Anyone Else Overwhelmed With Cost?

[Sabes44]

I never really even thought about it until after we booked. I was sort of clueless I guess. Which resort are you at?

We are going to Excellence Resort in Riviera Maya.  I am an event planner, so I did a lot of research and budgets for our top choices.  

[Sara1603]

Oh nice. I bet you'll have a beautiful wedding!!! You must be in your element or is it really

Different planning your own event? I feel like a fish out of water

[Sabes44]

At first I felt like it was just another event for work, but finally I got into it and its been exciting.  The funny part is, I want such a simple wedding because I have seen so many people get crazy over all the little details.  Of course I have had a few "crazy" moments .  My biggest advice is do what you and your fiance want and just have fun.  No one will remmeber the little details of your wedding, they will only remember how fun it was and the great memories!!

[Sara1603]

At first I felt like it was just another event for work, but finally I got into it and its been exciting. The funny part is, I want such a simple wedding because I have seen so many people get crazy over all the little details. Of course I have had a few "crazy" moments . My biggest advice is do what you and your fiance want and just have fun. No one will remmeber the little details of your wedding, they will only remember how fun it was and the great memories!!

That's great advice. I am trying to do just that. This is my second wedding and I remember stressing so much over little details the first time. And you're right. No one remembers that stuff.

[Sabes44]

That's great advice. I am trying to do just that. This is my second wedding and I remember stressing so much over little details the first time. And you're right. No one remembers that stuff.

 

Thank you, glad you like it!  It's my fiances second wedding too, so I am trying to not go overboard, as half the guests were at his first wedding.  I just keep trying to remember to enjoy the ride!

[helenk]

Well it's easy to not go over budget when you don't have any money saved and little to work with, lol. I want to do the OOT bags and some cute stuff, but honestly, if I just don't have the money for it I am not going to stress over it.

I have read reviews where brides said most of the guests barely used the stuff in their OOT bags or had already brought items they included in them - which is a huge waste!

 

We are not having a bridal party because he has way too many brothers and best friends and I also didn't want to add additional costs for them on top of travel expenses. This is a big part of my stress free planning. I don't have to think about their dresses and attire or gifts or anything. We are only spending on items that are necessary.

 

Right now all we have done is booked the resort and photographer. As much as I want a TTD photo session - we don't have the money for it.

 

I want a private reception - but again - depending on how many guests we end up with - we may not be able to afford it. My resort has an option though to rent out their club for 2 hours prior to opening to the public for $450 including the DJ and open bar. So if anything we will be doing that and then the semi private dinner is included in our wedding package.

 

Of course I'd love to have the traditional reception - but it's a destination wedding so it's far from traditional! We will do the first dances, mother/son, father/daughter dances during the 2 hours in the club.

 

Our cocktail hour is included in our package. Alot of the stuff we felt were essential are included in our wedding package. 

 

I know it's hard for us girls to not buy cute stuff when we see it and like it and it is cheap but if you do it alot it will add up. 

I haven't purchased anything yet for my possible OOT bags because I am waiting to see how many guests we have.

 

The only thing I have done is send out STDs and I will be ordering my invitations in the next few months unless I decide to do them myself - from what I am seeing though, it seems the cost is pretty much the same to DIY or order online. So I will have to decide if I want to spend the extra time and possibly extra money on supplies etc to make them myself. 

 

Just try to breathe! And relax. This should be fun - not stressful! Try to prioritize what you can't live without. Are people going to remember what your favors look like in a few years? Probably not. After all you don't want to go over budget and then after the wedding and honeymoon you're struggling to pay bills, etc. 

 

Happy planning!

[helenk]

I am sooo glad I am not along on this. It's true what you girls are saying. that it will cost much more to have it at home. Because instead of 40 people going to the wedding which is roughly what I am having at the destination wedding, we would probably have around 200. And paying for 200 meals, favors, décor for a bigger place, and all other things would be much more expensive to have it at home. It eases my mind a little knowing that I am not the only person thinking this. I am trying to keep it simple and my main plan is to minimize the décor.

 

I really can't wait for this day. My FI says "screw it Kristy, we are getting what we want and it's going to be great." He says "I want us and our guests to have a great time. And he says we won't regret a thing."

 

Yes that is another thing I think about when justifying having a destination wedding to people. It will cost probably 3x as much to have it at home. We looked at a venue back home in MA in the burbs mind you, and it was about $20K just for the venue and food. NOT including flowers, photography, music, liquor, etc. We didn't have that kind of cash neither did our families. So destination wedding it is!

 

Def listen to your fiancee! Even if you do go over budget - you won't regret it. You will only remember how amazing your day was! No stress! 

Okay random question I just thought of as I am reading different forums.  Do we need to get parents a gift?  We are paying for everything ourselves and my mother isn't even in the picture any more...?

 

 

I was just thinking that as I am reading through these posts....since when did parents receive gifts for weddings?? Crap so much to think about, lol. 

My FI makes fun of me about being on this forum a lot, too. BUUUUUT, for one thing, my mother is all the way in Hawaii and my sister is in North Carolina...so who else is going to share with me and help me with my wedding planning anxiety..and bounce ideas off of? Secondly, what else does he want me to do with my time? As a nurse at a giant hospital, we only do 12-hour shifts, three days a week...and I don't want to be scrambling around the last few weeks before the wedding trying to plan things!

 

It's nice to find that your feelings and emotions are shared..even with people you don't really know. And, if I feel like our wedding planning experience, in general, is different than those who are planning or have planned a local wedding.

 

So, YAY! for friends on BDW!!! 

 

Yea my fiancee is always asking me what I am doing on my ipad all the time, lol. I say, that destination wedding website I told you about. He doesn't get all the things I think about - it's a girl thing I tell him, lol. 

 

We just moved from MA to TX in August so all of my family and close friends are back home in MA. I have one friend here from MA who moved down here a year before us so I have her to talk to - especially because she did the destination wedding thing last year and has alot of advice! - but other than that I am alone   So this site answers alot of my questions and concerns! 

 

Yes planning a destination wedding is very different for sure! I have a good friend from MA who is also having a destination wedding in Aruba in 2016 so we talk alot about our plans. I keep telling her to go on this site! 

 

I am a nurse also! Where do you live if you don't mind me asking?

 

Definite YAY for BDW 

[SuchALady777]

It's def getting expensive. I havent even started buying stuff. but the thought alone is overwhelming

[calgarybride2015]

I think we all go thru periods of feeling stressed during wedding planning.

 

We set a budget that we felt was fair and are working hard to stay within it. There are things I underestimated on (like wedding bands), but somethings I over-budgeted for, so things are balancing out.

 

I think it really comes down to what is needed and what is not.

For me personally, while I think the OOT bags are a great idea, they are 1. not in my budget 2. such a hassle to pack and bring with me and 3. I read alot that people bring their own stuff anyways.

 

So I decided on luggage tags with a mailout pre-travel instead.  Even that was more than I could stomach - paying all those stamps! lol!    I am doing maracas for our wedding favors and found a stellar price on Amols.com.

 

I did alot of stuff DIY - anything I could make alone, I did.  You can find so many ideas, templates, etc. on this site and on google.  I paid $30 for my boarding pass invites as I made them myself.

 

I spent the money on the things that mattered most to me, but within reason.   The majority of our budget is going to the actual ceremony/reception itself, as people remember a party, but not necessarily the centerpiece you used.  You know?

 

Example - I can't stomach paying $130 for a nice headband that I will only wear once, so I considered a cheap one. But they are too cheap looking, so I am going for a natural flower instead.  

 

I am doing some decor at the reception, but using the beauty of Mexico and the beach for the ceremony.  I am shopping at the Dollar Store or using coupons for discounts at Michaels.

 

For me, it's more what I think I really want, and what's within my budget - then just going nuts on everything because it's my wedding.  Helps the stress!

Edited July 24, 2014 by calgarybride2015

[becassidy]

I go back and forth between panic attacks. Our wedding is in April, and I am trying to pay for as much now as possible, just in case something happens. I have almost all of our gifts bought, and I am working on the OOT bags now. We still have to buy flights though, and although our stay at the resort, every 11th person is free and we have 19 ppl so far, we still have to pay for our stay and then get reimbursed. I am banking on being reimbursed asap so that will pay for our wedding, since Riu has you pay for that when you get there. ugh. I feel your pain, kind of, our budget is no where near that.