Texas-Houston

Help! Newly engaged, on a budget and need to find a inexpensive but nice venue!

Houston ladies please help! I am newly engaged and I am looking for a inexpensive but nice venue! I have a wedding budget of $8,000 and I am starting to think that there's no hope for me with a budget so low. Unfortunately my parents are not financially able to pay for me a wedding so its really up to me and my fiancé to save, budget and make this work. Also any recommendations on lost cost caters, florist etc. would be greatly appreciated!  

Re: Help! Newly engaged, on a budget and need to find a inexpensive but nice venue!

  • GypsySoul01GypsySoul01 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited June 2013

    OK so how many people are you looking to host? It will make a difference in suggestions as well as what you can afford. Having been on a limited budget myself, the best advice I can give you is to limit the guest list.

    I find that people really don't like to hear that (but we HAVE to invite x,y,z,) but it really is the most cost effective way to save money. If you have a smaller wedding, you can generally be more flexible about creative venues, save money on catering and alcohol and really cut down on flowers. In my experience telling people "we are having a very small wedding" is something poeple generally understand and won't hassle you too much about it.

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  • Thanks for replying GypsySoul01! I am looking to have about 50 people. So definitely a small wedding! Thank you for the advice! I have also heard cutting down on the flowers and alcohol will def. help. After all I could never imagine myself spending 4,000 + on just flowers!
  • MrsH86MrsH86 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    Heather's Glen in Conroe is my venue. Look at their website but call them because they have cheaper packages that are not listed online!
    ~Happy Wife.... Happy Life~
  • Look at Ouisie's Table. You could get married in their garden outside and then you don't have to pay extra for ceremony space. You also would not need much in the way of flowers, which is a big money saver.

    The Heights Fire Station or Gardens of Bammel Lane might work but they are VERY do it yourself so it might not be an option if you aren't up for that.

    The Milford House is also pretty and you can bring in your own vendors which I found kept costs down a lot for me.

    I had my wedding for 65 people for $10,000 but I could have done it for less had I not spent so much for photography and had my ceremony and reception in the same place. I had my wedding at St. John's church in Heritage Park and my reception at Nouveau Antique Art bar which was extremely affordable, beautiful and included an open bar! Plus it was so pretty that I didn't need any flowers at the reception. HUGE cost saver. It can be done, I promise.

    Hopefully some of those will work for you but if not, come back. I found this board very helpful when I was looking for local vendors! And keep us updated! I always like to know what people pick!

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  • Hey girl, I am also a soon to be bride in Houston on a very tight budget ($5000)... My fiancé and I had to get married in the Catholic Church which was kind of expensive in Houston, so if you don't have religious constraints like that you will be in much better shape. I can tell you though that we are having our reception at this lounge in midtown (its not your typical reception venue). We don't have to pay anything to rent it out, just commit to spending $1000 in alcohol. We also don't had to spend hardly anything on decorations because it is already decorated really cute! We can bring in whoever we want to cater, we are considering a food truck because we thought it would be creative and cheap or esle doing the food ourselves, and we get their wait staff for free. W also get to use their DJ connections so got a super cheap dj. If you wanted to you could even have your ceremony there, and save money that way. I would recommend getting creative if I were you, because with such a small group you can do whatever you want almost. I personally didn't want to get a banquet hall because I didn't want it to look empty with my small group of guests. Other options worth considering are doing a ceremony on the beach at Galveston, and then doing the reception at the San Luis.... They have a small banquet room that leads out onto a patio with a gazebo, but that would cost more since its more your typical wedding venue type place and they have preferred vendors they want you to work with. I really recommend thinking outside box to get lower prices. People think you are going to pay out the a$$ for wedding stuff... For example I called the makeup place and was going to get my makeup done for like $40 (airbrush, fake lashes, etc) then when I said something about it being my wedding she said that it would actually cost $120 and when I asked why she said I needed to look more bridal... But when I asked her what the difference was she couldn't tell me. ...so then I just called again, talked to someone else, and didn't tell them it was my wedding. And I did my trail run for my engagement pics and it looked amazing, they couldn't have made it look any better! Anyway, I'm rambling.... But let me know if you need any advice on other vendors, and I can let you know what I did because my budget is smaller than yours.
  • Check out the Mayde Creek Community Center, http://www.theknot.com/Vendors/Mayde-Creek-Community-Center-The-secret-garden/Profile/CAR/183/554931/profile?sid=vR5HSRDY2zwHk9ddr9pBng

    The Houston Arboretum: http://www.houstonarboretum.org/visit/facility-rentals/weddings

    Heights Presbyterian Church at 240 W. 18th St in The Heights is gorgeous and inexpensive. It has a beautiful chapel and many options for a reception, has a great gazebo too. You don't have to be a Presbyterian either.  (713) 861-1907 https://www.facebook.com/HeightsPresbyterian#!/HeightsPresbyterian

     

  • http://www.magnoliaballroom.com/

    The Magnolioa Ballroom isn't too bad, starts at about $2500.


    The Houston Heights Firehouse is actually really charming and under $2000 to rent!


    If you're looking to save money, I would look at other areas of the wedding to save as well. I know of a photographer whose goal is to not be a huge chunk of your wedding budget. You may already have booked a photographer but if not, check her out, she's a blessing! Packages start at $750 but she worked with us to bring the price down even farther.

  • What area of town are you looking for ? I'm also on a tight budget with a guest list of 50 . I found a lot of very reasonable venues all over Houston .
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  • Congratulations!! We're in a similar boat. Our budget is $8,000 for 85 guests. We're having our ceremony and reception at The Milford House. It's a beautiful venue and the price is hard to beat. They also allow you to bring in your own caterer or self serve and your own bar which is saving us a ton of money. We looked at Ouisie's and it was like $95 a person--gorgeous but not in our price point. Heights Fire Station and Art Bar great options. Afternoon and early evening weddings are more affordable for catering if that's something your open too. I'm happy to share any details I can, feel free to message me.
  • I am looking for an in expensive venue as well. 
  • Britt I am on a 8k budget as well. What side of town are yo on?
  • Thank you ladies! I am in Katy! I am now leaning more towards a backyard wedding now just to cut cost so we can possibly have a honeymoon too!  
  • hey there. my cousin does beautiful backyard weddings. she's doing my silk flowers for my wedding. I fell in love with my venue is the only reason she's not doing mine. Stores like Arne's in the Heights is an excellent place for discounted decor. I totally understand the honeymoon it was something I wasn't going to spare no expense on. to me those 1st few moments to connect as husband and wife are very important before you get back to reality of actually living! you can message me as well if you need any help bringing your day to life and still look amazing!! good luck
  • There is a new place I found in Katy, they only charge $750 for evening events. The prices are on their website.They don't have a lot of photos, but it's a option.

    http://www.canvaseventspace.com/
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  • Never mind they prices have jumped crazy high. I just looked and they out their minds.
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