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Just Said Yes September 2024

Had to cancel venue 5 months before wedding due to finances.

Briana, on April 3, 2024 at 7:12 PM Posted in Community Conversations 0 3

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My fiancé and I got engaged in March 2023 and are getting married (hopefully) on September 8th 2024. My dad was so excited for us and told us that he wanted to pay for the wedding and would give us $30,000 to throw us the wedding of our dreams. In the last year my dad’s business hit a rough point, they have had to let employees go and made lots of changes. He just told me that he is way in over his head with finances and will not be able to pay for anything for the wedding. We booked our venue in April 2023 and have been planning EVERYTHING around the venue. Many of our friends and family members have already booked flights and hotels for the weekend. We are now 5 months out and I have to plan an entirely new wedding with a budget 1/3 the original budget. I am freaking out! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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3 Comments

Latest activity by CM, on April 5, 2024 at 6:17 PM

Super December 2022
LM · on April 5, 2024 at 9:18 AM
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I'm sorry your family is experiencing so much change. Assure your dad that all can be handled, he truly does have enough on his plate. Have you and your partner been able to add money to the wedding fund since last Spring? You can further add your tax refunds and any work bonuses before the fall. You can also pick up second jobs.
Changing from a 30k wedding to a 10k wedding can be done. The most impactful way to cut costs is to cut the guest list. Send out cancellation cards to everyone while you revamp your wedding plan. It's hard, but don't let the existence of guests' travel costs influece you to the point of making your wedding about their change fees. Perhaps these guests can still be invited to Wedding Plan #2? For $10k, you might find a new venue with a church and their meeting hall, a community hall, or a restaurant. Try to find a place already colorful so you can skip decor. Wear whatever you planned and don't buy new. If you have a WP and no money was spent, simplify and ask them to be honored guests. Plan a honeymoon for next year. 10k is still a smaller budget. If this is not the vision you want, you can extend your engagement until you can save for the wedding you both want. Unfortunately, you've learned you can't count on another's money, so just moving forward just depend on your partner and yourself for the life you want. You can do it. Others will have other good cost cutting ideas.
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Rockstar November 2054
Jacks · on April 5, 2024 at 11:31 AM
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How many people are currently invited? It might be better to switch the dinner reception to a brunch. That's usually cheaper, and you don't need to serve alcohol. A restaurant might be able to do a buffet brunch for you at a cheaper cost but on the same day you originally planned.
If you're planning to reduce the guest list, it's more polite to cancel the entire first wedding and then do a smaller version on a different day. It's less hurtful than uninviting people but continuing with the plan.
You're not the first one for this to happen to, and we do always say that you don't plan things unless you have the money in hand. I'm sorry things didn't work out for you.
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