The net result of this is I plan on having my (our) wedding my (our) way. Which means we'll be paying for it. I like it that way, because now I can involve anyone I'd like in the planning, ask for their advice as needed, and ignore it as I please. Also, I have four sisters so there was no hope of my parents going "Of course! It's your big day! Money is no object, and we'll pay for it all!" but it sounds a lot more adult when I say we'll be paying for it because I'm selfish :)
I feel like there is more and more pressure on brides to have giant, perfectly planned, super sumptuous, day-of-dreams type events, which is cool if money really is no object, but as we are starting our life together as newlyweds, I really don't want to be paying off a wedding debt as big as my student loans. I want to have a wedding we could pay for with money we actually have, which turns out to be about $10,000. In real life, that seems like a lot of money to me, but in Wedding Planning Land, it really doesn't go far.
We really had to decide what was most important to us about our wedding, what we wanted to have and what we were willing and able to sacrifice. Maybe I was born under a lucky star, but what I really wanted was to have a very intimate, very beautiful wedding. Intimate = small guest list. Small guest list = big savings! At the moment our guest list stands at about 35 people, mostly family. I'm hoping with this small crew, we will be able to have great food, good favors, great decor and, most importantly, open bar, because in the immortal words of the internet, I don't need alcohol to have fun, but why start a fire with flint and sticks when they have invented the lighter?
I have a lot of other cost saving ideas, and a lot of budget busters, in mind and will keep you updated on how they work out. Have you been able to stay on budget? Have you had to sacrifice to do it?
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