Getting Married!! In 6 months!! Any tips??

[DisneyCaliCouple]

My boyfriend (eh hem, now fiancee ) proposed yesterday!! At Disneyland! It was so perfect and some of our family was even there...and he couldn't have done it in a more perfect or sweet way!

So now the planning begins! We don't have an exact date yet, but we will be getting married in May. Yes, right around the corner in 6 months! We'll also be moving at the same time. lol So we have a lot to do!

While we don't have a specific budget yet, we can't spend millions of dollars. lol (Like I said, we will be moving around this time as well) We don't want a really fancy, fancy wedding - the only reason I think it'd be considered "big" is because the amount of family he has. lol But simple and sweet is probably how I could describe it. Like I said, we just got engaged yesterday, so so far the only thing I've decided is I really like Cala Lillies. =)

I know you guys have all kinds of tips and tricks up your sleeves on how to do this without stressing out and not spend way too much money!

So anybody with any tips on saving money, or tips on getting ideas for the wedding and receptions, or just any tips on how not to let it overwhelm me! lol It'd be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[onelilspark]

First, congrats!! I got engaged in September for an October 29, 2011 wedding. The first thing you need to do is secure a date. I had trouble looking over a year out, so get on top of finding a place for your reception/ceremony ASAP! Second, get your dress and make sure you can get it into the store in plenty of time to then have to alter.

Actually, before that, set a budget, try to guess how much you're willing to spend on everything (I got a book that had approximate percentages for estimating your budget. It's been super helpful!) Also decide who is paying what. Are you guys going to be paying for everything yourselves? Are your parents chipping in? How much? Etc. Etc.

Then chose a photographer, DJ & florist.

It's very easy to get overwhelmed. The first week after I was engaged, I was on wedding overload; trying to educate myself on everything. Be sure to set aside at least 1 day each week to not look at anything wedding related.

 

[PrincesCJM]

Ebay! I bought my veil and hair piece on Ebay and saved so much money. I recommended it to a former co-worker of mine and she was able to get a toddler tuxedo for her son.

My other suggestion is to keep it small. DH and I limited our wedding to immediate family and close friends. It not only cut down our costs but also gave us a definite cut off point. We had just under 25 people and it was perfect!

 

[hulagirl87]

First off congratulations!!!! DH and I got married in May and it's a wonderful month to get married I don't have any really good tips because DH and I got married just the 2 of us down in Disney (could that be my suggestion? no stress there!) but have fun planning! Whatever you do it will be the most special day ever!! Have fun dress shopping. It's so fun!!!

 

[RUDisney]

If you're getting married in a church, try to get the week after Easter. The church will be filled with flowers and you won't have to buy any for that venue.

Our church was beautifully filled with lillies.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

My biggest tip would be to search for local students or up-and-comers for some of your services.

I assume you live in California?? What city? Check with the local city colleges for photography programs and see if you can find a student with a great portfolio that isn't going to charge you an arm or a leg. Plus, you'll know they go to school and can find them if they skirt their duties - their professors HIGHLY frown upon stuff like that (I went to Brooks in Santa Barbara - we'd get nailed by our profs if they found out we flaked on something - it looked bad on us personally, but the school was made to look bad too and that was something they were not willing to bend on - the school had a great rep and WE'D BETTER do everything to keep that up...) If you are okay budget-wise and are in the Santa Barbara area OR LA, I can personally recommend two FANTASTIC wedding photogs. They were both classmates of mine and do amazing work. They are also extremely wonderful people to work with. Highly professional. If you are outside their area, I'm sure they could help me point you in the direction of some other great wedding photogs. We've got classmates up and down the California coast and had a very strong class.

Back to the college thing... there might be a good music program too, where you could find a soloist to play for your wedding for a decent price!

Don't drop tons of money into a fresh flower budget - it's one of the biggest money wasters in weddings.

Talk to your friends - you never know who knows who, you could come up with a great referral.

Also, check eBay, craigslist, and garage sales for table decorations. So many people spend money on centerpieces and accessories and then have them laying around after the party. You could probably find votive candle holders (tea candle sized) for dirt cheap and most dollar stores have tea candles in bulk.

Congratulations and good luck in your pursuit! PM me if you'd like those names!

 

[Rora]

A couple of tips to save money:

-First, you need to set your date. Can't do much if you don't have that set.
-Get married on an off day: Can you get married on a weekday instead of a weekend? Friday or Sunday is usually cheaper than Saturday
-Make sure your flowers are in season!! This is a big one!
-Shop around! Yes, it takes time but go to 3-ish people who sell the same service. So hit 3 florists, 3 photographers, etc. Compare prices, check out their portfolios and ask a lot of questions!
-A lot dress designers are starting to discountinue their dresses for the season so now is a great time to start looking. I'm not sure how much you're willing to spend on your dress but there are a lot of options for different price ranges.
-Are you crafty? If so, think about doing some DIY elements for your wedding. We made our own table cloths, welcome bags, decorations (Martha Stewart's pom-pom balls), and favors.
-Check out websites like The Knot and Brides : You'll find tons of ideas, money saving tips, etc.
-Buy an organizing book! It really was helpful for our wedding!
-Try to find ways to cut out some services.. can you do your own makeup? Is it possible to have your ceremony and reception at the same location (this cuts down on this use of transportation for the bridal party!)? Maybe have a smaller cake to cut and have sheet cakes in the back for your guests? This saves a ton of money on the cake and no one knows the difference!
-If you don't really care about a DJ, buy a nice set of speakers and create a giant playlist on your iPod (we did this and it worked out great!!)
-If you like a location and don't know if they offer weddings, always ask!! My friend was at the zoo one day and thought it would be a fun wedding location. She asked if they did weddings and they said yes-- we would've never known!!
-Check out Etsy for lots of fun wedding related items. You'd be surprised what you can find-- accessories, dresses, decorations, linens, etc.

This is just some ideas off the top of my head! CONGRATS!! I just got married in April and it was a blast. It was super easy to be overwhelmed and forget why you were having a wedding (you're in love with your DF, not the centerpieces, the cake, etc)-- don't let that happen!! I'm in the middle of planning my friend's wedding (I'm trying to start a portfolio to open my own wedding planning company) and would be happy to answer any questions that you may have, if I can!!

 

[orbrian]

congrats!!

 

[akhenaten]

Congratulations!! My tip would be to keep a good perspective!
The important thing is your marriage... not the wedding!!

 

[MJMouse]

Congratulations! I got married about 3 weeks ago and remember some of the planning fondly... There are lots of ways to save money on a wedding.

First, figure out what is important to the two of you. Not every thing that we usually associate with weddings was important to us. However, it was important to my husband to have friends and family witness our marriage and to celebrate with us. It was not important to us to have the perfect cake (though ours turned out great... more later), best photographer, a videographer, or a dj.

Next, set your budget. I don't know if you and your fiance (feels good to see that doesn't it?) are funding the wedding on your own or if your families are helping. It's best to figure that out first and have some frank discussions with everyone about what (if any) contribution they plan to make. Remember - not all of the money is due now, so figure out what you can save per week/month toward the wedding and factor that into your budget as well.

Location - Remember, you will be expected to tip at some locations/some vendors, but not others. That adds 20% (at minimum) to the bill. A location that includes all food, gratuities, set-up, clean-up, linens, servers, plates, silverware drinks, etc in one up front bill is wonderful. The initial sticker shock can be awful... but when you start looking at the add-ons to other locations they may end up being cheaper (and easier).

Coordinator - Consider a "Day of" Coordinator. They are usually around $400 or $500, but can save you a lot of grief and money in the long run. Mine referred a florist that was more than 50% less than anyone else in the area and more than paid for herself! This person allows you, your parents, and your attendants to have relaxed day and deals with details, details, details.

Music - We used an iPod, rented a sound system from the location, and asked an outgoing family member to be our MC. It was wonderful (and there were no worries about a stray song that we hated getting on the list).

Photographer - Find an up and coming photographer trying to build a portfolio or a friend that takes really great photos and you can save a bundle!

Videographer - We decided we didn't want one.

Florist - Some people will tell you to not blow your money on fresh flowers. But if you can find one that is reasonable and will work in your budget they are wonderful. Mine was able to do arrangements for the tables that were beautiful and cost less than the candle arrangement I was going to do and have to spend time assembling. She did all the assembling and put them on the tables. Worth it in time saved! Remember some flowers are more expensive than others (read Calla Lillies... so maybe use them more sparingly and fill in with other in season flowers).

Attendants - Think long and hard about how big a group you want.... also use ebay for gifts. My sisters loved their pearl necklaces.

Clothing - David's Bridal isn't as bad as you think... ebay is your friend for accessories. I paid $20 for my veil and it was one of the most elaborae I saw.

Cake - There are lots of cost effective options rather than a cake (cupcakes, pie/cookie/brownie buffet). We ended up having our location bake 5 of my favorite cakes, then display them nicely. My aunt made a cake topper for us and decorated - cost (<$200).

Also... remember - the ultimate goal of the day is that you and your fiance start a new chapter of your lives together as husband and wife, not that the day is perfect. Helps keep everything in perspective.

Best of luck!!!

 

[Muushka]

This has happened to me a few times. I ask the bride if they need pictures/video. They say 'nope, all set'. I attend the wedding and see that no, in fact, they are not 'all set'.

First time, FIL got remarried. Checked with the bride. Left my great still camera at home. Who ever they were counting on to take pictures, didn't.

Second time, basically the same thing with a friend.

Third time, last month. Asked bride about still/video. Nope, all set. (She said that she hired a photographer, who seemed to be doing a great job). I did bring my video camera because it is small and non-invasive. I quietly took videos when I could, not making a point of getting everything. I was the only person there with a video camera. Had I known it was going to be the only video camera, I would have done things much differently.

I am not the type to direct people. I love candid. I don't believe that cameras and videos should be an actual part of the wedding ceremony. But there are ways to film a wedding and not be intrusive. Same for stills.

So, if a friend or relative who has some pretty good equipment offers to take pictures/videos, take them up on it.

PS when we got married, our best man was also a photographer. We told him to leave his camera home and enjoy himself. He really appreciated that. We had hired a photographer and knew he would get everything we needed. And back then, good videos were difficult, no one had a great video camera like what is available today.

 

[RUDisney]

This has happened to me a few times. I ask the bride if they need pictures/video. They say 'nope, all set'. I attend the wedding and see that no, in fact, they are not 'all set'.

First time, FIL got remarried. Checked with the bride. Left my great still camera at home. Who ever they were counting on to take pictures, didn't.

Second time, basically the same thing with a friend.

Third time, last month. Asked bride about still/video. Nope, all set. (She said that she hired a photographer, who seemed to be doing a great job). I did bring my video camera because it is small and non-invasive. I quietly took videos when I could, not making a point of getting everything. I was the only person there with a video camera. Had I known it was going to be the only video camera, I would have done things much differently.

I am not the type to direct people. I love candid. I don't believe that cameras and videos should be an actual part of the wedding ceremony. But there are ways to film a wedding and not be intrusive. Same for stills.

So, if a friend or relative who has some pretty good equipment offers to take pictures/videos, take them up on it.

PS when we got married, our best man was also a photographer. We told him to leave his camera home and enjoy himself. He really appreciated that. We had hired a photographer and knew he would get everything we needed. And back then, good videos were difficult, no one had a great video camera like what is available today.

To this day, (17 years) our favorite wedding video is the one my brother and SIL took. They captured things that the professional photographer did not... because they know us better and they knew the cast of characters.

As a matter of fact, I just paid to have my professional and my brother's videos transferred to DVD from VHS. My DD loved watching them with me.