By: julian wylegly
I’m not going to have a final total for a few more days (heck, probably not until the day itself), but now is probably as good a time as any to check in.
Here’s what has been spent/is projected to be spent. As a refresher, this is for a casual 40-person BYO bash.
- Dress – $300 (made by T’s mother)
- Shoes – $30 (which I will probably get tomorrow)
- Makeup – $0 (used a gift card to buy new eyeliner + lippy)
- Flower girls’ dresses – $175 (this actually includes a few table covers, which were bought in the same transaction)
- Suits for groom and his entourage – $725
- Rings – $365 (though I didn’t actually end up liking mine, so will be just using my engagement ring)
- Marriage licence – $123
- Celebrant – $300
- Venue -$322
- Flowers – $135 (I’ve given in and ordered some bouquets online, so I have the option on the day. I think this is one of those battles where principle < hassle)
- Photography – $1000
- Catering (Malaysian food) – $775
- Catering (Euro side, homemade) – estimating about $300
- Cake (3x cheesecakes – sadly the Cheesecake Shop does not do giant cheesecakes) – $100
- Miscellany such as napkins, disposable plates, cups, juice, etc – $100? Not sure… T’s mother is, thankfully, overseeing operations for us
- Hotel – $185
So with any luck, we’ll squeak in at just under $5000.
Budget aside, I’m starting to freak out. While I really love all the choices made so far (except, maybe, the table covers we got, which are a bit rubbery and weird feeling – I wonder if I can find some nicer fabric coverings for cheap?) I’m starting to worry that I’m going to get judged for them.
I didn’t want a tall, elaborate cake – I wanted the kind of cake that I would fight you to the death over for the last piece.
I wanted to feel like myself on the day, so I’m literally doing my own makeup and not doing anything special with my hair.
I wanted a mix of cuisines, from my favorite dishes from my birth country to T’s mother’s potato salad, even if the end result may be a little wacky and incoherent.
I wanted a venue with character in spades, and I love the raw, grungy former wine cellar that’ll house our reception lunch (it even has GATES!) though I know most people probably won’t get it and may well think it’s less grotto, more grotty.
If I really dig into all this, I think what it comes down to is the fact that this event is ALL ME. That photo up top? It basically represents the polar opposite of this wedding. I’ve picked out things I like and eliminated things I don’t. In many ways, it’s going to be a a bit of an anti-wedding (a lazy girl wedding?) and I’m just not sure everyone is going to appreciate that. And if they don’t, well, then they’re basically passing judgment on me by default.
