Wedding planning help...

[Chaka]

I guess we got really really lucky with our mariachis. Nowhere near that price, they had matching outfits, played together extensively, and everyone LOVED them! For most of our guests they were a novelty though. However, it's an unnecessary expense. We're glad we did it, but we hired friends.

Re: location - is outside SA ok? There are some beautiful locations in the Hill Country.
In SA, Los Patios has a beautiful locale, can do all in one,but they ended up being one of the most expensive we priced out due to a lot of little things.
I went to a stunning wedding at The Vineyards recently - gorgeous outdoor ceremony location, lovely reception spot. I have no idea on cost.

Any of the hotels can usually do all in one.

I agree with others that a non-Sat night event will save, but not always. It's worth looking around. You may find that a non-Sat night doesn't really work for the critical people you want to attend. (I'm not a big fan of it being all about ME. If that was the case,there would be no need to invite other people...)


As for Buffet - this doesn't always save money, it depends on the set-up situation, so make sure you price it out. If it's an outside caterer it typically will be cheaper. If it's all-in-one, usually it's not.


Good luck!

[seh0041]

Originally Posted by mpfree

My fiance and I are getting married on November 8 so I think I can help you here. I have a few questions:

Have you picked a date or a time of year?
Do you want a reception where people get served or do you want a buffet style reception?
Do you have any family or friends that can help you pay for portions of the wedding planning?

I can speak from our experience that we wanted to stay below $10,000 for our wedding and we are $7,000 over budget. And we got a friend to be the DJ (we are still paying him but not as much as he normally charges), some other friends are paying for the mariachis, we did our own save-the-date magnets, we did our own wedding invites (i can send you a pic if you want to see how professional doing it yourself can look), we found a florist super cheap ($400 for the ceremony and reception).

Don't ever go to those wedding fairs again. Most of those people are overpriced and would not fit in your budget. I agree that it is overwhelming.

If you need help, I can help.

MPFree, please tell me the name of the florist! I am looking at doing the flowers myself, ordering wholesale...but for $400, I would save by hiring that person! My wedding is fast-approaching...

[Photography School]

A great wedding planner will save you more in money, time, and headaches than you will pay them! The best way to cut costs is to cut back on the number of guests or have a "cake and punch" reception. NEVER skimp on the photographer - after the Wedding is over, the photographs are all that's left!

[deek102]

Originally Posted by 42JetSet

First. Find a good resource book you like -- "Wedding's For Dummies", "Bride's Book of Lists" are two of my favorites. Spend the time and the money on a good one that really fits you, your lifestyle and your budget. Another option is to simply get a copy of MS Weddings magazine and use the planning sheets that are in every issue.

To save money borrow books from a friend, check them out from the library, or check out half-price books

Make your own invitations, or buy them cheaply on the internet.

We (my wife) made RSVP postcards so they were cheaper than regular mail. If you're sending 100 or 200 of these then 10 cents/mail adds up pretty quick.

Skip the real flowers, they die in a week. Use candles and fake or dried flowers. You can buy candles and the little glass covers @ Big Lots or Dollar Tree, HEB, etc.

My wife had a coworker who took pictures in his spare time. it was great b/c he gave us the negatives so we didn't have to pay extra for each additional print. We took our wedding photos before the actual wedding to save time and daylight.

[GSherman]

Rent your dress and bridesmaids too. That's what I did. Ask everyone you know around about dj's, flowers, pictures, etc. Put an ad on craigslist and facebook. Go to bakeries and sample wedding cakes. Once you find someone you want to hire, get the phone numbers of some of their clients and talk to them. When I got married in Houston, I found a cute country club that was a good price. Interviewed a couple dj's etc that I liked from a wedding show. I planned my own wedding in 8 mo. Took my time. I know it can be stressful but it can be fun too. You can also ask who ever is going to marry you if they know of anyone they can tell you about. Good luck and congrats!

[V3rtigo]

7k wont get you much. we spent over 30 and that was with some downsizing. looking back on it, we both agree that we shouldve taken a 10k trip somewhere with a few friends/witnesses and gotten a JP and pocketed the rest.

[apies1819]

Wow this is an old post... I am coming up on my wedding in about 20 days. I am having it at the gardens of cranesbury view. [URL="http://www.gardensofcranesburyview.com/"]The Gardens of Cranesbury View, New Braunfels, TX, Wedding Venue, Corporate Events, Weddings, Parties, Sculptural Italian Gardens, San Antonio Brides, Austin Brides, Wedding Location[/URL]
Its sooo beautiful there.
I went over my inital budget but not by much.I am getting exactly what I wanted. So yes it is possible to have a great wedding for under 10k.
My flowers for EVERYTHING was around 1k.
My dress 1500
Venue--2500
Catering--2500...chicken picatta
Photographer-- 1100.00 and shes AMAZING..photojournalistic... just what I want
all the extras took it right to 10k.

[kimbo1]

Originally Posted by momzillajen

The Antique Rose Emporium is gorgeous and you can rent their facilities for around $2500 or less, depending on season & number of guests. That includes tables & chairs I think.
You'd still need to hire a caterer and get plates, utensils, etc. but it is the only idea I have, sorry. Good luck & congratulations!

San Antonio Event Rentals - The Antique Rose Emporium (http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/sanantoniorentals.html - broken link)

My friend's daughter just had her wedding there. Wedding was outside and reception was in their hall. It was beautiful and inexpensive compared to others and included tables and chairs. You are free to bring any caterer you want not limited to their list as so many other places do.