Comments on: How to Pay for Your Own Wedding

on 12/3/2007 I found an all in one Wedding service company,VideosPhotosandDJs.com
They did GREAT work and I saved over $3000!

on 8/7/2006 I planned a party at a beach at a pavilion in CT. that could accommodate 100 people, which kept the guest list from growing. We had a traditional invitation printed up, but asked a friend to compose a poem that included .... "it's not necessary to come bearing gifts for your presence alone will give our hearts a lift. If you'd like to share in our special day bring your favorite dish to our scrumptious buffet." We sent out of state"guests the poem, but eliminated the part about bringing food. We also asked guests to dress casual, bring swimwear and be prepared to go barefoot!

We provided a phone number for the groom's mother in order to know what people were bringing and help if they needed ideas. We decided to serve only beer and wine and three co-workers contributed a half keg and back up 12 packs. Kept attendants to a maid of honor and best man and eliminated tuxedo's limos, photographers and decorations other than flowers from the grocery store in small vases on each table. We hired a couple to see to the food as it came in and to set up the buffet while the ceremony was taking place outside. A co-worker moonlighted as a DJ and gave us a great deal. Friends offered to be our unofficial photographer and presented us with an album and the negatives a few days after we got home. Siblings and co-works made gifts of photo albums as well.

Our beach picnic included chicken cordon bleu, clam chowder, smoked salmon, smoked turkey, potato salad, chili, green salad, fried chicken, pasta and sauce, and carrot cake. Because we weren't spending thousands on food and other expensive things we were able to splurge on the wedding favors... wine glasses printed with our names, the artwork from the invitation and the date on them. The wedding cake was three different kinds of cheesecake on a three layer stand with an extra one in case we ran out. The entire wedding cost about $2000. My husband spent more for our honeymoon than my parents and I did on the wedding.

Almost 10 years later and friends and family still comment how much fun it was. The nicest comment I received was "You asked people to contribute to your day to make it unique and everyone did their best because it was about celebrating your marriage not "the wedding of the year" contest."

It is not necessary to spend tens of thousands of $$ and be so stressed you turn into Bridezilla to have a great time and have a wedding people remember for a long time. Be different and have fun!

on 12/30/2005 After we set a date, I researched and sought out the best deals. We planned to have a civil ceremony at the courthouse. Which cut the cost of a wedding gown, a tux and a whole host of other expenses.
We booked a terrific hall that accommodated our hundred or so guest. In addition we setup everything and decorated ourselves. A friend made party favors and silk flower arrangements as a gift to my husband and I.
We bought pretty stationary from the party store and I printed the invites myself from my home PC.
We planned a menu and decided on buffet style, since we would do the cooking.
We found a terrific, small bakery that baked us a delicious (and beautiful) 3-tiered cake plus a cake topper for $100.
We bought liquor at wholesale and had a family member run the open bar.
My husband knew the DJ, so we got a great deal.
We purchased the wedding themed, one-time use cameras and left one on each table at the reception hall so the guest could take pictures plus my In-Laws brought along the camcorder.
Everyone pitched in at the end and help to clean up. We had a great time. It was definitely memorable. And most of all, we didn't have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to carry out everything we wanted. We estimated we spent about $1750. We still had enough money to take that fantastic honeymoon.

on 11/22/2005 I planned a very inexpensive wedding for about $2,000. I rented a room at a VFW hall. See if anyone you know is a member of VFW, it is usually only a couple hundred dollars. I bought roses from Sam's Club and made my own bouquets and centerpieces for the reception. I went really light on the flowers at the church. No need to have a lot there. Find someone who has a nice camera and can take wedding photos. Professional photographers are just outrageously priced. I had a friend who made my cake, so I really lucked out there. The biggest money saver was that we had a couple family members cater for us. We had delicious chicken and pasta. Same thing you eat at regular receptions. Unless you have it in your budget, do a cash bar. Open bar is very expensive. We paid for the beer (which cost about $300.00), but if people wanted drinks they bought them themselves.