What do you want to know from us Married Gals?

1. In the end was it worth all the money?

Oh, yeah! We wouldn't have changed a thing about our wedding, and it was worth every little hassle leading up to it. But then again, I'm also really detail-oriented.

2. For those who are non-AI how much was your bar tab at the end of the night?

Sorry, we didn't have any alcohol besides the toast. We wanted it, but it was one of the battles we lost with my family, who hate alcohol. Long story.

3. (For those people who bought expensive dresses) In the end was it worth it having your dream dress or would it have been just as good in a cheaper version (too late for me! but just curious)

I didn't spend a whole lot of money on my dress - I got a great deal on it - but it was still my dream dress. I actually added some beading to it myself, which made it all the more special. Personally, if it's your dream dress, I say go for it!

4. What is the minimum # hours someone should hire a photographer?

Depends on your ceremony and reception time. I think 4 hrs at bare minimum, though. Have enough time to get shots before the wedding (of getting ready, with BMs and groomsmen, etc) and then make sure they stay long enough to get cake cutting shots, pics of your guests dancing, etc.

I wish we had kept our photographer for longer. She was there before the wedding, but it felt really rushed, and then we moved the cake cutting to earlier during the reception, b/c she was getting ready to leave. We still got great photos, but since then I have watched my friends get married and have lots of fun taking pics before the wedding, and we really didn't get to do that.

Kash I'm going for non-AI but I'll bring the alcohol from here, they charge me 20 dlls per person for the sodas and mixers..

1. In the end was it worth all the money?

Ummm....I say yes. It was a lot of money, but I can't think of anything I would have wanted to cut out. Cabo is expensive. Smaller budgets can probably create the same thing in quieter parts of Mexico for less money. I would have gone to another location before cutting anything out.

4. What is the minimum # hours someone should hire a photographer?

I say four hours. That is what I did and I got most of the major events of the night covered. However, if you can afford it book five hours, I would do that. If I had just one more hour we could have gotten some of the fire dancers and some more of the dancing at the reception. Juan preety much split after the first dance. He asked if I wanted him to stay and I should have said yes! Friends took a lot of picture too, but, when you put those photos next to the Pro ones, they look like crap!

Thanks ladies! I'm glad that in the end it was still worth all the money (it IS a lot of money!) but as i keep telling myself that with the exception of perhaps the day my future children are born this is the most important day our our lives...

Plus it's going to be really fun! When else can I spend thousands of dollars on a party in Mexico!!!!

Our bar bill was $4864 for the whole day of the wedding and $1500 for the rehearsal dinner. This was for 60 peole.

BIG point here. We did by consumption. Had we done open bar it would have been $6885 on our wedding day (6 hours) and $3300 for the rehearsal dinner (2 hours) AND that's including the 10% discount that we negotiated. HIGHLY RECOMMEND doing per drink.

All prices include 10% tax and 15% tip.

We had the photographer for 6 hours. It cost us $2000. IMHO, I would go for at least 5 hours. I love our photos. I would skimp on flowers and decorations in a heart beat before I'd cut an hour off of how long we had our photographer! The flowers are gone, but I have all these great photos and I never felt rushed because I had him come a full hour before the wedding started.

this is a great thread..thanks ladies..

~andrea

hey kash, i answered below!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkashmira OK - here are mine (I just found this thread and literally read all 11 pages straight through!):   1. In the end was it worth all the money? YES! we only spent about $14,000 so it was actually ALOT less than what we were planning on spending in San Francisco. Everyone has such a grat time and now want to do a big group trip every year. my parents especially had an amazing time, so it was totally worth it to me 2. For those who are non-AI how much was your bar tab at the end of the night? AI for me 3. (For those people who bought expensive dresses) In the end was it worth it having your dream dress or would it have been just as good in a cheaper version (too late for me! but just curious) i am so happy i bought my dress...it photographed well and was the dress i wanted so i was happy in it 4. What is the minimum # hours someone should hire a photographer? 5 hours min for a larger wedding...if just a dinner reception (no dancing, cake cutting, bouquet, garter, etc.) then i say 4 hours