Getting carried away with the budget....help!

View Quoted Comment Agree! Like I don’t care about how everyone raved about your casserole during Friday’s Trivia Night, Chrysta! Now show me your centerpieces and veil! And tell me how you’re helping to keep your wild cousin from being plastered before the main entree is served. 🤪

View Quoted Comment Plus formal dinner parties are oftentimes thought of as old fashioned and stuffy these days. A lot of people prefer to go out to new restaurants and try new foods in new atmospheres. Having formal (or semi-formal) catered events within the home just isn’t popular. When gathering with friends at home most people don’t send invites any more- they text. And they typically don’t hire catering staff, they open some bottles and cook together or just have food delivered. Hosting gatherings has become much more informal.

View Quoted Comment 🤣🤣🤣🤣 nailed it.

View Quoted Comment Plus formal dinner parties are oftentimes thought of as old fashioned and stuffy these days. A lot of people prefer to go out to new restaurants and try new foods in new atmospheres. Having formal (or semi-formal) catered events within the home just isn’t popular. When gathering with friends at home most people don’t send invites any more- they text. And they typically don’t hire catering staff, they open some bottles and cook together or just have food delivered. Hosting gatherings has become much more informal.

Our venue has an all inclusive package that we signed up for but we’re allotted a certain amount for each thing. We kept to our amount with the food, DJ & photographer. We went over by $116 on the invitations. I’m cutting corners with the flowers since we’re budgeted for $400. Going DIY the flowers for my bridesmaids, bouquet toss & something to go on the top of the gazebo where the ceremony will held. Still have to meet with the florist & the baker in January so we’ll see how that goes. We were in sticker shock when we started looking at venues!

Stay off Pinterest.

Also, identify what it is YOU want out of YOUR wedding, and how it would best reflect the two of you. Then you will not be tempted by "extras", because they will have nothing to do with what you want.

And every dollar you spend on the wedding is a dollar you don't have for the honeymoon, or your life after.

We went over our first budget because it wasn't realistic, we didn't realize how expensive some things were (like photography). Once we made our second budget we've been sticking to that!

We're doing great with our budget! I also highly suggest a spreadsheet if you are worried about going over. Having everything in one place so you can see how you're doing budget wise is AWESOME. It keeps me in check and I don't have to worry about whether I'm going over or not.

Also, don't let vendor packages sucker you in! Establish what you and your SO want, and stick with it. Packages and add-ons are nice, but the question is do you REALLY need that light up, dance floor monogram of your names for an extra $200 (just an example lol)...or can you do without? lol