Wedding for $4,000 or less?

Knottie60727752

I just got engaged. I knew it was coming so i already have a dress ($250 and not included in budget.) so far we have about 300 saved and are on odsp with 3 kids 5 and under, so saving is hard. Our guest list is smallish at about 35 people (us and kids included) any tips? We are in hamilton ontario

DarthV8r

Knottie60727752 said:

I just got engaged. I knew it was coming so i already have a dress ($250 and not included in budget.) so far we have about 300 saved and are on odsp with 3 kids 5 and under, so saving is hard. Our guest list is smallish at about 35 people (us and kids included) any tips? We are in hamilton ontario

Try to find a place that you can have the ceremony aand reception at and does not have a minimum amount of food and beverage needed. A Venue with tables and chairs included will help out with price.

Most likely a brunch or lunch reception will be cheaper.

Keep it simple. Fancy tablecloths and tablescapes cost a lot of money as do rentals.

lnixon8

If you have $300 saved how long are you planning on being engaged to save up to $4000?  We tell brides not to plan on money from anyone else until the check is cleared or cash is in your hand. And unfortunately the longer you are engaged the more "emergencies" can come up, especially with children. In my 18 month engagement we had our house flood, hot water heater broke, a car accident, job changes etc. Make sure to be realistic with your budget.

The good news is you can have a perfectly nice wedding without breaking the bank! Do you belong to a church?  You can get married in the church and then use the basement or hall to serve sheet cake from the grocery store, cheese and crackers/fruit and veggie trays from the grocery store and punch/water/soda. If you do this just make sure it is not at a meal time (2 pm could work!)

julieanne912

For 35 people you could even look into restaurants for brunch or lunch.  Many have large enough rooms to accommodate 35.  

MesmrEwe

You have the two most important things done before starting any part of the process, the budget and a real-world guest list. 

The biggest thing for you is going to be saving up the money but it's possible for you to do it for even less than the $4000 and still have a really nice event!  We recently did my parent's 50th Anniversary for 55 for less than that and the hall commented that they hadn't seen as nice of settings as we did nor the hall set up as fancy (the room doesn't matter, it's what you bring to it that does!).  That's roughly $100/guest you're budgeting.  That's a lot to work with!  Pick up the phone and call around to get ballpark figures for different venues in your area that are all-inclusive without minimums.  The little extra for linens is usually worth it (though enough to cover 5 tables isn't very expensive and if you choose wisely it's something you can reuse for the kids' birthdays and such).  Just because you're planning to budget $4000 doesn't mean that you need to spend it all.  With kids there are a million other things that money can be used for (i.e. a weekend away as a mini-moon).. 

Check around.  You should be able to find a hotel meeting space that'll be plenty large.  Sometimes banquet halls offer a smaller meeting room size space.  It's not like you need the formal dance, etc. with a DJ, you can do everything without the extra mic system or you can just hook into the hotel's mic system.  A local park is a great venue option too.  The only real thing is watch your pennies and be realistic about who your guests are.  The only thing you need to get married is a license and someone to officiate, the rest is window dressing.  That's how you keep things on a budget.  However, you can't officially book until the money is there to do the booking, so figure out how you're going to make it work without going into debt, only you know your finances..

wandajune6

The PPs offered great suggestions. Also check your local Park District for their events. We got married at a local Park District-owned event space and loved it. They were used to doing large events but also worked with a broad variety of price ranges. They had packages as low as $26/pp and had a pretty gazebo outside for the ceremony. Cheap and easy. I'd imagine that many restaurants can be equally accommodating, particularly if you are open to a daytime wedding.

CMGragain

Park weddings are great, especially with kids!  My sister had one.
Have an afternoon ceremony.  For the reception, serve picnic foods and sheet cake from the super market.  Sodas and beer in a cooler, or even box wine, if the park rules allow it.  Flowers from the supermarket, tied with a ribbon.  You don't need centerpieces or decor.  Vistaprint does small batches of invitations, and they have a big choice of designs.  Ask the camera geek in your family to take pictures for you.
Have a lovely wedding.

TrixieJess

Go to City Hall and get married. If you are on ODSP, it's going to be difficult to save, unless you are working under the table. Have a small reception at home.

charlene83018301

All I can tell you is what we are doing.... We are engaged without a ring yet (because of money). We are paying for our wedding ourselves and the budget is a maximum of $4,500 but hoping to keep it even lower then that. I already have a dress (Oleg Cassini ballgown that I honestly bought off the rack at Davids Bridal in 2011 when I was going to marry someone else and that relationship failed due to his being an alcoholic). Yes I am wearing a dress from a previous relationship. I don't believe in that being bad luck. It is my dream dress, very stunning, expensive if bought new and I got it for a steal.

Our venue is a community center in his hometown, $100 rent, $100 refundable cleaning deposit. We are doing all the cooking of the food- typical bbq Texas style foods- either brisket/sausage/chicken, or burgers and hotdogs, we are country people with southern family/friends lol. Our budget for food/drinks is $1,400. That is the max for any one category. 

Flowers I am getting from fiftyflowers.com and doing myself with friends for about 400-500. Decorations (such as mason jars, ribbons, tulle, burlap, lace, candles, christmas lights for the trees surrounding the ceremony site) budgeting 500.

So far $2,600.

My fiance will be wearing black levis (hopefully he can wear the pair he already has, and get them washed and pressed. He has a black felt hat already that is in great condition. We will look on Amazon.com for a button down shirt because he is a big boy (6'5" and at least 350lbs----mmm muscles lol). I am hoping to talk him into a vest since he won't wear a tie or jacket. The big expense will be a pair of black Justin lace up boots (big feet) which could cost up to $200. 

Groom's Attire: $250

So far total: $2,850

Wedding cake/cupcakes will be done by a friend who is a great baker and one he loves her work, so that will cost us about $50 (really just buying the supplies).

Photographer I am using a local photographer if she is available on my date: 5 hrs $700, second photographer for 2 hrs is $150, portrait session $175 = $1025

$3.875 so far is the total.

Music will all be either by CD or MP3 player and for less then 100.

The only cost I am currently unsure of is the pastor. I want one of my church pastors to marry us, but until we set a date I am not going to call and ask how much to have one, if they are not in our budget then I am going to see if we can get a friend of mine to marry us, and just pay for him to do the online course to be able to marry us. 

So the total I am expecting to be about $4,000....

Hope that helps!

BTW, I know what it is like to struggle. I am a substance abuse counselor intern, I don't make enough to even live on my own, I lost custody of my son due to bs and pay child support. I bring home 1,400/month, and after bills there is nothing left to save. I plan on using some of the refund check I get from going to school to help pay for the wedding. My fiance works in construction and is working one full time job and working part time jobs for others to help save up. We are also in the process of looking into building our own home.

lnixon8

charlene83018301 said:

All I can tell you is what we are doing.... We are engaged without a ring yet (because of money). We are paying for our wedding ourselves and the budget is a maximum of $4,500 but hoping to keep it even lower then that. I already have a dress (Oleg Cassini ballgown that I honestly bought off the rack at Davids Bridal in 2011 when I was going to marry someone else and that relationship failed due to his being an alcoholic). Yes I am wearing a dress from a previous relationship. I don't believe in that being bad luck. It is my dream dress, very stunning, expensive if bought new and I got it for a steal.

Our venue is a community center in his hometown, $100 rent, $100 refundable cleaning deposit. We are doing all the cooking of the food- typical bbq Texas style foods- either brisket/sausage/chicken, or burgers and hotdogs, we are country people with southern family/friends lol. Our budget for food/drinks is $1,400. That is the max for any one category. 

Flowers I am getting from fiftyflowers.com and doing myself with friends for about 400-500. Decorations (such as mason jars, ribbons, tulle, burlap, lace, candles, christmas lights for the trees surrounding the ceremony site) budgeting 500.

So far $2,600.

My fiance will be wearing black levis (hopefully he can wear the pair he already has, and get them washed and pressed. He has a black felt hat already that is in great condition. We will look on Amazon.com for a button down shirt because he is a big boy (6'5" and at least 350lbs----mmm muscles lol). I am hoping to talk him into a vest since he won't wear a tie or jacket. The big expense will be a pair of black Justin lace up boots (big feet) which could cost up to $200. 

Groom's Attire: $250

So far total: $2,850

Wedding cake/cupcakes will be done by a friend who is a great baker and one he loves her work, so that will cost us about $50 (really just buying the supplies).

Photographer I am using a local photographer if she is available on my date: 5 hrs $700, second photographer for 2 hrs is $150, portrait session $175 = $1025

$3.875 so far is the total.

Music will all be either by CD or MP3 player and for less then 100.

The only cost I am currently unsure of is the pastor. I want one of my church pastors to marry us, but until we set a date I am not going to call and ask how much to have one, if they are not in our budget then I am going to see if we can get a friend of mine to marry us, and just pay for him to do the online course to be able to marry us. 

So the total I am expecting to be about $4,000....

Hope that helps!

BTW, I know what it is like to struggle. I am a substance abuse counselor intern, I don't make enough to even live on my own, I lost custody of my son due to bs and pay child support. I bring home 1,400/month, and after bills there is nothing left to save. I plan on using some of the refund check I get from going to school to help pay for the wedding. My fiance works in construction and is working one full time job and working part time jobs for others to help save up. We are also in the process of looking into building our own home.

How many people are you inviting? Save yourself (and anyone that is helping you) the time, save your guests from food poisoning and get it catered. You do not want to be in charge of making sure everything is heated or cooled properly.

$1400 can be enough for catered bbq for a certain amount of people, otherwise I would say chill on the $500 flowers and put that money towards food. My friends and I did my flowers too (they looked great) and got them delivered from Sams club for less than $150.

MesmrEwe

PLEASE do not subject your guests to food poisoning with the main meal and realize that "ingredients" for the cake your friend is making are going to be more than $50...  I can't go to Sam's Club and purchase a tub of icing and box of frozen pre-baked cakes for $50, let alone all of the ingredients, stacking supplies, clean-up supplies (Paper towels, soap, laundry, etc. all have a cost!) for something made from scratch.  The reality is, it's closer to $200 in supplies alone by the time every last supply and cent is figured out to make a cake to feed 100.  And that's assuming you already own everything (pans, mixer, etc.) and aren't doing any "trials".

For $1500, you can hire a caterer to make the food for you and someone to serve it.  It's one thing for you to provide all the drinks and punch, they're relatively safe items to serve, that's not the same with foods that are sensitive to the temperature danger zone (BBQ, salads, beans, potato salad, etc.).  For less than $500 you can order your flowers delivered from Sam's or Costco, use that extra money you saved to pay for the caterer!

stephanie59hickman

Try to do things yourself, or have a talented friend do them, or simply try to find cheaper vendors. My fiancee's aunt is a wonderful photographer, not professional but she's been doing it all her life. I've seen a lot of her work including pictures from other family members' weddings and they are beautiful.

I got my dress at a sample sale and my mom paid for the alterations.

We went simple on flowers, just personal bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages and are using non floral decorations that we made ourselves with lots of supplies from the dollar store.

Our guest list is only 60 people so we didn't need a huge cake or tons of seating. Our cake is small, 3 teired: $320

Our ceremony will be in a chapel that seats 60: $400

We are catering the whole thing ourselves. Everyone in his family cooks very well. It's all going to be pasta dishes so it's easy to make large quantities of and just reheat when necessary. The reception hall also has a full kitchen which is helpful.

We did not hire a DJ. Just using spotify that will be hooked up to amplifiers my dad already owns.

Doing my own makeup. I have to get my hair professionally done because I can't do hair to save my life but my bridesmaids and mothers will be doing their own hair and makeup.

We printed all our own stationary. Did not hire a calligrapher.

This is about all I can think of. Hope this helps. The time goes by quicker than you think. My wedding is only 24 days away! Happy planning and congratulations.

CMGragain

@stephanie59hickman,  this post is from August.  Please check before resurrecting zombie posts.  It is considered bad internet etiquette.

PS.  Having your family cook your food and self catering are very bad ideas.  I know you can't change your plans at this late date.  We would have warned you not to do this if you had posted earlier.

best4last

He proposed in January 2015. Immediately we made a promise to each other that (being second weddings for both) to establish a budget and stick to it. Our wedding day is February 20, 2016.  Knowing what we did and didn't want helped a lot. My first was and elopement/destination wedding, and his was very large.  Our Wedding party is small, and we did a lot of venue shopping. We settled on one that met every requirement we had, and was well under budget.

All that to say, YES YOU CAN have a classy wedding for under $4,000. In fact ours is $3,700.00 and includes EVERYTHING.

BEST WISHES TO YOU BOTH!!!!!

MesmrEwe

CMGragain said:

@stephanie59hickman,  this post is from August.  Please check before resurrecting zombie posts.  It is considered bad internet etiquette.

PS.  Having your family cook your food and self catering are very bad ideas.  I know you can't change your plans at this late date.  We would have warned you not to do this if you had posted earlier.

Subway, the local grocery store deli, Famous Dave's, KFC, etc. all only require about a week's notice to cater a large event... Just saying...

Knottie1447561706

Check your forest preserves, I'm planning on having my Ceremony and Reception at 1 location, outdoors, renting the facility is only going to be $250-300. Not 100% on what we're going to do about feeding our 30-40 guests, my S/O is thinking Chinese.

If you skimp on anything have it be favors I'd say. As far as decor (centerpieces, table cloths, etc) definitely try to find these things second hand before you go brand-new.