Community› Wedding Discussion Boards› Wedding Woes
Wedding Woes
New Discussion

A bit bummed about my budget wedding

asianpurrfectionasianpurrfection member
First Comment
in Wedding Woes
I love my fiance, and I'm grateful for everything we have so that we can plan an actual wedding, but I'm still secretly a little bummed out about having such a small budget to make my perfect day happen. Our total budget overall is about $5000, and while I am determined to stick to it no matter what, it is very hard to try and find a great venue, yummy catering, nice photography, etc. with only having a small amount I can spend on each. I'm perfectly fine with cutting out as many other things as I can. I am fine with a $150-200 dress, cheaper invites and engagement photos, a lot of things will be as-nice-but-as-cheaply-as-possible DIYs (decorations, flowers, favors, accessories) and I'm lucky that myself and my family are very creative and innovative enough to make that happen. However, the things I can't create on my own are what are stressing me out the most. Any suggestions or tips about planning a perfect day on a small amount of money?
Report Reply to Post

Re: A bit bummed about my budget wedding

  • goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    A lot of things can be done to drive a cost down.  The girls here always have great ideas.

    I don't know how much you've planned but here's a few tips:

    - a wedding at a non meal time can cost less to cater (cake and punch reception)
    - a wedding that isnt during wedding season can nab you a discount on vendors and venue
    - a wedding all in one typically drops the 'ceremony fee' (at least it did for me)
    - etsy makes lovely wedding rings
    - favors are optional.  You can forgo them if you want.
    - bridal shows sell dress accessories and dresses cheaper than you'd think.  I got a veil at one for 80% off.

    Things that are cost cutting but arent recommended:
    - cash bars
    - pot luck 

    Things you should always keep in mind:
    - get contracts for all your vendors.  I have heard horror stories from 2 separate vendors.  
    - book as early as possible.  FI got a discount on formal wear for booking early.
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers

    image
    Report Reply
  • goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    scribe95 said:
    Yeah, use one spot - like a park or hall - to have both ceremony and reception. And if you do it at 2 p.m. or 8 p.m. then you can just provide cake and snacks - not a full meal. 

    Forgo the engagement pics. Absolutely not needed. Same with favors. 

    ipod can be a heck of a DJ.
    Agreed.  I didn't bother with engagement pics.  Saved me 300 bucks...  I figured I would never look at them once I got my wedding pictures.
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers

    image
    Report Reply
  • NavyBlue143NavyBlue143 member
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Love Its 500 Comments Name Dropper
    Definitely look into parks. Our venue was a small conference center owned by the town. Cost us 750 for the full day rental, tables and chairs, dance floor, catering kitchen, ice machine, no restrictions on bar, and a ramp leading straight to the beach.

    Also, look for small local restaurants that cater. Not just wedding caterers. We saved so much money using a local barbeque joint. Like, 7.50 a plate. And the food was awesome and abundant.
    Report Reply
  • tawillerstawillers member
    Ninth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    Or you could postpone the wedding until you can save enough money to do everything you want.
    Report Reply
  • asianpurrfectionasianpurrfection member
    First Comment
    The engagement photos were going to be for our Save The Dates ... I think I'm going to get mine done at a portrait studio for a smaller amount. But thank you so much for the suggestions everyone, please keep them coming. I can use all the help I can get!
    Report Reply
  • kerbohlkerbohl member
    Knottie Warrior 2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    asianpurrfection said:
    The engagement photos were going to be for our Save The Dates ... I think I'm going to get mine done at a portrait studio for a smaller amount. But thank you so much for the suggestions everyone, please keep them coming. I can use all the help I can get!
    Do you even need Save the Dates?  I always find these to be a complete waste of money, even if they were cheap.  My SIL offered me about 20 for free and I didn't use them at all.
     
    Lots of great suggestions from people, but we might help more if you mention the things that you would want to spend more money on.  Do you want a fancy cake, or a large bridal party, or anything like that which is messing with your budget? 

    Food was the biggest expense for me, but if you shop around and get someone who doesn't typically do weddings, you can save a lot (or as others suggested, do a non-mealtime wedding).  I got a caterer who normally did school lunches, but also did corporate events.  It was a husband-wife team, and they were reasonably priced but the food was fantastic, and one of the things that I got the most complimented on (followed closely by our NOT having a DJ, which is interesting). 

    Report Reply
  • goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826goldchocobo.defunct635829490514903826 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    Limiting your guest list can also help a lot.  Our list is down to 42 people, and assuming how many of those RSVP (and bring a guest) I'm figuring the numbers will be a tad lower than that.  But we don't have huge families.  Your scenario may be different.  We also didn't do save the dates.  With such a small wedding, our mothers were the save the dates.  They tell everyone, lol.

    I heard somewhere that the reception is 50% of your cost (feeding people, alcohol if you are providing it, rental of the hall etc).
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers

    image
    Report Reply
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    250 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Don't feel bad about your wedding budget.  FI and I have the same wedding budget in mind, and because we're focused on going back to school, we've pushed our wedding date to 2016 to help with budgeting.

    You've had a lot of great suggestions so far.  We're going down the route of a cake and punch reception and finding that to be pretty affordable by offering items like finger sandwiches, fruit/veggie trays, cake and drinks like lemonade and punch.

    If you really want engagement photos, talk with photographers about their wedding packages.  Ours is giving us an engagement session included with our wedding day photos.  We also worked it out with her to promote her photography work and facebook page by sharing it on our social media pages every so often for a pretty steep discount.
    Report Reply
  • MegEn1MegEn1 member
    500 Love Its 500 Comments Second Anniversary First Answer
    Look into public parks - there's a few around here (including some forts around Maryland) that will charge you an assembly permit fee to use the space - something like $50. Also, a friend of mine used an airplane hanger at a small local airport and they charged her like $100. They strung up their own lights, it was positively gorgeous. I mean it was prettier than some of the nicest club house and reception room weddings I've been to. The airport just moved the prop planes outside, and it made for really unique photo ops. Warehouses, docks - be creative!

    Best of luck to you!

    Achievement Unlocked: Survived Your Wedding! 
    Report Reply
  • 7651arty7651arty member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary
    -If you want alcohol, make punch and spike it yourself. You don't have to offer a variety.

    -get pricing from smaller restaurants. Finger food is great, and tacos (or taco/whatever food trucks)are becoming a wedding trend. You'd have to pay the final bill, of course, but they would give a nice discount. Bbq is also a super affordable choices. Cake and punch only is a winner too.

    -My friend wore a beautiful $75 dress (on sale) from David's Bridal...it was a knee length bridesmaid dress and she ordered it in white.

    -flowers- don't use a florist, order from your local grocery store or farmer's market. Another friend got her beautiful bouquet for $40 (florist quoted $400) at Sam's Club. You'll have to assemble it yourself, but whatever.

    -favor schmayvor. Skip it. No one likes/uses these anyway.

    -iPod!

    -Are you/do you have a friend who is really good with hair and makeup?

    -my one item to NOT skimp on-great photography!

    -A marina, dock, beach, or lake would make for amazing photos..have one nearby? Might be a super affordable location :)


    Report Reply
  • 7651arty7651arty member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary
    Oh, and maybe a flower or birdcage (etsy!)for your hair. Outdoor wedding + veil =PITA...usually. Way cheaper too...I got my hair comb/barrette thing for $30. Veils are 200+. Borrow jewelery or check out etsy for that too.

    Any beauty schools near you? Contact them about hiring a (good) student to make you extra pretty!
    Report Reply
  • rsapitarsapita member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its

    Don't be bummed, seriously.

    My budget is $3000 and we invited 120 people.  Yes, you read that right.

    We went through the parks department of a nearby town and rented a gazebo at a botanical garden and a (beautiful) community hall for the reception for $500.  My dress was found at a discount boutique for $70.  We are having a local restaurant cater a taco bar and my future husband is a professional beer brewer, so we are getting kegs very cheap and I am making sangria and buying cases of champagne.

    A friend is doing my wedding photography, but obviously I am going to give him some kind of payment, albeit discounted.  A friend is marrying us since he got a certificate online.  We are using our own personal PA system (future mr is in a band) and an ipod.

    It can be done, my friends!

    Report Reply
  • Bubblegum5586Bubblegum5586 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary First Answer
    We were very blessed to have received some nice financial support from my parents and some from H's parents, but we still paid $6-$7K ourselves. Looking back I am soooo happy we didn't spend more.... sure in the moment I wanted to add more things in, but now the day is over, I am married to a wonderful man, we just purchased a house and now using our funds to work on it!

    Don't think your wedding will be any less! Follow the great advice everyone has offered and be proud of how smart you are for having an affordable wedding and not setting your marriage into debt the very first day! Not everyone is that smart!
    image


    Anniversary
    Report Reply
  • falsarafalsara member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Third Anniversary First Answer

    I totally agree with PPs.  Dont be bummed out.  We have a similar budget and even though we wanted to have an outdoor ceremony AND reception.  We just couldn't find place that would let us have both for a decent price. 

    So instead we're having our ceremony at a park, or an orchard and we're using the huge church hall that my cousin used for her wedding.  We're saving a bunch of money because, even though me and FI don't belong to that church, my aunt has agreed to sign the contracts for us so that we can get the parishoners price.  We're just going to decorate the inside really pretty with plants from my moms yard, to bring the outside in.

    We have 140 people on our list right now, but i'm using a lot of my family's connections for things like hari/MUA (my step-cousin), and the DJ that we're looking at is really close to my cousins.

    We also chose a wedding date in 2016, and it is a holiday weeked, but FI wanted to get married on my B-day.  The extra time we have to plan though means that we can lock in prices and such and get tons of things out of the way during our breaks from college.  Our budget was such a concern that instead of holding it where we live, Chicago is super expensive for weddings, we're holding it in my moms hometown.  There are tons of things you can do to make a wedding that fits any budget look beautiful.

                                               

    Wedding Countdown Ticker

    image



    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards