Young Couple With No Money!! Please Help!
My fiance and I are both very young- he is in the military and 21, and I am an 18 year-old full time sophomore in college. Needless to say, we have NO MONEY! Our parents will help, but his don`t have much money to spare (4 kids left in the house!) and mine are spending all of thier money on my education. I need some cost-cutting ideas for a simple, but elegant daytime wedding next May. I don`t even know where to start! How much are churches? Reception sites? Do we HAVE to have a meal catered? Or could we just do snacks (and fancy them up a bit, of course)? I don`t know anything about planning a wedding, and his parents and mine both eloped! (Which is a possibility that we are not ruling out!) Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
Posted by Lauren; updated 09/27/03
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My suggestion, although you will probably think it is unromantic, is to elope. I believe that all the money spent on ONE day for a wedding is totally SILLY and RIDICILIOUS!!! Really....think about it. And you and your future husband will get yanked around so much you won`t even truly enjoy it. In reality, it`s a very expensive day for your guests. Think of all the money you can save for a down payment on a house. Doesn`t that make more sense??? My husband and I went to Las Vegas, but I don`t think it matters where, just do it. Just don`t spend the cash. It`s not worth it. Spend your cash on your life together in the LONG RUN, not on ONE day. You two will know you are married and commited to each other... Don`t be stupid and have to feel you have to throw money around proving it to others. Congratulations on your marriage and do it the smart way.... What is financially best for both of you!!!
Good luck!
Colleen
Posted by Colleen; updated 09/27/03
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Hi, I had the same problem with our wedding as we are paying for all of it! I have spent a Total of about $2000 and I splurged a bit!
I would say the best advise is go to Ebay for most of the items you need or make your own favors flowers and such!
On the church/chapel thing if that`s where you want to have it as did myself! Most churches are no charge If you are a member of the church or they just as for a donation.
PROBLEM: If your not a member most will not let you have your wedding in their church. As we were planning ours out of state and had this problem!
I would say Photography is the most expensive thing!!!!
We decided to go to a Pigeon Forge, TN to get married. A lot of large wedding places like that have a total package that includes the service and photography. We are getting a ceremony for up to 100 people with 30 5x7 photographs and two night lodging for $1000.00.
We decided we would have a close family wedding and a few close friends total people 35-40.
I figured people would be hungry afterwards and would want to eat and we couldn`t think of spending the money to pay for everyone so I booked a restaurant and everyone will pay for there own dinner. I ordered a cake and grooms cake from a lady who works out of her house instead of a bakery and got both the 3 tier wedding cake & 2 tier grooms cake for $200.00 @$1.50 a slice instead of the bakery price of $2.50 or more!
All I say is shop around the Internet has saved me a lot of money! I purchased almost everything off of it. These are just a few ideas to save money and I hope the have helped!
PS. I also bought my dress off Ebay and it was wonderful. Most of there dresses are either used or new if you decide you want a Maggie Sottero or something like that I highly suggest you by it used as if will save you tons of money!
Posted by S; updated 09/28/03
