Wedding Help?

I need as much help as possible, our budget is pretty small (around $4,000.00) We want to have the nicest wedding we can but we obviously dont have much money! I need some tips, cheap places, and ideas. We are in the southwest corner of MI. Also if you know anyone personally who could cut a good deal with flowers or food that would be a huge help! We have a photographer who is only charging us for materials, a DJ who is asking for a donation of our choosing and a videographer who is free...we have a possible reception site but for it and the food we would use half of our budget! I dont know I am very excited about this day but at the same time very stressed!

Wedding Help?
here are some ideas I told someone else on here..hope this helps some...with ur budget of 4,000 and all the things that everyone is doing for free or discount you should be good!



Dont get over whelmed. You can do it..no problem. I live in Ohio but my wedding was 3,000 something and we had 100-125 ppl. I only had my mom and best friend helping so it wasnt like I had so many people to help me. Everyone had a great time, good food, real Dj and great memories..well the hubby %26amp; I are no longer.together.lol. But the day was nice!



I went to barnes and nobles..got a etiquette book, that took away alot of stress. you need to do alot of shopping around. If you find something nice..look twice..you normally can find it cheaper.



When it comes to your dress, skip the fancy spots..Check David Bridal..



My cake came from the grocery store..it was the dummy cake on the bottom, real on top%26amp; sheet cake in the back ...taste the same..and looked great..



I found a nice location and caterer 1st. That should be the bulk of your budget. Hold off on the alcohol...if you have the money at the end then great spend it..if you dont dont worry about it. If they are coming just for free drinks they dont need to be there.



Go around to crafts stores to get alot of your stuff ( guest book, ring bear pillow etc) Places like JoAnn Fabric have coupons for 40-50% off every sunday..clip those and buy an item a week. And as lame as it sounds cut back on the flowers..find something else to use or use really nice fake ones.



Wal-mart offers alot of wedding stuff as well as target. Check e-bay..alot of things are new..people who didnt get married or have almost new items used once.



For your gifts for the wedding party...take advantage of the sales at Victoria's Secert, Bath and Body Works..at the end of mothers and fathers day..get some of those gifts sets that are marked down!



Go simple on the favors for guest alot of ppl could really care less about them



It will be alot of people who look at that 5000.00 as peanuts but you can do it and do it well! Good luck..if you have any questions contact me..
Reply:just have appetizers and finger foods at the reception. If you ask around to family and friends i am sure most would be glad to help out! Same goes for the cake!
Reply:Flowers:



www.costco.com



Get married on a Sunday, demand a sunday discount!



Reception site: local park or garden, VFW, Moose lodge, golf greens.... all unexpensive choices



Food: Hors d'ouvres or cocktail, cake and punch or pot luck are all inexpensive choices.



Keep you guest list SMALL, you can afford more and better this way.



Good luck
Reply:I know this isn't an idea but a tip...1/2 your budget for your reception site %26amp; food is actually perfect! That's actually the reccomendation of most wedding budget calculators.
Reply:Hi and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!



Well, this IS doable, but you really need to look around and cut corners. I'm sure you already realize that!



I live in Michigan too.....although very, very, very north of you!



Anyway, seems like you are off to a good start with what you are getting free or low cost.



Where is your ceremony and reception? Are you having them in the same location? Are you getting married at a church? Don't try to cut down on your ceremony at all....the ceremony is not what will cost....the reception will! You are right in saying that 1/2 of the budget is for the reception. That is right on!



Ideas:

~ limit your guest list.....this is the biggest cost savings.



~ have a small wedding party also. Have a maid of honor and best man.....maybe a flower girl and ring bearer....but keep it to that. This cuts down on the rehearsal dinner costs as well as the cost of purchasing attendant gifts.



~ I see you are serving appetizers and cake only. This IS OK....but make sure that you schedule your wedding/reception for a time where your guests will not be expecting a meal. This could be later at night.....say 7:30 or 8 p.m. OR...it could be mid-afternoon....anywhere from 2-5 p.m. If you have your reception anytime from 11-2 (lunch) OR anywhere from 5-7 (dinner)....a meal will be expected.



~ Another idea is to do a lunch reception, which is always cheaper than dinner.



~ Ways to save on your dress is to go to a David's Bridal when they are having their $99 sale. JCPenney is another place where you can find low cost dresses.



~ For your cake: go to a bakery in a grocery store. They will be LOTS cheaper than a regular bakery. Do you live by a Costco or Walmart? Their cake are really good!



~ Do you have a large grocery store that has a floral department? That is another way to save. A floral department in a grocery store will be lots cheaper than a regular florist. And....they ARE trained designers.



~ Another option for flowers: DON'T go overboard with big huge bouquets for the bridesmaids. A few roses with some greens tied with a silk ribbon looks so much better than a big huge bouquet of silks with many different flowers.



~ Centerpiece ideas: Do something really elegant and cheap. Do you live by a Dollar Tree store? If not, you can order online from them. Get some glass vases....fill with some colored "glass gems" (about 1 inch).....then fill about 2/3 with water and put in 1 or 2 floating candles. Easy and affordable! If you look around on the internet, you can get everything for this for about $3/centerpiece.



~ As far as a venue....I don't know what is available to you. Look around at VFW Halls or Knights of Columbus Halls. They, obviously, will be cheaper than a hotel or banquet hall.



~ With your budget, you won't be able to serve alcohol. So...you could always have your reception in the fellowship hall of the church (if you are having a church wedding.) I work as a secretary at a Lutheran Church, and our church hall is beautiful! Really nice.



~ DO NOT waste money on limos, favors, or table cameras.



Hope some of these ideas are helpful. Good luck!
Reply:I agree with sammie, but thought maybe a few websites could help you out too.



You can try ann's bridal bargains for a lot of things. And try oriental trading for all kinds of decorations and odds and ends.



If you use any of the places or any stores online, go to:

http://www.couponwinner.com/

Then type in the name of the place, and if there are any online coupons, they will give you the code. I got a lot of free shipping coupons.



Hope this helps. Best of luck to you! Congrats!
Reply:If you're encountering all these problems you should put off your wedding until you can afford it...

But if you insist on doing it then you really have to cut corners....

your guest list will really play a part on how things go. Inviting alot of people will wipe your budget out...Try silk flowers instead of real flowers...everyone have a family and/or friend that can cook(have that family member cook for wedding w/ help from family %26amp; friends, have a cupcakes tree instead of a traditionally cake; you can make that yourself...just do your homework...
Reply:Contact me.. You don't live far from me and I did the same thing under 6,000 and had a beautiful wedding. My grandmother is a wedding coordinator and she has dress/flowers/decorations at cost... take a look at her website...



http://www.twobecomingoneonline.com
Reply:You could have the reception at a local American Legion, that would only be around $250... Just be creative in your decorating. To cut a lot of cost in the cake, you could get it from Wal-Mart and it would be less than $200. For flowers, you could get a membership ($40) to Sam's Club and get flowers in bulk very inexpensive. Like 80 Gerber Daisy's for $65.20 stems of hydrangea for $55 (And even 2 stems each would be big enough for the bridesmaids, 125 roses for $86...

Or even go to Wal-Mart and get roses... They have roses 1 dozen for $10. You could do something as simple as each bridesmaid has 3 roses, the maid of honor get 5, and you have a dozen.

Orientaltrading.com has a lot of wedding stuff... If you have a dollar store near you you could get stuff there too. Like for centerpieces, a wine glass with a floating candle in it.





Edit~*~ You should check out the page redroze777 posted for you...theres a link for gowns even and I saw 3 I loved that were only $199!!
Reply:Relax! This is your big day! It doesn't matter how big or small it is, you will remember it for the rest of your life anyway. Do you have any friends or family that have a beautiful property? You could have a beautiful reception in someone's backyard or on a beach. I don't know how the weather is, but the outdoors offers a beauty that nowhere else does. As for food, you don't need to have 11 courses. For my wedding I want a simple pasta dinner. (my fav) Relax. Remember, this day is about you and your hubby, not how much you spent on the wedding. Best of luck!
Reply:Get an awesome cheap bouncer for the reception and find an aspiring artist to write on your envelopes.
Reply:Do more stuff yourself, we got married on small budget, make your own wishing well and do your own invitation ask for 'new home' deposit instead of gift. It save you to get bridal register.



We even made our own cupcakes, check out this web site, small fee but great instructions. http://www.DIY-WeddingCupCakes.com itself saved us $500.