i got engaged over christmas: wedding cost questions

[gotbacon23]

Originally Posted by Meticode

I got married on Oct. 17th. It was a small wedding and I'm kind of glad that it was because just the small wedding was stressful. We were planning on getting married on July 11th, 2009, but we pushed up the date for personal reasons.

Goodluck on the wedding, if you're having a big wedding with like 50+ guests or way more, be prepared for tens of thousands of dollars on 1 day.

Although in the end the wedding gifts are great, especially if you get stuff you register for.

P.S. - The cake is at least going to cost $500. Probably over $1000 since you're having over 100 guests. We got ours for free since a family friend did it, which would've cost us around $400. Good luck. You save a lot of money if you and you're wife and maybe her or your parents stupid a lot of the arrangements yourself and decorations and color arrangements.

thanks- we're good now actually. my fiance's parents are giving us $25,000 and my mom told us today that if we go over $25,000, she and my dad will pay anything over that... so now money really isn't an issue. we aren't gonna go crazy, but at least we don't have to stress too much.

[Meticode]

Originally Posted by gotbacon23

thanks- we're good now actually. my fiance's parents are giving us $25,000 and my mom told us today that if we go over $25,000, she and my dad will pay anything over that... so now money really isn't an issue. we aren't gonna go crazy, but at least we don't have to stress too much.

Don't worry. It'll be stressful anyway even if there isn't a money problem. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to try to get under the $25,000 total. Even if by only one to two thousand dollars. It's a nice little self-wedding present along with what you're going to get. And you're going to get a lot of money as gift's anyway.

Another piece of advice, don't plan anything at the last minute if you don't have too. That's a big stresser there. Go to where the ceremony will happen, see where you're going to exchange your vows, where people will be sitting, where the photographers will get good pictures, etc.

And personal wrote vows are so much more meaningful IMO. We could've done personal vows (which we did) or pre-made repeat after me crap.

[brantonli]

One of my teachers, who is a priest, was the preacher at a wedding, and the people who were invited included James Blunt and Prince Harry, and the wedding was in a castle.

Congrats to you! good luck on it and tell us how it goes afterwards ;)

[rufuspaul]

Originally Posted by gotbacon23

thanks- we're good now actually. my fiance's parents are giving us $25,000 and my mom told us today that if we go over $25,000, she and my dad will pay anything over that... so now money really isn't an issue. we aren't gonna go crazy, but at least we don't have to stress too much.

Your job then good sir is to do whatever possible to satisfy the good bride. You can casually suggest that a certain request is extravagant and therefore should be omitted, but if your objections are met with any real resistance, stand back and let the young lady have her moment in the sun.

[sandwiches]

if you can't have a wedding for less than 25k, you are being ripped off. I've been to really good weddings for less than 10K. Don't just buy everything, just make the things you can make.

[gotbacon23]

Originally Posted by sandwiches

if you can't have a wedding for less than 25k, you are being ripped off. I've been to really good weddings for less than 10K. Don't just buy everything, just make the things you can make.

i think its all a rip off anyway- but it is what it is. our venue alone cost $5,500 to rent out. i don't think im going to do crap like get a limo or anything like that though. i think a limo is a waste of money because you are in it for like 10 minutes.

[rufuspaul]

Originally Posted by gotbacon23

i think its all a rip off anyway- but it is what it is. our venue alone cost $5,500 to rent out. i don't think im going to do crap like get a limo or anything like that though. i think a limo is a waste of money because you are in it for like 10 minutes.

Got any friends or family that own sweet rides that they could lend? I went to a wedding once where the bride's unlce drove them to the reception in his mint condition '66 Thunderbird convertable. Of course most of the guys there remember the car more than the wedding.

[Rasheed1]

Originally Posted by i seen hippos

How was your experience in Jamaica as far locals, Rasheed?

My mom went there in her 20's and guys from the resort had to bully some locals cause they were stalking my mother and her friends.

When I went with my family a dude gave my dad a "free" gift and then demanded money once my dad took it. So my dad tries giving it back and the guy won't accept it. So my dad ran to the tour bus with the guy chasing him.

I say this because I went to Bahamas a couple afterwards and the people were much more pleasant.

This is moot if you're not going to leave the resort area I guess. I just wouldn't trust those Jamaican locals with my new wife. lol

the way the Negril resort was situated, we didnt have any contact with the locals, and they encouraged people not to because they didnt want to be responsible... jamaican guys came on the beach to try sell us trees(my god that sh*t was cess)

I havent been to Dunns River or Ocho Rios Sandals, but Negril was secluded from locals and it was a tropical heaven...

[gotbacon23]

Originally Posted by rufuspaul

Got any friends or family that own sweet rides that they could lend? I went to a wedding once where the bride's unlce drove them to the reception in his mint condition '66 Thunderbird convertable. Of course most of the guys there remember the car more than the wedding.

nice. and yeah, i could probably pull something good. my friend's dad passed away last year: very sad, but he did inherit his dad's collection of cars which included a 1954 classic bentley and either a lamborgini or ferrari (i actually forget which... it could be both haha). im not a car person so i dont mind drive my piece of crap 2000 jetta though haha.

[hateraid]

Here's from what I remember

Hotel ballroom including service and food for 300 guests, plus honeymoon suite (Nice hotel with a tropical theme and a waterfall in the centercourt)- $7000

DJ- $450

Photographer- $350

Wedding cake- $200

Wedding dress- $700

Decorations, invitations- $500

car rental (2004 Ford Mustang GT convertable plus two Ford Exlporers)- $160


Our enterouge all paid for there own gear and our guests from out of town took care of themselves. Shop around, you'll find great deals.