startsmart
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Post by startsmart on Mar 30, 2011 14:55:38 GMT -5
Hey birdy, my uncle and his wife did a Saturday morning wedding in Tahoe that was quite inexpensive. Remember that you'll want to do some "scouting" trips to determine where to hold the ceremony and reception and possibly scout lodging. Figure this in, especially if it's a $200-300 weekend trip and lots of driving around. Of course if you want a photographer to help do some scouting let me know when you're heading up the mountain
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gawgagranny
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Post by gawgagranny on Mar 30, 2011 14:55:55 GMT -5
Firebird, congrats on the engagement and upcoming nuptials! Like the others have said, you can have a nice wedding & honeymoon for $10K if you are realistic--and it sounds like you are!
Just don't forget the really important part: the marriage that comes afterwards....my elder son got married right out of grad school to his college girlfriend (who was a Bridezilla), and she basically forgot that everything wasn't all about her after the wedding was over--like "what do you mean you have to go to sleep because you have to go to work in the morning and it's after midnite? I'm not sleepy and you should want to stay up with me" and much, much worse. He hung in there 18 months before throwing in the towel.
Moral of the story: the wedding is a day, but the marriage is supposed to be for the rest of your lives.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 14:58:10 GMT -5
Jesus Christ, DQ, really? You get the most insanely inappropriate comments from people I don't even want a diamond - one that sticks out, anyway. Set into the band is what I want. I was looking at rings last weekend and I found one I absolutely adored for $500.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2011 14:59:24 GMT -5
she basically forgot that everything wasn't all about her after the wedding was over-- everything isn't about her??? I've got to have a talk with my wife when I get home today.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 15:00:06 GMT -5
startsmart, next weekend is when we have our first scouting trip scheduled, and you are welcome to join us if you like ;D
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 15:00:35 GMT -5
DF already knows everything is all about me, and it's gonna stay that way, muahahaha.
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qofcc
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Post by qofcc on Mar 30, 2011 15:04:42 GMT -5
$10K should be plenty enough. The reception is going to be your biggest expense, but you should be able to do a nice reception for $20-50pp leaving you $5-8K for the rest. Lake Tahoe is sure to have a number of resorts that can accommodate a wedding of 100 guests, so I would start by making a list of venues, asking each to send you a package proposal for the reception (and room rates) and narrowing it down from there. Once you figure out how much you'll need for the reception, you can figure out your other budget items.
If the photographer is your biggest concern, you'll want to take care of that next. You might even need to take the photographer's schedule into account when you finalize a date. I did a little research on this a few years ago and a really good "photo journalist" type photographer to document the wedding ran about $1K including getting ownership of the digital images.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2011 15:06:05 GMT -5
Congratulations! DH and I honeymooned at Lake Tahoe. It's beautiful. We did this too! (Stop stalking me ) We were able to find a caterer that was willing to charge us the price per head for a rehearsal dinner rather than a wedding because of the day and time. Do you have an actual location in mind? I'd expect to maybe pay around 2k for a top of the line photographer, another 3-4k at least for feeding 75-100 people. That's half of your budget right there.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2011 15:08:01 GMT -5
This reminds me of an aquaintance - when he asked his future FIL for his daughter's hand the future FIL said "Get a diamond that is bigger than her aunt's but smaller than her mother's." LOL!
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ontrack
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Post by ontrack on Mar 30, 2011 15:29:05 GMT -5
Some might say it was unromantic, but I sent my bf a link to the ring I liked as "an example for future reference." We knew we would be getting engaged, but he wanted to have a job and be more financially secure first. I wanted an antique-looking ring with a white sapphire instead of a diamond. I got exactly what I wanted, and I know exactly how much it cost ($800).
Btw, we're in initial stages of planning our wedding in October, also for around $10,000, and I'm also planning on paying for all of it. We are looking at Sunday evening reception for approx. 75 people in Old Town Alexandria (VA).
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 15:32:05 GMT -5
Interesting, ontrack. About how much of that are you expecting to spend for your dress, the cake, the photographers, and the reception?
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Mar 30, 2011 15:32:44 GMT -5
You get the most insanely inappropriate comments from people There is a reason I don't wait tables anymore.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 15:34:05 GMT -5
If the photographer is your biggest concern, you'll want to take care of that next. You might even need to take the photographer's schedule into account when you finalize a date. I did a little research on this a few years ago and a really good "photo journalist" type photographer to document the wedding ran about $1K including getting ownership of the digital images.
There is a specific photographer that I want. You're right, I need to check out her availability very soon. We don't have a ton of wiggle room with the date because I don't see us being ready sooner than early October, and DF's sister is due to give birth to her second child on November 9th, so any later than early October and she will have a really hard time making it. But hopefully I can find a good alternative if the photographer isn't available.
Anne, where did you guys stay for your honeymoon? I love Tahoe.
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ontrack
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Post by ontrack on Mar 30, 2011 15:38:48 GMT -5
Hoping to spend less than $500 on dress; I think the poeple on Say Yes to the Dress who spend $20,000 on a dress are ridiculous. Venue is $2300. Initial catering estimates of approx $2700. $1000-$1500 for alcohol. Doing silk flowers, so $400 for those. I'm interested in a photographer who is part of Senate Press Corp (ie photojournalistic style) that has package for $1600. Not thinking we'll have a videographer (too cheesy). Haven't priced cakes yet. Venue doesn't allow amplified music. Thinking of having my brother play accoustic guitar/ipod with small speakers.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2011 15:38:49 GMT -5
We stayed at the Tahoe Seasons and I would not recommend it! It's on the south shore, basically across the street from the less crowded side of Heavenly. It was awesome to put on our gear and just walk over to ski. The bad part is that it's some sort of timeshare - the owners rent out their suites when they are not using them. When we went (5 years ago) the owners had just voted down a plan to remodel the place, which it desperately needed. The beds were awful! Not what you want on your honeymoon, lol.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2011 16:05:49 GMT -5
I would not count on any money but what YOU can provide. Let everything else be gravy. I belonged to a wedding board when planning and one of the top complaints on the boards was how parents would promise to contribute and the couple would spend the money without having the check in hand, only to find out the parents now don't want to or can't contribute as expected and the couple is stuck with the bill. That's precisely why I don't want to count on anyone's contributions but ours. I don't expect anything from my parents but their presence. If they want to contribute more, that will be gravy. Put together a wedding budget soon to see if $10k is possible. I thought I'd do it the opposite way - start with a budget and then make it work. But from our initial projections, $10k should do the job. Our venue is (most likely) going to be Lake Tahoe, and there are some very reasonably priced vendors in that area. Our guest list is going to be between 75 and 100 people, and I don't mind doing almost everything for cheap. The only thing I am dead set on NOT cheaping out on are the pictures. I want killer pictures, and I'll pay top dollar for excellent quality. Everything else, including the venue, can be on the cheap for all I care. We're also planning to do our wedding on a Sunday morning with a lunch reception, which should cut the cost like crazy before we even get started. My photographer is amazing, he is in SJ so you would have to pay for him to go to tahoe but we are spending $1750 and get all our pics and a very cool book. I'll be back in SJ during the last week on April if you want to check him out. We will be his first "white" wedding but he has been doing Vietnamese weddings for 10 years. When we were getting quotes we were seeing quotes averaging $3000-$5000 and that was just for 4-6hr, not the 8 we get from him. Also, you do not get all of your pictures with most photographers, with him we are.
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shanendoah
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Post by shanendoah on Mar 30, 2011 16:06:06 GMT -5
I sent you an email, but something I didn't mention - Tahoe is the home of weddings. Scout the locations you like, then talk to the hotels/casinos - some of them have really lovely chapels. If you hold your wedding there, get your meal catered by the hotel, and stay there, you can usually get an amazing package deal.
We had friends who got married on 8/8/08 in Tahoe - lovely outdoor wedding on a hotel's property, catered by the hotel (except for the cakes), etc. It was both lovely and (from knowing the couple) way under $10k (though their guest list was probably around 35-50).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2011 16:09:06 GMT -5
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 16:14:24 GMT -5
Yeah, the photographer I *really really really* want is unfortunately too expensive, especially factoring in the travel costs (she's in Canada). Her cheapest package is $2,100 and the one I like best is just over $4,000.
Maybe I should do it anyway since this is literally the only trapping I care about and this photographer is literally the best I have ever seen in my life, but that's a pretty large chunk of my wedding budget that's just gone.
I will do some checking on local photographers.
We're most likely going to do it at a hotel. Their wedding packages tend to be all-inclusive.
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cael
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Post by cael on Mar 30, 2011 16:25:55 GMT -5
Congrats Firebird! ;D I'm getting married in July and we're trying to stay on a cheap budget too. One big thing I didn't want to cheap out on was photographer - I was referred to a friend of a friend who is a photographer, loved her work & website, met her and loved her, and we're doing her $1700 package, which includes everything we want, she even switched out one thing for another. Super happy about that. My parents are very generously paying for our venue & food (which will probably be around $9k or so total) and we're paying for the rest. My dress was $400, our rings together totaled $1100 (we didn't want to go too cheap on them), invitations will be from Vistaprint, cake will be about $500, DJ we haven't gotten yet ( need to make that call - I've hit a planning wall), overall we feel we're doing pretty well. Haven't had to put anything on a credit card yet! (hopefully won't at all) Good luck & keep us posted! ;D
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Mar 30, 2011 16:36:26 GMT -5
We should have a wedding thread, hopefully with pictures (only bc I am nosy and love looking at wedding pics) Lena
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cael
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Post by cael on Mar 30, 2011 16:39:00 GMT -5
Oh yeah good idea! I love wedding pics so I'd love to see some - I'd share mine in July too!
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 16:40:14 GMT -5
The wedding pictures are really, really important to me. And the thing is that I can't just get "a talented photographer," I need a talented photographer who specifically specializes in taking beautiful shots of people who do not naturally photograph well.
I really, really don't photograph well. And I desperately don't want to look ugly in my wedding photos the way I do in virtually every picture I ever take. Anyone can take awesome pictures of people who already look pretty and photograph well.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 16:41:20 GMT -5
We can always have our albums on flickr or whatever and post the links if this message board doesn't allow posting of pictures. I'd be up for that as well! It would be cool to see everyone's wedding pictures!
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Mar 30, 2011 16:43:25 GMT -5
You know, I really wish you could have my DH take pictures of you. He is PHENOMENAL.
If you are that worried, I would do some "test" sessions before you even get to the wedding, but I am sure you already thought of that.
Lena
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 16:48:44 GMT -5
Where do you live, Lena? I definitely want the wedding photographer to do our engagement photo session as well, to make sure it's a good fit and the pictures don't suck.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Mar 30, 2011 16:50:41 GMT -5
I agree that pictures are most important. But I will say that I'm bummed that we didn't pay for the video. Our ceremony was at our fav b&b and they handled everything including the reverand. (We had some say in it, but only met the reverand and his wife the day of the ceremony). The ceremony they gave us was so incredibly beautiful, and I barely remember what they said. None of the traditional vows were used. They had ribbons that they tied our hands together with, and for each ribbon would ask us each a question, so almost more of a hand fasting ceremony which was perfect. The only thing I would change if I could go back would be to ante-up for the video (nice for kids/grandkids later on too--you ARE having kids right *and just to clarify I am joking on that last part*). I think a wedding thread would be awesome!
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Mar 30, 2011 16:51:14 GMT -5
This message has been deleted.
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qofcc
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Post by qofcc on Mar 30, 2011 16:53:21 GMT -5
We did our formal wedding portraits with the bridal party the afternoon before the wedding in the portrait studio with a background of white satin & white tulle and perfect lighting. I previewed all of the shots to make sure everything looked exactly like I wanted it to. I did my own hair & makeup, so it wasn't a big deal to do a practice run the day before and I was much more worried about looking good in the pictures than having DH see me in the dress beforehand.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Mar 30, 2011 16:54:38 GMT -5
Oops, never mind. Won't be out that way anytime soon! Pity. Let me know if you guys suddenly get the urge to visit the Bay Area I agree that pictures are most important. But I will say that I'm bummed that we didn't pay for the video. Our ceremony was at our fav b&b and they handled everything including the reverand. (We had some say in it, but only met the reverand and his wife the day of the ceremony). You know, initially I didn't care about a videographer but a close friend got married somewhat recently and said exactly the same thing. I wonder if I'll regret not getting it on DVD
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