Is this wedding planning stuff worth it?

[peonygirl]

I haven''t even gotten engaged and I''m already stressed out about planning my wedding!

Will it all be worth it in the end, or is eloping the way to go?

 

[blodthecat]

Hi peonygirl,

This is my question to you...

Do you want to be a ''princess'' for the day

OR...Live like a ''queen'' for life?

Don''t blow thousands of dollars on just one day. Work with a budget that is affordable, because you still have to live afterwards. Talk to your partner and decide on a wedding that is right for you.

It''s your day, so stick to what you want. Accept that you WILL upset someone along the way, that goes without saying!

If you would prefer something small and intimate, then you go for it! The day belongs to you, and nobody else.

Anyway, worry about the wedding arrangements after you have the e-ring!


best wishes....blod

 

[Caribou]

I think if you do what you want to do for your wedding then it will be worth it. But I agree that you should not over-spend if you are paying for most, if not all, of the wedding. The reason why my fiance and I decided to go from Oct of 2006 to May of 2007 for our wedding is because we don''t want to be broke going into our marriage. Honestly, this was really more his decision as he''s more practical than I am.....but after talking about it, I realized he is right. Money is the biggest problem in relationships and I think putting off a wedding for 7 months to save up money so that we have a littles nest egg is worth it. I mean, there''s no reason to rush it, I know we will get married eventually. Plus it gives me more time to get myself into shape and plan the way I want to plan without being on a strict budget.

Do a little research now and figure out what you really want your wedding to be...once you get that idea, than figure out a budget. You can have your dream wedding on a small or large budget.

 

[Layne]

If I had it to do over again I would elope.
I had a very nice late afternoon wedding and sit down reception- and I didn''t pay a cent for a thing. It just wasn''t worth it to me. The wedding was about my family- my marriage is about me and my husband. I should have spent more time focusing on that.

 

[treysar]

It was worth it to me, but I think I did it the smart way. I went for the laid back approach, (not the planning - that is NEVER LAID BACK!) but the actual wedding - we did a beach ceremony and a clambake, paid half of what most people pay per peson in my area, got the flowers at a grocery store, made all the decorations our selves (aisle markers, decorated the arch, made the centerpieces, made CD''s as favors) and wound up with a considerable nest egg in the end, through gifts from our guests and especially our families.

I wouldn''t change a thing. The #1 thing that I tried to keep in mind is that there are somedetaisl that people pay a bundle for that no one really notices - we treid to stay away from doing that.

you can see pics at http://www.theknot.com/co_profileview.htm?profilename=Treysar

 

[glaucomflecken]

Peonygirl you sound so much like I did way back when! Planning a wedding is very overwhelming and a lot of work! The thing that really stressed me out at first was trying to make sure MY wedding fit the standards of everyone else and the bridal industry in general. Its such a force these days, pick up any bridal magazine or read some wedding websites and all you feel is "oh I need this, oh I need that." There were so many things I didnt even knew existed that you just "have to have". Phooey! I became less stressed when I started planning the wedding I, we, wanted, not what was expected of us.

The first thing you need to do once you get engaged and start planning the wedding is sit down and talk to your FI on what kind of wedding you want, what things your family may be imagining (I say this only because weddings ARE a family event. They dont have the final say of course but you have to keep in mind some things and take them into consideration if you want them to be a part of it. We wanted to have a destination wedding, really, but if we did, I knew that my family would not attend due to financial constraints. So we had a hometown wedding, which was also ok with us, it was more important for them to be there with me. So there was a little compromise) and also what kind of budget you are looking at. TRUST me, you will end up wanting to do things that in the beginning you will be like, no way! At first I was like, no chair covers. But then at the end i was like, chair covers! yes! i want those! And I dont regret it. However I had to cut back and had someone make our cake to save money there. Its all about compromise. Unless of course your funds are not limited Have an idea of what you absolutely MUST have and what you can do without.

Now, 2 months later, DH and I are like, man we could have used the money we spent on the wedding now. But our motto was "no regrets". There were some things that didnt go perfectly, but everything I wanted to have at my wedding, I did. I made sure I didnt leave out my special touches and whatnot so when I look back I can smile and say, yeah, it was worth it. It was a wonderful beginning to the life my husband and I have now, and I cant wait to share the details with our children, etc, and our photos will become family heirlooms.

Remember the planning and stress will eventually end. Dont do something you dont want to do just to avoid the stress now! Whatever you plan, we will be here to help you and all the other brides out there!

 

[elepri]

For us it was totally worth it. But then we had exactly the wedding we wanted, relatively small, not super formal and not particularly traditional. Yes, the planning was very stressful and yes it was still ridiculously expensive. But we also had a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to host an amazing party for all the people we really care about, including some really old ones who won''t be around much longer and certainly will never again get together like that. So yes, we''re very happy with our decision. But then eloping wasn''t really something we seriously considered. Some people are happy eloping. I''d say just do what you really want.

 

[Tybee]

peonygirl,

You are singing my song!

The whole thing really freaked me out a lot! In fact my whole joke was that I was happy to be engaged, I didn''t need to ever
really get married.

In the end, my FI and I opted for a destination wedding, and I''m thrilled about it. We chose a destination that is really meaningful to my family. The wedding planners there really do most of the work. We went to visit last summer, and when I saw the spot that we will be married, it made me cry. My friends have been thrilled and so supportive, and it just makes me so happy to know that they''re excited to travel down there for us.

I''m still having trouble planning for the particulars, but I''m sure that will start falling in place.

Tybee

 

[lmurden]

Hey don''t stress out. You can be a princess for a day and live like a queen! While my fiance was away I was on the knot constantly getting ideas and figuring out what vendors I wanted to use. Take this time to research and figure out what kind of wedding you want and what your budget will be but don''t stress out. Take your time and enjoy yourself. Good luck and let us know if we can help you.

 

[lmurden]

Hey,

Don''t forget to post your favorite wedding picture in this thread. Thanks.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-favorite-wedding-picture-please.36958/