Need your opinon on budget!

lullabymommy

I'm on a 5k budget for about 80 people. 

brookelynpaisley

DIY. Try craigslist for your DJ/photographer. Find a venue with a lot of perks. DO a Friday (I know this is a weekday, but I'm saying don't do like a Wednesday) since many venues will give perks (mine through in free chair covers). We had an $8K budget and invited 100 people. There are definitely things we could have cut out. Use your local boards for resources.

laurenclaire1386

Smaller guest list.

SarahPLiz

morning ceremony with brunch reception. same thing I posted on your question on the Budget board.

ggmae

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_need-opinon-budget?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:85fe986f-194b-4fae-a0f1-e9ae1e624fafPost:a6584ba4-6592-43ce-acbe-2e970beaff65">Re: Need your opinon on budget!</a>:
[QUOTE]Smaller guest list.
Posted by laurenclaire1386[/QUOTE]

This.

Or at the very least, have some wine and beer for your guests.

nda_roxybabe

Do an iPod in place of a Dj. DIY

terbear_86

Agree with PP about doing a Fri or Sun wedding. A sun afternoon  with cake/punch or even brunch would be really reasonable in a lot of different types of venues for that most likely ----- lots of DIY, elegant and simple.

brookelynpaisley

Is 80 your bare minimum on guest list?

mags0607

Get married on a Sunday and do a brunch/lunch reception. That will get you a much lower venue rate. For your alcohol, limit it to beer/wine and maybe one signature cocktail. That will limit costs, or just have champagne and mimosas at brunch. Do your invites yourself, and get creative with your florist/photographer needs.

agk0125

Smaller guest list

iPod reception on a Sunday afternoon

Do a brunch or lunch instead of full dinner and party

wear a bridesmaid dress instead of a full on wedding dress or find a dress on a site like oncewed.com.

sarabellam

Brunch reception, limited alcohol (beer, wine, champagne toast), skip the centerpieces, cut the guest list, limit the size of the BP, DIY the invitations and flowers, cupcakes rather than elaborate cake, skip the favors, informal barbecue type reception... There are TONS of ways to save.

thesuninherhead

I would do:
- Smaller guest list
- Late ceremony and cocktail style reception for a shorter period of time than most receptions (OR brunch reception as others suggest)
- Find a venue that allows me to bring in my own alcohol to save potentially a lot of $'s.
- DIY on things like flowers etc, utilise any offers for help I received on things like DJing (provided that I trusted the person offering!), and completely forget about excess stuff like limos.

mwhitson14

Well I'm doing 175 people for about 3K sooo it's kinda funny that a smaller guest list and DIY is what most are suggesting. I've actually DIYed very little and 175 isn't a small guest list

Just shop around. We've been engaged for almost two years and it's been really easy to just wait for sales or keep looking for things that were cheap. I also haven't been spending like crazy, nor gone really overboard with anything. They most we'll spend is on food, and it's a full dinner buffett (no alcohol, we're getting married in a church). I'm doing cupcakes, iPod reception, amateur photog, $99 David's Bridal gown, I don't know. I'm sure I could keep thinking of ways to save but that's the majority of it.

lullabymommy

I was thinking friday for a weekday. For some reason Sundays are not cheaper in cbus =(

80 people is not the bare minimum but my issue is not guests its the venue. In my price range I can either get one on a Friday or one that doesn't not allow alcohol period (most student spaces at OSU are like this)

lullabymommy

Sorry I posted on 2 boards, when I posted on budget it was more of a vent and here I was expecting a lot more simple poll-ing. haha, but thanks for all the advice!

squirrly

If you can't find what you want in Columbus, look farther out into the suburbs.  Consider another city (Cincy? Dayton?).  Look at alternate times of day - 1 pm ceremony with an afternoon reception.  OR do a LATE ceremony, like 7 pm, and a dessert reception. 

Pirata13

Fri or Sun wedding, smaller guest list if necessary, and limited bar of wine, beer & soda.

Stackeye210

I did a wedding, in Columbus, for 87 people, on a Saturday afternoon/evening for 5K in May. 

It's all about RESEARCH.  Check and recheck, research and re-research prices.  I would look up the same item 10 times before I'd buy it.  I made list after list of wants, needs and extras. 

Call in every possible favor you can.  Also, don't let a first price be the final price, you can negotiate prices.  We talked down our catering bill from $22/pp to $15/pp. 

kikibaby

A little late on this, but check with your city for renting venues like parks or rec center rooms.  I was looking into this in Denver, and most of the city park spaces could be rented out for the whole day for less than $200.