Budget

Air - DC to Vegas, Vegas to Oahu, Oahu to Kauai, Kauai to Oahu, Oahu to DC - $2315

Hotel - Ritz Carlton at the Lake before wedding and Trump in Vegas afterwards until we leave for honeymoon in Hawaii - $1000 (used some AMEX points to discount)

Hawaii - Oahu renting this amazing private home with our own pool...I am imaging lots of romancing in this house Came out to less than getting a room at the Kahala that we were considering and it is not far from the Kahala resort. Kauai staying at Grand Hyatt (used some AMEX points to discount). Total accommodations in Hawaii $2910.

Trip to Vegas to preview location & sample cake - $360

Invites - $1600

Decor - $1000 - did a lot myself and used silk flowerballs for centerpieces

My dress - $1650 which includes one $1k dress that I bought that I changed my mind about that I have yet to sell.

Transport for guests from wedding in Henderson, NV back to their hotels on the Strip & our rental cars - $700

Cake $350

Vase rental from florist - $70

Travel scales & personalized mint tins for favors - $650 - includes gift bags and tissue paper (I'll also get about $100 cashback because I used live.com in about 45 more days)

Wedding website - $70

Photography addon- $1300 for negatives on DVD and 3.5 hours and 2 photographers. We'll get them developed cheaper on our own on Shutterfly or something. Also includes personalized cameras we will have on tables for guests to take pics for us during reception after photographer is gone.

Hair/Makeup - $270 (stuff I purchased on my own to do it myself, including $150 at the Mac counter!)

Video - $465 for our own video camera and will have someone tape for us

Ceremony site at Chapel Fiorenza, minister, coordinator, any bouquet you want no matter how elaborate, boutenairre, 20 photo package from photographer, bottle of champagne, toasting glasses - $3400

Yacht rental for 3 hours - $2595

Catering for 50 guests (salmon, chicken, sirloin), reception setup of centerpieces/favors/etc., open bar 2 hours, chocolate covered strawberries, crabcakes, and some chicken thing served as they arrive on the yacht before dinner starts - $6700

VIP section at nightclub on the Vegas Strip day after the wedding (as we figured we'd be too tired the night of), 5 bottles of liquor and guests get in free and can bypass the lines - $1874

Gifts to my girlfriends who through my shower (I'm not doing bridesmaids) - $219 - Dolce & Gabbana pearl earrings (major savings on sale) that were place in a damask custom coin purse from an Etsy seller

Rings - $1900

We are at almost $30k right now...my goal was $25k which I would have hit if I had 1) downgraded my desire for the 5 star hotels and luxury vacation rental home took the hotels way higher than they needed to be but I can't wait to stay in these places!, 2) I could have done less dramatic invites for less but I wouldnt change it I love them!, 3) VIP at the club the next day is not necessary but something I want to do, 4) I could have skipped appetizers and did 2 meats instead of 3 for the dinner, and 3) if I never got the 1st dress I bought or if I end up selling it...I'd be under $25k with those changes.

9 days to go...I wouldn't change a thing really from what I know at this point except for the 1st dress I wasted money on! If I did it locally I would have easily been at $28k and over 80 guests not including the honeymoon.

With the benefits of our Free Wedding Package through the Moon Palace, only about a dozen guests able to attend, and by doing a laid back party/reception when we return to the States instead of everything in Cancun, we’re looking at pretty controlled damage, including:

Bridal Attire $550 (includes the dress, accessories, veil, shoes, undergarments)

Hair/Make-up/Mani & Pedi $200

Groom’s Attire $200

Ceremony Décor $200 (Keeping it simple)

Marriage License in the States (Doing a symbolic ceremony in Mexico) $50

Guest Favors/ OOT Bags $150

Wedding Dinner @ Restaurant $100 (includes tip and simple candle decorations)

Flowers $300

Hotel Accomodations for 7 nights at the MP $3200

Invitations (Homemade) $100

Airfare $1700

Attendants and Parents’ Gifts $150

Photography $500

Grand Total for Wedding and Honeymoon = a conservative $7,500

My father is paying the airfare and my mother and step dad are kicking back $2,000…. Leaving us to cover about $3,000 out of pocket.

this thread is great and so helpful! for any future budgeters, can you put the amount of guests you are planning on having? Thanks so much!

Cost for my wedding in Grand Cayman. Arriving via 5 night cruise. Ceremony and reception are taking place in port at a hotel. 30 ppl

TRANSPORT FROM THE PORT TO HOTEL

BUS (27 PPL)250

LIMO (6PPL)90

OFFICIANTpkg incl

BOUQUETpkg incl

SITE (INCL GARDEN CHAIRS & BEACH INCL/POOL DECK EXTRA) 500

HOSTED BAR FOR 30 PPL(ESTIMATE)500

BAR FEE100

COORDINATIONPKG PRICE1400

pkg incl cake

FOODSHELLFISH BAR&CRUDITES375

PHOTOGRAPHER2500 (Mom is paying so not included in budget) (Includes travel

PRINTING PICS/PHOTO BOOKS 300

SUM3515

Dress 335.41

alterations50

undergarments30

BM dresses288.81

Groom 80

GM outfits150

Trey (our Son-ring bearer)150 (FMIL is paying so not invluded)

Cruise1489

OOT bags/favors170

STD35.91

Invitations20

GRAND TOTAL6164.13

The only thing this does not include is the wedding bands.

The sounds system will prompty be returned to the store upon our arrival off the ship so that does not count =)

IPOD not counting and speakers are being borrowed from a friend.

Hair and makeup are being done by my friend who is a stylist...FREE.

Luckily with a cruise the food is free so we are only serving appetizers at the reception and will have our formal dinner on the cruise which saves $$

The parent's gifts will be photobooks and a little something homemade so that is already included.

whats an OOT bag??

We haven't really done an official budget (which is probably not a great idea!!) But we are not spending more then around 10k!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by trophywife whats an OOT bag??

10k is also our budget..hopefully we don't go over that!

I'm jealous of you ladies with higher budgets- my FI would flip if we went over $7K on ours I think we are staying under that pretty well). We are not including our attire in the cost, mainly b/c we have already paid for it all and my parents bought my dress, but I am including the cost on here, just to help other brides.

Bridal attire- will be under $500 for everything

Grooms attire- $200

Ceremony and reception- $2300

Cocktail hour- $560

Photographer- $1495 for 2 photogs for 5 hours, plus a TTD session

Airfare and room for 7 nights- $2500

OOT bags- $150

Invites- less than $50 (DIY)

Hopefully nothing else crops up- we are pretty good on our budget right now!

So far our budget is....

Band: $2900

Photographer: $4200 for 3days

Dress:$1500 with alterations

Travel:$5600 for two weeks in January!

Grooms Attire:$350

Rings:$1800

Invites:$550 for 150

Save the datesIY $250

Everything else is still tbd but the ceremony and reception are sooooo cheap in comparison to U.S wedding that all the other stuff seems to be worth it. Plus, it depends on how many people come. Without travel our estimated budget with 75 people comes out to around $20,000ish with plenty of places to cut costs if needed.

OMG! After seeing all of your posts about budgets, and looking at what we may be spending on a DW... I am starting to think we are in over our heads.

Our initial budget was about 10k, but it looks like the AHR alone will be half of that!

Maybe we should just elope. (I am kidding... just frustrated right now).