Cutting costs and keeping things practical

August 14, 2009

Chic ‘n cheap = practical

So, while I am entranced by all these wedding related details, at the end, it’s supposed to reflect a day that is about us. That and of course we didn’t have the budget for it. I wonder what I would have done with a ginormous budget though…actually I have an inkling and will post about that later.

But anyway our wedding did not have:

  • fancy limo for $200/hour just to have a few pictures (yes the Nissan Maxima and Toyota Echo came out)
  • dj encouraging everyone to do the chicken dance (yes Mr. Chic ‘n Cheap dj’d from his iPhone, it was actually awesome)
  • matching dresses if every girl has a different body
  • $4000 dress for a six hour affair (but I did try on an $11,000 dress, wow)
  • crazy cocktail hour with 6 stations and 6 hors d’oeuvres (yes I was offered that) if the food can not even be donated afterwards
  • excessive wedding projects because they are SOO cute (this one was hard) and I’m stuck with random packs of metallic cardstock
  • paper Save the Date because our wedding was in a few months
  • multiple slips of paper and enclosure envelopes when most people forget to send the RSVP itself (I am guilty of this too)
  • expensive flowers because I love them but would not pay >$1k for something that will die in 3 days
  • makeup artist because fake eyelashes and lip stain are my friend
  • expensive favors though I did stay up till 3 am baking cookies with a bridesmaid – it was actually super fun though super exhausting

We’re happy with what we did and though it wasn’t as low as I expected (alcohol cost more than food!), it was still relatively low and lower than the NATIONAL as well as NYC average.

I am awed by people that can have $2k weddings and give props to people that want to spend $100k.

But our wedding was us.
It was interactive.
It was totally practical.
It was Chic ‘n Cheap.

What “traditional’ aspects are you skipping? Or what can’t you live without at the wedding?

little luxury list

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  • The Professional Bridesmaid August 14, 2009 at 05:10

    Toyota Echo. lol. love it. I never understood the limo/vintage car thing – I mean I do but just not a ‘must have’ in my books.

    Congrats on throwing a below average cost wedding. 🙂

  • Liz August 14, 2009 at 06:35

    whoo hoo!
    what lip stain did you use?
    and when will we see photos of the glory?

  • chicncheap August 14, 2009 at 15:27

    Ok we did have my mom’s friend’s Mercedes S550 for 2 pictures and it was our church getaway. But I have to post about our funniest moment later.

    @Liz – I had some old Body shop lip stain and layered Stila lip pencil on top with MAC lipstick.

    Ok will post one teaser but still waiting for lots of photos!

  • honey my heart August 14, 2009 at 18:17

    love how you made it about you, in the end it’s all that matters 🙂

  • Donna August 14, 2009 at 18:27

    I decided even though I am having an outdoor wedding that I couldn’t live without the music while “walking down the aisle”. I know we can’t afford the $300/hr minimum of a professional harpist and quite frankly I couldn’t see spending what I spent on a dj for the same as a harpist that plays for maybe an hour total if that. I cut the cost though by putting an ad on craigslist explaining how long and for where and what and I got an acoustic guitar for $100. I can live with that.

  • anna and the ring August 20, 2009 at 23:18

    Whoop! Love you!

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