Emily & Julia
Sum-up of the wedding vibe: Intimate Victorian Pride Parade
Planned budget: $35,000
Actual budget: $45,000
Number of guests: 80
LOCATION: Long Island, New York
Where we allocated the most funds:
Food, florist, and DJ and musicians.
Where we allocated the least funds:
The bar. Our caterer did not include a bar package, and that allowed us to save more than 50 percent on it. We bought wine from our local wine shop, liquor from Astor Wines (with free delivery), cases of beer from the grocery store, and mixers from Costco.
What was totally worth it:
When we initially booked the venue we did not expect to go with the in-house caterer due to the cost. However in the end the quality of the food and the convenience of them knowing the space were worth it. The catering staff, too, was impressive and made a big impact on the evening.
Hiring a professional florist was also something we came around to. We thought we would DIY the space with flowers from the farmer’s market. But going with a professional completely changed the venue and gave it the romantic vibe we envisioned.
What was totally not worth it:
We thought it would be a nice touch at the end of the night to have bags filled with chips and water on the way out. But we had a lot of leftovers. At the end of a party with all the food everyone had eaten, no one was looking for late-night snacks.
A few things that helped us along the way:
Friends were the biggest help. Some did a ton of work, like planning the wedding weekend events or driving us and our purchases around the city. And some were simply there to listen to us complain about all the stress. It was a team effort for sure.
My best practical advice for my planning self:
Limit the DIY projects. In New York City, our reality is living in a small apartment with no car. We can’t run to Home Depot on the weekends or stock supplies for massive craft projects. As much as we loved everything on Pinterest, we had to let some plans go.
Favorite thing about the wedding:
Getting all of our friends and family together in one room for one night.
Something else we’d like to share:
It is expensive to have a wedding in a New York City venue. Even if you keeps it small and simple, it all adds up at an exponential value.
