Any advice on how I can plan an affordable wedding with a very small budget?

Answer 1

Try to get your family to help you plan. Cut costs like make your own invitations. Do your reception in your own back yard or somebody elt's that is well landscaped. Don't cut in areas that are tacky. You still need to feel like a prince and princess on that day it will really affect your marriage. My wife and I had a beautiful wedding but the most beautiful part was her and the fact that she loves me...thats about all I remember. Oh and take lots of pictures.

Answer 2

Set a budget. Then start with a list of all of the things you must have and all of the things you want. Then hit ebay. I only use sellers that have a paypal option if they dont I dont care what kind of deal I am getting I dont use them. here are links to a few things that I found that were extremely helpful in cutting costs:
http://stores.ebay.com/Butterflyxc
http://stores.ebay.com/Gold-Apple
http://stores.ebay.com/Ducklings-and-Daffodils

The dresses are all very similar on each but if you pay attention you can save either on shipping or on cost or if you catch a good auction both. You can also find tuxes for the ring bearer at Butterflyxc.

Also ask people specifically family if there is anything they would like to contribute.

With the photographer I would check the local college and see if there are any students willing to photograph your wedding. a lot of them as they are students will work for a fraction of the cost. Or advertise at local churches or grocery stores and see if there are any photographers who do this as a hobby who would be willing to do the photography for you for a reduced rate.
I am a KJ(karaoke) and do DJ on the side. So the wedding I am doing is at a fraction of the cost of an "actual" DJ service.

Then try your local beauty school see if there are any students who are willing to do hair for the ceremony. If they are allow them to have photos of the work they do for their "portfolios". A good idea is instead of a boring bridal shower have a "day spa". Have the stylist come in and do hairdos so that everyone kind of gets to see what they are getting ahead of time and if she can do they styles that are wanted. Then everyone can do nails and give each other relaxing facials and footbaths. It is a blast and also saves on the cost of the shower. I would have someone make a really decadent dessert or two to snack on instead of cake. Personally I would make strawberry daiquiris and have a big taco salad. You can leave out the alcohol if you are having younger ladies present.

For the reception a good idea to go with is have the recpetion at a time when people dont expect to be fed. Like 3 pm or after 7pm. Then you can just have cake and punch. Also if you need to have a reception have it either picinic style or barbecue style. With the picnic idea you can have the things you would take on a picnic and use that as the theme. With a barbecue theme there is a lot of fun to be had there for a really reasonable price especially if you have it in the evening its cooler you can have it outdoors at a park that will probably not be reserved as would a park during the day.

If you need any more ideas or information my email is: [e-mail]

Answer 3

Well, I had a "small" wedding where we invited about 150 people. A great place for invites is www.printingbybeth.com. I didnt order my invites through them, but I did use them for my parents vow renewal and they were beautiful and cost about the same as if we wouldve made them ourselves. We had about 80 show at our wedding and we had it at my mother and father in laws house. We had a short ceremony outside and a friend of ours became a Justice of the Peace for a small price and conducted the ceremony. We originally were only going to have 2 bridesmaids/groomsman each, but it turned into 5 each! Even though there were so many people we were very close to everyone and it seemed very intimate. We rented arches to marry under and we used silk flowers that a friend put together (much cheaper than real flowers and you can keep them forever!). We rented tables and chairs and had the reception outside as well. We hired an inexpensive, but very tasty caterer from one of our favorite BBQ type restaurants. A friend brought a margarita machine, and we had a keg and wine. Oh and also decent priced champagne. Ask your local liquor store if they give deals if you buy a case, most do. We offered water and lemonade as well. We got our cake from King Soopers and it was great, plus way cheaper than from a big bakery....we figured why spend hundreds of dollars on something that will be eaten! The photographer, I have to say, is one thing I wish we wouldve checked into more. We found someone who was very reasonable and the pictures came out great, but the photographer was not very friendly and some people felt he was down right rude. We have a great friend who cut us a deal for DJing the reception and that was fun, especially since we knew her. I rented my dress for a couple hundred bucks and I loved it. It was nice not spending a fortune on a dress that I would wear once and then have to spend more money to have pressed and boxed and most likely my daughter wouldnt wear it anyway because it would be out of style. Right now I cant remember what we did for favors, but I know it was something from like www.orientaltrading.com. I agree that the sites mentioned in the other answers could come in handy, but at least for me their suggestions were still pretty pricey. If you are on a budget there are books specifically out there to give you ideas. Well not sure if this is the answer you were looking for, but hope it helps! Oh! And just have fun with it and dont let people stress you out.

Answer 4

Do you want a formal or casual wedding? Casual weddings are MUCH cheaper. Get married in someones backyard or a public/state park. If you are the religious types, it is my understanding that the church you attend regularly is free for your wedding. Buy a simple dress $200 tops, look for simple white dresses that can be purchased off the rack. (links) Use flowers that bloom in the season and area you are getting married. (or use fake flowers) Get the event catered by a local restaurant or deli or a home grilled BBQ. Wedding bands w/ no stones are cheap to buy, and classic looking. Music....depending on tastes you could hire a local band or a DJ or you could just hook up your own sound system and play what you have.

Or you could just elope. Which is what we did 7yrs ago today.(4/20/00) Justice of the Peace in Vegas. $1000 and the deed was done (that included the air fair and hotel). I hope you don't get caught up in the hubbub of elaborate weddings. Yes they are beautiful, but I have always found the small weddings more charming and memorable.

Answer 5

We mexicans have a potluck sort of thing (most of the time). Ask friends and relatives to help out with a certain dish; instead of them bringing a gift. Be sure to ask plenty of them so you'll have enough food on hand. Have your reception in a big, nice backyard of a friend or relative. Forgo the fancy china and linens [easier cleanup!! =) ] Shop the bridal sales @ craft stores - Hobby lobby has the bridal stuff half off every so often. Make some inexpensive favors, like some laminated bookmarks with a photo of you two on it. Make some small centerpieces, Like a little pail filled with flowers (they can be artificial). No DJ, ask a friend to man the Ipod. Don't spend money on alcohol, it's just a waste of money!! don't overwhelm yourself with too many details, no matter how simple the wedding is, you will be happy because you are going to marry the one you love. Those attending will not care for the details, since they are there for you and with you to celebrate your love. Congratulations and Best wishes!! =)

Answer 6

Get married in a back yard, at the beach or on a friend's land. Print your own invitations on regular old white paper, and then, soak them for a few seconds in a tea bath (every day tea, with cold water mixed in). It'll give the paper a very cool, antiqued look and add texture to it. Then - be careful!!! - set fire to the top and bottom edges for a second and blow it out. That will give it an awesome looking singed boarder, kind of like a treasure map. Roll it up and tie it with a bit of red ribbon from a crafts store. Instead of springing for RSVP cards (and all that postage!) supply a URL or a phone number for people to use to RSVP. Set up a free voicemail or a new email address on a free server (yahoo, hot mail, etc.) for that particular use and then discontinue it when the wedding is over. Or, people can use that email address to send you their pictures from the wedding! :)

You can have a good friend or a loved elder perform the ceremony by getting ordained online.

Cater it yourself. Pasta goes very far and can be prepared a week ahead of time and frozen. A few lasagnas, some bread, salad, bingo! Also, chicken dishes are very inexpensive, as well. Mexican food, like chicken, beef and veggie fajitas, are inexpensive, go far, and everyone loves them. If you have a few friends who are good cooks, ask them to help you make food, instead of giving you wedding gifts.

For flowers, you can buy bunches of roses at plant nurseries, and make your own bouquets, by cutting them down, removing the thorns, and wrapping several layers of thick ribbon around the stems, so that they're comfortable to hold. You can do that a day or so before the wedding with your wedding party, and make the boutonnieres for the groomsmen, as well. Refrigerate them, with the cut ends sitting in a dish of water, so they stay fresh.

Disposable cameras are a great way to get tons of photos without paying an arm and a leg. Provide one for each guest (or each table), with a note saying that you'd love to see what a great time they had at your wedding and to please take all the pictures and then drop the cameras in a box on the way out, for you to develop later.

And as for table gifts, no one eats those mints in the shape of dove eggs. lol. How about a lottery ticket? It'll cost $1 per guest and everyone gets the chance to win something. Roll them up and tie a ribbon around them and leave one for each guest. You just might make someone a winner on your special day!

I hope some of these are helpful. They're all things that different friends of mine have done at their own weddings, and they were all lovely events.

Congratulations!!

Answer 7

keep your gown simple. use whatever fresh cut flowers are in season, keep your number of attendants to a minimum. dress your girls in simple dresses as well.
purchase simple gold bands for your wedding rings. have your names and wedding date engraved in them to make them even more special if you choose.
have your groom and his men wear regular suits, tuxes aren't a necessity.
have a small intimate affair.
get married in the vestry of the church with only very close friends and family in attendance.
or if you have a beautiful park and are planning on a wedding when you know the weather will be good, then get a permit from the parks board and get married in the park.
still keep the number of guests to a minimum.
either way have a picnic style reception!
get your family together and make a great picnic luncheon. tea sandwiches, salads, fried chicken, lots of squares and bars, and cookies and such for dessert. instead of a huge ornate wedding cake have several prettily decorated one layer cakes.
get really pretty paper plates and napkins, rent the flatware and wineglasses.
have sparkling non alcoholic drinks, punches, sodas, juices.
if the park doesn't have picnic tables you may have to rent chairs and a large table.
i am so pleased to see someone not falling into the trap of the big extravaganza style wedding. after all it isn't the gown, the ring, the fancy reception that matters. what matters is that two very special people have found each other and will spend their lives together in love and happiness. congratulations to you both! may your marriage be as happy as possible.

Answer 8

Use silk flowers, instead of real...they actually are very beautiful still.

Do buffett dinner or a cocktail reception (usually a lot of hors d'orvs fill people up anyway (or have each family member make stuff)

Do cupcakes/pie/or make cake yourself

Have friend do pictures or go to art college and hire a student.

Have ceremony and reception in same place(no limo needed)

Have your wedding on Friday or Sunday of off season months....August is a big one.


Congrats and Good luck...I am doing the same thing.

Answer 9

You can either host it at a house or look for venues that will take care of the ceremony and reception. What really influence your overall costs is the number of guests you have and the type of reception (food, flowers, photography) you have. You can have a fabulous wedding on a small budget.

Answer 10

Do not make unwanted Gold ornament, just a ring & a simple chain will do. Select a week day for wedding, Keep reception in the open air & between 3 to 6 PM. Hope you have got the logic !