wedding on a budget

bobcatbuc

The good news is we have until June of 2015 to plan this thing.  Me and the future Mrs. have been playing with ideas and have narrowed it down to 300 people on a $10,000 budget with nothing outside (its Texas in June!!!) around Ft Worth area on a Saturday since half of the guests are traveling more than 3 hours.  From what the cost of venues are that we've seen online and gotten, is this budget possible for this many people?  Cant seem to locate any venues that are big enough to accommodate our number of guests and ones that are seem to eat up half the budget.  We have no problem with it being a DIY wedding.  Just dont want to overspend on a venue.  Also, cheap ideas on discounted lodging would help a lot too for guests coming into town. 

professorscience

Are you completely set on June? It's more expensive simply because it's a popular wedding month. Are you getting married in a church? Could you use a banquet hall at your church?

You can find a venue big enough on your budget, but as you said, it may be very bare bones. You might also have luck trying a hotel, although you'd probably have to use on-site catering, and that is often a big chunk of your budget.

A couple other money-saving ideas:
Trim that guest list! As someone whose MIL wanted to invite a hundred people just on her side, I know this is easier said than done, but it is absolutely the best way to reduce your costs.
Consider having a morning or afternoon wedding, or basically sometime that people wouldn't need to be fed a whole meal, and have a cake and punch reception.
Fridays and Sundays are less expensive than Saturdays.

As far as lodging, you can usually get discounted rates when you set up a block of rooms at hotels.

bobcatbuc

Ya June is set.  Has to be during summer because of my job and we want time for a honeymoon before work starts back up that last week of July. I wish I could trim the list but we both have big families. Not even a quarter of the list is just friends.  A lot of the reception time is planned around travel of guests. We arent gonna have a wedding that they dont get to eat at and party. I want it to be one, both, we and them will remember and not complain that they drove all that way just for "that".

professorscience

I totally understand! I had a huge guest list and wanted a big party! Those are just the biggest way to cut your costs, unfortunately. Food and drink will be your biggest expenses.

I don't know much about Ft. Worth venues, so hopefully someone else can chime in.

RangersSweetheart

Clark Gardens in Weatherford... I have some friends who had a big wedding out there for much less than Dallas or Ft. Worth venues.

RangersSweetheart

Please stop spamming all the boards...

professorscience

@KnotPorscha, MedinaAAA89 is a vendor.

Macychelle1414

In my experience, that will be impossible. Most places have food minimums that are $9000 just for food, not including bartenders, cleanup, taxes, etc. My wedding is for 150 people and will absolutely cost over $10,000. Good luck with that

passthewine

I think your hardest part will be the guest list.  300 is a lot.  With just 15 dollars per person for catering you are already at 4,500 dollars that doesn't include tax and gratuities. Alcohol could easily take the other half.  If you can't cut the list down then you will have to think outside the box.  Most of the cheaper venues I know hold far less in size.  We are having our wedding under 10K so it's doable but our list is under 100 people.  Maybe look into a park and an afternoon wedding and just party somewhere after words?  That would be far easier and cheaper with that many people.  Good luck.

bobcatbuc

I think we have success.  We found a venue that's on the top end of our venue budget but they allow outside alcohol and catering and there are some catering places around there that only charge $10-12 a person.  We also estimated that about 10-15% wont come due to the drive and vacation season so we are expecting around 225-240.  But the venue we chose is Oak Knoll Ranch in Springtown. Barely any decorations needed and they have an area to do the ceremony and reception.  Now to work on the photographer for engagement pictures.

courtski2004

bobcatbuc said:

I think we have success.  We found a venue that's on the top end of our venue budget but they allow outside alcohol and catering and there are some catering places around there that only charge $10-12 a person.  We also estimated that about 10-15% wont come due to the drive and vacation season so we are expecting around 225-240.  But the venue we chose is Oak Knoll Ranch in Springtown. Barely any decorations needed and they have an area to do the ceremony and reception.  Now to work on the photographer for engagement pictures.

Please be careful with this estimate--as long as you've budgeted for 100% attendance you'll be in good shape, but you don't want to get burned if you've only budgeted for the estimated number. People will end up surprising you and attend; you don't want that to be a bad thing!

bobcatbuc

Well we had cut the list down to 270 already so that estimate is from that, but we are prepared if we do get 100% attendance.  But we also booked our photographer and photo booth today as well.  It seems like it is finally all coming shape.

marleighkay7

I am DIYing a lot of my stuff. Making the cake myself, buying wholesale flowers and making the arrangements myself. I've done floral design before so that should be pretty easy. Our budget is around $6000 but so far we are way under that. Try keeping the wedding small and do it on a day other than Saturday. Doing it in peak wedding season is gonna cost you more so go with an off day if you can. 

GOOD LUCK!!!

shoebunnie

@knotporscha chaysn is a vendor spamming the boards.

[Deleted User]

@shoebunnie thanks!!

passthewine

Remember, the 10-12 a person doesn't usually come out 10-12 a person.  You would be paying about 3,430 that is 10 a person, tax, gratuity (which is typically 18%) staff but does not include napkins, plates, cups, silverware, drinks.   That would be JUST food for 240 people.  So when budgeting you need to start getting full quotes before doing a lot of purchases.  Depending on your venue and if you can bring your own alcohol or not will make a difference too if you are trying to stay in a 10K budget.  It all can be done but there are kind of like hidden costs that sneak up on you.  Like tax or stamps stuff like that.  Things you don't always think about.