Wanted: Wedding tips for the financially challenged

[Dextra]

Cheap tricks

please forgive further lack of capitalization- broke the nail on my pinky finger and am having a hard time typing...

-i had an ivy crown and corsage, hound a buttonier- cheap and simple
-designed our clothes myself, had a friend seamstress provide the labour for free (but she swore at me most of the time- i had a laced up bodice and gloves, hound had a priest's cassock-style shirt with 42 buttons!)
-designed and printed our own invitations
-had the ceremony at the inlaws' farm
-invited only closest of friends to the ceremony, and had what is known here as a midnight buffet (it's a rural community specialty- have the ceremony in the evening, then have dancing and drinks until 10 or so, giving the locals a chance to go home and milk the cows, then come back and have sandwiches, devilled eggs and/or crudités).
-a friend made our rings
-for wedding favours, we had bubbles at each place, and a small box of gourmet jellybeans (some sugar-free)

ways to save on catering: if you do the midnight buffet way, consider contacting your local woman's or church group to cater light sandwiches and salads

 

[sniffles]

please forgive further lack of capitalization- broke the nail on my pinky finger and am having a hard time typing...

-i had an ivy crown and corsage, hound a buttonier- cheap and simple
-designed our clothes myself, had a friend seamstress provide the labour for free (but she swore at me most of the time- i had a laced up bodice and gloves, hound had a priest's cassock-style shirt with 42 buttons!)
-designed and printed our own invitations
-had the ceremony at the inlaws' farm
-invited only closest of friends to the ceremony, and had what is known here as a midnight buffet (it's a rural community specialty- have the ceremony in the evening, then have dancing and drinks until 10 or so, giving the locals a chance to go home and milk the cows, then come back and have sandwiches, devilled eggs and/or crudités).
-a friend made our rings
-for wedding favours, we had bubbles at each place, and a small box of gourmet jellybeans (some sugar-free)

ways to save on catering: if you do the midnight buffet way, consider contacting your local woman's or church group to cater light sandwiches and salads

That sounds a lot like what I'd like to do, except for the midnight buffet - I can't stay up that late!

Aside from the location question, we can't figure out what to have the groom wear. I'm going to wear a gown patterned after Eowyn's white gown from LotR - Two Towers, and a garland of silk flowers instead of a veil. Hedrin (my fiancee's screenname here) has a pirate greatcoat he'd like to wear (not exactly coordinated with my gown, but who cares?). But we don't know what else for him to wear. He's rather girthy and can't find a pirate shirt to fit. Maybe the friend who's sewing my gown can make him a simple pirate shirt - then we'll only have to figure out pants & shoes for him.

I like the bubbles & jellybeans idea for guest favors - I'd thought of something similar. I wish we knew a jeweler so we could have a friend make our rings. That would be cool. We do actually know a jeweler but she mostly does earrings & pendants, & she's not a close enough friend to give us a good deal on rings (or do them as a gift).

 

[Laurel]

Not sure if this will help any.....

As some have said asking friends for those small favors is generally the biggest saver. There is also letting people know that it is okay to help out the wedding as part or all of their gift. My brother and now wife had a very low budget wedding, but it was still very beautiful and memorable. The big thing is not to push it all on a few people but spread things out.

Her mom's best friend was a florist, so they went to the local Michaels during their big floral sale and got everything then. The florist then spent what time she needed over a few months putting things together. The church was free since she had gone there since she was baptized. They got the basic package from a professional photographer, but had lots of us lined up for extra pictures. She still claims some of her best pictures are ones her friends took. Her uncle sells cars so he ask what they wanted as they drive away vehicle for free (he just had to act as chuffer). Since everyone was at the same hotel they let us have one of their downstairs meeting rooms for after the wedding for around $50. We got a special group rate for the slow home cooked B-B-Q place down the road to deliver, and one of her good friends growing up had become a local baker for the dessert portion. The alcohol was set up through a few people one person they knew at a liquor store, another at a grocery store (for the wine and beer). It turned out that we had a stereo system and video screen in the room, and asked one person to play DJ. It as more just changing CD's, and she had made a single CD for their special dance songs already. Most everyone brought a few so it was a cool mix of songs, and the bride had her option of saying no to certain things (something you may try and get over rules with professional DJ)

From my own- We used the same paper for everything, and just took it in mass to the local printer. We had used the computer to format the original script and design, but then just saved it to disk. They can also fold the paper into whatever division you need, and adding a little ribbon is easy. If you have a half-way decent printer though, it also works to just print most of it yourself.

We also had cupcakes instead of a cake- used some ribbon and wood and presto great looking center peice. We also got small take out type boxes and gave them away as our gift- getting two things off the check list for the price of one

As a general note, when planning mine I got told by a lot of places they had super deals for Sept. 11th. I can understand the hesitance anyone would have for a party on that date, but I know even more that would be okay with it.... just to throw it out there.

I have been to some spectacular and amazingly inexpensive weddings, it just took a lot more prep work for the couple.


PS- Dextra I love the sound of yours!

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that, BiggusGeekus! I'm not sure she'd be willing to have a stranger clean her house, but it's a good idea.

Well, if she's there to supervise a hired maid, maybe it would work out.

I see you're in Portland. I'll be there in early October for the H.P. Lovecraft film festival. I could perform the ceremony* (for free) if you do it when I'm in town.


*Thanks to the Universal Life Church, I'm an ordained minister.


Here are some things we did at my wedding, my sister's wedding, and/or my brother's wedding to save money:

*cash bar / BYOB (saves a lot)
*free site (my sister's wedding was in my dad's yard; the reception was in the groom's mother's yard)
*do-it-yourself floral arrangement (silk flowers last forever, and you can purchase well in advance of the "big financial crunch")
*discount invitations (through a "Bridal broker"; but nowadays, with laser printers so cheap, you can print your own invitations)
*ceremony in a park (free or very cheap) And if you don't drink alcohol, just have the reception there, too. Just book the site as a family picnic and bring the coolers full o' soda for after the ceremony.


Whatever you decide, have fun!

 

[sniffles]

I see you're in Portland. I'll be there in early October for the H.P. Lovecraft film festival. I could perform the ceremony* (for free) if you do it when I'm in town.


*Thanks to the Universal Life Church, I'm an ordained minister.



Whatever you decide, have fun!

There's an HP Lovecraft film festival in October?! I need to pay attention!!

I think my sister did something similar when she married; I'm pretty sure their officiant wasn't a typical minister.

My fiancee wants his uncle, who is a retired Lutheran minister, to officiate - but since he hasn't got round to actually *telling* his uncle he'd like that, we may take you up on that offer, Barendd!!

 

[d20Dwarf]

We have a really limited budget for our wedding (a month away? ).

We are doing it in a park in the morning, total rental cost for pavilion + picnic area= $75.

It's in the morning, we'll do a lunch afterward, or maybe just snacks since the ceremony will be over by 10:30am. I'll be making all or most of the food, probably budget around $100.

My grandfather's girlfriend owns a wedding shop...wholesale cost on dresses! YEAH!

Rented tux from Men's Warehouse: $75.

I made my own invitations, which turned out quite nice. We bought an invitation set from Target for $24.95 and I designed and printed them at home (attaching below, if I have privileges).

All in all it's not going to be that bad. Still haven't figured out a cake yet, and we sent the ring to be sized...the wedding is on the tail end of the estimated sizing period, so we're taking a chance!

Oh yeah, our officiant is a friend that's ordained in some wacky pagan church.

I'd say we're getting out of this for less than $1,000, dress and ring included. And right before Gencon, too, so if you see me there, feel free to buy me dinner so I don't have to subsist on rice cakes and ramen.

 

[sniffles]

Congratulations, fellow Texan!! (I grew up in the panhandle area)

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

There's an HP Lovecraft film festival in October?! I need to pay attention!!

I think my sister did something similar when she married; I'm pretty sure their officiant wasn't a typical minister.

My fiancee wants his uncle, who is a retired Lutheran minister, to officiate - but since he hasn't got round to actually *telling* his uncle he'd like that, we may take you up on that offer, Barendd!!

I'm more shocked that the festival is in Portland, than that it's in October. You got deep ones colonizing off the coast there or what?!?

The main web site for HP Lovecraft Film Festival has the details. This year's festival will be held Oct 7-9 at the Hollywood Theatre.

Just send me an email if you need me to officiate. Or post here. Having the groom's uncle do it will be a lot more special!! But I'm sure you already knew that!

 

[sniffles]

Thanks, Barendd! I'll now have to return to prodding the fiancee to call his uncle, and warn him that I have other options if he doesn't follow through.

 

[cuteasaurus]

I'd suggest checking out the local craft store for materials for some of these suggestions and ideas for some new ones. Sometimes they'll have an entire aisle "dedicated" to wedding crafts (invitations, favors, veils, etc.).