I need to plan a wedding on a budget....?

Question

I am getting married on Halloween and need to start planning everything! Can anyone give me advise on how to plan a classy wedding on a budget? Thank you so much!

Answer 1

What a day to pick! : (

But anyway we spent 2 thousand total on our wedding...and everyone thatw ent to it said how great it was...everyhting...from the food to the DJ. And the ahve been to 20 thousand dollar weddings that did not come close to the love they felt at ours and all the closeness.

We budgetted as well...only invited VIP's that we know we will be in contact wiht for the rest of our lvies and can add somethign to offer to the marraige. (about 65 or so) So mnay people like to put on a show at their wedding...and they invite 35 million people thye will never see again...dont let this be you!  

Answer 2

Hello first of all congrats!

I just wanted to let you know if you are interested in chair covers or sashes to add to your wedding reception. I rent these for $1.00 a piece! I have over 30 colors! I also sell tablecloths,vases,gems,lights, invitations, favors, pretty much anything you can use to decorate and plan your wedding! Feel free to contact me at [e-mail]! Happy Planning!

Answer 3

Shop at stores like at Hobby lobby,Micheals,JoAnns,Walmart and Target.They got the best deals on wedding favors,decorations,arches,

bouquets,tulles,etc.Go with a buffet style dinner and buy big appetizer

platters like of fruit and veggies.Get the wedding cake from Target or

Kroger.Instead of having a DJ,play your own music,burn cds or use an IPOD and rent speakers to hook it up too.Davids bridal has some good deals on dresses or go to a consignment shop.They may be second hand,but you can find a really nice dress at that kind store.Good luck

Answer 4

Well, the first thing you need to do is set a budget of how much you have to spend. The biggest things are usually location, food, dress. For location, look at your local parks and recreation website and things such as shelters at parks, city buildings, etc. are great places to host your event at a fraction of other places. For food, go with a mid afternoon wedding and serve small finger foods instead of a meal. For your dress, things like craigslist or ebay are always great places to look. Also, you can try www.preownedweddingdresses.com or www.woreitonce.com . There are several sites like this for just wedding apparel.



Another great resource to help you budget and find things in your area is www.theknot.com  Here you can create  a profile, set up a budget, and search for anything you'd need for your wedding. You can also create a wedding page with this site that your family and friends can visit to get new updates about what's going on.

I really hope this all helps, I'm in the same boat, but we aren't getting married until May. We've planned almost the whole thing minus the food for less than $2000. That includes dress, location, honeymoon, tux, and decorations. You can do it, just have patience and shop around! Good Luck and congrats!

Also, remember, it's only one day. The really exciting thing is the marriage, not the wedding itself.

Answer 5

Halloween this year? You better get rockin :)

Invitations/Programs – I’ve heard making your own is a pain.  I did my invitations and I thought it was fun!  You can get nice cards from Target, Wal-Mart, Craft stores or party stores.  Just run them through your printer and your good to go!  They also make nice program paper that works the same way.  Or if you or someone you know has Photoshop you can custom make your own invitations and programs and they can turn out great & totally unique.

Dress – Target sells wedding gowns and they’re actually really nice! The website doesn’t do them justice; I found them to be just as nice if not nicer quality than some bridal gowns from bridal salons. Try http://ebay.com & http://craigslist.org for good deals on used and even for people who are willing to make them for you. There are a few websites in China that make “knock off” gown such as http://www.peridress.com/shop/home.php But I would look around before purchasing there.

Decorations & ceremony supplies – http://orientaltrading.com - has tons of decorations for weddings and other themes for pretty cheap.  I bought most of my decorations at orientaltrading. Also http://save-on-crafts.com/ they have lots of stuff for good prices as well.

Check Craigslist.org often times brides will sell leftover decorations after their weddings and you can get a ton of stuff for cheap. Also check EBay for the same reasons. I found tons of decorations on both eBay & craigslist for pretty cheap.

Dollar Stores have a decent selection you may need to visit a few but they usually have some decorations. They have candles and things that can be used as centerpieces.  Often times they have a wedding section with lots of decorations.

Target & Wal-mart also have decent wedding selections although they are usually the highest price of the things I have listed.  Target has tons of nice looking stuff; most of it has to be purchased online however. Wal-Mart has lots in their stores but IMO not as nice as Target, although it is cheaper.  You can always buy things and dress them up yourself if you feel like being crafty.

Craft stores like Hobby Lobby & Michaels have great wedding sections.  You can save a lot of money by making your own supplies and craft stores have lots of stuff to do just that. For instance in my wedding we are doing a sand ceremony.  I found several sand ceremony kits online for $40 - $50 but I made my own for under $15.00.

Cake – Wedding Cake - Super Target has great cakes and are quite a bit cheaper. Also Wal-Mart has decent cake and might be a good place to try too. Again Craigslist.org will probably put you in touch with a good baker again I found tons of them in my area.

DJ/Music – Again check craigslist.org for a DJ or band. I found some great people that were just starting out for a lot cheaper than some larger companies. I got a pretty good deal on a DJ for the whole night for under $200. Or if you have your own sound equipment you can do it yourself.  It may be cheaper to locate a DJ as opposed to buying equipment if you don’t already have it.  I’ve also seen bands that will play a wedding for cheap.

Flowers – Hobby Lobby has tons of silk flowers.  I’d also check other craft stores if Hobby Lobby is not an option.  I found good deals on bouquets & things on Ebay & Craigslist. If you are like me and not so much into flowers check into alternative decorations.  I’m having a beach wedding so my bouquet is a seashell bouquet and was a blast to make.  I’m also using seashells for centerpieces; you can usually buy a large container of them at a craft store for $10.00.

Photography – See if you can get a friend to help with photography. Or craigslist.org is a great place to search for photographers just starting out! Often times you can get them to shoot your wedding digital for under $100. I've even seen people offer to do it for free just for experience.

Food – You can also check craigslist.org for caterers. Again I found many people just trying to get experience that would do it for much cheaper than a larger company. Or ask friends & family for help.  You can always do a potluck or BBQ kind of thing.  Depending on the time of day “heavy appetizers” are appropriate and that can save money.  Also depending on time of day large deli sandwiches and finger foods can be great for the reception.  

Venue - Try to have your wedding at your own home, a friend’s home a park, beach or a church are usually the cheapest places. It is also worth it to check out wedding chapels or hotels that offer package deals (venue + catering) etc… you never know what you’ll find by shopping around.

Hotel expenses -  Hotwire.com usually has great deals on hotels.  You can save a ton by booking here for your wedding night or honeymoon.

Planning - Also check out http://theknot.com & http://weddingwire.com for planning.  I bought this from Target http://www.target.com/Target-Club-Wedd-W... and it has been a ton of help in planning and staying on budget.

Answer 6

cheap dress

only a few guests - close friends and family

use local and seasonal food and flowers