I need help!!!?

Question

I am currently trying to plan my wedding, and we have a very tight budget-no help from the parents, that type of thing. I am going crazy. Can someone give me some ideas on how to pull it off?I think we arejust going to go to the courthouse, and have a reception somewhere. But I am clueless! And I am getting very depressed. I am starting to wonder if I will even have a wedding dress! Can someone tell me the cheapest way to have a nice wedding, or at least a reception?

We have about $2,000.

Answer 1

Dress...go to the goodwill or other second hand store. Many have beautiful dresses that only need to be cleaned and possibly altered.

Invitations...print your own on your computer. Also, instead of spending lots of money on your RSVP cards, go to the post office and buy their pre-stamped post cards. (the return postage is cheaper on postcards) All you do is print the information on the back and your address on the front then slip it into your invitation.

Flowers...go to library and rent book on floral arrangement. Make your own bouquet with silk flowers purchased from the Dollar Tree. make them a head of time and store in a plastic tub.

also, buy things each week and that way it won't be so overwhelming. Things to buy now are your silk flowers, candles, streamers, tableclothes, etc. (buy them at the dollar store and save)

Music...borrow or rent a supper stereo w/ large speakers. Burn your own music ahead of time. Assign someone to change cd's at the reception. (Check to see if stereo has a hook-up for a microphone or rent one. It's not essential but their nice to have if you want to make a toast to wedding couple)

Photos...contact local school/collage for photographer. You supply film and a small tip for the job. It gives them experience and you get your wedding pictures cheap. It's better if you have digital camer w/lots of memory. You can get hundreds of picturs and print only the ones you want.

After or before the wedding, go to a professial photo studio, all dressed up in your wedding attire and have your supper special portrait taken.

Extra entertainment...contact local school or dance school and see if the children can preform their act (such as singing or dancing) durning your meal. This is usually free. My nephew got an irish dance club (children) to dance at his reception and it was a big hit! Cost him nothing.

Food...contact a local culinary school and check out their services. also, your local food stores can give lots of ideas such as broasted chicken and salads. You would supply the plates and utensils but again you should be buying that now at the $store.

Reception hall... Some parks have pavilions that are half the price of halls. Do you have a church you attend? if so, ask the pastor to cut you a deal.Check out the beach area, or parks, your reception doesn't have to be in-doors.

Ceremony site...can be anywhere you want. If you are getting married by a justice of the peace, they'll meet you where ever you want. Again, check out the beach, parks, and even local hotel with gardens and gazabo. Most hotels will allow you to get married there if the wedding party is small and it's usually free. Do you know of someone who lives in a sub-division that has a club house? Check your senor centers, they like to rent their halls for very little.

cake...order a small cake and display on a tall pedisle, so the cake looks larger than it is. Order from local bakery sheet cake iced in your colors. Serve the sheet cake along with your wedding cake. I'm a cake decorator and I can tell you that you'll pay far less for ordinary sheet cake then a wedding cake. Have the cake cut in the back were the catoring is done and no one will know.
Hope this helps.

Sorry about the bad spelling but it got late and the spell checker stopped working.

Answer 2

$2000 is plenty.
1.) Keep the wedding party small
2.) Find a church with no fee
3.) Do the invites yourself. Buy velum paper and a pretty back paper. Print your invite on the velum and tie with a ribbon or something to the back paper. Hand deliver as many as possible. Send the rest.
4.) Buy flowers for the reception and wedding party at a grocery store the day before the event. Do not hire a florist
5.) Buy your dress at a consignment shop. They have beautiful gowns.
6.) Do not rent tuxs...have your groom dress in a nice suit.
7.) Spend the money you have on a DJ and some good food. Have a cash bar. Only provide sodas and water.
8.) Do the programs your self. Simply copy them at a local store and use something cool to tie them with.
Your wedding will be perfect.

Answer 3

With that small of a budget I suggest having a very small gathering at a parent's/friend's house. Try a white Bridesmaids dress as a cheaper but elegant option for a bridal gown. Costs should break down roughly like this:

Minister: $100-200 (or you could have a friend ordained online and it would be less than this)

Dress: $100-150

Food: $1000 (pick up platters from a local grocery store like a Pavillions or something high end so you get good quality)

Wedding Cake: $200 (again, try your local high end grocery store, their bakery usually does wedding cakes that you can get for this price or cheaper, depending on size)

Flowers: $200 (you can make your own arrangements by buying flowers from your local grocery store or flower mart, just make sure to keep them refridgerated to prevent wilting)

Invitations: $50+ postage (you can buy paper and print your invitations at home using a nice font in MS Word or similar program)

That should be able to cover about 50 people for a nice ceremony and finger foods/light reception. Hope that helps!

Answer 4

My mom when she got married, she bought a dress, and then was united by a Justice of the Peace. Depending on the Justice, some go for $50, some $100, some just donation. You acn have your Uniting wherever you really would like to have it. I bought my dress at David's Bridal and I also found they have the best wedding dress prices. If you would like you could have your reception at a town hall or just an outdoor reception or if you live at a nice place, talk about having it at home. You can rent a tent for about $100. Rental places usually rent tables for about $9 for round tables and $7 for rectangle ones. Chairs usually cost less than a $1. If you really would like, have it at a lake park where tables and seats are provided. Then you can take nice outdoor photos and everyone can have fun. You dont have to have a traditional wedding for it to be special. I've known people who have their receptions at a theme park after the wedding but ask that the geusts buy their own tickets if they want to join. That way, its less cost on the two of you. I almost had to have a wedding like that but my mom pitched in to help. If you would also like, some have their reception at a resturant, only they bride and groom paid for everyones meal, which can get expensive. I think your best deal is that if your budget is really tight, would be to ask your party to pay for their own meal. Some may be upset but you need to be happy and thats what its all about.

Answer 5

Getting married at the courthouse is definitely the better way to go if you're on a budget. Or you could combine the wedding ceremony and reception together and have it at someone's home, if you have family or friends who have a nice yard or large home.

As far as the dress goes, look on E-bay for a "gently used" wedding dress or even go to a local wedding shop and check out their clearance racks. I found a gorgeous wedding gown for $60 at our local wedding apparel store. I believe there are also places that rent beautiful wedding gowns.

Good luck and best wishes!!!

Answer 6

Oh honey! My sister just got married and I tell you it was everything but easy. She also didnt have help from the groom parents. We probably came out about around a 1,500.and that is with reception,dress,food,and everything. You can go to hobby lobby and get like some rocks thats your wedding color and get however many vases you need for cheap. You also can get your garter there too. She got her dress at davids bridal for 500 and she got a family member to do the alterations on it. We went to walmart and got the package of blank cards in the arts and craft section where the wedding part is and we came home and did our on programs and we got our invites at party city. At party city you can get forks and plates and napkins for a good deal. So dont stress out because it gets really hectic.oh and another tip is that you can go to sams club and order your flowers there for cheaper than at a regular store well at least where we leave.You will need plenty of help because it takes so much for a wedding. I hope everything works out and please have a wedding and dont go to the courthouse you will remember this for the rest of your life. so go shopping around for those deals. good luck and congratz!!!!

Answer 7

Everyone has good suggestions, you'll pull it off. We are just about $1500 over your budget. We have immediate family only and a few close friends totaling 25 invited (20 attending) and I can't wait. We found a venue that provides the space, a preacher, the florist, the baker and all. We opted to do our own food to save more money. So you def can do it. Just do some research and you'll find something beautiful that will make your day special.

Answer 8

I am planning my wedding too and I too get depressed every now and then and I throw my hands up and say screw it lets elope. I wont do that but I have learned so many ways to save money.

Davids bridal is having a 99 dollar gown sale that end July 24th.
Buy simple and elegant. You can always have a friend or family member who sews embellish it for you. You can also go to your yellow pages and look for consignment shops that sell gowns. There is a place here that rents gowns. Look in the yellow pages under wedding.

For decor you can go to places like party city, and even the dollar store. You would be amazed at the stuff I found at the Dollar Tree and its the same stuff they have a t Walmart for three times more.

For your bouquet go out the day before and handpick wildflowers and tie them togther with pretty ribbon and wire you can get at any Hobby Lobby.

For food you can go to walmart at the deli counter and order trays of meat and cheese fruits and veggies and sandwhiches for an unbelievably low price. Decorate the food tables with lots of votive candles and wedding bell confetti. Table skirts and plates and silverware and even champagne glasses can be plastic and bought at party city or any grocery store. Serve everything buffet style.

Forgo serving alcohol and have a friend help make some fancy punch. Mix a 2 liter bottle of gingerale with a can of frozen white grape juice, or lime sherbert, or cranberry juice. Make as much as you want for your guest. It tastes good, its fizzy, its pretty, and you wont worry about the best man making an drunk *** out of himself during the toast.

Have the reception at nice backyard but you may have to rent tables and chairs if you do that. See if there is church that will allow you to use their reception hall for a tiny costs. They often have kitchens and rooms but be prepared to beg your friends and family for help setting up and making the punch and getting plates and all of that. You have to think about getting the plates and things of that nature too.

To cut costs too have a day reception so you and your husband can go out to dinner alone later that night. No one will expect a bug huge meal at two in the afternnoon. There are so many ways to cut costs I could write a book. If you want some help or advice just email me. Best of luck and dont freak out. You can have the wedding of your dreams with a little time and patience and creativity. Allow yourself enough time to plan.

If you want a cake and know someone who can decorate really well. Stack styrofoam rounds on top of eachother an ice them and decorate it all you want. It there to look at. Then serve a huge sheet cake for everyone to eat. Sams makes great cakes for about a 1.00 per person if not less. Keep the guest list small. and employ a bunch of great wedding music cds and a 5 disc changer as your DJ.

I could go on and on. Good luck.

Answer 9

i know it seems really easy to get swept up in the whole wedding thing. so first thing to do is BREATHE!!! ask someone you know who has a nice back yard, if they'd be willing to let you use it for your reception. you could even find a public park. you could have a BBQ reception, a hawaiian luau, or some sort of enchanted evening that wouldn't cost a fortune! tap every single resource you can think of! i'm sure lots of people would love to help you in planning your special day! good luck!

Answer 10

good plan --- get married at the court house and have an intimate reception at home --- all you need is finger foods, punch and serve wedding cake for dessert. My finger foods were chicken wings/drumsticks, shrimp cocktails, a fruit tray and different cheeses and crackers. My reception was at a Bed & Breakfast - it cost me a $100.00 for use of their facilities (about 2 hours). The food items - cake was bought at the grocery store bakery - total cost for cake and finger foods -165.00. --- I found a nice dress on the clearance rack for 110.00 (I already had nice dress shoes) --- the tux was rented for 25.00 and all my flowers cost 70.00 (I used silk flowers... I had 2 bridesmaides, a flower girl and a ring bearer - best man and matron of honor) --- spent less than 500.00.