Wishes Wedding 1/17/11-WP/CG-TR Day 6, Last Day

[Jules~Marie]

Ok, so I hate photobucket. I can't figure out how to make my images bigger, and really I just don't care anymore.

So I got my pricing for floral and all that fun stuff. I'm actually really happy. We're only $400 over budget, and that's because we added the aisle runner and petals down the aisle, something I wasn't planning on doing. We probably will wind up cutting those things. I wasn't expecting the aisle runner to be $260. I don't know, maybe that's an average price, but it's a little too much for me. I'm ok with walking on the carpet in the WP. I don't think guests will really care either way. I was excited to see that the ribbon wands for the staged exit are only $3.50 a person, even with them customizing the colors to match your wedding party.

I'm actually pleasantly surprised. I was thinking everything would be crazy expensive (maybe because my mom keeps worrying me asking if we can afford this and that, it's driving me crazy! ) Anyway, the centerpieces, which are going to be a set of 3 different size cylinders with a rose submerged and a floating candle on top, are only $120 total for the 4 tables. And then for the dessert party, we're having a cylinder filled with pink gel and 2 LED lights inside on 5 tables, and that's only $75.

The most expensive thing is my bouquet, at $300.00. I'm actually really nervous to see the bouquet. It's going to be white mini calla lilies, light pink roses, and light pink spray roses. I'm not sure what it's going to look like, but I'm sure it'll be fine. Honestly, the bouquet is one of the only things that I really don't care about. I might cut the floral refresh for the MK shoot the next morning. If the flowers don't look good, I just won't use it in the photos, right?

The bridesmaid/moh are going to have a bouquet of light pink roses and light pink spray roses, and those are $115 each.

We're going to have 4 bouts. Eddie's will be a white mini calla, for $15. The other 4 men will have either a pink rose or white rose and those are $10.50 each.

The 5 mothers/grandmother are going to have a white rose for their wrist, and that'll be $20 each.

We're also having a memorial candle at the ceremony. The candle is $35 and the glass hurricane for over the candle is $17.50.

So the grand total, including aisle runner and petals, is $1881.32. I'm pretty happy with that. Now all I need to do is hope and pray that we'll get a really good price back for our BEO and all will be great.


PS-If anyone has any questions on pricing for anything, let me know. I'm sorry I can't figure out how to get the spreadsheet on here. Maybe I'll just copy and paste everything or something.

 

[April Elizabeth]

Thank you for posting your floral info. Sorry, I don't know much about photobucket or how to load pictures on here either. Hopefully someone can tell us how to do it.

 

[smileycrissy]

Your floral pricing sounds pretty good.

I don't blame you for walking on the carpet - $260 does sound a bit high for an aisle runner. I'd rather spend that on stuff that will be noticed.

Can't wait to see your BEO. I plan on showing it to DF and tell him 'See, we can do it!'.

 

[Jules~Marie]

I don't really have much to update on the wedding, just working on the newsletter and table cards and such..but we sent out our invitations last week and I'm so excited! We finally have someone outside the bridal party that booked their stay!!! My cousin that I haven't seen in years is coming, he lives in Washington DC and I didn't even think he'd come, but he's booked for 4 nights. That really made it seem real now, having people outside actually start booking. Ah, just 147 more days to go.

 

[smileycrissy]

I don't really have much to update on the wedding, just working on the newsletter and table cards and such..but we sent out our invitations last week and I'm so excited! We finally have someone outside the bridal party that booked their stay!!! My cousin that I haven't seen in years is coming, he lives in Washington DC and I didn't even think he'd come, but he's booked for 4 nights. That really made it seem real now, having people outside actually start booking. Ah, just 147 more days to go.

LOL - that sounds like updates to me! Glad to hear you are getting some responses back.

 

[Jules~Marie]

LOL - that sounds like updates to me! Glad to hear you are getting some responses back.

Hahah, I guess it's just not the type of update I'm waiting to write! I really want my BEO!!!! But, it's only been 3 weeks, and I know these things take a long time....it sucks trying to be patient. I'm so excited to have someone actually booked for the wedding, it's just making everything so much more real...which can be scary too since I know our minimum is due in just under 2 months.

 

[smileycrissy]

Don't think scary, think happy thoughts.

Think of this, you now have 145 days left. If we subtract 60 days (since that is 2 months) you have 85 days until the wedding. That's a happy thought since you'll be under the 100 mark. Try looking at it this way so that it doesn't seem so scary that you're handing over the money in 2 months.

 

[disfan melissa]

Just caught up on your planning and everything sounds great!!!
I love your centerpiece idea, I wish I had thought of that; I had the hardest time finding centerpieces!
Can't wait to read more about your plans!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Don't think scary, think happy thoughts.

Think of this, you now have 145 days left. If we subtract 60 days (since that is 2 months) you have 85 days until the wedding. That's a happy thought since you'll be under the 100 mark. Try looking at it this way so that it doesn't seem so scary that you're handing over the money in 2 months.

This made me smile when I read it. My sister and I have always used this sort of logic when talking about our age. We'd say, once we're 25, that's practically 30 which is basically 40 and when you're 40 you're almost dead....yeah, I guess we have a fear of aging....but I like your way of thinking. yay for less than 85 days until the wedding!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Just caught up on your planning and everything sounds great!!!
I love your centerpiece idea, I wish I had thought of that; I had the hardest time finding centerpieces!
Can't wait to read more about your plans!

Thanks! I hope the centerpieces look nice, we're not really flower people, so we were very excited when we found the candle ones.

 

[Jules~Marie]

OK...I wish they had an emoticon guy that was throwing up or fainting. That would fit perfectly with how I feel about receiving our BEO. After looking, I found some that actually fit pretty well lol.

Anyway, we knew that when we received our budget from Disney that we'd be cutting a lot of things. We're going to do anything we possibly can to keep us near the $10,000 minimum. But it is a little nerve-racking when you see everything on that budget individually and then added together. Well, I was thinking I wouldn't post my initial BEO, because it's really not what we're going to be sticking to, but then I realized it's not fair to pretend this initial one never existed. We're here posting on these boards to get an idea of what to expect when planning a Disney wedding, and the truth is, the initial budget is freaking scary! So I am going to post it. But I'm just going to type it out. It's easier than trying to post it, I'm not really computer literate. Oh, and if this post doesn't really make sense, just remember that my head is in a fog right now, trying to find ways to cut costs is leaving me with an intense migraine lol.

There's multiple parts to the Estimated Event Budget Sheet. There's the Dessert Party, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Cake, Pre Reception/Reception, and the Bridal Portrait Session. Everything in Red will most likely be cut or changed. Here goes:

Rehearsal Dinner/Dessert Party-
39 Illuminations Viewing Fee @12.95/guest ----- $537.88
1 Venue Pkg. United Kingdom Lochside @$250 each ----- $266.25
Catering Food & Beverage
39 *MOD*Classic Dessert Buffet 2010 @ $30/guest ----- $1507.72
Catering Fees and Equipment
1 Outdoor Set up Fee @$85 each ----- $90.53
Estimated Event Total: $2402.38

Wedding Ceremony/WP
1 Wedding Pavilion Usage @$3000.00 each ----- $3195.00
Florist
1 Floral Wedding Package @$1766.50 each ----- $1881.32
Transportation
1 Limousine- Charter (3hrs) @$282.48 each ----- $282.48
1 Motorcoach- Charter (7hrs) @$683.55 each ----- $683.55
Estimated Event Total $6042.35

Wedding Cake Delivery
Catering Food & Beverage
1 Wedding Cake-No Service Charge @$970.00 each ----- $1033.05
Estimated Event Total $1033.05

Pre-Reception/Reception
Bar
38 Calif Grill Pkg Call Brands Bar (4hrs) @36.00 Guest ----- $1762.87
1 Soft Drinks & Bottled Water Pkg (4hrs) @$20.50 Guest ----- $26.42
9 Wine Sparkling-Champagne Toast @$37.00 bottle ----- $429.12
Bell Services
1 Room Delivery @$10.00 each ----- $10.00
39 Cal Grill San Mateo Plated Lunch 2010 @$41.00 Guest ----- $2060.55
3 Chef's Choice Vendor Meal @$23.00 each ----- $88.92
40 Domestic & Imported Cheese Board @$12.00 Guest ----- $618.55
40 Sliced Seasonal Fresh Fruit & Berries @$8.00 Guest ----- $412.37
1 Wedding Cake Handling Fee @$203.70 each ----- $216.94
Catering Fees and Equipment
1 Dance Floor Rental (9'X12') @$450.00 each ----- $579.89
1 Fee Bartender @$100.00 each ----- $106.50
Entertainment
1 DJ Wedding Package @$1150.00 each ----- $1150.00
Estimated Event Total $7462.13

Bridal Portrait Session
Photography Video & Multimedia
1 2010 MK BP Session (FL) @$1100.00 each ----- $1100.00
Estimated Event Total $1100.00

Estimated Program Total $18039.91

OK, so that's it. If anyone has any questions about anything, just ask. We're going to work on this over the weekend, and send it back to the planners. Oh, and I got the BEO for the surprise Grooms cake. That's $322.00. In happier news, we're going to Disney tomorrow!!! We plan on heading to MK in the morning, getting some sandwiches at Earls in Downtown Disney for lunch and then going to EPCOT.

 

[pixie921]

Thanks for posting your BEO. It really does help to see how the different elements break down budget-wise. Good luck deciding how to work it out!

And have a great time at Disney ... I'm jealous!!

 

[disfan melissa]

Hey, since you are looking to cut costs, a few things we did after we got our initial BEO were:

-eliminate the champagne toast (no one realized and they toasted with their drinks. Hey, we were paying for an open bar!)

- instead of the motor coach we did vans from Contemporary to the WP and back (most of our guests were staying there anyway). Since it was round trip pickup and not a charter, it saved a lot of $. But we had fewer guests so I don't know if it will save you as much or if you need to have more stops.

-I think if your bar bill is over $500 you don't have to pay the bartender fee so you may want to check with your planner. I know it's not a lot of $ but every little bit counts.

Good luck cutting it down!

 

[Deb loves Disney]

Thank you for posting your BEO. We are having our reception at Cali Grill also and it's nice to see what the costs are in writing.

We are also having the ceremony at the WP and want an Isle Runner. When I spoke to the florist she at first quoted me runners that were upwards of
$800 I asked her what the cheapest one was and she said $75. It is white with no designs on it but looks great in pictures. We added this and also asked for a lighter version of the isle petals and got that down to $100. So now we will be having the isle runner and petals for only
$175

HTH and best wishes for your wedding!

 

[Nikisha421]

Thanks for posting your original BEO it's good to see what it really cost when you want to put the ideas in your head on paper. I can't wait to see what your revison will look like hope that it brings you closer to the minimum limit that you need to stay close to.

 

[smileycrissy]

Thanks for posting the BEO. My mouth dropped when I saw that final total because I knew you wanted to keep it near the 10K mark. Yikes, its scary how all those things add up so quickly. I'm sure you'll be able to bring it down to the number you want.

As Disfan Melissa said, maybe you can do a few vans. I say try Mears, they seem to run the cabs over here by Disney. Here's their website so you can see if you can get a price quote or call them to see what it'll cost. http://www.mearstransportation.com/ Disney actually uses them for the Magical Express buses (check out the front driver side door next time you see one, it actually says Mears on them.) so I can't imagine it'll be too bad. We used them once to go from Old Town to the Swan hotel and it cost us $18.


Hope you had a blast at Disney!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Thanks for posting your BEO. It really does help to see how the different elements break down budget-wise. Good luck deciding how to work it out!

And have a great time at Disney ... I'm jealous!!

Thanks, we had a great time..but I think we'll wait until it cools down a bit down here before we go again

 

[Jules~Marie]

Hey, since you are looking to cut costs, a few things we did after we got our initial BEO were:

-eliminate the champagne toast (no one realized and they toasted with their drinks. Hey, we were paying for an open bar!)

- instead of the motor coach we did vans from Contemporary to the WP and back (most of our guests were staying there anyway). Since it was round trip pickup and not a charter, it saved a lot of $. But we had fewer guests so I don't know if it will save you as much or if you need to have more stops.

-I think if your bar bill is over $500 you don't have to pay the bartender fee so you may want to check with your planner. I know it's not a lot of $ but every little bit counts.

Good luck cutting it down!

Thanks for the tips! Yes, we are definitely cutting the champagne toast. I figured at the planning session that we'd add it in, but after seeing the cost, I'm definitely OK with toasting with what we're already drinking! And the same thing goes for the charter, I've been against it ever since I started reading other peoples PJ's and have seen how expensive it is. I think most of the guests will have their own cars anyway..so we'll see about transportation, hopefully we'll only need one van. My planner had said the the vans were not reliable..so I was nervous about that. Did you have any troubles with the vans?

 

[Jules~Marie]

Thank you for posting your BEO. We are having our reception at Cali Grill also and it's nice to see what the costs are in writing.

We are also having the ceremony at the WP and want an Isle Runner. When I spoke to the florist she at first quoted me runners that were upwards of
$800 I asked her what the cheapest one was and she said $75. It is white with no designs on it but looks great in pictures. We added this and also asked for a lighter version of the isle petals and got that down to $100. So now we will be having the isle runner and petals for only
$175

HTH and best wishes for your wedding!

Wow, I didn't know that I could get one for $75!!! That's a huge difference! I really don't like the way the carpet looks in the WP, so I'm going to have to ask my planner about that. Thanks so much for the tips, I really appreciate it!!!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Thanks for posting the BEO. My mouth dropped when I saw that final total because I knew you wanted to keep it near the 10K mark. Yikes, its scary how all those things add up so quickly. I'm sure you'll be able to bring it down to the number you want.

As Disfan Melissa said, maybe you can do a few vans. I say try Mears, they seem to run the cabs over here by Disney. Here's their website so you can see if you can get a price quote or call them to see what it'll cost. http://www.mearstransportation.com/ Disney actually uses them for the Magical Express buses (check out the front driver side door next time you see one, it actually says Mears on them.) so I can't imagine it'll be too bad. We used them once to go from Old Town to the Swan hotel and it cost us $18.


Hope you had a blast at Disney!

Haha, I was worried about you reading the BEO post since I know you're looking to find someone who can keep the cost of the wedding low. Thanks for the advice about Mears. I definitely plan on checking them out. I've never wanted to use the bus for the guests, I think the 5 hour minimum and price is just ridiculous! I'll have my stepdad drive all the guests to the WP before I spend over $600 for that bus. We're working on the budget now...We've cut a lot out, so slowly but surely we're making our way back down to where we need to be. I have faith that it'll work out right.