I am trying to plan a wedding for 150 people, under $5000. I would like something simple, yet elegant.?

Question

Any suggestions

I would like the $5000 to include everything, but mine and his attire. I don't think it's too unreasonable, but I really want something unique and kind of out of tradition.

Answer 1

I'm sorry, but I don't think this will be possible for the amount of people you want. You are looking at $5,000 covering:
The reception venue rental fee,
The food
Photographer,
flowers (even if just for you to carry down the aisle)
ceremony fee rental
officiant fee
DJ
Cake
Cake cutting fee (which a lot of venues charge)
I think you will need to double you budget or cut the guest list by half! In most places $5000 will only cover the reception venue and food!

Answer 2

I plan weddings that cost less alot. I think a morning beach front wedding with rental torches or lights whould be so romantic and at a public beach very inexpensive. Then a brunch or early lunch recption, cuts alcohol cost and food. You can do a tent rental, resturants have packages and if it's early some resturants won't be open yet so your only paying for food and service. then a resturant will have a fully stocked bar. You can pay for the first toast, then cash bar from there. But Think of what you want and make a list then you can get quotes and see what you can afford and keep of budget becuase it is so easy to go over.

Answer 3

Keep center pieces simple.

Check into local second hand stores for your dress, I found a gorgeous gown, veil, & shoes for $500 & after the alterations it ended up costing me $575.

If there is a certain dress you like, but out of your price range check into local seamstresses. They can make the dress at a fraction of a cost.

Nix the limo.

Go to Staples and get do-it-yourself invites, announcements, table seating cards, posters, & wedding programs. Ask the copy & print center for help too. They have some great ideas.

Instead of having an open bar, go with a white bar (the bar will only serve drinks that are white, like white wine, vodka, etc.)

Shop around for a dj, you can find a pretty cheap one after you compare prices and tell the ones you are most interested in that you have competitive pricing from others.

Nix a fancy dinner for the rehearsal. See if a family member would like to cook the dinner. Or see if you could do a picnic/potluck. (My mom makes the best thanksgiving dinner so she made it for my rehearsal dinner)

Having a few flowers can go a long way. (Flowers & decorations usually end up being the biggest budget eater.)

Check local family owned jewelry stores to borrow your wedding jewelry, instead of buying it.

Do not go with a buffet style reception, that will definitely eat up your budget. Come up with two different meats for your guests to choose from ahead of time.

Answer 4

This is a tricky one. Do you have the place rented already or does the budget have to include that too? Is this just the wedding or for the reception or both? Elegant is (in my eyes) white! White flowers with a splash of color (from the wedding parties dresses)! Same with decorations, use white table clothes with a splash of color (like a center piece...which could be flowers that match the wedding ones). Food at the reception would be the trickiest. Food is expensive. You may want to find several caterers, that way you can compare prices. I would do a buffet with lots of finger foods, and plenty of drinks. Good luck...sorry I couldn't help more.

Answer 5

You need to create a list of all the things you need:
dress, flowers, cake, reception/ceremony, photographer, food, etc. and figure out what the most important to least important thing is for you on the list. This will help you decide where the bulk of your money is going to go and where you can save money.

A couple tips for saving $$$$ - if you are choosing a venue to have the reception at you can choose to have the wedding on either a Friday or Sunday which can save you a significant amount of money. You can also tell the venue you are booking the place for a party, instead of a wedding and they will charge you less. You can also try looking at museums and halls instead of normal "wedding venues" and they will only charge you like $300.00 to rent the place instead of thousands.

If you can avoid saying the word wedding with any of your venues, you will save money.

Answer 6

Black and white weddings are really pretty and can be done at any time of the year, they are cheap because your bridesmaids prob. all have pretty black dresses so they don;t have to buy new ones ( if your wedding was in the evening). For flowers do single white roses for your girls or single red. do it at at VERY nice house or a church that would not charge you much to do it in. For a cake have someone make it, like a mom or somthing with a little skill because a cake can be VERY exspensive and I would love to say "my mom made my wonderful wedding cake ) but anways, for the reception you COULD do like a pot luck dinner, where everyone brought a side dish, and you provided the main meat like a big turkey, ham, roast beef, meat balls, anything haha you can even order pizza!! for drinks get a nice punch bowl and make punch!

Good luck!!

( im getting married in December, I know how you feel! )

Answer 7

Hi and congratulations!

I really think this is "doable". The one thing I wish when people ask these kinds of questions is.....we need MORE INFO! You don't say where you are (city or rural area), you don't say if you want a church ceremony or not. These are 2 HUGE things when giving someone advice on wedding budgets.

Well, I don't want to write a novel....but here are some ideas. Everything is dependent on location, location, location! If you are in a city.....your budget is still doable, but it will most likely have to be a very small reception - like cake, punch, coffee. I live in a rural area, so $5,000 would buy a lot!

There are so many ways to save -- you just need to decide what is important and what you can cut. Everything from your gown to the photographer can come in cheaper if you look around and go "outside the box."

The biggest portion of a wedding budget is the reception so that is the biggest area where savings can add up! Cost compare everything!

Ways to save on your reception would be to NOT have it at an expensive banquet hall or hotel. Do something in the church hall; someone's backyard; your local park; your local VFW hall.....whatever!

Sit down with your fiance and add up the cost of a hall rental, buffet dinner, etc. and compare that to a church hall reception, backyard reception, etc. Sometimes the "outside" thing isn't feasible (especially with your large crowd), because you need to rent chairs, tables, tents, bring in plates, cups, silverware, etc. Again, compare. It may be cheaper for you to go to a hall.

~ You mention you want simple, elegant, unique and out of tradition!! Why not have a MORNING wedding with a brunch reception? This would be a HUGE savings and would be very different and unique. OR....have a late morning wedding and a lunch reception. Again, the savings could really add up.

~ Your wedding party - keep it small.
~ Invitations: Buy the "boxed sets" from stores like Michael's, Target, and Walmart. These sell for around $25 and there are 50 in a box.
~ Flowers - don't have a huge bouquet. Simplicity is elegant. A few well chosen flowers (roses?) tied with a silk ribbon are beautiful! Again, you need to cost compare everything. Don't go to a regular florist. If you have a grocery store that has a floral department (most large grocery stores do), then go there. They will be cheaper than a florist, and they are trained designers!
~ Centerpieces - make your own! Get some bowls, fill them with colored "gem" stones or marbles and float some candles. Or....make a bed of rose petals and put some votives on top - simple, elegant and cheap! Don't want candles? A simple rose with a few greens in a bud vase is very elegant. Here is a picture, just for show. This one is expensive because of the vase it's in....but I just wanted to show it. There are CHEAP vases at dollar stores and Walmart!

http://ww22.1800flowers.com/product.do?baseCode=16939&cm_mmc=tagged-_-na-_-na-_-na&bannerBeacon=true

Are you crafty? Go on the Michael's website and also Martha Stewart Weddings to get more ideas of low cost centerpieces.
~ Cake - a waste!!!! Have a small cake for you and your hubby to cut and then have cupcakes! This can be a substantial cost savings! This is also getting to be quite chic! OR.....have a small cake on every table and it doubles as a centerpiece!
~ Photographer: This is one area where I would not scrimp or try to save money on. If you really can't afford the photographer you want, and if you live near a campus, sometimes you can get photography students that are looking to make extra money. Just make sure you see some of their "work" before you go with them!
~ Favors - I urge every bride to NOT do favors. No one notices or cares. This is a HUGE waste. If you really think you need something....go with a few Hershey Kisses in a mesh bag.
~ Don't waste money on "table cameras" either! These are usually not used very much, and if they are, people only take silly pictures.

There are endless ways to save. Go on other websites to see what other brides have done! Here is a good site:
www.frugalbride.com

Good luck!

Answer 8

What is your budget covering? Is your dress, the groom's tux, the officiant, location, food, etc. all covered in that? If so, one of the best things you can do is try to get your dress on sale (usually David's Bridal has $99 sales and huge discounts on more expensive dresses) and his tux (Burlington Coat factory has awesome tuxes for cheap).

Also, if you can make the invitations, menu, seating cards yourself, that would save you a lot. Consider having your family help with cooking, so that you won't have to pay a caterer. Also, if you hold the wedding and reception at the same location, they usually give you a discount.

Answer 9

* Pick a month that is more of an off season. Most places will offer a discount in those months.
* Use less flowers (they REALLY add up) and more candles. * Have an earlier wedding and serve apps instead of a huge meal.
* Have the reception at a place that does not have a caterer, you will probably get off cheaper too. For us, we had it at a hotel and they charged so much more for the alcohol because that is the only place we could go through. Good luck.

Answer 10

I'm finding that the biggest expense I am encountering is the reception. The simpler you can keep that, the lower your costs will be.
You didn't mention your desired timing or location, but here's some thoughts:
Perhaps you can do a BBQ or family picnic in a park and ask some relatives to prepare and/or cook the food at the event.
Try going to the church hall and having just hors d'ourves and cake or just coffee and cake.