Getting married is not that easy, and so with wedding
budgeting. When Mark and I decided to get married, I was a bit anxious about
the expenses we might incur all throughout the preparation stage. I am not that
confident, and I even thought of that the wedding might not push through since
we won’t be able to pay the suppliers in time.
Luckily, or I should say, I am more than thankful that we
were able to make it and was able to allot more than what we can. I know for
sure that this budgeted, simple and not so intimate wedding (yes we do have a
lot of guests) will be memorable even if we didn’t break the bank.
During the early stage of our wedding preps, I thought that
a couple need to spend that much just to achieve their dream wedding, and right now, with
only 30 days left before our big day, I came to realize that we need not to
spend that much just to have our dream wedding. After all, this is my dream
wedding! – To get married with Mark. To exchange vows with Mark, and let our
families, friend and the MAN up there know how much we love each other.
As early as now, we were able to pay all the suppliers ahead
the deadline, and I am very proud to say that this is indeed our wedding. We
paid for it with our own effort and hard work. Now that everything is falling
in its right place, there is NO ONE, who can make me feel depressed if they say
undesirable things about our plans for the big day.
292 more days to go and it feels as if I am having wedding jitters already. I am having sleepless nights, my heart keeps on pounding too fast every time I think about the so-called big day. This time around, there is no more time to be lax with the preparations, most especially that time is running swiftly ;)
Initially, when Mark and I started the wedding preps, I promised to myself to follow the wedding calendar time line I have created. Sadly, we weren’t able to follow the details I have marked on my calendar, and unfortunately, there are some things that we weren’t able to accomplish on time. But I can still say that we’re still on the right track. – and lucky enough to book our budget friendly suppliers.
So for all bride-to-be’s out there, who are planning for their own wedding, it is a must to have a check list. Checklist would help you not to forget even the smallest details of your wedding. To be honest, if I don’t have the detailed checklist that one of my friends from Female Network sent me, I would totally forget that we still need to buy PENS and MATCHES needed during wedding ceremony! Looking at the checklist, I am quite proud that we’re almost 70% complete with the wedding details.
So if you're a bride, and planning for a wedding, it is a MUST to have your own wedding checklist. Much better if you compare and contrast the checklists on the Internet, because some of these checklists have different details on it. Just like what I did, I printed out a couple of checklists, filed them on a *special* folder, and PROMISED myself to update it from time to time. But due to my busy schedule at work and granted that I do not have a professional wedding planner, most of these checklist are still *unused/checked*. Hehe. But despite this, I am still confident that we’re on the right track! (I hope so) To believe it or not, the checklist that I have been using most of the time is as the same size of a post it notepad. :D
Here are some checklists that might be helpful all throughout the wedding preps:
Or if you want to get a copy of the detailed excel sheet that I am using, just shoot me an email and I can send it over: -- bloggingb2b@e-mail.ph
If the check boxes on the detailed check list that you are using have more unchecked text boxes/check boxes or whatever you call it, start working on it. It's not a good idea to cram if you're planning for your big day - unless you have your own professional wedding planner ;)
So on our part, here's the unfinished list that Mark and I need to accomplish before 2011 ends. It’s a shame that I posted a time line before but ended up not accomplishing those tasks. :D
Oct 29 – meet up with Ysabela Florist to discuss the packages we’re going to get from them.
Nov 13 – buy materials for Invitations, canvass wedding attire
Nov 20 – new schedule for Trial make up
Dec 6 – Pre Cana Seminar ;)
Dec 17 - Pamamanhikan (Dowry) - moved from September
Just a few, but mind you, this is just a partial list. I'm not pretty sure if something might come up, since I am not that organized in terms of the things we need to accomplish. For me, a single saved message on my Inbox would suffice the things I need to double check on the checklist, but that is no way reliable. haha.
I know more canvassing and activities would happen on the next few months most especially on the first 2 months of 2012, and right now, I am hoping and praying that no major boo-boos would happen as the wedding day gets nearer.
Last week, mom and I had a debate concerning our wedding expenses. She was aggravated since she thought that Mark and I are over spending our hard earned money. She is trying to make me realize that it’s no longer practical to spend hundreds of thousands just for a single day.
Though Mark and I are going to pay 100% of our wedding expenses, we should also take into consideration mom’s advice. Save for the future and be practical.
And so I looked at our wedding budget sheet, and made different rundowns on our suppliers. Made some adjustments, and tried to look for an alternative supplier who offers better but doesn’t forgo quality. However, we already have some not so practical suppliers that we can’t let go of, since we have already made a down-payment, and unfortunately, it’s no longer refundable. So we have to stick w/ some of our suppliers.
Shall we break the piggy bank or not? :D
I have been such a brash bride-to-be, as if I am running out of time and suppliers. Such an impulsive, hoping that I could get a price-lock until next year.
One budget that we haven’t finalized yet is the reception. We already have the total balance that we need to pay until next year, but we have the choice to change to function rooms that we’re going to rent for the wedding party. Since Mark and I really wanted to have the room that has the grandeur winding stairs, which I have been boasting w/ my friends, we mutually decided to let go of it, and be it the practical way.
Dang, I just realized, the winding stairs I’ve been dreaming of is just good for a debutant. (just a defense mechanism for me. :D but deep inside, I really wanted to get the grand ballroom!) I wanted to go down the stairs while the emcee introduces the newly wed. Quite dramatic, but then we have to cut costs.
Who cares anyway how the new function room would look like? Grandeur or not, Expensive or inexpensive class, what’s important is the blessing. Just like what mom said to me during our heart-to-heart conversation, whether we spend 500K or 50K for our wedding, people will always have something to say.
