Wedding on a Budget

Hey Ladies,

Is anyone planning their 2014 wedding in 25,000 or less?

If so, where are you cutting corners? And have you found an vendors that offer really good prices?? Any tips are welcome!!

So far I have saved by picking an affordable venue and I'm having a Thursday wedding. But there are so many other things to book and the price keeps adding up!

Thanks for any help!

-K

Wedding on a Budget

We are spending more than that but here are some things I've heard/thought it. Not that they're all applicable but just some ideas

Don't get extras from any vendor so stick with basics like just music from a dj/mc, no crazy uplighting/plasmas/etc
Don't get albums from your photographer or skip professional parent albums; they're expensive and you can make beautiful ones
online
Make your own invites or get them on vistaprint/inviations by dawn/etc
Choose flowers that are in season or low cost or skip flower centerpieces entirely
Don't get any fancy limos, just the basics

Again, just some ideas that may or may not work for you

Wedding on a Budget

How many guests are you having?
I say with a $25,000 budget, to keep the guests at a maximum of 100-125.

Find a coordinator who can both be your DOC and and florist. I did that and I'm saving over $2000. But doing decor with little to no flowers will save you even more.
If you're not a very creative or crafty person, don't attempt any DIY project.

Like Kawbe said, you can design nice invites and stationery on sites like www.zazzle.com or get the pre-made at weddingpaperdivas.com or InvitationsbyDawn.com.

Book your photographer for 5 or 6 hours, with shared copyrights, and a disc. (Make a list of the important shots you want him to capture.) If photos are important, don't skimp on it. Don't just look at price alone.
Opt for a buffet or food stations, instead of sit down.
Find a luxury car rental place where you can rent a Mercedes or BMW and have an Uncle or family friend transport you to and from the wedding. The lowest price I seen was $199 for 24 hours rental.

Wedding on a Budget

Thanks Ladies! These are such great tips!! I think we are inviting 160 so hoping to end up with around 120 (THere are a lot of out of town people we expect wont be able to make it).

Wedding on a Budget

I'm trying to keep it under 25K but so far have only booked our venue and havent looked at vendors yet. I did book off season (January) to save $$ and we are only inviting about 125 people. I plan on doing my own centerpieces (no flowers).

Wedding on a Budget

My budget is 25k I have a full venue with the works. I was able to get a full day photographer, do my centerpieces and bouquets and music an sch all for under 25k!! It is possible! I'm going to come in at around 21k in the end!
You have to negotiate, I wanted a lavish wedding on a small budget and it is possible! Pay cash to waive tax!!! Saves thousands!!! And haggle!!!
I do not include my dress and attire as that was a gift from my parents and I was able to have what I wanted and spent 7500 however if I didn't have that option I would have spent 1500 max to stay in budget!
*my guest list is 150

Wedding on a Budget

Our budget is 20k and we should be right at that excluding honeymoon. Like the other girls said, try not to go crazy with extras - stick to the basics, pay cash if you can, and definitely go with in-season flowers. I plan on doing my invites on vistaprint and we're thinking about skipping programs all together.

If you're having your ceremony on site maybe skip the limo. We're not getting a limo since we're having the ceremony and reception at East Wind and they gave us a suite to stay in that night at the inn. A limo doesn't make sense for us since we don't have to go anywhere.

So far I have refused to splurge on anything. I have Tommy's Tunes as a DJ, and Dan Wagner as my photographer. Both were very easy to work with and stayed within my budget.

Don't be afraid to haggle! You can have your dream wedding with that budget! HTH!

Wedding on a Budget

Ps - we will have 140 people.

Wedding on a Budget

we're paying cash for pretty much everything. we picked an affordable venue and with my guest list... even if all 160 people come... I will still be within my budget of spending no more than $15,000 on just my hall. AND thats with adding in an extra half hour at cocktail hour, an extra entree option AND the Viennese option they have.


I've allotted a budget of about 20K total.... We're not really doing ANY flowers... just some SIMPLE BM BoKs, MOB/MOG corsages and another 2 corsages for my stepmom and FH grandmother.


We're splurging on the photographer (i've allotted a budget of $3k for that)

My mom offered to pay for the DJ and Photobooth and half, if not all of my dress (which I plan on spending more than $1,000 on). She is also going to help me pay for the centerpieces... which I'll be able to do a lot of clearance shopping for and dollar store shopping for :)


We don't need programs or anything like that and we're going to be printing our own invitations using the kits from michaels :)

We're not going to need a limo since I can get ready at my venue ... we'll probably just do a pick up/drop off thing to bring us to the hotel.


I'm expecting a total of 120-130 people total since I'm sure some of my OOT-ers won't come since we're not having any children come to the wedding.

Wedding on a Budget

Agree with all of the above. Also wanted to say, HI DATE TWIN!!! :)

Wedding on a Budget

Also what you don't want to skimp on is photos and food. Photos will be the only thing you'll have to remember the day, so don't go with the cheapest you can find. Make sure they are experienced in shooting weddings.

And every wedding I've been to, the food has always stuck out to me. Great food makes a great party IMO, that and great entertainment. Or maybe I'm such a little piggy?? LOL

Wedding on a Budget

Wow, iam intimidated.
Our budget is 9,000 for 150 people. We decided to go with an all inclusive option (RH, cake, limo, photo/video, and dj).
We decided to do diy invites/save the dates to reduce costs since no one besides us and the immediate family may keep actually inviation after the wedding. Plus with custom invites comes other additions such as higher postage and someone to do the calligraphy for the addressing.
I also was able to find a used wedding and cocktail dress i love from a photographer who had it from a photo shoot for $300.
We have been buying some items off of craigslist in stead of renting (was able to buy 14 candleabras for $100, our venue was renting them for $30 each, we also bought 14 tablecloths for $60).
In terms of favors we have actually been buying left overs people have off of craigslist. Most of our friends agree that they dont need or want a favor so we are getting some really for our traditional family members.
In terms of flowers, i plan to have my friends and family work on the boquets so that i can have the flowers i want at a price i can afford (our hall includes the center pieces).

When it comes to what you can do to reduce cost, it really depends on you. Most websites say cut the guest list, for us it wasnt an option due to me having a large family. I love food and want the food to be good, would i love for it to be outstanding yes but just like anything else you get what you pay for. In terms of flowers for some its a big deal, for others they can live with out it, while yet another group can live with just having it on the 'important tables'. You have to know what you want and are willing to splurge on. Compared to what you are doing to make everyone else happy or to compete with a friend who already or is having her wedding.

Wedding on a Budget

We are doing things on a budget as well. Our wedding with venue and vendors is under 25K its more like 15K or under. Its the little things that add up to watch out for and cut corners. Like wedding bands, paper products like std, invitiations, menus, programs, and such. We cut corners with vendors and venue by not doing extras. Doing a five choice option dinners instead of 7 or 9. Doing a day time wedding. We are not getting a bride and groom album. At the 1 yr anniversary which is paper I believe we agreed we will save up and get an album then. So we have a whole yr. And our photographer said the price will be the same at any time you want an album printed. We are doing simple flowers. We plan on doing a lot of DIY with the paper products. So its possible.

Re: Wedding on a Budget

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Posted by chinadoll11550

Wow, iam intimidated.
Our budget is 9,000 for 150 people. We decided to go with an all inclusive option (RH, cake, limo, photo/video, and dj).
We decided to do diy invites/save the dates to reduce costs since no one besides us and the immediate family may keep actually inviation after the wedding. Plus with custom invites comes other additions such as higher postage and someone to do the calligraphy for the addressing.
I also was able to find a used wedding and cocktail dress i love from a photographer who had it from a photo shoot for $300.
We have been buying some items off of craigslist in stead of renting (was able to buy 14 candleabras for $100, our venue was renting them for $30 each, we also bought 14 tablecloths for $60).
In terms of favors we have actually been buying left overs people have off of craigslist. Most of our friends agree that they dont need or want a favor so we are getting some really for our traditional family members.
In terms of flowers, i plan to have my friends and family work on the boquets so that i can have the flowers i want at a price i can afford (our hall includes the center pieces).

When it comes to what you can do to reduce cost, it really depends on you. Most websites say cut the guest list, for us it wasnt an option due to me having a large family. I love food and want the food to be good, would i love for it to be outstanding yes but just like anything else you get what you pay for. In terms of flowers for some its a big deal, for others they can live with out it, while yet another group can live with just having it on the 'important tables'. You have to know what you want and are willing to splurge on. Compared to what you are doing to make everyone else happy or to compete with a friend who already or is having her wedding.

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haahahha we 're on the same boat...I feel intimidated reading previous posts about 20,000 wedding tight budget really wish I had that amount...I chose an all inclusive wedding package for 10,500...in Stuart Thomas Manor...took away the liquor so that was $800 saved right there...and we doing some DIY items like brownie pops and table numbers...can't wait!!

Wedding on a Budget

I'll be happy if I stay under $40K. I haven't found a venue under $29k for 175 people that I like. I'm doing something wrong. lol

Re: Wedding on a Budget

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Posted by Soon2BeMrsMango

I'll be happy if I stay under $40K. I haven't found a venue under $29k for 175 people that I like. I'm doing something wrong. lol

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you have FM sweetness!