Ballin’ On A Budget

Sharon Rumsey  0:00  
Do you suffer from budgetitis? Do you have champagne taste on a beer budget,

Kristina Stubblefield  0:04  
You don't have to give up the things that really matter in order to stay within your budget. We've got the scoop.

Michael Gaddie  0:11  
Today we share our host favorite tips for trimming the wedding budget, and still having your dream wedding.

Kristina Stubblefield  0:18  
You got engaged. Congratulations. Happy. Yes. joyful time. Of course. Now what timelines to do lists and checklists. 100% Don't worry, you're in the right place. Welcome to The Ring The Bling And All The Things. Hi, I'm Kristina Stubblefield, one of your hosts, along with my two good friends, Michael Gaddie and Sharon Rumsey. We have over 50 years of wedding industry experience between us. We have seen it, heard it, done it and found a way around it. We are here to get you from down on one knee to down the aisle. Our podcast will cover everything from you saying yes to the I do's and all that happens in between. So buckle up and enjoy the journey. Now, let's get started with this episode.

We're coming back with another word. It's the B word. Everybody's favorite word with wedding planning, isn't it cheering?

Sharon Rumsey  1:36  
It's not it's their least favorite word. Nobody wants to talk about money.

Kristina Stubblefield  1:41  
Well, but today, we're not talking about how to create your wedding budget or things to think about with your wedding budget. We're actually coming with some other tips, right? Yeah, I

Sharon Rumsey  1:50  
think we've talked a lot about why budgets important and how to go about creating your budget. But once that budgets created, if the money just isn't there to do every little thing, then I think we need to share some tips on how to get that budget in check and still have an amazing wedding. Because

Michael Gaddie  2:10  
there's so many things that you can do, or don't have to do to, you know, spend a lot of money, right. So hopefully this episode helps you. And we're going to give you some great tips for it.

Kristina Stubblefield  2:22  
Well, let's get started. Who's going first? Mike

Sharon Rumsey  2:24  
can go first. Okay. Oh, can you believe I let you go first? Oh, oh,

Kristina Stubblefield  2:28  
there's something Mike you've ever watched, you might have a hidden agenda here.

Michael Gaddie  2:33  
One thing is lowering your guest count. Just because they're your friend. Just because you've known them for all your life. That doesn't mean you have to invite them to your wedding. And you know, some people say, Well, I want to invite this person, this person and why do they want to invite them because they want to get a gift. But you know what you're going to spend when it comes to food, and all the things that you have to purchase to get them even send them an invitation to come to the wedding, you're gonna be able to save that money,

Sharon Rumsey  3:02  
you need to break down what you're spending per seat. Yeah. And you'll be shocked. And very rarely are they going to go out and buy you a gift that is more than what your car seat

Michael Gaddie  3:13  
and get a gift.

Kristina Stubblefield  3:15  
Well, the other thing too, though, is if you're just making a list for the first time, right, write them down. That's the whole point is get out Who Who do you think you want to come? And then if that number is up to 300 or so and just your food alone, is x price. Not even tables, chairs, florals decor, whatever. I

Michael Gaddie  3:39  
mean, it adds up, they don't realize how much that you have to add just for 10 people. You have to add, you know, stemware you have to add dishes, you have to have, you know,

Sharon Rumsey  3:51  
our table, that's another linen that's another centerpiece, it's 10 more chairs. I

Kristina Stubblefield  3:55  
mean, it's it's not just the food, and we've talked about that before, I think people think guest count. And they think oh, that's just X number of dollars I

Sharon Rumsey  4:03  
played on what I really advise my couples to do is like you said, purgin, let the parent say who they want to invite. You say who all you want to invite, make that master list, then go through and you look at each name on that list. Have you talked to them or spent significant time with them in the last year? Exactly. Those kind of things. And from that list, as horrible as it may sound, I really recommend creating an A list a B list and sometimes even a C list. Who are your must have players whose button needs to be in a chair at your wedding. For you to feel like your day is complete. That's your a list. But keep in mind go

Michael Gaddie  4:40  
from there. Yeah, and keep in mind too that. Yes, the bride and groom or the couple is the most important and they want to invite who they want to, but the parents are going to want to invite who they want to also

Sharon Rumsey  4:51  
and that can be a tricky line to walk because a lot of the times the parents are paying or at least contributing. So they have it I believe they have some say in who gets invited who's in the room?

Kristina Stubblefield  5:05  
Well, I think that is some fabulous points. And I will refer back. The reason that we've did our episodes, the way we did was free to go back and listen to some of those that we've talked about this stuff in more detail. Even though you're touching on it, there are some episodes that we've already went really in detail about that. And you share and I know talked a lot about family, friends, friends of the parents, and all that. And there's a delicate way around it, because who's paying for the event, and there's so many things to think about. So refer back to our previous episodes, they're there for you all to go back and listen to Sure.

Sharon Rumsey  5:41  
A second point that I would like to make is, there are a lot of things that weddings that you really do need to have. And then there are some things that you don't need to have. I get asked all the time, what are the best favors? What should I do for a favor? Honestly, I say don't do anything. Because every wedding I've had that has favors, I go around at the end of the night when we're, you know, cleaning up and getting ready to go home, and I throw most of them away.

Michael Gaddie  6:11  
And you know what, that's sad,

Sharon Rumsey  6:12  
it is sad. It's a lot of wasted money. But

Michael Gaddie  6:14  
I know a few weddings I've done here, Pat, in the past that, you know, yes, though the cake has gotten smaller over the years. It's something more just for the bride and groom to cut. But then I'm seeing that they have cupcakes or donuts. And then they'll have little boxes that they can take home cupcakes or donut. So that could be included in their favor. taken home,

Kristina Stubblefield  6:36  
they're not coming to that wedding for the favor, or what they're going to leave there with, they're coming to be part of your special day.

Sharon Rumsey  6:43  
Well, and honestly, they take a lot of money and some of the favors take a lot of time, I've had brides that had to fold like little, little gift boxes and put individual names on them. And it's such a sweet thought. But I promise you, I promise you, I'm gonna throw the majority of those away,

Michael Gaddie  6:58  
no one's gonna walk away from there and say, You know what, we didn't get a fight, I

Kristina Stubblefield  7:02  
didn't get a favor, I'm going to tell you something. When Josh and I got married, one of the first things that we wanted to do was a photo booth. And we use that as part of our favors. And I'll be honest with you, we probably look at those pictures. And we have a book that has them in it. But even on our computer or phones, we probably look at those pictures more than our actual group photos that we took. And that is not downplaying photography whatsoever. But after a years, people were having a good time, they were putting on different accessories. And it wasn't just them standing to take a photo,

Sharon Rumsey  7:48  
that's a great opportunity for guests to have something to take home. There's also now a big move away kind of from photo booths and back to photo opportunities. So you know, creating a really cool place to take a selfie to take a picture. And then they can text that to you and you have it as well. But the the traditional, you know, like a cookie, or, gosh, I don't even I've seen little votive candles as favors all that

Michael Gaddie  8:14  
kind of bottle of bourbon.

Sharon Rumsey  8:16  
Yeah, a little baby bottle of bourbon. Like, I throw them away that I really do

Kristina Stubblefield  8:21  
want to come back around to the photo thing for just a minute. I'm gonna look and see we got an app where our guests that were at our event, and it was outside the ceremony and reception was outside could upload the photo in the app, where all I had to do was click one button, and I downloaded all 500 pictures that people had uploaded. So I will look that app up and put in the show notes. But to me though, I like the photo part because the couple can have something and your guests can have anything, not just one way or the other.

Michael Gaddie  8:55  
So that's a good tip. And

Kristina Stubblefield  8:56  
I think sharing that I know we're really talking detailed about this but it's not just money. It's also a lot of time spent a lot of time on those things and you know, cuz you're all there at the end of the night. And you know what has went into that in here you're picking up however many of them left on the table. So

Sharon Rumsey  9:14  
that's probably right. And there are also a lot of paper products that I don't recommend my couples purchase. The first thing that comes to mind if and there are older people who will really disagree with me on this. So apologies in advance but ceremony programs, any any ceremony you go to take a look around as you're walking out and see how many programs are laying in the seat. people some people read them most people don't and nobody takes them home. So the last time I got programs printed for like a 200 Guest wedding, it was over $400 and I threw the majority of those away. I also think having Just to say, um, you know, I'm thinking about paper products, a menu at each place setting is a very nice touch. But if you're trying to cut money, make a nice menu board a nice chalkboard or something like that listing what you're serving. And don't worry about printing a menu for each individual place setting.

Michael Gaddie  10:18  
I think that's the best. Yeah,

Sharon Rumsey  10:19  
because printing, it really adds up. When

Kristina Stubblefield  10:21  
you start doing all that stuff on in paper stock has gone up recently. And everything Everything has so great tip sharing

Michael Gaddie  10:30  
well, and another thing is, when you're doing centerpieces for the head table, you can have bases there for are your bridesmaids and you're the bride herself, but bouquets in bases, and that can be the decorations for that so pretty. That's a really good money saving thing, because you can spend a lot of money on the head table. But also keep in mind when you do dry centerpieces. A lot of times when you hear the word dry, you think it's saving you money. But when you go when you talk to your florist, or whoever's doing your decor, you know, price it out from them first. So you'll see if they charge you a lot of people get cylinder bass with floating candles, and at all I can save money and do that myself. The time you run around and purchase the vases and all that and do it yourself. It would have been cheaper for you to get it from whoever's doing it. They

Sharon Rumsey  11:26  
people are shocked a lot of the times when they hear what a florist will actually rent them that they score. Yeah, it's usually cheaper than they can purchase and

Michael Gaddie  11:33  
you got to think to were written and over and over and over. And they're going and then you got to think about what am I going to do with that afterwards? So I mean, just because it's a DIY project, that doesn't mean it's always

Sharon Rumsey  11:43  
on. You also know the planner and me saying who's who's bringing that to the and who sent you who's setting it up? And who's taking it away at the end of the night.

Kristina Stubblefield  11:52  
We're in no Sharon is all about who's taking this shit home.

Sharon Rumsey  11:58  
Do not it will not be me. Right?

Kristina Stubblefield  12:00  
Well, and it's that's a big chore. Most of the time, the couple's already gone. You know,

Sharon Rumsey  12:06  
nobody wants to deal with it. They're tired. They've had a few drinks. They're done. That's because they need the Sharon method. Right, Sharon?

Kristina Stubblefield  12:11  
There's another episode about that. If you scroll back, there's a whole episode on Sharon's What was it called?

Sharon Rumsey  12:19  
was big redneck wedding tip.

Kristina Stubblefield  12:21  
Yes, yes. Okay, what's up next?

Michael Gaddie  12:23  
Well, the other thing is choosing off peak wedding dates. So, you know, don't get married in the most popular season. You know, October, November, usually the Fall is one of the most popular and may in June. So stay away from those months. But also don't always think that you have to get married on a Saturday, or Friday, or Thursday or Sunday. And we've been talking about that. But that's one way to cut a lot of costs.

Sharon Rumsey  12:48  
You can sometimes like I did a Sunday wedding not long ago in an extremely nice venue here in town. And we got that venue for a fourth of what it would have cost on a Saturday night and it was Sunday. And they had a great turnout guess did stay I was worried maybe that people would go home early because I had to work the next day. But I think most of them took Monday off. And we just had a great time. And we got a gorgeous venue for a fourth of the price.

Michael Gaddie  13:13  
But I'm gonna say this, and I'm kind of backing up what we're saying here, but not always, yes, you're going to get your venue at a less expensive price. But you're also going to have other vendors that's going to be working on a Sunday, so their prices might be higher. So there's pros and cons lay it all out to everything.

Kristina Stubblefield  13:32  
They could also be a little cheaper, if it's an off day, if they consider it a nice day. Yeah,

Sharon Rumsey  13:37  
yes, if it's a day that they thought they wouldn't get to work anyway, I get to make any money, then maybe they're gonna, you know, give you a deal. I don't know, it just you have to just an idea. It's an idea. I think to one of the ways that I recommend cutting, and this one hurts a little. But decide which photos are most important to you Do you really, really, really need your photographer for 10 hours, because you're going to pay by the hour, you know, most of them have a package for so many hours. So what's most important to you is that those getting ready photos of everybody in their robes and you know the getting your hair and makeup done are is that your photos at the end of the night at your reception. Let's prioritize those photos. And then we will cut that schedule to maybe a six hour package or an eight hour package. You can save a ton of money that way. But you do have to give up something you they're not going to be able to shoot the whole day. So you just have to decide what's most important to you.

Michael Gaddie  14:37  
Well, and another thing is having your wedding and not doing a full dinner, doing more like a hors d'oeuvre party cocktail hour, or even doing a brunch. brunch is a lot less expensive than doing a sit down. That's kind of neat. Yeah, yeah. Especially if you do pick a Sunday afternoon get married. I mean, that'd be great and all So I'm seeing a lot now of desserts, just having you know, your guest comes and you have all different types of desserts. But like you said earlier, it's nice to let your guests know that so they can have dinner before they go,

Sharon Rumsey  15:13  
you need to let them know that it's a dessert reception, you know, on that invitation that needs to be very clear so that they do eat before they come. Another thing that we're really seeing trending now to is what they call a cocktail reception. So you've still got that full bar, you've still got your DJ and that party atmosphere, but you're probably serving more like heavy hors d'oeuvres, a lot cheaper than feeding a whole entire meal to, you know, your guests, but you still have everybody in the evening, it's still a party. But again, you do owe it to your guests to let them know that it's not going to be a full meal. Because when I go to a wedding, I go I go hungry, like I you know, respect in a meal,

Kristina Stubblefield  15:52  
are we back to talking about communication? A little bit, we seem to plug that in there, don't we?

Sharon Rumsey  15:57  
A little bit.

Michael Gaddie  15:58  
Now one, another important one is finding a venue that will let you BYOB sometimes that's not always possible. But if you're at a venue that you can bring in your own alcohol, it'll save it'll save a ton of money instead of you know, having a bartender supply in that, that alcohol.

Sharon Rumsey  16:17  
And those venues are going to require that bartender to be licensed and insured for their protection, but you are purchasing the alcohol. So you want to make sure when you do that it's you're purchasing from a place that will let you bring back anything you haven't opened. So an unopened case or an open bottle can be returned. And that way, you're only paying for what you actually serve your guest and you're not paying the markup that you know, a bartending service would pay if they provided that alcohol. I think another great thing to just jump off of what Mike was talking about, is when you're looking at those venues and you're making those decisions, if you know you're really balling on a budget, as my kids would say, make sure that you have an open vendor policy at your venue to where you have say so in the vendors that you choose, because a lot of the times say you do get married on a Sunday and you have a great deal on your venue price. But then you look at that list of preferred caterers and you can't afford any of those caterers you know, their way point their way out of your budget. But if you have an open vendor policy, then you're not being told who you have to do business with, and you're able to check out people in your price range and choose the best fit for you for your budget for your guests. So I'm a huge fan of open vendor policies.

Michael Gaddie  17:34  
Well, you know, I'm one thing to when you're choosing your location, your event venue, choose a place that's very pretty, that's that doesn't have to have a lot of ducks, right? You know, a lot of shrubbery or a lot of green. I mean, that's so much more natural than having to bring in tons and tons of flowers. I'm cutting my throat here. But I mean, that's a good way to to watch your budget if that's what you're trying. And

Sharon Rumsey  17:58  
I think something else that we have to open our minds to is, maybe it's not, you know, a quote unquote, venue. Maybe it's a private home, maybe it's someone in your family's home, maybe it's a friend's home. I know, one of the prettiest weddings I have ever done have ever attended have ever even been part of Mike and I did together and it was on a lake. It was at a lake house. And, you know, nature painted the picture. And then Mike jazz did.

Michael Gaddie  18:29  
It really did.

Sharon Rumsey  18:30  
You know, we still had florals. And it was very, very pretty. But that just the background, just the you know, it was gorgeous. And it was already there, like ready to be used. So I think that just being I guess if I could sum it up like to be open minded, don't feel like you have to check all the boxes and do what everyone else does. I think if you're open minded, you're flexible and you're willing to kind of think outside the box. You can have an epic wedding, and you can still stay within your budget.

Michael Gaddie  19:02  
I definitely agree.

Kristina Stubblefield  19:05  
Thanks, Sharon. I mean, you're coming out with all these different words. You're slaying it. Perfect wrap up.

Sharon Rumsey  19:12  
Wow. Well, my granddaughter's been calling me a boomer and so I'm trying to get get used to some younger words.

Kristina Stubblefield  19:19  
I want to go back to that. What do yours what's your son say?

Sharon Rumsey  19:22  
balling on a budget,

Michael Gaddie  19:24  
balling on a budget hashtag,

Kristina Stubblefield  19:25  
you're gonna see that when this episode. So, I mean, that has been some great things and what I like about what you all were talking about this, you were just open and honest about things to really consider. One thing could seem much more affordable. But when you really start digging into the details, and that's what I'm hearing is, it's got to be you got to look at the full picture. Because just because you could think up front you're saving. If you can't have the vendors and you can't have some of that stuff. It's going to catch Kept with you in the end.

Michael Gaddie  20:01  
But you know what, as long as as we're saying, watch your budget, do what you want to make the day that you want perfect. So I mean, there's certain things that you might want to cut the budget, and there's certain things you might not want to cut the budget and may not be a priority to

Sharon Rumsey  20:15  
you. Well, and again, it goes back to that communication, like we talked about all the time. But you know, you have to sit down and you have to say, what's most important to me? Is it the flowers? Is it the food we're going to eat? Maybe I don't care so much about the food, maybe I want this amazing band that I heard. So for each couple, those answers are going to be different. But you have to decide what's important to you put your money there, and then figure out a way to make the rest of it come in line

Kristina Stubblefield  20:41  
well, and fun and fun. Because at the end of the day, what are they going to do Sharon?

Sharon Rumsey  20:47  
They're going to get married.

Kristina Stubblefield  20:49  
You That is one of your sayings is no matter what

Sharon Rumsey  20:53  
you're going to be married when we in this night.

Kristina Stubblefield  20:55  
Yes. And that's keep that first and foremost in your mind because you can get lost, you can get overwhelmed and all

Sharon Rumsey  21:01  
those things. Don't lose track of what why you're there. On that note,

Kristina Stubblefield  21:05  
thank you very much for tuning in. Make sure you follow us on social media. Until next time, have fun playing in your big day.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The Ring The Bling And All The Things. If you liked what you heard, make sure to hit the subscribe button to get notified of upcoming episodes. You can also visit our website, theringtheblingandallthethings.com for past episodes, and make sure to connect with us on social media. If you would like to help us get the word out about this podcast. Make sure to share with your family, your friends and anyone you know in the wedding business.

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