 a person. That's a huge difference.Juggling ELAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205398850714405521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3757566963317785734.post-33362856013727492522010-10-06T11:52:15.488-04:002010-10-06T11:52:15.488-04:00I rather agree that $15,000 is about right. We sp...I rather agree that $15,000 is about right. We spent abuot $18,000 and I was REALLY happy with how it all turned out (you saw the pics...it was sooo nice and not foofy and not stuffy and not overdone)...but I think if I lived in the area where my wedding took place and had more energy to devote to budget-cutting, we could have gotten it to $13-$15,000 without losing any of the sweet stuff.Jenna Lynn Codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04032277820150000198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3757566963317785734.post-471358072304653732010-10-06T10:28:17.033-04:002010-10-06T10:28:17.033-04:00Cool, we've got representatives from a good ra...Cool, we've got representatives from a good range of weddings here!<br /><br />@ Steph - I agree that the fact that you spent your money wisely, kindly, and with integrity (without spending money that you didn't have), adequately cancels out any guilt you originally had about the price tag. :)<br /><br />@ Carolyn - You win! Hehe, Kidding of course. Although you make me feel like maybe I'm a genius and totally right about my $15k guess. I'd love if someone did research on this! <br /><br />@ Erika - I think those are great areas in which to splurge! Clearly you do, too, so I'm happy to hear that you've come to peace with your changing budget. <br /><br />PS. I'm "terribly, terribly, wonderfully excited" about your wedding day, too! Hope you'll keep me posted. :)Kim NYChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17656685309192458647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3757566963317785734.post-72449224744063942402010-10-05T15:21:15.191-04:002010-10-05T15:21:15.191-04:00We planned on spending a few thousand (we're h...We planned on spending a few thousand (we're having two ceremonies) but decided to splurge on photography, which brought our total to about $4,000. Then we stumbled onto an AMAZING videographer - we hadn't even considered a wedding video - and that brought our total to about $6,000. <br /><br />It looks like a lot of money, seeing that 6 followed by 3 zeroes, but we've made peace with our decision. Our splurges are on the things whose quality we care most about (for example, my dress cost $60...I love it, absolutely, but I didn't consider spending thousands for a custom design or special fabric...just not a priority for me like the pictures are - besides, I plan to destroy the crap out of it in the mud and waterfalls, Eee!). <br /><br />I'm terribly, terribly, wonderfully excited for our wedding day! I think, when you feel that way, it means you're doin' it right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3757566963317785734.post-87548380144336934972010-10-05T12:16:15.367-04:002010-10-05T12:16:15.367-04:00We, like so many others started with a $10K goal. ...We, like so many others started with a $10K goal. Because of loving parents and solid penny-pinching, we can afford more but it seemed like a good starting place. As of right now it looks like we'll wind up around the $12 to $15K mark.<br /><br />This is less than we can afford, but more than we budgeted. I feel ok, knowing we're not going crazy on frivolities and happy that I've been able to go above budget on a few line items without having to feel super guilty.<br /><br />So from my inconsequential perspective, $15K sounds like a sweet spot to me, too. (But still, a heck of a lot of dough!!!)Carolynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03903447043848422690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3757566963317785734.post-80208013816335958962010-10-05T11:11:09.183-04:002010-10-05T11:11:09.183-04:00Really really loved this comment --> "The ...Really really loved this comment --> "The amount you spend is not as telling as how you spend it - wisely, kindly with integrity, I hope."<br /><br />I was right around the national average with what I spent on my wedding (our own money + generous donations from my parents). I've felt a little embarassed about this for a while, because originally we had wanted to spend a lot less. Ben and I both believed our wedding was an important day, but also recognized that in the end it was only ONE DAY out of our (hopefully) long and fulfilling life together. We didn't want to spend frivolously or go into debt over one day.<br /> And we didn't. There were a few things we could have done away with, more than a few people we could have cut from the guest list (but adding them meant a lot to certain family members who were footing the bill), but in the end I do feel like how we spent the money was wise, kind and with integrety. <br /> We mostly chose to follow traditions, but we did so in a way that was true to ourselves. And we didn't spend money we didn't have. <br /> Thank you for making me feel a little less <br />guilty about the price tag, even though it was higher than both your wedding, and the sweet spot your mentioned.Stephnoreply@blogger.com