Wedding Budget update

We got back an estimate from the wedding planning company... and it was higher than we expected... but had everything we wanted...

So Keith and I (via Skype) went through and made a list of everything we needed to pay for, everything we wanted to include, and added up the total. Before the honeymoon we were rocking around $8,500.00

Which is more than we want to spend. We are trying to do the entire thing for $7500 sans the Honeymoon.

So we started making cuts. First we looked at the package the planner had made for us, an all enclusive deal for the most part... and a really great price to start out with.

For almost $5,957 the planner had designed a beatiful wedding ceremony, outside behind Keith's old Church in California. They have a very nice and well kept grass area behind the church, and adjacent to it there is a structure with tables and chairs under that's all shadded. So we planned on having the wedding on the lawn, and the reception under the structure so everyones in the shade.

The package included 70 wood padded white Chairs, white Covers, blue sashes, fresh rose petal isle, small bunches of Gerber Daisys hanging from black hooks down the isle, a decorated black arch with fabric and flowers, a table for our sand ceremony, all the set up and tear down, sound equipment to play the "wedding march" and other music during the ceremony... AND all our bridal flowers. My Bouquet, +4 bridesmaids, Keith's Boutineer + 4 Groomsmen, 3 corsages and a boutineer for his dad. Plus Design, Theme, and Wedding planner/coordinator for the reception.

2 hours of professional photography, and digital rights to our photos.

For the Reception, It included all the table linens, gerber daisy centerpieces, Our wedding Cake (3 Tiers), Apple cider toasts for everyone, ice tea, lemonaid, bottle water on ice, 2 tents (One decorated with linens and flowers for our "Couples table"... the other for the food and refreshments... and it included an outline and time table of the reception... and all the clean up... and 3 servers to help cut cake, pour cider, and help with the beverages and removing plates and incidentals. etc....

Basically, Keith and I needed to supply the receptions snacks, toasting glasses for our guests... but essentially that was it (besides things like cake cutters, etc..)

We sat for a while and thought about what we would and wouldn't miss for the reception... and I came up with an idea. If we sans the apple cider toast, we wouldn't need 2 of the servers... nor the toasting glasses, or the cider....

So i sent the planner an email saying we needed to make a few cuts and suggested removing 2 servers, the bottled water (my friend got married recently and could loan us 2 nice beverage dispencers that we could fill with water instead), and the cider toast... eliminating the need for toasting glasses and the cider costs.

She had originally quoted us as lower price for everything, but didn't include the tax for the package...

She replied back and said she would take out the toast (we'll still do one, but the guests can toast with what they are drinking at the time), well eliminate the bottled water, just remove one server-- That way someone can pass out cake while its simultaneously being cut... and would cut out ALL the TAX from the inital price she sent us... Saving us $479.00.

Essentally removing the cider toast, but still having a toast is saving us $479.00!!!!!!! and we don't feel like we are cutting anything out from the package at all!!!!

We are having a dry wedding because i won't let my family get near alcohol on my day... plus we can use the LDS church for our reasoning since they don't do alcohol.

We also decided that we would Ipod our reception music, instead of Ipod and an hour of live music, saving us $200.00 (we have an old friend who should be getting his record deal any day now... he was also one of Keith's really good friends from when he lived in California.)

I made realistic estimates for what we will need to spend on things for the wedding... like food for the bridal shower, getting pretty the day of, invitations, reception food (we are saying "cake and punch" but we will also have fruit and sandwitch trays and cookies from costco)...

Since I work in a city area, I mingle a lot with residents, one of them offered to do my hair and make-up free of charge if I go to her salon... that's going to save us a few hundread easily (I have long thick hair!!!!)

WITH MY DRESS and all the things on the list, we are looking at: $7,770.57

!!!!!!!!!!

Keith will be covering his tux rental, my wedding band, gifts for his groomsmen, and our honeymoon.

We are hoping his folks will cover a rehersal dinner... or just a family meet and greet kind of thing.

But so far, not so bad!