Tips on planning a wedding under $2000.00 please?

Question

The love of my life and I just became engaged and are going to start planning for May 2008. My grandmother and I are going to make my dress, and my m.o.h.'s. But I am just totally stressed about how to pull off such a frugal wedding. Please. any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

Answer 1

A couple of things--you can do an outdoor wedding, but keep in mind you'll want to have a back-up plan for rain, and unless you have a local church or some other place you can borrow chairs and tables from, the rentals can get expensive. You may want to look into your local Elks/Moose/Etc. lodge. Last I checked you don't have to be a member, and the hall with tables, chairs, a kitchen to cook in, etc. runs betwen $200-$400. If you decide to go with any type of hall, make sure you go with a package that has the most things included for a reasonable price.

Consider catering it yourself, or having a potluck. Try googling "self-catered wedding" or "cater own wedding reception" to get ideas and recipes. Depending on the time of day, you can drastically cut costs by having a brunch reception, hors devours reception, or just a cake & champagne/punch reception. If you don't mind the idea of no alcohol, you can cut out a huge expense by having a dry wedding. (And yes, even kegs can add up if doing it yourself).

Skip the favors, or if your heart is set on favors, grab a wedding cake shaped cookie cutter and get baking. Any type of diy favor is going to be cheaper than buying one premade. Just let your imagination run wild. Homemade chocolates? Homemade jam in small jars?

Buy an invitation kit, and print them yourself. Depending on how much you pay for printing in your area, it may be cheaper to buy the kit, print one, and take the rest to Kinko's or Staples for printing.

Order your cake from a grocery store bakery that you trust. Or get a small cake for cutting, and bake or buy sheet cakes in the same flavor to be cut "behind the scenes" for the guests. They don't need to know it didn't come from the same cake!

Time is on your side, so hold off until homecoming or prom season and take a look at the white gowns they have on sale or in the catalogs at your local JC Penny's, Macy's, BonTon, etc. You can get a gorgeous gown that no one will know didn't come from the bridal section for a fraction of the cost. Also, don't forget your local consignment shop or thrift store. Wedding gowns are going to be "very" gently used, since they've only been worn for an average of 8 or less hours.

If you have an MP3 player or a CD Burner, a DJ isn't really necessary. Ask someone to volunteer to be the Master of Ceremonies--in other words, in charge of the CD player, and announcements. Burn off CDs of song mixes, and if you want it to be "fool-proof," put them in an order with first dance, etc. on a CD that's easily marked for your MC.

Don't forget the little expenses too, like the cost of your wedding license. In the end, I think the first thing you should do is sit down with your fiance and discuss what is the most important things about your wedding, and what you wouldn't mind cutting out or cutting back on. Then go over your wedding budget with those things in mind.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

1. Have your ceremony/reception in a backyard or park.
2. See if your state allows for a friend or family member to get ordained online for free to be your officiant (google universal life church).
3. Ask a friend or family member with a digital camera to be your wedding photographer.
4. Don't waste your time going to a florist. See if there is a flower wholesale place around you to get flowers by the stem, or try an online wholesaler like www.samsclub.com.
5. Get a small cake from a bakery, like a two tier, but buy a huge sheetcake from a grocery store to serve your guests. They'll never know the difference.
6. Do the food yourself. No matter what you do to save on food, you're not going to be able to invite alot of people. Worst case scenario, have a cake and coffee reception.
7. Make a bunch of mixed cd's, and have a friend or family member be your dj.
8. Ebay.

Answer 4

If you don't have to have your wedding in a church, check out your local parks. It sounds crazy, but if there is a park that is already gorgeous, book it! Lots of them run at like $35! Go simple on flowers...they can be pricey. Single stem flowers with a ribbon or bow around them for bridesmaids can look great. Once the bridesmaids are done in the ceremony portion, take their flowers and use them wherever they are needed as decorations for the reception (if the bridesmaids aren't in the line). Decent quality flowers can be ordered at Costco.
Find paper on sale at a scrapbooking store and print your own invitations. If you can't afford to include a picture in your invites, I've seen a couple draw little stick figures as part of their invite and it actually turned out pretty cute. Even cheaper, you can send out postcards as announcements. That eliminates the cost of enevelopes and cuts back on postage. Just include the address for a wedding website for guests to go on to get all the details of the wedding. (sites are free from weddingchannel, the knot, etc.)
Use friends as photographers.
Cut back on food--it's expensive!! One idea: do an ice cream bar! Get plastic martini glasses and have someone scoop ice cream, then have dishes set out with various toppings and sauces. The martini glasses make it look fun and stylish without much cost.
Wedding cakes are hard for a DIY project if you don't have experience. Something that you could tackle on your own is cupcakes stacked as a cake. Brides are also using cream puffs, donuts, or other pastries they love, in place of a traditional cake.
There are so many ways to save...just get creative, think outside the box, and consider almost ANYthing a possibility.
You'll do a great job!!

Answer 5

When my son got married, he bought the engagement ring on EBay - a beautiful quarter carat diamond ring for $125.00.
We had the reception at our house. We had the daughter of a friend make the food - she's not a caterer, but she's a good cook. We got the flowers from a farmer at the farmers' market. We made the bouquets at home with the help of a book from a craft store. I got the ring bearer's tux - brand new - on EBay for $50.00.
One thing that we wish we had done differently is that we had a friend take pictures. His camera broke very early in the day. He offered to go buy another one, but I said it wasn't necessary. I wish that we had had a back-up camera or had hired a photographer.
Another option for food is to get platters at Subway. We might do that if we have another wedding.
The best wedding advice: Have a great day and don't stress out.

Answer 6

Make it a backyard wedding. Nature can be the decorations!
You can have the ceremony right there if you are not too dead-set on a church ceremony.
Have a picnic style buffet. Friends and families can make meals and bring them. Have someone you know who is good at baking whip up a wedding cake. Have a friend be the "DJ".
All you really need is some tables, chairs, and a few party tents which you can rent.
Print your own invitations.
Hire a few amatuer photographers.
Wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses can be be found at consignment shops for good prices. Tuxes can be rented.
Have fun on your special day! Good luck!

Answer 7

have a small, outdoor wedding (in your backyard, a park, a golf course, the beach, etc)......and have the reception in an outdoor tent.....

http://www.weddingplannerkeepsake.com/images/brownie-tent.jpg

ask around to see if anyone knows flower shops, photographers, and caterers that give good deals

otherwise, hire a friend to take pictures? and being outdoors will give a beautiful scenery so you may not need as many flowers, or have family/friends help cook for a buffet or something along those lines?

you can still have a beautiful wedding without going all out, this is your special day, pick the things you absolutely must have and spend the most on those! its ok to be a little spoiled when it comes to your special day! :)

congrats!

Answer 8

How exciting! My daughter is getting married in October and we are being very frugal. Look up all the websites on weddings order their catalogs they give you lots of ideas you can do for yourself without spending alot of money.Silk flowers are beautiful we are just making the bride and grooms with real ones. Ask alot of questions at craft stores they have great ideas. As far as the cake we are having a two teared round with cupcakes all around (sprinkle them with collored sugar (gold or silver) in the cakes decorting isle. Make invitations yourself on the computer. There are alot of different styles now of stationary and such. Hope this helps. If you have any questions e-mail me directly if you want I'd be glad to help. **** Luck!!!

Answer 9

Okay don't stress...Thats the 1st thing not to do..
Just find a church that has a nice fellowship hall, if your not a member that may be able to workout a deal w/ you to use the church.
2nd I myself would not attempt to make a dress, but thats your choice. But you could go to a bridal shop,Deb's, JcPenny's and find some really nice gowns and prolly find some cute lil bridesmaid dresses.
3rd get the whole family involved me and my fiance are really picky about food so we decided not to get it cater but our whole family is pitching in and making a dish, which is so much better then cater food I think.
Go to a local grocery store or bakery for a cake..Or find someone that can bake really good and get them to do it..
Music just burn a nice cd w/ all the music you want one it for walking down the aisle and things, cause alot of church's won't let you play music in the fellowship hall.

Flowers, DIY or find a friend/family member that can. My aunt did all mine.
Invites DIY you can find lil kits or just some reguler paper would work good.

I hope all this helps...Good Luck..:)

Answer 10

JOP in a backyard or park.
Very selective guests list (50 at most)
DIY inviations (ACMoore, Walmart, Hobby Lobby)
DIY Flowers and decor
Brunch or hor d'ouvres reception
IPod instead of a DJ or your cousin wannabe DJ
Pics taking by uncle Bob