How to plan a wedding very cheap but also beautiful?

Question

I would like to be married Aug or Sept.

Answer 1

make a budget on how much you CAN spend and how many people you CAN invite and go from there

Answer 2

I think it's really going to depend on where you hold the reception. If you can find a nice garden or hall for a good price that would be ideal. If you can find a friend or family member who is willing to let you use their backyard (assuming it is nice and spacious) that would even be better. Get friends to help decorate with flowers, fabric or lights (similiar to the christmas icicles that are all white) this will really transform your party into a truly beautiful celebration. If it fits into your budget, a small local band brings a wonderful energy that a dj can not compete with. a good band can make a party great compared to just good. If anything, one thing you shouldn't cut corners on is the photographer, because many things from the wedding will be a nice memory, but the photos will be a lifetime and the most cherished portion of your wedding costs. Good luck and have a wonderful wedding.

Answer 3

Unlike most of the other answers, I'm going to recommend that you hold your ceremony indoors. Weather can be very unpredictable, and holding the ceremony and reception at a location that has both indoor and outdoor accommodations can be expensive.

For ceremony locations (if you don't already have a church in mind), check out the chapel at your local college or university. Many of these chapels are beautiful even without a lot of added decoration, and most are non-denominational so that you can bring your preferred officiant to marry you. Similarly, check with the local university music department to see if they recommend any of their students as vocal or instrumental soloists for your ceremony. There are a lot of very talented students out there who will perform for cheap!

To further cut decorating costs, have your bridesmaids carry one large and striking flower rather than a whole bouquet (sunflowers or "snowball flowers" are great for this and very summery). You may end up paying $10-$20 for each flower, but that beats $30-$50 for a bouquet!

Look for a reception site that as their own baker & cake decorator, catering staff, and DJ on hand. If you can get one or more of these services included with the reception site, it will cut your costs drastically.

When shopping for your wedding dress, keep an eye out for discontinued styles. Bridal stores will usually sell their "floor model" dresses at the end of each season at a steeply discounted price. These dresses are still as beautiful as they were when they were "the newest thing" 3 or 4 months ago, and if you can find one in your size, the tayloring costs will be no different than they would be if you buy a custom made dress. (Any dress you buy will probably need to be hemmed and perhaps fitted in the sleeves or bodice - even a custom made one!)

Answer 4

1. Do your own flowers. I bought my flowers the day before the wedding at my local grocery store. They were beautiful. At that time they have all of the in season flowers so you would have to pick through them. I saved alot of money and I got so many complememts

2. Do a buffet buffets are cheaper.
3. Provide only beer, wine and champane adding on liquar and all the things that go with it can cost you around $400-$700 for 200 people.

4. Do your invitations yourself you can buy the kits at walmart in the wedding craft section and they come out great.

Do alot of reserching a photographer because they can be pricy make sure you see their work before you make a decision.
I did alot of research and most of the photographers I found were $2000-$3000 and didn't offer alot of pictures. I called a local colleged and was recomended a photography teacher and she only charged my $1300. I got over 700 pictures, all my negitives, 3 cds with all my pictures and she stayed the whole night she was worth the money plus. If you have any questions feel free to email me

Answer 5

my best suggestion is just have a wedding that suits your taste. You don't always have to cater. If you have a big family or your mate has a big family, have each family member cook a dish. For the clothing, if your friends and family are supportive, try and find a store that is cheap, usually stores that have prom gowns and things of that sort are cheap, and ask the wedding party to purchase their own gowns and shoes. Then you purchase the accessories. Have the men, rent their tuxedo's and shoes. As far as music, you may have to pay for that, but do a DJ and not a band, a DJ has more of a variety of music. Decorations are a cinch, go to one of the party stores, they have beautiful decorations and you can get them personalized as well. That's a cheap wedding for you.

Answer 6

Well, I suggest checking out www.customweddingsolutions.com for starters. They have everything you need and great prices. I used them and their service was OUTSTANDING!

Also try having an outdoor wedding at a park, reception at a VFW Hall or outdoors. Have freidns and family take care of the food, find a cake through referals (don't go to a real bakery they charge too much), if you are not sentimental you can skip the photographer, but I dont recommend it.

Hope this helps.

CONGRATS!

Answer 7

Plan pretty but simple decorations that you can prepare ahead of time (like start now), use common flowers (just go for color, not kind) in vases or something like a vase from the dollar store that could be "souped up" easily. Try to think of places that friends or family have space available for a wedding and/or the reception. And don't be shy about asking others for help, Ex: someone with a big yard or access to a banquet room could provide that in Lau of a wedding gift. My mother's friend was a photographer; and that was her gift to us, my church offers free use of their parsonage for church members, etc. Catering maybe difficult to cut costs around, unless you have Betty Cr ocker in you family. Believe it or not Martha Stuart has some great do it yourself wedding ideas in her Wedding book. And you gotta know Martha's gonna have cute and pretty ideas.

Answer 8

i suggest an outdoor location. you can get married in a park or garden for minimal or for free. the landscape will keep your flowers to a minimum.

i suggest keeping everything simple & elegant. shopping around for the best deals in your area and doing as much yourself as possible WILL save you TONS in the long run. if there is a bulk floral shop in the area, that will save you a TON.

watching your invite list is KEY. you can also have an early afternoon wedding with a small gathering afterwards with wine, cheese & cake. this will save TONS! the bulk of your wedding costs will be food, so this is something to forcus on first before making any other big decisions.

also, if you can get a bunch of your girlfriends & family together to help you put flower arrangements together, etc. that will save you SO much money. you can have a friend cue the music for the wedding music. i lucked out because my husband is a big sound equiptment buff & he brought a bunch of his stuff over and set it up.

there are tons of corners you can cut that no one will notice. it all takes CAREFUL planning & you can make your gorgeous dream wedding take place on a minimal budget. i did it & so can you!!!

-favors are a money-waster (i gave away the centerpieces i made instead)
-you may be able to find your wedding dress at a second-hand store (this was the one area i actually went all out because it was important to me)
-limos are a money-waster as well-- you can borrow a relative/friends car that is elegant (we used a relatives off-white classic jaguar)
-we had a friend who was a photographer, so we payed her to do our pictures (and she cut us a deal anyhow) her husband did our video.

*by the way, if you are planning out outside-- go for september instead. august can be beastly!

Answer 9

alright heres a list of ideas things to pay for, things not to etc

1)pay for a dj(call around and figure out wats the ebst for your money)
2)pay a photographer!
3)have an outdoor wedding(on a beach or something that way its free!)
4)if you go to church as ur pastor/priest or w/e if he will do your ceremony for you!
5)have family make a lot of the food for the reception btu also hire a good cheap caterer!
6)have your reception outside as well, or at a family members house in thier basement if its big enuff!
7)have a cash bar!(allow people so many free drinks but after 4 or 5 they got to pay for them!)
8)have your wedding party buy thier own dresses,suits,etc!
9)for your dress go to davids bridal hit the 99$ bridal sale!!
10)go to a discount store and buy flowers to make your own boquets!
11)buy cheap but nice center peices!
12)use picnic tables toeat at....cover them with a nice white table cloth with a sheep or lace cloth over it and then thats the table plans...
13)find park benches or crappy chairs and cover them with nice material...
this is all a little mroe time consuming but im sure that with help and hard work u can do it!
have a blaste! hope you have the perfect wedding and i hope i helped... best of luck! and congratz!

Answer 10

Perfect time for a beach (lake or ocean or river or pond) at sunset wedding. People love the unusual. And, you might ask all of your relatives to bring a dish for the reception. There is no shame in staying within your financial means and people will respect you for doing just that.

You could also get married in your local church and then host a reception at home.

Answer 11

Do it in a beautiful outdoor location - park, lake, ocean, whatever. Have the ceremony and reception right there. Then you don't have to decorate because it's already beautiful and people don't want to be outside that long! You can have easy snacks - like cheese, fruits, chocolates. Serve yourself drinks from a table (or tables) set up. Do the cake thing and you're set!