I need some tips on planning a wedding on a very tight budget. Help!?

Answer 1

Hi Ana,

The other posters had some great ideas for you. I agree with most of what they say and don't want to repeat them. Some of the best ideas though are to keep it small and simple. Flowers can quickly put you over budget so find a friend who has a fabulous garden and see if you can use flowers from there yard. Or scout out a farmers market with a friend, talk to some of the farmers, and use there flowers on your wedding day. Borrow vases and containers from friends and family members to put them in for a fun, vintage look.

Also get to know other brides. I just got married myself recently and between myself and the brides who I work for we all have tons of leftover things we didn't end up using after the wedding. www.theknot.com has local boards where you can meet other brides in your area. Go on there and find out who has things leftover after there wedding. A lot of times you can get leftovers for very cheap and sometimes even free depending on who you befriend. :)

I have a great book in my office library called Wedding Chic: The savy brides guide to getting more while spending less by Nina Willdorf. I've found it to be a great resource.

A few more money saving ideas:
- Have your ceremony in a beautiful outdoor area where nature is the decorations
- Have a sunrise ceremony or an afternoon tea garden party to save money on food
- Do lots of DIY projects for example make your own invitations, table numbers, placecards, favor tags, and decorations
-Shop at the end of the season. Now is a good time to get wedding dresses because the new line will be coming out soon, shop for twinkle lights after Christmas, shop for summer decor ideas at the end of summer, etc.
-Have your wedding in the fall, winter, or begining of spring. Venues and vendors aren't as busy during these down times as they are in the summer. You can get much better deals during this time then in the summer when everyone is guaranteed to be booked.

Happy Planning!

Crystal

Answer 2

Find a hall that doesn't have a liquor license. It's much cheaper to bring in your own, typically they mark up liquor 100%. Also, to really save money, only serve beer and wine and soft drinks. A buffet is usually cheaper than a sit down dinner and it's nicer. Everyone can pick what they want to eat instead of getting whatever shows up on the plate. I usually starve at sit down dinners, because they're usually something I won't eat.

Don't let the florist talk you into $50 centerpieces. Not necessary, there are lots of centerpieces that can be done for less than $10. Go to your local arts and crafts store, buy a glass bowl, fill part way with water and float some blooms in the water. Much less than a typical florist arrangement. If the bowl is shallow enough you can also put a pillar candle in it. Check out the neat centerpieces they did on Design on a Dime wedding, link below.l

Don't buy a four figure wedding gown. I have seen a $5000 gown up close and personal and I'm here to tell you, it doesn't look that much better than a $500 gown from Davids. You can't tell the difference at all in the pictures or on the video.

Don't rent limos or any other kind of transport, they're a very expensive, waste of money. I went to my wedding in my dad's pickup (it looked nice, not a beater). We left the church in my mom's car, she has a nice Cadillac.

I will say that you should spend as much as you can on a photographer. This is the only part of your wedding that is permanent. Go with the best person you can afford.

Don't buy really expensive invitations, no one but you and maybe your mom, will keep them. I ordered mine from one of the companies that advertises in the wedding magazines. Send away for all those catalogs and order from one that you like.

Order a small tiered wedding cake to cut, instead of a cake that will serve everyone, and have sheet cakes in the back that the caterer can serve to guests. Also, a good place to get a cake that's not too expensive is a grocery store with a good bakery.

Skip favors all together or go with something simple and inexpensive. Wrap up some Hershey kisses in tulle and your good to go.

I hope this was helpful, have a good wedding. Also, something to think about is a destination wedding, you won't have as many guests but it's alot cheaper, especially if you go to an all inclusive place.

Answer 3

Favors. That is the easiest answer. Look around and negotiate. Ask people if they know anyone in that area that does this or that. For a cake check out a local grocer instead of a high end bakery. Best way to keep the cost low is to keep the guest list small. Look for used wedding dresses on ebay or even check out David's Bridal for their $99 dress sale. Or do you know a dress maker? How about a self catered wedding? Also, as far as ceremony sites, the most affordable are state parks. :) Good luck and hope this helps.

Answer 4

Figure out first what you'd absolutely WANT in your wedding and what you can do without.

This will help you eliminate unecessary expenses!

Now for a list that helped me:
1. Instead of serving a sit down dinner, serve buffet.
2. Try getting married in off-season months. I got married in March and got a few discounts from my DJ and photographer because not as many weddings are held at this time of year so vendors will offer discounts on their services.
3. Get married locally so you save money on hotels and car rentals.
4. Instead of buying a cake that serves say...200 guests. Buy a small wedding cake that will serve maybe 40 guests and then order sheet cakes from a bakery to serve the remaining guests. The guests will never know....
5. Save money on the clothes by having the groom wear a black suit rather than a tux. I had my hubby by a black suit (men's wearhouse for less than $100) which I know he will re-use many times either at work or other formal functions rather than dishing out $300 for a tux he'll probably not wear again.
6. I made my own bridal bouquet. I wanted a large bouquet of roses but most flower shops were charging me $100 per bouquet and then another $60-75 per bridesmaids bouquets. So during my bachelorette party the night before, I had all my friends help me arrange the bouquets. We left them in the refrigerator and in the morning they looked perfect still!
I only spent $60 in flowers for a total of 3 bridesmaids and my own bouquet.
7. Don't worry about a bar. You'll save lots of money buy just having wine or champagne.
8. Shop, shop...shop. I found a website only that sold favors for .99 cents.
Enjoy...and have fun!

Answer 5

Keep it simple. Choose what is most important to you, the dress, food, flower, photos? Spend the most on that then be simple on the rest. Use candles or something similar for the centerpieces at the reception. Shop around for good prices. Be creative, sometimes it's cheaper to make your own favors, centerpieces, etc. than buying them. Talk to people you know you might find someone who is an amateur photographer or DJ and can d you wedding just as good as a professional but for half the price. Always keep in mind that 5-10 years from now it wont be about the reception or the dress you wore but how in love and how happy you are! Good Luck!

Answer 6

Ana a civil service is relatively inexpensive and you can have the celebrant marry you in your own garden or a friends if yours isn't up to it .I attended a lovely English style garden wedding ,The vows were taken beneath a pair of pines draped with pail blue and pink streamers we had lunch out on the lawn just sitting on picnic blankets the food was lobster (and that was the dearest part ide say ) Chicken and mixed deli meats with an array of salads . all set out on dressed trestle tables from a local hall with white sheets as table cloths . the kids played games organized by the father of the bride just hide and seek and treasure hunts pass the parcel the day was very mellow and the guests all relaxed and mingled (not cheap but cheaper and very nice indeed )

Answer 7

You have to tailor your wedding to your own particular tastes - There might be some place near you like a park or some place with pretty scenery or a nicely sculptured backyard - or if you plan on getting married around Halloween, people already have costumes - get them to join in the fun and have a costumed wedding. Your reception is just a party to celebrate your union - combine it with halloween or something. One thing you can do additionally - you and your bridesmaid(s) can help you bake cupcakes and ice them with the color of choice (cake mixes are cheap) - we really need more information on what where or when - if you are doing Christmas, it'll be neat -

You need to figure out what works best for you, but there are things you can do to make your wedding fun - elegant or not or anything else you like - If you give us more information on what you are looking for, maybe we could give you specifics. (I'd suggest making your own things to commemorate your special day) - Let me know - I'll try to help you.

Answer 8

Churches tend to be cheaper than halls.
Stand up cake / punch reception - churches usually have social halls for this.
Do your own flowers.
Limit the bridesmaids to 1.
My wife used cheap fabric store netting to wrap 3 Hershey kisses up for the favors.
Used wedding gown / ask bridal store where their seconds are.
Suits not tuxes.
Photos not videos unless a friend is doing them.
Photo # etc. limited
Smiles and love are available in infinite supply and are the most important thing...besides a radiant bride.
Congrats. I'll even do the job for free if you are in the area.

Answer 9

Keep it small. Youalso don't need to hold the reception at a fancy place. At a relative's house and have the ceremony in their backyard is always lovely. Also make it a pot luck, where everyone would bring a dish. Sounds corny, but it's cool. You know EVERYONE LOVES your Grandma's pie and Uncle Ernie's potato salad, so why not have your family's food there. It'll make it more of a family thing instead of a "My God this was expensive!" thing. That's what a wedding is anyway, a joining of two families.

Answer 10

Only invite your closest friends and family, people you actually talk to regularly. Also consider having a casual reception at your home or a family member's home. Lastly, if you haven't picked a dress yet, consider getting a white or off-white (or whatever color you want to wear) dress that is not a traditional wedding dress. Stores like JC Penney and Macy's have formal looking dresses that shouldn't break your budget.