How can we have a low budget wedding?

Question

We don't have all the money in the world in the first place. I know i don't want flowers ruling everything but just have what the bride and maids have. And would it be rude to tell guest to leave their kids home? After all it is an formal occasion right?

Answer 1

I had my dream wedding and we spent around 2500 (not including rings or honeymoon). Here are some ideas to help cut corners. We had about a 100 guest show up, maybe 125, don't know the exact count. We anticipated around 200.

We cut lots of corners but it was beautiful.

Family member took our pictures.

Family friend baked both cakes for the cost of the ingredients. (Only the bottom tier of a 3 tier cake was eaten, and all but 1/4 of the grooms cake was left)

A lady at our church did our center pieces and decorations, she already had the stuff from a previous wedding and they happened to be in our colors.

We didn't serve a sit down meal, instead, we served cake, punch, grapes, cheese, dinner mints, peanuts, chocolate covered strawberries, and ice water for guests who didn't like punch. Ask around and borrow serving dishes/punch bowls.

The church let us borrow the table clothes for the tables.

We used the church greenery as a back drop.

I made the boutineers for the groom, my dad, his dad, best man, and my ring bearer.

I got mine and the maid of honor bouquets at micheals for 12.99 each, they were hand tied flowers.

I got all the party supplies from sam's and oriental trading.

Flower girl basket and pillow, I found them on clearance for 1/.2 price at the craft stores.

We printer our own invitations on my printer, I picked the invites up for 1/2 price at the craft store.

I used the craft store coupons (40percent) off the purchase a kit that included the guest book, pen, cake server, and flutes for toasting.

We had the guest blow the bubbles at us and that doubled as our favors, i personalized them and hand tied ribbon in our wedding colors.

I splurged on my dress and veil, but nothing over the top. Just ask about the cost of alterations before you purchase the dress, this is one thing I wish I did. My dress was detailed and the alterations were more expensive than I thought they were going to be.

Get your friends to play the ceremony music for you, or use Cd or Ipod.

Flowers for the centerpieces and the courages if you don't have time to make them, use the grocery store florist. They are cheaper and the flowers are just as pretty as the high priced florists.

I wouldn't eliminate kids from your audience, alot of people can't afford sitters.  And if your not doing a sit down meal then your not wasting money on kids not eating food.

Answer 2

http://www.recycleyourwedding.com/

ebay, and rental

You can request no children,  NO means NONE.

There are so many ways to make your wedding more affordable.

Outside has nature for a decoration.   Most churches have flowers on the alter already.  

Rental places have flowers.

Simple flowers, make them yourself out of silk.   hobby lobby has great wedding sales every few weeks. flowers too.

we used a little glass bowl with a garter around the neck and floated a candle in them with a few marbles at the bottom for my brothers wedding reception.  We bought shabby chic candleabras off ebay for my sons.

Answer 3

you shouldnt get married until your financially stable

Answer 4

First set your budget

decide where you want the wedding

put together your guest list

Then buy your dress

if your wedding is pretty far out there say a year ask the halls if you can set up a payment plan with them ( i did it worked great)

make your own arrangements ( silks are much cheaper than live)

make your own favors, invitations

Answer 5

It's totally possible to have a wedding on a very tight budget. Here are the best ways to keep costs down:

1. Prioritize. Pick three things you must have at your wedding (not including your fiance and friends & family, of course). Make those three things happen, and then compromise on everything else. I did this, and it helped SO much. My answer to everything was "Well, I have the photographer of my dreams, so I don't need flowers or a DJ."

2. Cut the guest list and keep it down. And yes, it's totally okay to let people know that kids aren't invited. Kids aren't invited to our, either, and we're really happy we stuck to our guns on this one.

3. Does anyone in your family cook? Enlist their help and prepare a buffet dinner for your wedding, and then hold the reception in a local park (you will only have to pay for the permit to use the park space).

4. If that's not an option, consider having a cocktail hour with just appetizers, and not a sit-down or buffet dinner. Or have a Sunday brunch reception. That will lower your costs significantly.

Overall, just keep in mind that the majority of your budget will be eaten up by food and drinks, so that's the place to cut costs if you have a tight budget. Other things like photography, music, cake and flowers can be done on the cheap very easily by getting smaller centepirces (or using candles instead of flowers all together), hiring a photographer with an all-inclusive package - or hire a photography student), get a very small cake for you and your future husband to cut, but then order plain sheets cakes or serve a dessert buffet, which is much cheaper and do your own music with a set of speakers and an iPod.

That should get you started. Congratulations and good luck!

Answer 6

You sound like you're all set on the low-budget. Cutting back on the frivolous stuff like too many flowers is a good start. Make your own invitations, too, and shop around for a cheap or free place to stage your ceremony. Got someone with a nice, big yard? Are you a member of a church? Check with all your connections for great deals!

And no, there is nothing wrong with asking people not to bring their kids... but don't YOU be offended when some people simply don't come then. Finding a sitter is not always so easy OR cheap! For that matter, be prepared: some people will come with their kids anyway. That's weddings for you.

Congratulations and good luck!

Answer 7

I'm not sure where you're from but...Wedding Chapels are the best way to go on a low budget.  Most of the time you can do what you'd like for $250.  ( 50 guests, no flowers, whatever you'd like to wear)  My advice is to contact some chapels.   In Hawaii they have wedding packages ranging from $200+  ( My hubby's stationed there)   GOOD LUCK!!   Ohhh and have you considered a court house wedding?  

Answer 8

I hate the idea of spending loads of money on a wedding myself and all in all we spent £500. I also got married in a long black cocktail dress. I think maybe if you asked people to leave their kids at home is a bit harsh. I think they also might take it a bit personally. How about instead of a sit down meal have a buffet. Ask close friends and family to each bring a dish. That would cut cost down by a lot. Also see of anyone if good at baking and ask then instead of a gift, could they bake your cake. You could also ask bridesmaids and groomsmen to pay for their own outfits.

I hope this helps.  

Answer 9

First,  look into having your wedding in the off season,  you can save tons of cash on the venue, the dj,  and the photographer.  Either by doing on a Friday or a Sunday or in a non traditional wedding month.  I wanted to get married on a Saturday, so my husband and I got married in March and it was a huge savings.  Plus we live in michigan so it was nice to go on our honeymoon when it was cold in Michigan.

Second,  go with flowers that are in season,  they are usually cheaper than the flowers you have to have shipped in,  or go with a larger flower so you dont need as many.  

Third,  the kids thing.  Allegedlly you are supposed to be able to send the invitation just to the adults (Mr and Mrs Smith)  instead of (The Smith Family).  However, I didnt do it this way,  I wanted to be direct about it.  My reception invites said.  "Please join us for an adults only reception", blah, blah, blah.

Other suggestions,  

find a wedding location that is decorated already so you dont have to buy the decorations.  

find package deals for your reception,  some offer center pieces,  dj service,  chair covers, invitations.   (its the little costs that really add up)

Do a lot of wedding cake research,  my husband and I were not big fans of cake so we couldnt wrap our brains around a $500.00 cake so  went and bought 20 cheesecakes from sams club,  The caterer supplied silver dishes that we filled with chocolate sauce and strawberries and each table had a full cheesecake.  I recieved so many compliments people really thought it was fancy and it really only ran me about $150.00

email me if you need other suggestions.    

Answer 10

I'm in the same boat as you so I'll be looking at these answers also. I know I don't want to do the Justice of peace thing. I called a local place yesterday and they wanted $75 pp and I want to have 70 people at the reception so that was out.

Answer 11

Well, yes you can do a wedding on a budget!

You said you don't want flowers so that takes a big chunk out!

If you have someone that can do the wedding at their house ( someone with a nice back yard!) and then do the reception there too. You can rent tables and tents, etc. And it would be cheaper then renting  a facility.

Or if you want do it at your church or a church. Normally that's pretty cheap.

For the food, either you can make ALL the food yourself for the dinner

or make all the hor'dourves yourself and have the wedding earlier in the afternoon.

You can get a cake @ walmart, they actualy look nice, they just don't taste as good! Or if you have a family friend that can make cakes, have them help you.

The bridesmaids pay for their dresses and you can rent tuxes as cheap at 60$ each and a lot of the times the groomsman put forth their money for the tux and the grooms is usually free.

GOod luck =)

oh and make your own inviations! http://www.thepapermillstore.com/?gclid=... has REALLY cheap paper! =)

Answer 12

I had a low budget when I got married last year and what we did was choose a chapel that included everything. I think it was 2500, and it included the ceremony decorations, reception, cake and grooms cake, a room to get ready in, candles, all kinds of stuff. They also had decorations for the reception if I hadn't had any on my own. I also don't think it would be rude to ask to leave children at home. It is more rude to bring them!  

Answer 13

weddings can be as formal or informal as you and your groom want it to be. you can try by first setting a budget and then work from there. know that most of the cost of a wedding is coming from the reception. there are always ways to cut costs. check out this book "weddings for under $5000" some of the weddings in that book were only like $600.  

Answer 14

invite less people