Anyone Else Overwhelmed With Cost?

[MrsCtoB]

@@calgarybride2015 litter LOL

[TinkerSofi]

We just watched it and LOL a few times. It's so true that adding wedding on jacks up the cost. And stuffing the envelopes. Loved it. Thanks!

 

 

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haha I can totally identify myself with the arguing about stupid things, calling people to RSVP and the awkward conversations haha. I think anyone can identify themselves with the "set a budget and then F*** that budget" haha. 

[Lia33]

Just saw the video - hilarious! Loll and pretty spot on lol

 

Yea the reality is although this has come out to be more expensive than we thought, it's still so much cheaper than doing a full wedding at home. We have some friends still paying for theirs as it was 40-50k. I'll take this over that any day!

 

But yes....eloping has crossed my mind on numerous occasions lol

[calgarybride2015]

Just saw the video - hilarious! Loll and pretty spot on lol

 

Yea the reality is although this has come out to be more expensive than we thought, it's still so much cheaper than doing a full wedding at home. We have some friends still paying for theirs as it was 40-50k. I'll take this over that any day!

 

But yes....eloping has crossed my mind on numerous occasions lol

What?!?! They paid how much?!? Holy crap!!! I will not accept debt. I would have to push off my date, wow. I can't stomach that, it's a mortgage down payment.

 

 

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[KAT2015]

Be careful!  We had a huge turnout!  I think we invited around 60 and 45 are coming (well possibly 47 due to fiance's cousin's sister who would like to come)...  I never budgeted for it because I never in a million years thought they would all come!   Our number may grow as we have 1 or 2 couples we have left open for a last minute addition due to their finances, etc.  But I am capping at 50 for numbers reasons (favors, tables, etc.).   When I did my initial budget I said 30 -- then as we got closer to RSVP time I went to 35... but in that last few days before the deadline to book I had a swack of people!!  Needless to say I had to adjust my budget again!

 

Yes be careful! Even without our final numbers, we have already had 7 people RSVP from England (my  FI's cousin, two second cousins, a wife, a fiance and two kids) that we were not expecting!

 

When I sat down with our budget after the guest list went out I budgeted for EVERYONE.  So 66 people - 25 are free so an additional 41 at $66 per person (that includes ceremony, toast, cocktail hour, dinner).... $2706!!!  

 

I know I have had one say no, plus the kids of my friends are likely not coming.  I also anticipate a few other no's.  But I feel better knowing I budgeted for everyone just in case. 

 

This also forces me to be frugal on our other stuff - decor and favours.  

 

Only 8.5 more months of number crunching to go!

[beckys98]

Oh my friends who got married in Chicago spent upwards of $65,000 on their weddings! And that was mostly paid by the couple with minimal contribution from parents. That is totally nuts to me!

 

I was the one who originally thought we could do everything for $10k (including our travel) and my fiance thinks more like $15k-$18k. I'm still hoping to stay under $15k!

 

What?!?! They paid how much?!? Holy crap!!! I will not accept debt. I would have to push off my date, wow. I can't stomach that, it's a mortgage down payment.


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[KAT2015]

haha it was the same with us!! We invited 50 people and 45 are coming! We thought we would have 30. 

 

I found this video that my fiance and I found so funny and it is so true. I think it totally describes our feelings haha  : 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/26/collegehumor-plan-wedding-video_n_5711963.html?utm_hp_ref=weddings&ir=Weddings

 

LOVE that video.  So true.  I've already had to tell my FI to tell his mother we weren't going to invite everyone plus their kids - we agreed to invite her very close friend and husband, and then she proceed to list their kids, and grandkids!  She was just trying to be helpful, and didn't make a stink when we said no, but awkward!

 

I haven't had to have the awkward conversation with people who I didn't invite (there is only one I am thinking of and it was on purpose, not because of numbers).  I kind of hope that just goes away!

 

My favourite part was the end - everyone will be disappointed with something. I'm already in this - sister disappointed she isn't a bridesmaid, brother mad because he thinks he should do the photography (but only if I pay the full $2100 for his private room and trip down there - he's not a professional either and will probably get bored/lazy/drunk the day of), my mother being disappointed that her kids can't get along.... bah!

 

I did try to pitch the 'elopement' to the FI so we can be done with it all.  At the end of the day, we know it would disappoint a lot of people.  So I've adopted the I DGAF policy - you can't come? I DGAF... you're mad at me and threatening not to come? I DGAF.... you don't like our travel arrangements? I DGAF.... 

 

Its helping 

[calgarybride2015]

Oh my friends who got married in Chicago spent upwards of $65,000 on their weddings! And that was mostly paid by the couple with minimal contribution from parents. That is totally nuts to me!

 

I was the one who originally thought we could do everything for $10k (including our travel) and my fiance thinks more like $15k-$18k. I'm still hoping to stay under $15k!

 

WOW!!!!  We are paying for ours alone too and I could never EVER consider paying that much money! How many people were there? I can't see other than the number of guests how a bill can get so high?!? maybe I am naive.

 

I think our initial number was $12000, but now we sit around $15000 maybe more as we pay for a lot out of pocket, not our wedding budget - that was just for the big ticket items.

Yes be careful! Even without our final numbers, we have already had 7 people RSVP from England (my  FI's cousin, two second cousins, a wife, a fiance and two kids) that we were not expecting!

 

When I sat down with our budget after the guest list went out I budgeted for EVERYONE.  So 66 people - 25 are free so an additional 41 at $66 per person (that includes ceremony, toast, cocktail hour, dinner).... $2706!!!  

 

I know I have had one say no, plus the kids of my friends are likely not coming.  I also anticipate a few other no's.  But I feel better knowing I budgeted for everyone just in case. 

 

This also forces me to be frugal on our other stuff - decor and favours.  

 

Only 8.5 more months of number crunching to go!

 

Great idea to budget for everyone, then have some extra leftover for things you didn't think about, things you want to splurge on, etc. 

 

We have 3 months left of our budget savings timeline (want it saved by November)... when fiance gets stressed and burnt out, I just remind him of this.  Mind you he is stressing about the future, not the wedding.. men! ha!  I told him lets focus on this  before this, etc.

We also had those awkward convos, which resulted in a few added people to the guest list! ha!

 

Fiance is a sucker!  Ok I bent once too - but not because she confronted me, because I felt guilty after invites went out!

[beckys98]

@@calgarybride2015 - Those weddings were about 100 people, so not HUGE! It is just super expensive to do anything in Chicago. I think the venue rentals alone were like $15,000 in the "off season" and that didn't include any of the food/beverage/linens/service staff, etc. The cheapest wedding I have every heard of here was $40k. No way were we going to do that for ONE DAY. At least the money we spend on the DW is for an entire week and tons of quality time with our friends and family. Totally worth it

 

And even for our out of town guests to get to Chicago and stay in hotels would be pretty near what they are paying to go to Jamaica. So I think it works out better for them, too

[calgarybride2015]

@@calgarybride2015 - Those weddings were about 100 people, so not HUGE! It is just super expensive to do anything in Chicago. I think the venue rentals alone were like $15,000 in the "off season" and that didn't include any of the food/beverage/linens/service staff, etc. The cheapest wedding I have every heard of here was $40k. No way were we going to do that for ONE DAY. At least the money we spend on the DW is for an entire week and tons of quality time with our friends and family. Totally worth it

 

And even for our out of town guests to get to Chicago and stay in hotels would be pretty near what they are paying to go to Jamaica. So I think it works out better for them, too

 

I agree, no matter where we got married most people would have to travel - even us - as barely anyone but friends live here! We had considered Kelowna (sunny boat country) but they have a high price tag for hotels and such too, so when we kind of put airfare, hotel, food, etc. together we realized it wasn't much more do the Mexico!