I have a $200 wedding limit. Will you help me spend it wisely?

Question

I have my wedding dres, his tux. Just nothing else. lol

Answer 1

Hi and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

OK...here are my suggestions:

Most have given you ideas on receptions, but are forgetting that you will need to spend money on your MARRIAGE LICENSE, which varies widely depending on what state you are in.  I found the following on a website:

Typical costs:  

Fees for marriage licenses range from a low of $10 (Colorado) to as much as $100 (Minnesota). The cost varies based on county, city or municipality, residential status, and in some cases, completion of a pre-marital counseling or education course. A few states, such as Hawaii ($60), have standard, statewide fees.

So....the national average is about $25-$30....so don't forget to add that cost in.

Then....who will marry you?  Again, typical costs for this average about $50-$100.  If you are a member of a church, check with your pastor/priest/minister.  Sometimes they are willing to reduce their fee.

So....let's say with the marriage license AND a judge or minister, the total for those things will be about $80 (say, $30/marriage license and $50 for judge and/or minister).  

That leaves you with $120.

So....I would:

~ Invite some very close friends and immediate family (parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers).  You don't need invitations.  Just let everyone know where the wedding will be.  A "free" site would be your local park.  OR....go to the courthouse.  There will be no charge to use the courthouse....just the judge's fee, which I indicated above.

~ IF you do want invitations, why not make something up on your computer and print them off on cardstock paper?  You can buy a package of blank cardstock (WITH envelopes) for about $5 at Michaels.  I have also seen pretty paper like this at Walmart:

http://www.imageshoponline.com/product/R...

You can see how cheap it is even on the internet.  At Walmart, I have seen these for about $3.  But, that is ONLY if you are inviting people.  I have also seen some nice "fill in the blank" wedding invitations at Dollar Tree!  8 for $1....can't go wrong with that!

So...let's say the invites are $3 and stamps for 10 invites - $4.20....so let's round it up to $8.  So that leaves $112.

OK...then what?

~ Let's say you have about 15-20 people, plus the two of you.  Do you have someone's home (yours?  your parents?) where you could have a small dinner reception?

You could get married at about 4:30 (again, courthouse or church), then have a small dinner reception.  Food for 15-20 people will NOT be that much.  Make up some baked chicken, baby red potatoes, a salad, and a vegetable.  

OR...do "italian"...antipasto salad, baked ziti, garlic bread

Have a "champagne" toast.  2 bottles of champagne would be enough for a toast.  You can buy the cheap stuff....Cooks is one that sells for about $7/each.  Go to a dollar store and buy the plastic champagne glasses.  OR...if you live by a thrift store, look there for real ones!  I see them all the time where I live.

If you live by a Walmart...see what a very small wedding cake would be.  OR....just get a small cake that is already decorated!  They make yummy cakes at Walmart and I have seen them for about $10.  You don't need any fancy cake server....but IF you want one...go to a dollar store!

So....I think for the remainder ($112) AFTER the license, judge or minister, invites & stamps (if you want them), that you should be able to have a small dinner party.

You may even have enough left over to get yourself a small "nosegay" bouquet and your groom a boutonniere (about $10/each.)  Go to a florist and inquire.  Even a couple of roses for you tied with a silk ribbon would be beautiful.  

Have someone take pictures....FREE.

Now....that is IF you are inviting people.  If it's just the two of you....well....get the license, go to the courthouse, and go out for a nice dinner at a restaurant!  

So...those are my suggestions!  I hope this helps and I hope you can pull it off for $200.  IF you have a Walmart and a dollar store near you...there should be no reason why you can't!  

Answer 2

have it at a backyard of someones home for free,burn cds,have someone take the pics

Invitations from Walmart(clearance sale at wedding isle)5.00 for 32

Have family make some food and someone make the cake

By a bouquet from Walmart-10.00(clearance rack)

Justice of the peace 75

marriage lisence-45

Answer 3

do you belong to a church? ask your preacher, he might do a small wedding for nothing and you can have a bbq in your back yard, buy your  flowers and a cake from the grocery. Good luck

Answer 4

Have a cake and champagne punch reception. Obviously you'll have to spend the money on the fees first, but what ever is left. You can certainly use on this. If you have a family member willing to host in their back yard, or if you live in an apartment complex, ask to use the clubroom.

Marriage license fees - depends on your state

Cake - $25-50 (could be a whole lot cheaper if you have a family friend make it or if you order nicely decorated white sheet cakes)

Punch - $10 ( purchase champagne around the holidays when they are giving the stuff away)

All you need are your accessories. Decorate with candles and fake rose petals. Ask someone to donate plates and silverware if you must.

Wish you all the best  

Answer 5

Go to the court house and sign the paper then have a pot luck dinner at family memebers house. (pot luck dinner - everyone bring something) maybe a bondfire.  buy cup cakes as your wedding cake.

I'm renting a hall and having a pot luck (when the time comes) ...just going to ask my parents his parents, grandparents and a few aunts to make something. And have a pig roast. That saves alot of money, girls at my work have spent over $3000 for the wedding meal.

Answer 6

ok so if its still nice out u could do it at a park or backyard go to the dollar store and pick up supplies u can even buy simple cute wedding favors buy cupcakes instead of a cake no cutting and each quest gets one you could ask someone to make them as well a relitive or friend if its ouside and ur worring about seating go to a farmer ask him to borrow or have or buy some hail bails go to the fabric store buy toille and pin it around the top and sides looks elegant its soooo cheap  make sure you buy a wedding book every signs you can make cute ccheap ones or buy nice elgant ones go to a craft store and what about pictures find the person you know with the best camera and ask them to do  your photos flowers the day before your wedding calmly already plan to visit three flowers stores buy whatever jumps out at you and makes you feel like your day is coming together if you only buy one flower from each place just  get your man to help you pick out a cpl cheap filler flowers and some babys breath you could do your bouquet for under 20 bucks if u wanted I would love to help you plan a cheap wedding do it for my friends all the time  tell me what you like  A.Whaling a t  gmail you can add me if u like  

Answer 7

Walmart:

Small cake : $25

flower bouquet $25

Glass flutes: $15 or borrow

Sparkling cider/wine: $15

Cake cutter: borrow

Strawberries: $6

Hair pins (Claires) : $15

Filing fees: $50

That's all you really need for a party of two.

Congratulations!! best wishes

Answer 8

$200 is not a lot of money, but if used wisely it can make for a great wedding, which should be about 2 people in love and nothing else.

Depending on where you live just the marriage license alone could cost $50-$100 so I am not including that.

Get married in city hall and have people over to either your house or a relatives. Have everyone bring a dish of food and spend $100 on liquor, flowers, a cake,  and disposable cameras to capture the fun.

Take the extra $100 a rent a hotel room for your "honeymoon" night.

Congratulations!  

Answer 9

Find a local park that has a pretty area to get married in. There should also be a shaded area with tables and benches. Try to find a park that has no "reservation" system so that you don't have to pay a deposit and have a friend go down to the area you want reserved at 5am to hold the tables, fountain, pier, or whatever the area is you'd like to use.

Some parks offer free concerts in the evening which might be a nice way to end your reception.

Go to your local Michael's or Joann's Craft shop and pick up a "Wedding Arch" you should be able to rent or buy one very cheaply. He's an example:

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displ...

Have a friend who can bake make the cake as a wedding present, and instead of spending lots of money on champagne, pick up a few bottles of sparkling cider and some plastic champagne flutes for the toast.

Be creative! Get what you can at the dollar store and make the rest.

Good luck!

Answer 10

Courthouse Wedding.

Potluck or BBQ reception.  

Answer 11

You may be able to afford the fees at the courthouse, or you may have to save up a little bit longer.

It sounds as if this wedding may be a bit premature.  

Answer 12

I would get married at the justice of the peace. Buy inexpensive  fresh flowers (Roses are about 12-15.00 a dozen) and a boutonniere for you at your neighborhood grocery store. Tie nice ribbon around the flowers.

Have a family member take digital pictures (You can do color or black and white)Visit places in your town that are historic, monuments, or fun places that you and your fiancee love and take pictures there.

If you want to have a small reception I suggest either a cookout (hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken)in the backyard or at a park or eat some place like Sweden House or Old Country Buffet (they will let you reserve a small room and eat together with family) IF you don't like that idea.

If you live near a beach you could always get married early in the morning and have pastries, juice, and fresh fruits as a reception.

Another idea is to eat somewhere like Maggiano's or Bucca DePepe which does family size portions-you can invite 10-15 people. The price is based on the bowl-so you can order 2 appetizers 2 choices of salad and 2 entrees. www.maggianos.com   www.bucadibeppo.com

If you don't like Italian you can always find a nice Chinese restaurant.

Bake your own or have a family member bake a wedding cake for you.

Michael's has molds.  You can also buy a regular cake and decorate it w/ sugar flowers or designs for Michael's.