how much did u spend on your wedding? and what did you buy?

Question

I have to do a wedding and I have 4,000.00.I need help that is not inof. HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPP. It is driving me Crazyyyyyyy.

Answer 1

My wedding cost more than $4,000, but I had more to spend. I do know some great ways to cut your costs, though.

First, and most important, CUT THE GUEST LIST. Expect half of your wedding costs to go to feeding these people. The smaller the guest list, the more you'll save. There are tons of websites that give great tips about how to limit the guest list. For your budget, I would suggest having a wedding with 50 to 75 people. With this size wedding, you should only have one or two attendants each.

Next, plan an informal wedding. Everything, from the food to the flowers to the dresses are cheaper for an informal wedding. Perhaps you can get married in someone's garden and have a catered reception in a large tent decorated with fairy lights. This will save you tons of money. Just don't think about making the food yourself...you'll be plenty busy already and shouldn't take this on.

Or, you might want to consider an hordourves and cake reception, or a cake and champagne reception. These are much shorter than regular receptions, but they are very inexpensive and can be very elegant.

Next, figure out what you HAVE to have. Do you really need both a photographer and a videographer? Do you have a friend who can videotape things? Do you really need a DJ, or is a cousin in a decent local band? Consider all roses bouquet (they are surprisingly the cheapest, because florists can order them in bulk quantities). Spend money on the things you absolutely have to have, and only get the rest of the things later if you have enough left over.

Then, buy your dresses. Informal dresses are much cheaper, both for you and your maid of honor. Try a David's Bridal $99 sale, although most of the informal dresses I saw at other boutiques were only around $200.

Finally, make as many things as you can. I made my invitations, favors, programs, and centerpieces. My invitations were Wilton print kits for $15 each (I needed two kits), and my favors were bookmarks that I made in Word and printed at Officemax for $13 and then cut up myself.

But don't forget that are expenses that are expected of you. Unless there is absolutely no way around it, do NOT have a dry reception. Guests expect drinks, even if you don't drink yourself. It can be as simple as beer, wine, and champagne, but make sure that some type of alcohol is provided free-of-charge. Also, don't forget to get gifts for your bridal party, although these can be small and inexpensive.

Email me if you need more info on anything!

Answer 2

With $4000.00 you can have a beautiful wedding. I would keep it intimate by keeping the guest list small but have good food. I would try and find a nice dress from Belks or Macy's before I spend $500.00 on a dress I would wear one time. I would have the groom wear a suit instead of a Tux. Have the rest of the wedding party pay for their own clothing. I would have a lunch instead of a dinner. I would have the ceremony at the same place as the reception to cut the cost of transportation. I would have a no-host bar. There are ways to cut corners but to me the most important factors at my wedding was I had the people that I loved there with me, we had a fun time and I have beautiful pictures to remember it all over and over again. Good Luck!

Answer 3

$450 for the rings
$50 for the marraige license
$65 for the cake
$200 for professional photos

We got married at a courthouse, but it was a new building and quite good-looking. I wore a skirt suit I already had, and he wore a suit he already had.
*flowers were a gift from mom; would have cost about $75
**reception was at Italian restaurant for 15 people; we were prepared to pay, but my dad paid as a gift to us; appx $400 (dinner and champagne/wine)

It really depends on how many people you invite and then you need to go from there. $4000 is plenty of money if you keep it small and intimate. And family can be so willing to pitch in if you have the right attitude.

Answer 4

I did OK on about that much, had a live band, bought my own booze, bought sheet cakes 3 difft sizes & put on home made stand, did all decorating myself, made mix CDs instead of hiring a DJ, dress on Ebay. Yuo can do it, do not be intimidated and don't be pressured into buying high priced crap. I got my wedding photograper at guru.com saved thousands right there. I had a party w/200 guests. Shop for a caterer who won't rip you off. Take your time and good luck! Also try fireyourweddingplanner.com there are a lot of great tips there.

Answer 5

First of all congratulations!!!
Don't let anyone pressure you into spending too much.
We spent about that - 100 guests
1K on the place - friends cleaned up
900 on the live band - well worth it
700 on the ring - which stone fell out 2 mos later
250 on the dress - Alfred Angelo's
500 or so on decorations
100 on my fake tan and pedicure for day of
100 for his ring
friend made wedding cake
mil made grooms cake
friend did photos

Remember why you are doing this and enjoy yourselves.

Answer 6

Well, 4k is definitely not a lot for a budget...look into something small and intimate. Having a great dinner for 50 is easier than trying to have something for 250 on a small budget.

The national average for weddings is around 25-30k so you are working with 1/5th of that...you're going to have to do a lot of things yourself, like favors, programs, invites and thank-yous. Get creative with colored paper and ink for anything relating to the invites, etc.

Answer 7

Eeeks that is not a lot of money, I spent 10 times that on my wedding, but I am also going ALL out on it.... how many guests do you plan to have??? The most important thing is food, but you can really save money if you have your reception at a random time like 2:0pm becasue you could do an appetizer thing instead of food and that will save money. You can imporvise with things like that. I would suggest you trying to find a beautiful backyard or something to have the reception at also, that will save money for a facility rental... I am sure you know someone with a beautiful backyard that would love to lend it out to you. Good Luck..... but I would also suggest with such a small budget, go out of town and just do a small thing. THat way whoever wants to go out of town too will pay their own way and you wont get many people so you won't have to worry so much on food for your guests, becasue there wont be that many.

Answer 8

I spent $15,000 for my wedding, but I splurge on food and place. We rent cruise ship on the lake for my wedding. So that's where the money went. But other than that, the little details I made it cheap.
Get the flower from nearest farmer's market it's cheap (I spent $200 for 50 lilies and 100 roses).
Make your own invitation, go to places that sell paper by the bulk, like an archivers place. They have the things that you can use to personalize your invitations (I spent $50 for 100 invitations)
For wedding favors,go to wallmart/sams club, get a bulk of chocolate, and make your own persolize boxes (I use see through purple plastic). It cost me $75 for personalising it, and $35 for nice chocolate.
For bridesmaids dresses, you can go to places that sell dress for prom night. It's cheaper, and it's still looks nice. ($300 for 4 bride's maids)
For food and places, try local community center (if you want to go cheaper, they ussualy have lists of catering in your area)

Answer 9

I was looking in to the same thing, my sister bought some bride magazine that said that target.com has a nice wedding dress for $70 that would save you about $400 right there. but can you live with getting married in a target dress? It IS a dress you're only going to use once..

Answer 10

My whole wedding was maybe $500 that's for the whole thing. My now hubby and I actually spent money on the guy's tuxes and the bow ties and cummerbunds for the ring bearers. Then the developing of the film from my mom..long story...other then that things were gifts or loaner things.