Planning a wedding......tight budget

[Proplus]

After being together for 8 years, my GF and I have decided its probably best to get married. We're thinking along the lines of late next year (giving us 18 months to sort things out). My fault really, I mentioned getting married a while back (think 5 years!) and never got round to it.

I've already searched the forum, so have a good idea on where to look for a brides dress.

The first thing I think I will need is a ballpark figure for the wedding. There's 3 types I can go for:

1. The extended family (yes, if I start inviting a few then the rest has to come) with friends and select colleagues. Approx. (not including kids) 60 relatives (and I've not counted a few) and 20 other guests

2. The immediate family (there's gonna be a lot of family bitching that will go on) with best friends (luckily we both don't have all that many close friends here in HK). Approx. (no kids) 20 relatives and 12 best friends

or

3. The holiday wedding


On the surface, option 3 would be the cheapest and easiest (that is if we can agree on the destination), but then there's the wedding clothes, photographer during and portraits, and even when we get back we'd still need to hold a dinner with close family.


Wedding dress it seems the best option is just over the border, not just in terms of price, but style (done to whatever you want) and quality is quite good.

I've spoken with a few good friends (locals) and they say even 18 months to plan for a wedding in HK is too short a time. Most couples book a venue 2 to 3 years in advance, esp popular/renowned places. So an afternoon buffet reception say at the Peninsula will probably be out of the question, but I'll enquire about. If this is indeed the case I case option 3 is the best.


If I do opt to get married abroad, whats your recommendation for the country to go to? Ideally it would be in Japan.

[wtbhotia]

18 months is plenty of time and since your on a tight budget I dont think you will be fighting to book the popular and renowned places

My friend who is getting married in HK is also on a very tight budget, he went to a wedding expo in Wan Chai convention center and found a good deal at http://www.marryme.hk/site/price_list.php

He's booked for around 60 people at the Glass Chapel in Kowloon Tong, from 5pm till 10 pm or later, not sure of the closing time, slightly over $300 per person Buffet Style, so for the dinner your looking at close to 20K, Civil Celebrants 2.5K, wedding dress and suit you can do over the border like you said or get some in-expensive ones in Prince Edward.

some extras that you need to figure in as well

1. Make Up artist for the bride - 3K for the whole day
2. Photographer+Videographer - 3K-5K
3. Limo - 2K-5K depending on which car you rent for a few hours only

[Gruntfuttock]

4. (By far the cheapest option) Down to the civil celebrant's office with two witnesses. Done and dusted in 10 minutes.

[virago]

So looks like you can get away with a 30k wedding.

I wouldn't worry about the difference in inviting 40 people whom are first family or 80 for extended family , not with the anguish for 10k difference in cost .

Sent from somewhere....

[imparanoic]

are you going for a western type wedding, ie, reception/buffet or tradutional chinese banquet ( if the later, it will pretty much pay for it self via red packets)

12 -18 months is fine for a wedding, propose then find venue ( priority, unless you plan to book at non peak season, ie, summer)

i presume you will go to government registration, remember, peak seasons, ie, autumn, parts of winter and spring, it's busy, get the punters in and out in a quick time)

wedding dress and tuxo can be hired inexpensive relatively.

photographer, decent one will cost HK$2-3 plus

[pin]

4. (By far the cheapest option) Down to the civil celebrant's office with two witnesses. Done and dusted in 10 minutes.

Afraid this isn't the cheapest option.

Cheapest is applying yourself and doing it through the government service. I think the total cost works out at around HK$500.

[MovingIn07]

One way to cut the cost is to use friends with skills. For example, a friend with good makeup skills can offer her (or his, I guess!) skills as their wedding present instead of hiring someone for makeup. Ditto photography. Ditto someone with a nice car. When we got married my Mother organised everything (it was just easier to let her do it than try to influence it - much less stressful!). She has a huge circle of friends and managed to find one for everything except the photographer (which we wanted done properly, so insisted on managing ourselves). I purchased a second hand wedding dress - I was REALLY lucky, I saw one advertised in the newspaper. The previous owner had been a model, had modelled it in a wedding show and loved it, so got it for herself after the show. It was my dream dress, would never have been able to afford it new, but second hand was perfect.

There are plenty of ways to trim costs with a little lateral thinking and still have a big bash with many friends and family.

[justjoe86]

I really wish I'd known about the 'holiday wedding' option - Thats sounds brilliant! Not sure my side of the family would've liked that one though

[imparanoic]

popular venues are booked mostly a year in advance, especially if you're planning late fall, you need to put a deposit quickly, also will you consider a place that has nice scenery ( plenty example in NT), but very inconvient to get to, or a centrally located place>?

[Fiona in HKG]

First time around I did it the 'proper way' here with family (some from abroad) and friends. Brunch at a top hotel, dinner at another. Very stressful and having to make sure everyone else was happy (very differing families).

Second time around we eloped, the minister's teenage son and friend were witnesses, lovely dinner for two that evening, did it away from all friends and relatives. It was beautiful and very meaningful for both of us.

With big organised bashes, there's a lot of stress and keeping others happy. When in fact it's really about each other.

In my book

But congratulations and I hope whatever you decide to do is the start of a wonderful marriage together.