Wedding Budget

[meow]

We spent around $10K and that did us really well for everything we wanted. We had 50 guests for buffet lunch and all you can drink, white dress, string quartet at ceremony, band at reception. We had a photographer friend do photos and we didn't have a wedding cake or cars.

I can't imagine spending any more than $20K- anything more than that seems really extravagant for a wedding to me.

[BrightSparkles]

We had 60people and including a week honeymoon we did it all for $10K

[Winter]

We eloped to Las Vegas. Celebrant & Elvis impersonator, flowers & cake all for $450....
The rest of the $40K was spent travelling for a year - would recommend it to anyone!! Got my rings about a year after we were married. DH still wears his cheap-arse Vegas ring & loves it.

[Lulu]

We eloped to Las Vegas. Celebrant & Elvis impersonator, flowers & cake all for $450....
The rest of the $40K was spent travelling for a year - would recommend it to anyone!! Got my rings about a year after we were married. DH still wears his cheap-arse Vegas ring & loves it.

Now THAT'S awesome.

[Mum2Romone]

We got married in a Buddhist temple ibn Bali, then had our Reception on the beach in Bali followed by another reception on our return home to Sydney

Our whole wedding in Bali was about $3000 not including flights ($1400) /accom ( $1500)/honeymoon ($2000 spending money)
my dress was $200 from a Dressmaker with one offs in Surry Hills (I was 17 weeks pregnant and needed a particular style) I did my own hair/makeup with my Mum and MIL
Our rings were : Mine $1500 on special the set ( Diamond princess cut and diamond wedding band ) Hubby got a Silver band in Bali and his ring tattooed on ......
Our Sydney Reception was $2000 for 35 guests (for all you could eat basically) though not a buffet lol... I wish
Alcohol on top extra too (We had Dom Perignon Champagne special from my Dad) and plenty of Baeer /Wine flowing.....

it was everything I ever wanted !!!! And about $6000 all up

[krisp]

I don't really think the budget is important. I've been married twice, first one was when I was very young, in the church where both our parents were married in, big dress, big venue, a million guests, you know, the whole kit and kaboodle! Didn't last long so was a waste of money really!

I then ran away to Scotland and married my true love in a tiny outdoor ceremony on the edge of a Loch in the highlands. We had the reception (12 guests) in a tiny pub built 300 years ago that had a function room, beautiful local food (salmon caught in the river and venison from the local supplier), a celtic band who played all night and fabulous Australian wines. It was very small and intimate and we ate and danced the night away. Best day (and night) of my life.....

The only things you need for a wonderful memorable day is 2 people who are in love and willing and ready to dedicate their lives to making each other happy.

[lil_chookie]

My wedding was about $15K for everything (7 years ago). We had the big reception at a reception centre for 130 people. The way I got the wedding I wanted for cheap was I got married in August rather than February. Having a winter wedding got the reception for 1/2 price.

[Amy_jellybean]

We spent $45k on our wedding, that included our honeymoon which was $6k (im a travel agent so got it cheaper!) but it didnt included my engagement and wedding ring which is $21,500

We did let ours get a little bit out of control but we didnt have any debt after it, everything was paid for by the end of it (we planned it for 13 months) and mum and dad paid $25k towards it.

I dont regret anything because we had everything exctly the way we wanted it.

[Starfish]

My first wedding was about $5. We had the reception at the Polish Club in Wellington, NZ (where we were living at the time), so got that quite cheap. We also got a chef friend to do the catering for a discounted fee. So if you know anyone who provides services that you could use at your wedding, why not ask them. Our photographer was also a friend (cost $150 for great photos and she put them in an album for us), and the DJ was also a friend. My dress cost - get this $35. It was a sample/second from The Tree of Life, and was massively discounted because the ribbon that laced up the bodice was a bit frayed (no one ever noticed). We had about 40 guests.

My second wedding was about $500, and about $450 of this was for the marriage licence, registry office and marriage certificate. We went out for dinner to a restaurant and there were about 8 people present including DH and me, and the guests paid for their own dinner (and ours too - that was their gift to us). My dress was another Tree of Life sample that cost $10. DH wore a jacket and shirt that we got from Vinnies that I then modified into what he wanted to wear.

[luna moth]

Ours was $12K all up, but it was very relaxed.

$3500 went on the ****tail reception at beachside location
$3000 went on the photographer and photos
$1500 went on the bar (we went waaaaay under budget on this!)
$1000 or so went on hotel accommodation and transport (it was out of town)
$1000 went on the rings (didn't include engagement, that's a separate expense )
$500 on the celebrant
$500 on the wedding, bridesmaid and flowergirl dresses (I made mine, sis's housemate did hers, friend did the FG's)

The rest was sundries I guess. We did our own cupcakes and cake stand, our own music (our playlist, their sound system) and we served a special homebrew during the ceremony, which is probably how we kept the bar costs down!

ETA: Was for about 140 people. Just so you know.

$5K is a perfect dress budget. You will be able to shop really well with that.

[allycat06]

Ours was about $8k for 80 people. Really low key ceremony at the registry with 50 of the guests and a classy little ****tail party afterwards in Prahran. I made the invitations and ceremony booklets and wore a family heirloom dress so saved alot of money there. The big costs were the bar tab and food at the reception, DH bought a new suit, the photographer and our rings.
When I ordered all the flowers, no where did I mention the word wedding, saved a fortune!!! They'd initially quoted $400 more.

I just went to a big all out wedding a few weeks ago, 4 bridesmaids and groomsmen + flower girl and pageboy, couture gown, big cathedral the works. That cost $50,000 apparently (they didn't go on a honeymoon) so perhaps that would be a more realistic figure?

[MissM]

Thanks for sharing girls

Alleycat - DP did say a 50k budget would be better, but I think 30k is do-able. If we need another 20k the money is surely there

Friends of our's spent 70k on their wedding, and it wasnt extravagant, there was just ALOT of people(Bride and Groom are both Greek) That is a tad extreme for me tho

DP and I are aiming at 30K but after the bridal expo - which was full of useful info and brochures etc I had a browse. There is a venue not far from our house that is reasonable (95pp) and looks so fantastic! The inclusions are fantastic too!!

There is no doubt in my mind we willspend AT LEAST 30k on our wedding, it wont be anything elaborate tho. We do not expect the bridesmaids/groomsmen to pay for their own dresses/accesories etc (I feel rude asking to do so, as THEY are doing ME a favour) and there is no way DP would ask for people to pay for their own dinner (that is something that just is not done) PLEASE do not take offence to my opinions.

It won't be an elaborate wedding though, basically the 30k should cover us. (I hope)

We will be browsing at rings on the weekends, which will be fun I have allowed approx 7-8k on a ring, but DP says 10k should cover us.

We did consider his sister in law designing my engagement ring, but I would rather now have his family know how much we've spent on a ring or when we will get engaged. His sister in law would run back to his mama straight away and tell her (another awesome thing about Greeks LOL)

I am looking forward to all the planning cos it will be My BIG fat Greek Wedding

[sassy123]

Brides outfit $230
bridesmaids dresses (3) $50
Grooms and grooms mens clothes: $180 (we only paid for shirts and ties as everyone had black pants)
Hair$250 (for bride and bridesmaids with 2 trials)
makeup $FREE (friend)
Cake $300
Invites $40
Celebrant $300
Flowers $85 (fake off eaby)
Reception $580 (just food which my parents paid for)
Money behind bar $690 ( FIL paid for)
Ceremony venu $250
Music for reception $FREE(took dh's computer and sound system and guests just picked songs)
Photographer $300
Cars $FREE (friends)
Wedding favours $45
Rings $350
table and room decorations $120

so for everything we paid for it came to just under 3k we prob had a few other things i forgot about that they wouldnt of been much. we had 50 people including the bridal party and we paid for everything for the bridal party too