Talkback: Wedding jitters
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we want to know how the continuing recession is affecting plans for your wedding day. Are you cutting back — or spending big? If you are cutting costs, what items are you finding dispensable? Are you still taking a honeymoon? What about an expensive dress and shoes? Hiring a wedding planner? Paring down your guest list?
Tell us your story, and it could be featured on CNNMoney.com.
If there are any couples who would like to share their story with me, or business owners affected, I work with NBC17 in Raleigh, and we are doing a story about this topic this week.
We are planning a wedding in October, 2009. In recent months, we are unsure of my job stability. Rather than postponing the wedding, we’re doing things a little differently:
Smaller wedding: Instead of having a big wedding and reception, we are having a smaller destination wedding. We expect about 30 guests (compared to 120.) The rest of our friends and family who can’t make the wedding will be joining us for a post wedding celebration.
The wedding will be on the beach. This limits the need for a lot of decorations. The location is beautiful, and nature has the best decorations! So, the few decorations we need, like center pieces, will be hand made using materials from garage sales and sales at craft stores.
I made my own Save the Dates. For approx. $30, I was able to purchase everything I needed for the Save the Dates. This will allow the out-ot-town guests to prepare in advance for the trip. Those who cannot attend the wedding also got a heads up about our post wedding celebration.
Invitations and programs will also be made by me. I estimate $50 for the invitations. I have left-over materials from the save the dates, which will be incorporated into the programs. I’ll probably need about another $10 in supplies for those.
Rather than paying to rent wine and champagne glasses, I found a great deal on purchasing them. I got all of the glasses I need for less than $50. I plan to sell them on CraigsList after the wedding. (It would have cost over $100 to rent them.)
We rented a beach house next to the resort where we’re getting married. The beach house will house our families, and serve as the location for the reception. This limits the expenses for our families, and is the same price we would have paid to rent an event room.
We are using hotel reward points for out hotel night. We’re also using frequent flyer miles for our travel for the post wedding celebration with the rest of our friends and family.
We’re making our own favors. $50 got us everything we need to make custom favors, which will be better than anything we could have bought.
Wine – We’re bringing in our own wine, beer, and champagne. We both work in the beverage industry, so we get these items at a really great price. Some of it will even be free. I’m stocking up now in case I lose my job before the wedding.
I bought our toasting glasses at a garage sale for $6!
I did spend a bit on my dress. But, it’s half what I budgeted for. I’m borrowing my sister’s veil. For shoes, we’re getting married on the beach, so I’ll be wearing flip flops. 
He’s wearing an inexpensive, but nice suit.
We’re also keeping the bridal party small. We’ll be making welcome bags for our guests, but won’t need to spend much on bridal party gifts. And, they won’t need to spend money on dresses, tuxes, etc.
We’re ordering flowers from a wholesale company. My friends will be using these to make decorations the morning of the wedding.
The rehearsal dinner will be a welcome party, which we’ll keep light and fun. We’re doing a clam bake on the beach, with an assortment of grilled foods. We’re just paying for the actual food, and don’t have to pay a caterer for that event.
We’re doing a custom menu for the dinner reception the night of the wedding. We gave the caterer some ideas and a price range, and they were happy to create a menu within our budget.
We’re paying for a photographer for 3 hours instead of 5. My younger sister, who is a natural at photography and is studying photography now, will be a back-up photographer and will take photos for the rest of the evening.
The honeymoon will be in 2010. This is to spread out the cost AND to limit the amount of time off work (if we’re both working then.) We’re using frequent flyer miles and hotel points to cover parts of the honeymoon.
We started with a plan to spend around $15,000. With all of the changes we made, we should come in under $7500. And, by eliminating the big bridal party and formal event, our friends and family won’t have extra expenses.
My fiancé and I are getting married in September 2009. We began making arrangements for the wedding in late 2007. We had dreams of a big extravagant wedding but we both have been hit hard with the ever failing economy.
My fiancé was laid off in the beginning of 2008. A few weeks later I fell victim to the economy too. Not only are we both out of work, my fiancé has been diagnosed with uncontrollable diabetes and was hospitalized for over a week during the summer. He’s currently taking four different types of insulin (inject able and oral). His medications cost $420 a month!!! Neither of us have health insurance. He doesn’t qualify for disability or any sort of assistance (non that I have found so far). His unemployment has run out, I still can collect for a few more weeks…but after that…I don’t know what we will do.
So here we are. We are paying for the wedding ourselves. We already put a $3,000 deposit on the facility for the wedding back in 2007. If we pull out of the contract we’ll still be forced to pay for the bill (wedding or no wedding) At this point we’re forced to carry on with the wedding plans.
I created a budget in the early stages of our engagement. I’ve revisited the original budget and found numerous items that can be cut and or shaved. By doing this I’ve shaved off approximately $5,000. In my previous job I was a corporate event planner. I know how to stick to a budget and cut costs with the flip-of-a-switch. The things I’ve learned over the past 7 years I’ve applied to the planning of our wedding. Our wedding will still be beautiful and won’t cost nearly as much (but it will look like it did)
We’re still having a traditional wedding. We’re having a five hour reception including cocktail hour, sit-down dinner, flowers, music, dancing, cake, etc. but at nearly half the cost.
I designed and printed our save the date cards. I’m also doing the invitations and any other printed materials needed. We cut our guest list in half (slightly more). We are guaranteeing the minimum for the facility (and not a person more). Instead of having a large wedding party, it’s just going to be me and my fiancé (the day is about us anyway). That’s a huge savings. I will also be making our centerpieces. I haven’t decided about the wedding favors yet but I’m sure I’ll end up making/putting them together too. We also agreed not to have a DJ. I have the ability and technology to basically have a virtual DJ. In order to do this it does take a lot of time and talent but I’ve done it for awards shows in the past so I’ll have no problem creating this for our wedding. We’ve enlisted a friend (who doesn’t drink) to take care of the running the program for us. This will only take a total of ten minutes of his time during the whole 4 hours. No one will miss the cheesy lights and sequenced outfit a DJ would bring.
Hopefully one of us (if not both) will land a job soon. If not we’ll soon have a very large balance on the credit card.
If you need some cost savings ideas that actually work you can send me an email at nevaehz28@aol.com
My (now) husband and I married in October 2008. The guest list was one of the most important items to us so made our guest list first and then allocated our $5-10K budget accordingly. We were married and live on the east coast in Boston, MA & MD so sticking to a low budget was a bit of a challenge. We also paid for the wedding ourselves, and at 21 & 22 going through grad school and working a full time job simultaneously did not leave us with years of savings to fall back on, however, we still managed to pull off the event successfully without going into debt or blowing our budget. We invited 400 people, (approximately 250 people came due to the economy). Our budget included paying for all of our attendants flowers, outfits, gifts, makeup or hair, nails, etc. as we didn’t want to cause them financial stress. Our rehearsal dinner & honeymoon were included in our budget as well. We made all the food for the whole weekend ourselves and friends volunteerd to serve it for us. We also made our own wedding cakes to be served to the guests and then hired a local baker to create a gorgeous minature “cutting cake” which we then served at the family after-party. Our rehearsal dinner included throwing a big dance/celebration party after the rehearsal that all our guests were invited to (and which we provided appetizers for as well). We were able to keep our costs low by seeking out low cost facilities that would let us do everything ourselves. We designed, printed, and assembled our own invitiations and all other paper items(programs, signs, thank you notes etc). Our decorations & centerpieces all included items clearenced at places like Ikea, Michaels, Target, Pottery Barn etc. that we then turned around and sold after the wedding. Many of the wedding accessories we also made ourselves instead of buying into the whole wedding industry hype. Items such as the flower girl basket, ring bearer pillow, unity candles, guest book, favors etc. we purchased the supplies for and made our own. For a wedding video we found a local camera man who brought a team in and filmed and edited the whole thing for a HUGE discount over what your typical wedding vendor charges. We used our home church so our fees were minimal. A friend of ours officiated the ceremony. My father, sister and friends provided the music during the ceremony, we hired a volunteer fireman who did DJing on the side to provide the music for our reception (and he did a PHENOMENAL job) which also saved us a lot of money. We got a great deal on our photographer as we hired from outside of our area and our photographer was looking to expand his porfolio outside of his typical market. Hiring and utilizing resources outside of the wedding industry helped us keep our costs to a minimum and in the end we were left with wonderful memories and a clean debt free slate to start our new life together.
My fiance and I have been engaged since early September 2008. Originally we planned the storybook wedding at a historic mountain lodge with the whole works, and now we are so much more hesitant about spending all that money for one day. We actually just called off the “big” wedding a few days ago, I called and cancelled our reservation, and we are tonight sending out an email uninviting people we already sent those “save the date” magnets to. We still want to get married, but even that is up for review, “times are tough” is not the most romantic motto to start our life out with, though I do believe that if we can start like this and love our way through it, we can get through anything. So, guess we’ll just have to keep you posted on how we go from here. There is still $1700 deposited at the mountain lodge, we have $300 deposited with the DJ, not to mention my engagement ring and the beautiful wedding rings we bought eachother. I hope this wedding happens, we love eachother “to the moon” as we always say, but these times call for scaling WAY back, and maybe elopement is in the stars for us. Thanks for raising the question of getting married in these crazy times!
My wedding was June 1, 2008. This was before the recession truly hit, however we still cut way back on the extravagance of our wedding.
We were in the process of shopping for a house and had saved just about $10,000 between us for the house. To us that was the most important thing going into our marriage. So instead of spending that $10K on the wedding of my 12 year old dreams I selected certain items that I could not live without. My dream wedding always had me with a bouquet of lavendar roses, my great grandmother, and my favorites. I also have always loved the water, so I wanted to be outside and near a large body of water. Then I wanted to be able to show my children one day how special my wedding was. So, with those 3 priorities I went ahead and planned my wedding. My husband and I are both rather shy people, so we actually limited the guestlist to our parents. My mother was going to be the maid of honor, his father was going to be the best man, and his mother would be our only guest. My bestfriend is a lawyer in Maine, so she was licensed to perform weddings, which saved us a good amount of money. Then we went looking for a photographer. Luckily we found a fantastic one, who was a bargain at only $185. Since we were not having an extravagent reception we were able to save a ton of money on this aspect because we only booked him for 2 hours, instead of a full day. Then came the fact that the whole party was going to need to be about 2 hours north of where I am from for the big day. My husband’s family lives in the next town over, so I went looking for a bed and breakfast for my side to stay. This is where the true value of my wedding came up. I found the most quaint B&B in Phillips, ME. The woman was lovely. It was small, only 3 rooms, however since we rented out the entire B&B for the night the woman agreed to host a post ceremony breakfast for all of us. So for the $210 it cost for the three of us to each have a room the night before the wedding I also got a breakfast reception for the entire wedding party.
Overall I spent about $1000 on my entire wedding and my Vermont honeymoon. My husband and I have discussed the possiblity of making changes. Other than the river completely overtaking the sound on our wedding video, we would not change a thing.
I am a wedding florist. The economy hit my business last year. I did the same volume of weddings inn 2008, 42 total, but the revenue was 50% less!!! So, I decided to try to make lemonade out of the lemon economy. I’ve written a Do It Yourself Wedding Flower Guide (workbook and 5 DVD’s) with step by step instructions to help the brides save 50-75% of the cost of their wedding flowers. It is a win-win for both of us. Check it out at http://www.doityourselfweddingflowerguide.com
My fiancé and I will be married in June after a year long engagement. We chose to have a long engagement so that we had time to save for the wedding of our dreams. We’ve made a lot of cutbacks this year so that we could save as much money as possible.
We began our engagement by creating a spreadsheet for our budget and monthly savings goals. It has been a challenge, but we are on track in both areas. I record every PENNY spent so that there are no surprises. It really helps to be organized this way.
At this point my biggest concerns are that our out of town guests will find it burdensome difficult to attend our wedding. We do not want to create a hardship for anyone.
Another downside of having a wedding during these trying economic times is the feeling of guilt associated with spending on something as frankly, frivolous, as a wedding when others in our country are losing their homes and jobs.
Instead of looking at your wedding as a obstacle to overcome, use your creativity. You need not spend a bundle on your big day. First remember, the wedding is one day and (hopefully), marriage is for a lifetime. Some suggestions: Flowers: find the flower district in your city or town,(Cheaper to buy them from wholesaler directly) Ribbon. You can do this! For bridesmaid, do the same possibly or a single stem rose or Lily. To decorate church or reception hall: Tull(Lots of tull and ribbon or touches of green(ivy vines Flower Wholesaler). Invitations: Be creative, stationary stores are definitely open to bargaining (search for deals, talk to managers-everyone is dealing with this recession. Consider a smaller wedding party? Any friends who are administratively gifted and excellent at running things? This individual might be very helpful assisting with your wedding palns and acting as your planner. Are you affiliated with a church or organization? Ask for their help. You might be pleasantly surprized. Remember, the LOOK of elegance does not have to be the price of elegance. Should you need more suggestions…hit me on my email.
Happy Wedding and blessed marriages.
I know things and prices have changed since I was married, but our wedding cost around $600 total. My dress was from Penny’s bridal, we rented the tux’s. The Maid of Honor dress, and flower girl dresses we bought on sale at Penny’s. My mother made the flowers. My mom and I made the rehearsal dinner and reception food. Friends and family took pictures. Our honeymoon was a weekend in San Antonio. The ceromony was at a Wedding Chapel and Gardens. They supplied the cake, champane, and invitations. It might not have been the fairy tale wedding, but it has been a fairy tale marriage of over 20 years and the love is stronger today than it was then. It is about the rest of your life, not one evening that is important.
With all this talk of recession what about people in VERY low paying jobs and weddings? My husband and I were married August 29, 2002. He is a newspaper carrier and I worked part-time with disabled adults. We were married in a State Park at the same campsite where were were engaged only three months prior. Having family in many different states and few close friends we decided to do it the way WE wanted and not by the book. So I made my flowers and the maid of honors and the one bridesmaids along with the best mans, groom and mother of the groom all from AC Moore. Hair piece barretts were also made by me( my first craft projects all flowers and supplies $100.00)
My dress was from a second hand shop $150.00 ( was originally $3,500.00)and the biggest expense was the tuxs($250.00). The food came in form of the local Shaws grocery store along with the cake. The invitations we worded and printed ourselves on our computer and the two floor length dresses came from a discount store($25.00 both). We three girls wore white sneakers. We all dressed in two tents and had a screen house(our own) for the food and chairs from a friend.Photography was disposable cameras that the guests used and the music came from a boom box and homemade CDS. In all we had about 30 guests that included the family that could come and had sent out about 100 invitations to all the family.Our honeymoon was a weekend trip to a local Native American Powwow where we camped for the long weekend.In all our wedding was well under $1,000.00 and was a great day that our family and friends still talk about with great fondness.
As a partner in a family owned catering business, I’m not planning one wedding; I’m helping plan dozens. We’ve certainly seen the impact that the economy is having on our clients, and we work very closely with them to help them realize their dream wedding while staying on a budget. After more than 25 years in this business, we have a few strategies that might help.
1. Be realistic about your budget and what different services actually cost.
2. With the best intentions, many friends/family members offer a lot of help. Again, be realistic. Will your mother really have the time to prepare food for all of your guests? Can your sister in law manage the kitchen, get everyone fed safely, and still have a good time? If your best friend is doing the flowers, where will she do them? Can they be properly handled and stored so that they will look their best?
3. If you are working with wedding professionals, ask for and rely on their advice. Caterers and florists have seen hundreds of events. With their help, maybe you can do the planning yourself. They can also recommend less expensive venues as well as other cost-cutting ideas.
4. It’s a PARTY! Your wedding should be fun for both you and your guests. As the party hosts, you get the privilege of honoring family and friends by asking them to witness your important event. What else really matters?
My fiancee and I found this great place on the Riviera Maya for a good destination wedding last May. We have been saving enough for a Chapel on a hilltop looking at the caribbean and drinks and sit down dinner by the water this April. We are paying for all the wedding expenses, except for the invitees rooms and flight. We invited only close friends and family but with the downturn of the economy many friends and family might not be able to go.
My husband and I got married six years ago. We went to the courthouse with two close friends and called our families afterwards. Our honeymoon was a two week trip across the country, including Seattle, Portland, the Sequioas and the Grand Canyon. We camped or stayed with friends and had a great time.
Last year, we had a reception, celebrating ten years since we first met. The relationship was the important thing, not the piece of paper.
To me, this craze over big, fancy, expensive weddings has been created for the one purpose of selling the items necessary. Think for yourselves; you will be just as married if you get the license and a $3.00 ring.
We got engaged last October 2008 to a wonderful guy, we will be getting married this October 2009. We consider ourselves frugile anyways so planning a wedding within our mean was priority number one. But I was recently laid off Jan 2009, so this put a damper on even the frugil budget we started with when we first were engaged. But with a lot of praying and support from friends and family things are working out better than I could imagine. I found my wedding dress at Target, yes they have a bridal section for $60.00 on clearance and bridesmaid dress for $12.00 each!!! Not quite the color I wanted but I can accent the colors together. The church really doesn’t need a lot of decorations it is an old church/school house. The biggest expense that we are coming to is the food and photographer. We have a friend of the family who is a caterer and we’ve done their son’s senior pictures and will be doing their dauthers wedding this June. So we are bartering with them for the food. Reception Hall was another tough one. Luckily family comes to the rescue. My sister and brother in law have offered their home which is large enough to hold the 100 + friends and family. The photographer is still looming as to what to do…Since we are photographer ourselves and we do not charge the outrages cost that I’ve seen out there, we have friends and family members who are very artistic and good photographers that will be taking our pictures…Since I am going back to school in the fall we will postpone our honeymoon during Christmas break and ring in the new year together. This also gives us some extra time to save for a nice honeymoon. Again our goal is not to go broke or and more debt for a wedding. WE are very pleased by taking our time and figuring out where to cut costs together and I believe it has brough us closer and kind of fun to see where we can get the best deals.
It really came down to asking oursleves It is about two people who want to be together by committing our lives together, not the wedding.
We got engaged on May 12 of 2008. Our 3 year anniversary. I was so happy. At the time I was 25 years old, and my fiance was 23. We both had pretty well paying jobs, and were saving money by still living at home, so money wasn’t an issue. Plus my mom had given us $8000 right off the bat. Right away I put $2000 away for it. We were off to a good start. Plus with my dad passing away the year before the planning was a nice distraction for everyone. We decided we would wed in July of 2009.
I had never envisioned my wedding, and never wanted a huge fairytale wedding, I just wanted everyone to have fun and remember the day. We decided on a really nice place that was charging us about $36 per person. It was going to be an outside reception. And we were to be married at a church in my hometown. Things started to come together very nicely. We estimated we would need about $17000 for the wedding of about 250 people. My mom comes from a huge family and we were just inviting aunts, uncles, my cousins whom I am close to and my dad few cousins. We left out anyone we haven’t talked to in over a year to cut costs down.
We booked the photographer, DJ, and I bought my dress, on sale at Davids bridal. Come September we were almost all set and could finally breathe!
We decided that it was time to move intogether since I was traveling 45 minutes one day to work. So to cut those costs we moved to a place in between and life was good.
Then the rumors came. Rumors were flying around for weeks at my place of work that there would be layoffs. I knew I would be one of the first to go seeing I was fairly new. Plus my company had lost close to a million dollars that year. In December I really started to panic. I decided that my being laid off was coming soon. There were to many closed door meetings and budget cuts.
We contemplated moving our wedding date, but deposits were put down with the photographer and DJ, and we did not want to postpone.
Trying to stay one step ahead we canceled our outdoor reception and moved it to the local Elks Club. We hired a caterer that was charging us only $15 per person when all was said and done with tax and tips, and we cut our list down to 220. Plus my family is going to do the cooking for part of the wedding and the rehearsal dinner. We decided on cupcakes and balloons for decorations.
The first week of January they had their first round of layoff and I was one of them. Thank God I found a job a mere three weeks later, I still do not know how I did that in this economy. I had to take a pay cut, but thankfully we can still afford to pay our bills and still save a little.
In the end, we are more happy that we are having such a fun casual wedding, and a more old fashioned celebration. The wedding industry is way to overpriced and I truly believe that a wedding is about not only bringing of two people together, but family. And thats exactly what happened with us.
Right now we are having more fun planning this type of wedding than a more upscale one. Its more personal and laid back. We still are not out of the woods yet as my fiance’s teaching job is still not safe either, but at least we can rest assured that we can still have a party for our families and that they have a big role to play too. I believe that this recession is helping our values as a country. I have hope that my generation will come out of this less materialistic than we were raised, just like our grandparents and great grandparents came out of the great depression just fine. Things have to change.
My high school sweetheart and I were married in August 2008. Since Nick was still a student and I had only been out of college for a year and a half, we knew our savings would not be enough to throw a huge affair. But our priorities were to be able to have it back home in Colorado, with all the family that could make it. Nick’s parents generously paid for the rehearsal dinner, and my parents offered $2500 towards the cost of the wedding. Nick and I spent about $8000 to cover the rest of the costs. We cut corners by not doing engagement photos. My cousin, who is trying to break into wedding photography, took our wedding pictures for a very reasonable price (less than $1000) – and they are gorgeous. No videographer – I am not sure how regular people can afford that cost! We did not go with a traditional cake – rather we used small cakes bought from the local grocery store which were placed on each table as a centerpiece (and dessert!). The total cake cost was around $200. The only flowers we got where for the bouquets and the boutonnieres. The florist did a great job using cheaper “greenery” to fill out the bouquets, so that less of the expensive roses needed to be used. I created a few fake flower arrangements to be placed at the church, but othere than that the ony decorations there were some tulle on the pews. The stain glass and natural lighting made the church stunning on its own! Our big spluge turned out to be the alcohol and entertainment for the night. My family traditionally has open bars at weddings, and I did not want to be the one to end that tradition! And since Nick is a musician, the music at the reception was really important to him. We hired a jazz quartet to play for the first two hours of the reception – while people where arriving and enjoying cocktails and appetizers. After dinner a dj took over for the last three hours of the festivities. In the end, it was exactly what I wanted. Our 130 guests had a great time, I still get comments on how beautiful and fun the day was. Of course, the foothills of Colorado provided much of the beauty, and our families made all of the fun – and for that we are so grateful!
I’ve been layed off for a while. It’s happened twice so I decide to pick up on a dream I’ve always had and opened a small french bakery in upstate NY. I graduated from the French Culinary Institute in NYC back in the eighties but never switched carreers from being a graphic artist. Well, this isn’t exactly the best time to be opening a business but it’s chugging along fine. The internet has helped immensely. I’m still setting it up but have already been getting orders both locally and from as far away as Arizona! When it comes to wedding cakes I’ve had to cut back my prices considerably in order to get the business. I now match grocery store wedding cake prices though my cakes are made from scratch and I use real flavorings, vanilla, almond etc. Also, to cut costs and time I’m making a lot of dummy cakes for the presentation along with sheet cakes that will actually be served. My customers seem to be happy with this as I pass the savings on to them. This plan actually enables me to cut $100 dollars off the cost of an actual cake.
My husband of six months wanted the wedding more than I did. I would have been fine doing it Carrie Bradshaw’s style at the court with a gorgeous cocktail dress. I didn’t want a mediocre wedding so we had an absolutely beautiful but small (24 guests including family) destination wedding, we also took a small mini-moon to Napa. While we enjoyed and loved every minute of our day, I would have been fine without the whole “fluff” –just a marriage certificate and a man I love. Everything cost me approx $20K total, and I paid everything in cash –it still hurts me to think about all that cash “going down the drain”.
This financial crisis is the best thing that has ever happened to us! I can’t wait for other values to change as well. Since we will all be challenged to lead more modest lifestyles, I hope our reflection on these new changes lead us to create a more compassionate society that values the basic needs of every human rather than focusing on our individual gain.
Think of all the thousands of dollars from these one day events that could go to solving the deep problems in our country.
Can’t you always throw another party with your loved ones!? Why is it all riding on this one day?
My fiance and I have been engaged for 4 years now and are finally preparing for our April wedding. We had set a budget of $5,000 of which included everything from the dress to the food and entertainment. Fortunately, thinking outside of the box has kept us within that timy budget. From DIY wedding invitations, wholesale flowers, and family members willing to offer their help, there are a lot of unique and memorable ideas available if you don’t mind doing a little bit more work yourself.
We started our wedding planning last year with a budget of $22,000. My fiancé and I assumed we would foot the entire bill. My future in-laws surprised us with a very generous gift of nearly half of that. It was completely unexpected. They are both hardworking people but neither has a college education and they live a very modest life within their means. We found out that they had been saving for fifteen years for their daughter’s wedding. It’s humbling to accept their money and realize how long it took them to accumulate the funds. When you are given a gift like that, you take extra care with how you spend it.
I am a commercial banking recruiter. Hiring in the area of finance has disappeared since the middle of 2008. My job security has been in jeopardy for months. My company has frozen salaries this year and removed the bonuses we had earmarked to help pay for the wedding. My fiancé works for a Big Four Accounting Firm doing tax. Her job is stable but they have also frozen wages. I have recently picked up recruiting work in the evenings to help make ends meet.
This is my second wedding. This is her first. She is one of those women who has been doodling wedding dresses in notebooks since grade school and dreamed of her big day. It is hard for her to accept the compromises we have been making in planning. Stories like the ones on CNN and some of her wedding blogs have turned her thinking in the last month. She now realizes we are in a major recession and we are not alone in feeling crunched.
We are getting married on Friday, October 2nd of this year. Booking our reception on a Friday saved us $4,000 and most of our guests are coming from out of state so they are going to make a weekend of the trip to Wisconsin.
We bought our wedding invitations and response card kits using 40% off coupons we clipped from the paper. It means a few trips to the local store to utilize the coupons but even with gas figured in, it’s a major savings.
We found a local photographer / artist who travels to Europe and takes wonderful pictures. He has agreed to photograph our wedding and the events leading up to it for $1,000. He has also agreed to give us the prints on a CD so we will have ownership of his work and can control printing costs.
My bride-to-be loves calla lilies. Her mother found some rubber ones for $2 recently that look real. That will save $10 a stem over real flowers. That savings adds up quickly. I’m allergic to most flowers so I have been able to convince her fake flowers are a good option.
Gone are the extravagant things we wanted like cloth chair covers, limo transportation, and a DJ with a good light and sound show. I expect we will make more cuts and we have now set a budget of $16,000 for 140 guests. It is going to be close but if we both hold on to our jobs, we should get there with no additional debt.
I am writing this into regards too the postings i saw. My fiance and i are planing an 8-01-09 wedding. Just because the economy is bad doesnt mean you cant have the perfect wedding. We found lots of ways to have just as many people and just as nice of wedding. For instance find someone in your family who is good at arts and crafts buy fake flowers (lots of times at hobby lobby half price) We did all of our flowers for 6 addendants on each side alter and center peices for $400. Also find a hall that lets you bring in your own food we found a hall for $250 dollars that holds 400 people and has a full bar. You can cut alot of cost on food by doing it yourself. The cheepest caterer we found was $14 a person. By doing it ouself we cut the cost to $6 a person and its probobly better food than you can get from a caterer. Also talk to the church alot of times they have ladies of the church or different groups that are willing to serve food for you for a small donation to the church or group. Another thing is in many families you have someone that loves taking pictures we found a relative that loves doing it and asked them if they would. You might not get all perfect pictures but neither do the professionals. And the bonus is you can get the negatives from them alot of times photographers charge extra. Those are just a few things we did to save money and still have all the people we wanted and were are planning for around 350 people so it can be done you just have to be willing to do the extra work.
Thanks Kevin
We’re still on budget!!
We got engaged in August of 2008 with plans of a 10/10/10 wedding. I always knew I wasn’t going to be a bride spending $40,000 on a wedding for only 200 people. But, being realistic I knew that I also couldn’t do it for under $10,000 in Hawaii (we live here). So, we budgeted for a $15,000 wedding budget for a guest list of about 200 people and so far we’re sticking to it!
Some things we did were:
#1 – Have a long engagementWe have a 2-year engagement. Why? So we could save money for the wedding and not go into debt over it.
#2 – Keep a log for every penny spent on the wedding. It helps to focus on where you are and where you need to be if you’re saving or if you’re going over budget.
#3 – Book a military hotel through a sponsor. The military hotels do not charge sales tax (in Hawaii) and the menus are cheaper than other venues that we looked at. Even the gratuity is 3-5% lower than other venues.
#4 – Work your connections. I have a friend who is a photographer (who will be our photographer) that gave me great references to his friends or best colleagues, who also gave us discounts. My sister has a friend who is a florist and my brother-in-law volunteered to be our videographer (with that, keep in mind what kind of service you want… if you want the ceremony video inserted into the slide show for the reception, better go with someone who has the technology to do it). Also, use people that friends have already used. You might get a discount as being a referral from them.
#5 – Be creative and do it yourself. For favors and for centerpieces, rather than pay money for specialty chocolates or large flower bouquets, we decided to make the favors and centerpieces ourselves. I found small gel candles and went to my local craft store for cellophane bags and ribbon, and spent $50 on the supplies and $80 on the candles for 200 people. For our centerpieces, we’re making zen gardens with about $100 in supplies from the local craft store, $11 quart of paint, and sand from the local hardware store (not bought yet). And don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends and family.
We’re also looking to create our own invitations that won’t weigh more than 1 oz and have small RSVP cards that don’t go past the postcard size to save money on postage.
#6 – Do your research. I found the dress of my dreams for less than what I would pay buying it at home. I had a convention in Florida so I visited a store that carried the dress I had. Previous to that, I called all the local dress shops who didn’t have the dress, but provided me a quote higher than what I paid for it (with shipping). So, not only did I get to try on the dress of my dreams, I bought it for less.
It’s really easy to throw money at a wedding for the perfect dress… to get the biggest, fanciest cake, and hire a planner to think of everything for you, but it will cost you. If you want to save money, be hands on with your wedding, hire friends (who are so willing to help), & take the time to do your research. It can be done!
I consider my wife and I very lucky. We got married on September 6, 2008 and went on a 10 day (+2 days in Miami) honeymoon in December over Christmas and New Years to Costa Rica. I feel very fortunate that we were able to make, what I feel, were zero compromises and were able to have the wedding my wife has always dreamed about.
We got engaged in February 2007 and started saving immediately for the big day. Her mother pledged a generous $10,000, and later increased that amount because we hired a live band instead of the DJ we were planning on having so we could save some money. We live in the North suburbs of Chicago so everything is very expensive for “nice” locations. We settled on a private golf club in Hawthorn Woods that, while expensive, was cheaper than many other places in the area. Price per plate including served plate, champagne, wine, 4 hours of open bar, cake, sweet table, hors devours (mushroom caps, sushi, etc) and tip for the servers was around $100/person. This was the only big concern I had since our guest list had exploded to over 220 people. We ended up with around 125 people that attended because most of my family was unable to make the drive from West Michigan to Chicago because of the terrible economy. In the end the wedding cost us around $32,000 with $17,000 of it reception, $6,500 for the 11 piece band, $2,200 for flowers, $650 for officiant, $1,600 for photographer (all digital originals only, no prints or albums), $800 for wedding dress, and the rest for miscellaneous expenses. We made our own save the date notices, made our own invitations, made our own favors (but with custom M&M’s & Hersheys Hugs/Kisses), and had a number of other little expenses, and hired a day of coordinator for $1,000.
In the end, we had saved enough money throughout the year+ we had to save to pay for the wedding ourselves! With the extra contribution my wifes mother had made, we had plenty of money left in savings to go on an extravagent honeymoon to Costa Rica. Total cost for the honeymoon was $9,000 and that was with 1 free plane ticket because I travel frequently for work, without the free ticket it would have cost us over $10,000.
So, all told, our wedding and honeymoon combined cost north of $40,000. Thankfully I work in the health care industry (automation specifically) which hasn’t been as hard hit as other areas of the economy, and my wife is a Special Education teacher which is also a relatively stable job, even in a bad economy.
Because we worked hard, saved money, and got lucky with the recession not hitting us like most we were able to make zero compromises on our big day.
We met in 2006 at the local airport and ever since then we have been together non-stop. Last April he asked the big question and I’ve been working on the plans since. We’re having the big day in late May in New York (my home state). My parents are paying for the wedding- I’m their little girl. But that doesn’t mean that I am taking advantage of it all. Far from. My parents make about what we make. Our bridal party besides my beau and I, consist of two people on each side. The wedding itself is maybe 25 people and the reception is a little under 100. We wanted small, otherwise my family would run his side off somehow (they’re like that). My dress was on sale for around 500 and I don’t even need it to be altered! The reception- no booze- that cut the price done quite a bit.
The lady who is making my cake told me that instead of doing the traditional shaped tiers which would have run $300, a sheet cake on the bottom and then a one tier for him and I cake decorated any way we wanted, for a total of $80! It’s a steal. Also the same lady is doing the cartering and ave us a discount, since we’ve known her for s3everal years. Favors and decorations- all done by hand and homemade. My mom is making the centerpieces and I am painting wall decorations and making the labels for the favors.
My cousin is doing the DJ’ing, my aunt got us a steal at the park we’re having the ceremony in (free), the photographer is only $400 to include all the extra stuff she throws in at the end- she’s still starting her business up but does amazing work. And I’m finishing up the invitations/ rsvp’s which we designed ourselves and we’re having Kinko’s make the duplicates. The total for this wedding is about $3000. That’s a very reasonable price for a wedding especially in these fianancial hard times for the economy.
This was not the first marriage for either of us, but still, we wanted our friends and family there to witness our happiness. We set a budget and I was determined to stay below it. We decided on an outdoor wedding with a garden party feel. Cost saving measures included: Wedding dress from Nordstrom for less than $250 vs a traditional Bridal store purchase. This easily saved hundreds; We bought our rings on line after perusing jewelry stores and determining what we wanted and our sizes. This alone saved us over $1000.; Venue was our home vs a banquet hall (tents, chairs, tables, linens, fans and toasting glassware rented); My Mom and I did all the flowers which we purchased from Costco (and they were gorgeous). We spent only $400 on flowers and were able to do centerpieces for 12 tables, 8 corsages, 5 bouquets, flower arrangement for the cake top and also decorate 2 arches; We purchased most of the beverages from Costco, too, including the champagne; My girls made lavender filled flower pots for guest gifts and aisle decor; I made our invitations and announcements which cost a total of 98.00 (excluding stamps).
Our splurges were a live band and food.
The food was almost half the budget, but we wanted our guests to enjoy our “Savannah Front Porch” wedding. Our caterer also provided manpower for the open bar which included a Cosmo drink tower. We had buffet serving of the food, but the caterer cleared. The caterer provided the plates and cutlery along with a large coffee urn for cake time.
We used a recommended pastry chef affiliated with the caterer and were able to get a very reasonably priced 3 tier cake that I designed, and she created.
I contacted a friend who is a “music guy” and he recommended a friend’s band. We were able to hire them for less than the cost of a DJ.
We found a very reasonable photographer who provided us with cd’s of the photos vs actual prints. We were then able to print the ones we liked and create our own albums. We were also able to share them on line for our friends and family.
I was 1600.00 below budget and we had a GORGEOUS wedding that our friends still talk about.
I recommend outdoor weddings. They can be as casual or as formal as you want. Renting the tents was our “rain backup plan”.
I think we’re just staying engaged for the rest of our lives. We were planning on getting married this year but because of the economy it didn’t happen. We have gotten into the comfort zone of being engaged. We decided that we are going to be married to each other and don’t need any confirmation from anyone or a big party. Ella
I’m 26, purchased my first home two years ago with a fixed rate mortgage at under 6%. I’ve managed to just get by – I always pay my monthly mortgage on time – by cutting off any expenditures (including a home phone line) just to get by.
My home has plummeted in value but I still continue to be responsible and pay my monthly mortgage. I’m noticing that other people who took on more than they could handle are getting government/ tax payer aid to prevent foreclosure.
I understand that it is important to our economy to stop homeowners from foreclosing on properties. I also understand it is necessary to ecourage citizens to purchase homes – which will hopefully be accomplished by giving them a tax credit of up to 15,000 for the purchase of a home. However the responsible homeowners, who have held multiple jobs, worked an exhausting amount of hours, and cut almost everything except for the bare necessities – are not seeing any relief. A credit/refund should be given to responsible homeowners who are current on mortgage payments if they make a home improvement in 2009. This will increase spending, give workers more jobs – especially in construction where it is hurting right now – and increase property value because of modern updates.
When my husband and I got married in 1990 we did not want to put undue pressure on my widowed mother to pay for a wedding. I made all the corsages and my wedding bouquet from artificial flowers from Michaels. I considered it a waste of money to pay $$$ for a fancy wedding dress I was going to wear once. A friend who is a seamstress made me a nice blue dress with a full skirt. This was her wedding gift to me. My husband and his best man just wore regular suits. We were married by my husband’s cousin, who is a minister, and got married at the “party room” at the apartment complex of some friends. The fee for the rental of the room was these friends’ wedding gift to us. We served finger foods at the reception. Our “registry” was at an inexpensive store. It was a wonderful day. Our one “extravagance” was staying overnight at a nice hotel. Because both of us didn’t have any vacation until Christmas, we didn’t take our honeymoon until then. We both despise warm places, so we spent our honeymoon in Boston after Christmas. It was wonderful. I can’t imagine spending $30,000 on a wedding when it could be better served as a down payment on a house!
For our wedding, the most expensive part has been trying to figure out how we would pay for an estimated 200 guests. We talked to dozens of our friends, and we are having a potluck dinner. Friends will all be sharing both food and our joy. No one commented that it was a tacky idea!
Isn’t money always the issue? My husband and I planned our wedding on a budget of one thousand dollars. Why so little you might ask? Well, my husband was employed at an automotive factory and knew that there were lay-offs coming, and I am a full-time university student (and still am) with a minimal amount of government funding for education.
We planned our wedding to be on the first day of fall, and it fell on a Thursday. We had a Thursday wedding. We did not rent a hall or such, and opted for the backyard to be decorated in the colours that we had in our flowers and party favours, sapphire blue. We borrowed tables from an establishment (and chairs) and strewn white lights. I was impressed at how well it all turned out.
We didn’t have a cater, instead we had a open buffet. I prepared all the food and the store that we bought all of our goodies from, gave us a discount since we bought in such large quanity. Our fine china was paper plates (all recycleable as well–gotta look out for the environment) and plastic cups. The biggest expense was buying the alcohol. However it turned out not to be that expensive afterall. People were allowed to drink whatever they wanted, there was no limits of course. We took a vase that was owned by my grandmother and taped a piece of paper on it that said “Beer fund!” The donations that were given were fantastic. It really put some money back into what we could barely pay out.
So we didn’t opt for all of the fancy frills, and kept it basic. Even my dress was 100$ dollars (from ebay)! We would of loved the extavagance, but in time we both know that we will renew our vows on a cruise down the Nile. We did not honeymoon either. This will come when the children are a little older and when I have completed my studies.
Even 3 years ago we were struggling. We live in an area where we are surrounded by blue collar workers, and finding a job even a few years ago, was and still is in this day and age dificult. I know that every little girl dreams of the fairy tale wedding, but realisitcally, as long as you going to joined as one, and the most important people who matter are there, then one should just enjoy the joining of husband and wife.
Wedding on a budget. It can be done!
My husband and I just got married 3 months ago. Although the recession worried us, we decided to move forward with
our wedding plans. We started saving for the wedding from day one after we got engaged. We set a budget that was realistic for where we lived (suburban city outside of Los Angeles, CA)
and we actually went under budget (about 10% under), and our costs include everything
wedding-related, even wedding rings and honeymoon trip.
We didn’t have to give up anything. We picked a low season (November) for the wedding,
and we had the wedding on a Sunday instead of a Saturday. With those two factors together, it saved us a lot of money.
So we were able to have everything we wanted, without sacrificing quality.
We had bought a home together right after we got engaged. We didn’t buy a huge McMansion, something that seemed like everybody was doing at the time, and I just
couldn’t figure out how so many people could afford to buy $1 million dollar homes. Well, I guess now we know they couldn’t. We opted for a small brand-new townhouse, which would
cost less to maintain. We love the house!
I agree with other readers who said you should have good photographers. And yes, you can get a very good photographer
for a low price, (especially during low season) but you do need to shop around.
We didn’t hire a wedding planner and did all the planning and execution ourselves. I did my own centerpieces and party favors; I bought many of the bridal accessories online, and opted
to go with a simple (but still beautiful) inexpensive wedding dress. I really didn’t see the need to spend $2,000 on a dress that I would wear
for only a few hours.
We shopped around for everything to get the best price. Yes, it takes time to do this, but that’s how you will get the best deal. You have to be willing to
put in the time.
In Summary
I was still able to have my dream wedding, but didn’t have to go bankrupt!
The economy has been in the back of our minds the whole time. First of all, I’m one of three girls and the first to get married. My father has been without a job since right right before we got engaged, back in September 2008. We live in NYC while the rest of our family is spread across the country…so with all of that, we’ve been very concerned with wedding costs. My fiancé is 26 and I am 25 and picked Newport, RI to get married. Because of the economy, we’ve been able to cut costs in half – we can negociate ANYTHING: The rental space, food costs, bringing in outside liquor, my designer wedding gown cost $600 (I bought the sample!), and my veil was a third of the cost (from Saks!!). We just asked for lower prices and explained our budget. We also got the photographer to give us everything (hi res photos, an assistant, etc) for half the cost, and worked with every other detail: hair, suits, music, etc, by working with our vendors. We’ve given a few things up too: We don’t have a DJ, but we have an i-Pod! I didn’t get letter press invites (which start at $1000), and instead ordered online for $300. We’re going for quality over quantity…the day is about us, and our love…and we’re trying to not let anything get in the way of the BEST party ever! We also cut our guest list – I’m thinking about 55-65 will come. Finally, our honeymoon is happening at the end of September instead of right after the wedding in May. We think by being careful and conscious over every cost, we’ll be able to enjoy the day more and not be in any debt after. It’s the one chance to have our families together from all over and nothing should get in the way of that…so I recommend engaged couples to be really,really nice to everyone and just ask for lower prices. People are surprisingly understanding and are happy to help.
My fiance and I are paying for our own wedding the “old-fashioned” way…by saving our money and paying cash for everything. Setting up our budget was the first thing we did. There are some items we didn’t feel were as important to us as others, so we are cutting back in those areas: no save-the-date announcements, no favors, a small cake, less flowers, etc. We are also saving money by having our wedding on a Thursday night which cuts our venue cost in half and is greatly reducing many of our other vendor expenses. I also found a beautiful dress on the $99 rack at one of the big wedding dress stores.
We are putting more of our money towards what we valued the most…the venue (a lake house in the mountains of Colorado), the photographer, and a European honeymoon.
With every decision we face, we ask ourselves if the guests will remember this item a year from now. If not, we’re cutting back on it or eliminating it all together. The most important thing is that we enjoy the day with our friends and family…and that we’re not left with a mound of debt for years to come.
The economy has drastically changed our wedding plans. He’s 28, I’m 26, we’re both working in our first jobs out of college. Though we are both employed, our retirement benefits have been slashed and our raises have been eliminated. We’ve been together for 4 years and wanted to get married this summer. The economy has helped us decide to put off the wedding for a year or two, and instead focus on paying off student loan debt, and building a down payment for a house. Our parents are not able to help us out financially, but I feel that we’ll do it on our own, it will just take a little longer. I’ve read the comments below and agree that financial stress should not dictate matters of the heart, however we should all keep in mind that love and a wedding are separate entities. I have a wealth of love and it’s paying dividends, it’s just the expensive party that must wait a while. When the wedding does happen, my plans are to have it be rich with experiences and low on cost. We are having many wedding-weekend events (nature hike with the bride, golf with the groom, poker party instead of rehearsal dinner) so we can fully enjoy our guests and spend quality time with them. To save money on the wedding we will have some do-it-yourself projects (invites, cake, flowers, favors, centerpieces, my dad will perform the ceremony) and some cost-cutting options (buffet dinner, DJ vs live music, off-the-rack dress). Areas to splurge on include photos, reception venue, and alcohol. I’m really looking forward to getting married and and even more excited about being married. Making wise (or poor) financial decisions in this economy has almost Darwinian consequences. “Tough choices” like to buy a home or get married become a whole lot easier in a bad economy. A home is an investment, not to mention shelter; a wedding is a costly celebration of something that we will have indefinitely, love.
I found a” New” $1800 wedding gown at a consignment shop in rice village!! the reddoor has lots of gowns from stores and people who did not use them for 30% to 70% off the retail price!!
also bridemaids and moms dress.
no need to pay retail . this is in houston
To all those Wedding Couples…yes, most likely you will have to cut back on those “big” wedding dreams! REMEMBER THIS…It is not how or how much you spend on one day, but HOW YOU SPEND THE REST OF YOUR DAYS TOGETHER AS HUSBAND AND WIFE THAT REALLY MATTER!!! Married almost 20 years and as the days turn into years …I find myself falling more into love with the life long partner and best friend!
Our son is getting married in July and my wife and I have just purchased a house as a wedding gift for him and his new wife. We had planned on simply limiting our gift to a downpayment but with the present drop in prices we found a home that had sold for just over $300,000 3 years ago and are closing on it in 3 weeks – purchase price $164,000!
If we have learned anything from the current economic state, excessiveness doesn’t work. A wedding is about friends and family celebrating a union, not a lavish party. My husband and I wed just after college six years ago when the economy was much better and we still didn’t have money for a budget. We wed in our college campus gardens which is free to alumni (along with chairs provided and the natural flowers cut decorating costs). It also meant a lot to both of us since it’s where we met.
The net worth of US Congresspersons ($400 million plus – $2.6 million) and the inheritance laws allow the congress to pass laws and accumulate massive national debt that do not affect them or thier famlies
An ostentatious and expensive wedding is ridiculous in any economy. It is reprehensible to spend thousands of dollars on one day regardless of how much money one has. It’s the marriage that counts, not the wedding day. We started planning our marriage ceremony years ago on a very small budget and have stuck to it. It will be special because we will be together with those we love, not because of it’s expense or size or an irrational need to “keep up with the Joneses.” All of that is just ego and materialism.
My daughter was supposed to get married in September but now the fiance claims he can’t afford to. He hasn’t been laid off or whatnot, so I told my little girl he’s philandering and so long as she hasn’t given up her virtue she ought to walk away right now from him. Well, she started crying and hollering but all I know is I wish that deadbeat would take a hike and just leave my daughter be.
We plan an April wedding. We are on two sides of the fence as to the cost and how big or small a ceremony to have. She’s 45 and I’m 51. I’ve always saved as much as I can, but now face being outsorced after 25 years. I want to retire when the “package” is paid. So, yes based on the losses in the markets and housing prices and increases in living expenses we will scale back our plans for a wedding, although she doesn’t agree with that totally. Going from 6 figure income to less than a mid 5 figure income really sets the tone for what will be what. I’d prefer to enjoy life now than to spend on a ceremony. No matter how big or small – Love is Love and the future should be the same.
My fiance and I got engaged March 14, 2008, and our wedding date is set for March 14, 2009. I am 27 and she is 24. It seems we got engaged when the economy really started tanking. We spent five years together before I proposed, because I wanted to be sure we were right for each other and to get financially prepared. We decided to purchase a home as a result of a wonderful financial gift from her uncle and also because of the First-Time Homebuyer’s Tax Credit, which was $7500 at the time (it might be $15000 if the stimulus passes). We benefited from the weak housing market when we closed on our brand-new home in Katy, Tx in November 2008. We were able to get $20,000 off the asking price because it was an inventory home, meaning it was built and no one bought it. We have not changed our wedding plans because of the economy. We are still treating everyone from out-of-town to the Houston Rodeo, we are still having our rehearsal dinner at an overpriced Mexican restaurant, and we are still having a blow-out reception after the ceremony. All of this is possible because of help from her mom, my parents, and friends and family. We have been very lucky during this recession because we both have jobs that aren’t as affected in a downturn as others (I’m a hotel manager, she’s in HR at an oil company). At this point our household income is around $70,000, but we are living so far below our means that we are actually saving 10% in our money market AND investing 15% in our 401k and Roth IRA’s. This recession is hitting many people negatively, but at this point we are taking full advantage of all opportunities, because eventually the economy will rebound.
Our budget is still at $30,000 USD. Instead of having a designer dress, I’m going to the Fashion District in Los Angeles for a massive discount on wholesale dresses. Instead of having a garden/church wedding with a bunch of people we don’t know, we’re going straight to the Maldives & Singapore – where we planned to have our honeymoon anyway and we’re getting married there, just us 2(in the Maldives). We’re also saving money by flying business class instead of first. Then, when we return we’re taking our closest friends and families to the place where we had our first date back in college – El Torito! We’re even considering sending Evites instead of paper invitations!
Yes, we’re having to cut back on our wedding expenses! My Fiancé got laid off over Thanksgiving break (which was bad enough) and hasn’t been able to find a job since! It doesn’t help that we just graduated from college a little under two years ago so he only has about a year and a half worth of experience. During that time I only had an extended internship position; the company couldn’t hire me after the term was up because the economy was so bad, so they just kept me on part-time. And there was no way I could support the both of us on my “salary” in Oregon. So we had to move from Oregon to Texas in hopes to find jobs. Once we got here I found a job and started in January which has been helping but we have no place to live and have to bunk up with our parents for the time being. Our wedding is in July and we are strap for money and not sure we will be able to move out of our parents’ houses any time soon. Not sure we will even have enough money for wedding invitations!
I got engaged on Christmas day 2008 and my fiance and I have set a date for July 10, 2010. I would say that the economy has affected the budget for our wedding greatly since my father was laid off from his job, so giving his daughter her dream wedding, isn’t quite as possible. And I’m thinking that maybe my long list of out of town guests may not be able to attend. Nevertheless, we are still getting married. The new tax credit has made us consider buying a house sooner than expected. All in all, it has its pros and cons. We wont be able to spend as much or have as many guests for the wedding, on the other hand, we may be able to get in a bigger house sooner and we are now more conscious on how we save and spend money.
To those brides of 2009, planning a wedding is a big deal. No matter how much you spend on it. It’s the celebration of a commitment that many of your family and friends want to take part in celebrating with you. I am a photographer, and my husband and I really understand budgets. We planned our own wedding on just $2500, and that included about 300 guests.
While our packages now start above what we spent total on our wedding, it was also 10 years ago we got married. Many of your small town photographers who have not advertised (like us), will work with you on a budget. Just ask. Of course, photographers can’t give you everything. (We have two small children to think about, and this is how we pay our mortgage.) But we’re a husband wife team, we understand and value marriage, we strive to capture that on your day so that you have something to share with your children. It’s the one thing you take away from the wedding day (along with your spouse, of course! ;o)
So look for the little guy’s like us. We’re not as easy to find. You’ll have to ask around, but we’re out here.
Best wishes to all of you getting married! It’s the best decision I’ve ever made! 10 years later we’re still committed to each other and our children.
My fiance and I got engaged in April 2008, and are getting married in July 2009. When we got engaged we sat down and said “how much do we want to spend on this wedding” and made sure it was an amount that we already had in the bank aside from emergency funds, retirement investments, etc. So while we’ve negotiated more heavily with some vendors (though I’m nervous that some small vendors might go out of business!) we haven’t changed much of our actual planning. We are very financially responsible and bought a small condo instead of the $1M+ house that the bank said we could afford in 2006 (we couldnt!)
Our problem has been our guests. We’ve gotten a ton of flack for having a wedding during the recession and for being “selfish” and “making guests spend so much money” though we told people if they don’t feel comfortable and got very discounted rates on hotels for out-of-towners. If we’ve been responsible and this wedding will not set us back financially, why shouldn’t we have a celebration?! It’s been difficult to hear that many people will not come because of finances, and we understand that and will miss them, but I don’t think we should be made to feel guilty about having the wedding we want and can afford.
My husband I opted for a more intimate, yet fun wedding. I did not like nor did I want all the fuss that comes with a huge wedding. We got married on a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean! We shared this special day with 30 of your closest friends/family. The best part was no planning! I just picked the color flowers I wanted and the flavor of the cake (which was very yummy). The reception was held in one of the dance club on the ship….we had a DJ, open bar, and hot/cold hor’devours. Everyone had a blast! The wedding and reception cost $1500. We spent approximately $5000 on our entire wedding, which included my dress, his tux, airfares and cruise fare for my husband, his parents, and my mom. I don’t regret not having a tradtional wedding.
We’re not getting married anytime soon. I’m almost underwater on my house and he is underwater on his house. If we weren’t already homeowners, we could get married. As it stands, why get married if we can’t live together?
Just to clear things up for Patrick. The murder rate has nothing to do with this discussion, only an interresting fact about where the support is for our elected leader. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
The bottom line is that the stimulus and TARP are a joke. They can’t inject money in to the economy at any other level other than the consumer, as directed by the consumer, and maintain a balance. Spending creates demand which creates jobs. A very fundamental concept.
If the “Big Banks” fall, they fall. The smaller more profitable banks will buy up the pieces and begin their journey’s to becoming large banks, hopefully with some lessons learned. One would think that the current banks are run by “smart people” (maybe). They probably should have pushed back on the Clinton administration against being forced into sub-prime lending.
What will the stimulus package do for the consumer? I may not speak for everyone but if I get $13 a week more in my check, that wouldn’t even buy a half a tank of fuel for my car. I’m going save it an pretend it doesn’t exist. I am a responsible borrower and live within my means,so over time it may help me retire a little earlier.
On the other hand, If the government would push the money to the consumer, where it needs to be, I would likely buy one of those big ticket items on the nice to have list. The CNN money website has a headline article stating this very fact. Capital needs to be pushed into the economy from the bottom up.
The stimulus is a band-aid that will, in a short time, lose it’s adheasiveness and fall off.
If it is somewhat successful in slowing the bleeding we will be here on this discussion board again.
If the recession continues as expected, I may be looking at an UN-wedding of my spouse of 25 years to free her of financial burden before I file for bankrupcy.
It’s not affecting my wedding plans but….it is affecting my child planning. I’m afraid to have another child in this economy becuase i might lose my job.
My fiance and I were engaged in 2007. We are both currently students preparing to enter into our careers, (if we can); he has just started his Masters and I am finishing my BA. We have not yet set a wedding date, do to many factors, but especially do to money. Our combined school debt is massive, already over $80K; we live together and do not receive financial support from our families towards either our educations or living expenses. In short, our wedding is currently in limbo. We would really like to hold it soon, but it just does not seem feasible; and we both think it is definitely more of a priority to land our careers first. Especially in light of the fact that we have already decided we will get married; it is simply a matter of when and how much.
Why would anyone marry in financial troubled times? Marriage requires financial security in the 21st century. At one point it did not, but not it does. Financial stress can consume couples and trigger a divorce because the lack of money. It is beautiful to be married, even if the couple is poor, but the couple must at least have basic necessities such as shelter, food and utilities. Other than what I just mentioned, it takes love and patience.
We had a wedding years ago on a small budget. We were both in our 30’s working career jobs and could have afforded an elaborate thing, but spending thousands and thousands on one party just seemed insane. As it turned out, it couldn’t have been better.
For our medieval styled wedding we made our own clothes (for us and the entire wedding party) and we hand painted our invitations. No caterer would do the food like we wanted, lucky us. A college friend BBQ’ed an entire round of beef for us and another college buddy arrived with loaves of bread from his neighborhood award winning bakery. My sister made the cake (stunning and tasty), the in-law who did Mary Kay did the make up (tasteful yet stunning), my other sister arrived with her butt-whooping sound system, we put disposable cameras all around, the Superior court judge in the family gave the vows, we went wine tasting with a discount card for the “wine bar” and friends prepped and cleaned up.
And a grand time was had by all.
And we also could still afford consider buying a house. Ha zaar!
I got engaged on Christmas day and plan on getting married in the spring of 2010. I don’t think I would be doing anything differently if the economy was any better. We’re currently planning for around 75-100 people. I could see the economy affecting some of the out of town guests… I have a bridesmaid who lives in England and a coworker I want to invite who lives in Canada. I can understand if the out of town people won’t be able to make it. Unfortunately this includes my fiance’s dad who lives in Florida and was hit hard by the economic downturn.
Some of my financial/future planning in general has been a bit different than normal. Currently we’re hording money to pay for the wedding as well as paying down the credit card debt that we have. I currently own a condo we would really like to move out of. For a number of reasons. Among these reasons is we would really like to start a family, and the condo just is not big enough. We haven’t figured out how we are going to handle that, but we’ve gone as far as discussing bankruptcy. I have perfect credit and combined the fiance and I make over 90k a year, so it makes no sense for me to even be mentioning bankruptcy. The condo is only in my name, so we might see if he can qualify for a house and the try and do something with the condo (rent it, walk away, etc.).
so is my wedding planning looking different? I don’t think so. My financial future? Definitely. I included all the stuff about my financial future because I think it’s important to consider when talking about weddings. What comes next? I believe the economy will never recover until people like me (financially sound people wanting to move on with their lives and change houses and move on to bigger and better things) are helped. Even if that means a bunch more foreclosures because we help ourselves by walking away. I hope it doesn’t.
My fiancé and I got engaged this past October, with plans to marry in September. We have been in a long distance relationship for the past year and half since I moved to Cedar Rapids, IA from Omaha, NE after college. While she deserves the wedding she wants, I continue to be concerned about layoffs in my company. Her parents will be footing the bill for what looks like a 30k wedding, and I have every intention of giving her the Tahiti honeymoon she has dreamed of. I’m doing my best to keep the guest list short but everything else has a green light.
The economy and prospects for the economy in the near future have certainly changed our wedding plans.
BACKGROUND
My fiancée and I have been a couple since January 1st, 2005. She began a shared life when she moved in with me in a rented house in December, 2005. After making a permanent commitment to one another we began house hunting and bought a house together, both names on the deed, about 35 miles south of Cincinnati in northern Kentucky, in June, 2007. In March, 2008 we decided to marry, and began planning our wedding in May, 2008, with a wedding date of February 14, 2009 (so connecting the Valentines Day theme to your question regarding wedding plans is particularly applicable and appropriate for us).
She is 35, I am 52. She has three children, the two youngest of whom (9 and 6 years old) live with us. The 9-year-old is autistic. I work in management for an automobile manufacturer and have almost 22 years with the company. By a mutual decision we decided back in 2005 that the best long-term plan for us was for her to return to school and complete her bachelors degree in business, and then to potentially continue on to law school. I make a good income and so we could afford to do this. She graduated in June, 2007 with her degree, and then took her LSAT preliminary to applying for law school, and scored well on it. We then mutually agreed to allow her to stay home until her children were a little older before continuing on with her education. Our hobby is Civil War reenacting (which is relevant to this story). I belong to a cavalry group, her oldest son, 16, who lives with his father – a police sergeant in Cincinnati – belongs to an associated infantry group. Through the spring, summer, and fall we often attend reenactment events were we camp for the weekend with like-minded individuals and engage in various activities, including battle reenactments, camp life demonstrations, and more. The public is very interested, and our circle of friends and work colleagues is also very interested. So…when we decided to get married, we planned a Civil War theme wedding! The general background is that it would emulate a high society wedding of a cavalry officer during the winter months of 1861-62, when the armies would have been in winter quarters and he would have had time to get away and be back home for an upscale wedding in a church.
BTB (BEFORE THE BUST)
Here were our plans before the economic bust, and the consequent downturn of the automobile industry.
Wedding
The ceremony is at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky in Broadus Chapel, a gorgeous chapel which seats 250 and was designed after the first Baptist church in Rhode Island. It has a wonderful “period” look and feel for a church in the 1800s, including boxed pews in which a door must be opened to enter and sit down.
The entire wedding party will be in full and authentic (i.e. not rented costumes) uniforms and dress as it would have been at the time. The minister is dressed as a military chaplain of the Confederate army, I am a cavalry captain (a role that I sometimes portray in our hobby) in full dress uniform with a saber, and she a widowed bride. Her dress is a large cream colored hoop design and has been uniquely designed and handmade for her, as is the forest green dress of her bridesmaid.
The ceremony and vows would be conducted and said as they would have been in February of 1862.
The groom and 2-3 of his fellow cavalrymen will ride up to the church on their horses to initiate the ceremony.
A 4-string ensemble and a trumpet player will provide classical and other music of the period, all of which was composed before and being played prior to 1865. It will be played without amplification, as it would have been then. The guests will be informed that there experience is very much as it would have been for a guest in the 1860s, including sight, sound, and feel. At the end of the wedding ceremony and recessional the guests will immediately step just outside the door and steps of the church (weather permitting) for the traditional military saber ceremony, in which the new bride and groom march through a “tunnel” of raised sabers crossed overhead, creating an arch.
Reception
Attendees then take a brief road trip of about 25 minutes to Claudia Sanders Dinner House in nearby Shelbyville, the home of Col. Harland and Claudia Sanders. The Dinner House is an upscale Southern restaurant in a mansion style building that the couple operated behind their home, after the Col.had sold KFC. So the venue both has aesthetic appeal for the theme, and a strong Kentucky connection and identity.
At the reception a generous buffet will be initially served plates and with napkin wrapped tableware, all catered by the restaurant.
Following the wedding the Mason-Dixon String Band will provide period music that would be heard at a military ball in the 1860s, and guests will dance reels, promenades, and other easy but fun dances of the 1800s, all coordinated by the “caller,” who is a member of the groom’s cavalry unit but also does this on the side. Before the bride and groom arrive from the church he will also engage the waiting guests by doing some informal and fun instruction before hand.
A bar will serve beer and wine at no cost to the guests. Though desiring mixed drinks can get them at the restaurants bar, just a few steps down the hall from the reception.
The ceremony will be divided by the cutting of the wedding cake, the first slice of which will be cut by the bride and groom together, using the groom’s beautifully inscribed saber. After the cake ceremony, a modern band will take over and provide contemporary dance music for the rest of the evening.
Honeymoon
We (bride & groom) will spend Saturday night through Monday morning in town, visiting briefly with some of the guests who have traveled form out of state (one a resident of England) for the festivities. On Monday we will fly to Las Vegas for three days, staying at the Belagio, and then on Thursday continue on to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico for eight more days, flying back to Louisville, Kentucky on February 27th to return home and begin our married life.
ATB (AFTER THE BUST)
So like many others, if not most, the economic downturn has affected our wedding plans and we made several changes to be more conservative. While I will note the changes in the same format used above, note that they did not all occur at once, but were accumulative, with one changes continuing to accrue as business conditions worsened.
Perhaps the first thing to note is that after discussion, we decided that since we could only have a wedding and wonderful reception once, but could travel at anytime that conditions allowed, that we would cut more on the honeymoon and less on the wedding and reception, unless absolutely forced to do so.
Wedding Changes
We made very few changes to the wedding ceremony, but did make a few, one of which significantly helped to reduce cost, though with a different price to pay.
The ride to the church on the horses was eliminated to reduce the cost transporting the horses from near Lexington to Louisville.
Few flowers were going to be used in any case since they would not have been generally available in February of 1862 due to the season. However, what real flowers were planned – at Valentines Day inflated costs – were eliminated, except for the bride’s simple bouquet.
The groom’s sister, a semi-professional photographer, and one of the groom’s daughters with her photojournalist best friend were engaged to do photos and video. Some of the video cameras will be mounted on fixed tripods with strategic views and allowed to run throughout the ceremony without need for handling so that only one “live” videographer needs to be used for custom shots. The groom, skilled at both photo editing and at video production will produce the couples own wedding photos, albums, and video products in the weeks after the ceremony. Additionally, the groom asked the school if they could provide some of the support equipment, such as tripod, as part of their service, which they will. (Overall, a few thousand dollars are saved here.)
The groom designed the programs and other distributed materials for the wedding, rather than having them done by a professional service, is having them printed on a slightly lower quality paper, and doing that locally, saving a few hundred dollars overall.
The biggest change was in the number of guests. Even though the church will hold 250 the guest list was pared to 175, with a consequent reduction in the number served at the reception. However, by doing this, many of the groom’s work colleagues could not be invited to the wedding, as well as many of the couple’s friends in the reenacting hobby. The groom has a very large extended family which is also very close. When coupled with the bride’s more modestly sized but still substantial family, relatively few seats were left over to accommodate friends, fellow workers, and others. The price of this savings was that many people who would have liked to attend the wedding were excluded.
Reception Changes
A cousin of the groom who is attending the wedding but who also makes wedding cakes professionally was engaged to do the cake. She would not normally have been asked due to her distance from the wedding, but she was still close enough for the transport to work. This saved a few hundred dollars, and additionally she is throwing in a very nice groom’s cake at no charge.
The 75 seat reduction at the wedding carries over into the reception, where a substantial savings is achieved on the buffet dinner.
The bar service was changed so that an initial deposit was made for free drinks. It will provide several hundred drinks. After the deposit is used up, the beer and wine bar will convert to a cash bar.
The second music set was changed from a live performance to a high-level DJ service. Additionally, the DJ will also serve as a professional Master of Ceremonies and will coordinate the who reception, saving the need for a separate MC.
The bride purchased all of the linens for the tables (red and white, for Valentines Day) at just above what it would have cost to rent them from the restaurant (she got better colors, too). After the reception they will be sold, recovering some of the cost, and reducing the overall cost by perhaps a couple of hundred dollars. Chair covers were eliminated, reducing the cost by a few more dollars. The restaurants chairs look very nice on their own, and a simple decoration of a red ribbon and bow, matching/coordinating with the tablecloths and silk flowers on the table, might be put on them at practically no cost.
Honeymoon Changes
Here was where the drastic reductions occurred.
First, the Mexican trip was eliminated. Later, the Las Vegas trip was eliminated.
In lieu of them the bride and groom might take a short road trip for 3-4 days to a suitable location close by, not more than a state away.
Several thousand are saved here.
CONCLUSION
Overall, we are still having a very nice wedding that we think will be colorful, historically educational, and unique experience for everyone, including the guests, to remember and talk about for years to come. The corners that we cut have the advantage of being mostly “behind the scenes,” i.e. little noticed, but which collectively save several thousand dollars. The major change to the honeymoon affect the bride and groom only. What the guests actually see, hear, and experience will be essentially the same as it was before, so the overall quality of the wedding and reception were very well preserved.
While not directly related, there is a bonus for us, too, as the economic times darken. Both the bride and groom are responsible managers of money, and both have a good attitude toward doing what is necessary to manage through the difficult economic times. As sometime occurs when finances are tight, not only is there no bickering and fighting, but a spirit of cooperation and mutual work on necessary changes for daily living and money management prevails. Also, when we bought our house back in 2007 even though we could have bought much “more” house based on my income, we intentionally got substantially less (but still a very nice 2000+ sf brick ranch in the country with a great yard), and used a conventional loan that will maintain even payments over time. We will enter our married years with stable finance and almost no debt beyond the house.
I had a wedding on a tight budget twelve years ago and don’t regret it in the least. As a matter of fact there are some definite advantages to this style wedding besides just the economic ones. The guest list was small which means I knew everyone there. No worries about having a conversation with dear great aunt so and so and having no idea what her name is. The location was a beautiful small chapel owned and operated by the State Parks and Recreation Dept. No set up, no clean up. All we did was show up. Our reception was held in the private dining room of a local upscale restaurant with a preset menu. I was able to sit down with the people most important to me and celebrate my wedding. I suppose I made some sacrifices, but I chose what was most important to me. If I were getting married today my decisions would be no different.
There are things that you absolutely cannot skim on (such as photographer) and there are others that you can search for bargains such as invitation cards (example is tinyprints.com) and wedding favors (example partybeans.com). There are still great deals out there to save a ton, one just has to do his/her homework. But with economy in a slum, what a better way to spend weekend research vs. going out and spending money.
Regarding the more expensive items: I bought a gorgeous raw silk wedding dress for $145.00 at an outlet and embellished it personally with pearls. The veil was easy to create too! I already owned clear prissy shoes and the expensive strapless bra came as a shower gift. The flowers were purchased wholesale with green floral tape and pearl ended pins and plenty of wonderful corsages etc were created the night prior.
We bought tickets to Maui from California and stayed in a VRBO personal private pool accomadations with car rental for one week at $1800 for the whole trip. Married on the beach in Oregon with approx 120 in attendance – just beautiful and it was a joy to prepare my own wedding ~ T
It all depends on how you were raised and live everyday, if you are used to spending alot you will spend alot on a wedding, if you are more money conscious you will spend less. I wil be married this March and yes the economic situation scares me sometimes but that will not stop me from getting married to the person I love. In one week I will finish my studying to become a Registered Nurse and be glad to be done but not so glad to enter the hunt for a decent job. I have been going over wedding decisions with my novia (fiance) for one year now and feel very happy, excited, and yes a little fearful of the unknown future, but that is life. Do I wish the economy was betther? Ovcourse. Will that stop me from getting married? No. All I want is a beautiful wedding, lovely reception, a wonderful honeymoon and a nice place to sleep at night. I will pay whatever the cost for what I mentioned above.
Thank you
To Sue: I’m not too familiar with the bride and groom, but I think you might be misinterpreting their intentions: my wife and I had a destination wedding so that we didn’t have to deal with all of the “obligatory costs” nor guests/etc. IE we didn’t want to deal with self-important people or high costs. Less than $2k for our wedding in Maui, HI at a secluded waterfall on the coast including dress, tux (bought), photographer, videographer, location, drivers and transportation to/from the site (6 guests came). Left alot over for the 17-night honeymoon. 
Destination weddings are the wave of the future. With proper advance notice to give guests time to plan & save their money the destination wedding is the way to go! The parents of the bride & groom, as well as the couple are spared the enormous expense of a traditional wedding while enjoying a beautiful, romantic, fairytale setting for their destination wedding. Plus, everyone gets a vacation!
The traditionial wedding market is suffering. Caterers, venues, florists, etc. are finishing what was left from last year now & I personally think future bookings are way off. The wedding industry is a year behind given that weddings are normally planned a year in advance. Unless the couple are wealthy, not many are going to be planning big tradtional weddings with price tags starting at a low of $25,000!
Those in the planning stages are desparate for an economical, but still beautiful wedding alternative without resorting to the fire/moose hall.
Normally reserved for 2nd weddings the destination wedding does the trick.
The most economical destination is the Caribbean. All inclusive resorts offer guests an array of ammenties to enjoy, breathtaking beach, mountain & lush tropical areas to hold romantic ceremonies & varied venues in resort for rehearsal dinners & receptions. A typcial wedding package including officiant, reception, cake, flowers, music, photograhper & videographer runs about $2,000. All guests pay their own way & are normally given the choice of 3 or 7 nt. stays. Parents also pay their own way, but if enough people go, the bride & groom could go free. Even if everyone pays their own way, the cost of an absolutely memorable, totally romantic wedding is a fraction of a traditional wedding.
Log onto our website http://www.weddingsawaytravel.com for more information.
I have been involved in planning 3 weddings so far. In one, the entire budget (including flowers, photographer, and all of the dresses including the brides dress) was only $2500. The latest one I planned, the bride made her dress for $80. The grooms family paid for the dinner they insisted on, and the groom paid for the site. All together with decorations, under $3000. A great wedding on a budget is possible.
My fiancee and I are planning a wedding for May 23rd.
Thankfully, my mom is paying for the wedding itself; she took the money for it out of the market over a year ago, so that money was not depleted. But, in order to “stimulate the economy” in our own little way, we are sticking with small, non-chain companies to complete the day.
I bought the materials for my dress from a NC-based company. We’re having a designer friend make the wedding attire. We’ve got a small, local restaurant providing food and entertainment. Our wedding invitations also came from a small letterpress company that I found on etsy.com, a marketplace for independent artists.
This has reduced our wedding costs; these smaller companies are very glad to have our business and appreciate the large orders. They also are happy to work with us to give us exactly what we want.
Also, we have decided not to hold a registry (why ask others to spend money in our current economic climate?), but instead are offering optional charities guests can give to, if they feel the need to contribute. Similarly, the bridal shower will be a “bring a recipe for the bride, and food for the food bank of NC.”
The economy isn’t affecting our wedding plans at all. In fact, we’re going to tie the knot just as soon as we pay off our Bankruptcy lawyer!
My fiance and I are planning a wedding this year and while both of us are still employed, thankfully, we are nervous about how the wedding will deplit our savings. In this economy, no one knows what to expect. The last thing we want is for one of us to loose are jobs just before or right after the wedding. This wedding means so much to us and people typically only marry the same person once. Therefore, on the other hand, I do not believe I should let the economy dictate my wedding. In the long run, I think if I did, I would regret it.
Consumerism and materialism have run amok in today’s weddings. I have a family member planning a “destination wedding” in the Carribean this year and they expect all their guests to take their vacation time and spend a large sum of money just to attend their ceremony….despite the state of our economy. It seems very ostentatious considering our current economic times. The travel costs and all of the other obligatory costs, gifts, clothing, etc, is really obnoxious.
We were planning on waiting for another couple of years anyway, and by the looks of things it’s the right thing to do. I know marriage has almost nothing to do with the actual wedding day but it’s still a very special occasion. If we were to be married now, there would be some definite cutbacks. This economy has taught us to save more… by the time we do marry, maybe we’ll have saved enough to pay outright!
As a florist I want to advise brides that are planning their wedding to be up front about budget concerns to your vendors. I do florals in Atlanta and Buffalo for weddings and events. A good florist can do beautiful flowers and should be able to with any budget. We can steer you in a direction and guide you to flowers that you can afford and away from the ones that would break the bank, yet still give you the beautiful bouquets that you would want on your special day. There is no need to go the carnation [or silk] route at all. Many, flowers from Rose’s and Gerbera to Lily’s can be used if designed and budgeted properly, which an honest, seasoned professional florist can do and in this economy should do!
My sister and her fiance have pushed back their wedding plans from this summer to the following spring.
Both are older with grown kids and both wanted to have their finances “in order” before joining assets. Between her needing to assist her kids and him having hours cut, they realized that would take a little extra time.
My Fiance and I are to be married later this year. We have cut back in some areas of the wedding, for example, buffet instead of family style, less guests, Smaller wedding cake with Sheet-Cake in the back to be able to accomodate all of our guests. There are tons of ways to cut back. We are both very fortunate to be working. We are 24 and 21 years old, and doing our best to pay for it all on our own. We wish everyone else in the midst of planning/paying for this exensive ceremony the best of luck.
I am a 26-year-old bride-to-be who is not only trying to plan a wedding, but also find a new job. I am currently employed as an analyst in Louisville, but since my fiancé works as an attorney in a small community about 1.5 hours away from my job, I have been spending the last 4 months hunting for a new job closer to my fiancé, in addition to also planning my wedding.
The job market is horrible, especially in rural Kentucky where many are being laid off from factory jobs. There are very few jobs out there that cater to my education and experience, and I often find out that I am over-qualified for the few positions that are open. This fact doesn’t help with the whole wedding planning experience. Right now, I should be joyfully picking out wedding colors and meeting with vendors, spending money right and left with little regard to the cost, because it’s my wedding! It is supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life, and I’d want it to be perfect.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. My Fiancé and I have established a very strict budget, and I am jumping through hoops lit on fire trying to plan the perfect wedding on a dime. Instead of fresh roses, I will have silk flowers. Instead of buying a wedding veil, I am borrowing my sister’s veil. Instead of a plated meal served on china, we’ll have a buffet with plastic plates. Instead of a live swing band, we’ll have a D.J. Instead of a honeymoon in Hawaii, we’ll be staying in North Carolina at a relative’s house. I absolutely hate all of these cuts! This isn’t how I envisioned my wedding, but what other choice do I have? The economy is in trouble, and my fiancé and I need to save as much money as we can.
This is insanity. The economy should not stop anyone from getting married. Who cares if your wedding is large or small? If you are in love then does it really matter? A wedding is not a show. It is a ceremony to bond two individuals forever. We are Americans. Bad economies come and go. We will rise out of this mess stronger than ever.
The state of the economy has definitely gotten in the way of our wedding plans. My fiancee and I originally planned to get married later this year (2009), but based on the economic conditions that resulted in a lack of an expected raise for me (I was promoted in August, but no salary change, and no performance increase due to company budget cuts) and a decrease in earnings for my fiancee (who works in sales), we have pushed back plans for our wedding to 2010. If things continue the way they are we may just end up holding something small in our home or in another ‘free’ public place, or waiting to buy a house and then holding the party in our new home.
We got married almost a year ago. It cost us less than $40, including the gasoline to get there which was nearly $5/gallon at the time.
I’ll never regret it.
I recently became married in January. My wife is still a student, so I the sole financial support stream. While we did cut back on some things, we finally came to the conclusion that we were not going to live our life in financial fear. Being married to the one you love is the most important treasure given to me, and if that means being unemployed living under a bridge begging for money together, than that’s what it means. I would rather be homeless and married to the one I love than to continue to push out my wedding date in fear of financial turmoil that may never even happen. Love is guided by the heart, not money.
This has been a competition among women for years….throwing large sums of money at a dress you wear for eight hours, double pay for necessities, pay $90 per person for a dinner? People will soon wake up and realize it is just another day and the materialism that has evolved around this “special” day will soon loose its luster. The days of champaign taste and easy credit are gone. As my favorite blogger Michael ‘MISH’ Shedlock always says ‘FRUGALITY IS THE NEW REALITY YOU CAN EITHER EMBRACE IT OR IT WILL EMBRACE YOU’.
I am a 24 yr. old student. I waitress and bartend on the side. My fiance’ is 34 and he has worked for the same company for the past fifteen years. We have lived in Maine our entire lives. The restaurant where I work has dramatically lost business due to the uncertainty of the economy and my fiances’ company cut back on overtime. We plan to wed on June 27th of this year. We have defintely cut back on a lot of things for our wedding. I didn’t spend as much on my dress. We are having family make the food-So it will be a serve yourself buffet style. We have had to down-size the guest list. If there was a way to do something cheaper, we are probably doing it.:) We do not have a honey moon planned. If we have the money someday we would like to take a trip. Even though the wedding will not be the gala affair we would like it to be, we still see what is really important and it will be OUR special day.
Both my myself and my younger brother have gotten engaged to our significant others in the past year. My parents will be helping with both of our weddings and are breathing a sigh f relief that we will be marrying a year apart at this point. I will be getting married next summer or fall, and my brother will be this summer or fall. Neither one of us has set a date yet and have searched to exhaustion for an affordable venue in the area where we live that we like. I can only compare it to trying to buy a house a couple years ago and the dissapoitment of losing it cause they flew off the market so fast or of not being able to afford the inflated prices..We’ve both looked for months and are pretty discouraged..not a good way to plan your wedding! These vendors and venue owners need to come down on their prices…I’m starting to think court house and backyard BBQ..which isn’t normally how Italians do weddings!
My Fiancee works in the financial services industry and everyday we worry about the future of his income. He proposed to me about 6 months after my sister had gotten engaged (with my fiancees best friend by the way). After a little thinking my sister and I decided to have a double wedding to save some costs with combining weddings. We are saving money in every area we can in order to still have enough money to enjoy our honeymoon. Although the economy is down my Sister and I are not only sharing our day but sharing the costs associated with a “modern-day” wedding.
My fiance and I have a May wedding planned. Luckily, the deteriorating economy will not take too much a toll on the actual wedding since we are not paying for it. However, my fiance is still out of work, and my career may be in jeopardy, so we are not planning a honeymoon anymore. It seems foolish to spend a few thousand dollars on a vacation when we may need it to make rent in the following months.
He and I currently have good credit, and we don’t want to go into debt because of a week-long trip. We’d always dreamed of taking a Caribbean holiday after our wedding…but it just may have to wait.
We have decided to not have a traditional wedding with a large reception. A lot of family have voiced concerns about traveling and the costs that would be incurred. Also, our parents have cut back on the amount they can help us with because of the market and job uncertainty.
We are leaning towards taking the honeymoon and either getting married by a JP prior or having a civil ceremony wherever we end up going.
Nothing can get in the way of a Bride…. NOTHING. We both work in the financial profession here in Connecticut. She is 25 and I am 27, and we just bought our first home. We have been doing the proper thing and saving for quiet some time and now will be going ahead with our plans as usual. We have always saved 20% of our income, and have a significant Rainy Day fund as well. Like my fathers always taught me live within your means, and if you want something save for it. I do think we have seen bottom, and for someone our age now is the best time to invest.
I’m a 26 year old geologist who just got his first job out of graduate school in June, 2008. I had big plans for finally getting married to my long-time girlfriend who stuck it with me through the hard times. But ever since the planning began in June for our wedding, the economy has deteriorated to the point where we’re afraid of spending a large sum of money on our special day.
After discussing it with my fiance, who is herself a student, we’ve decided that cutbacks are needed. We finally settled on a courthouse wedding, and a short trip to Mexico. I’m perfectly happy with our decision because being with her is the most important thing in the world. I just wish we didn’t have to be so afraid to spend money and add more sparkle to it.
My fiance and I are already spending a lot just trying to get him here from England, so we’re keeping it simple for now – a romantic gondola vow ceremony for $85, followed by a $300 lunch reception for 30 people. My dress is a vintage beauty that I paid $90 for, and my fiance paid just a little bit more for his shirt, jacket and trousers. We also got a great deal on our beautiful rings.
We plan to have a more formal wedding next year in England, but even that will be carefully budgeted, financially conservative and DIY.