Need some ideas and tips for a wedding on a cheap budget?
ByI’m getting married nxt year and could do with some budget tips , I’ve worked out we will have about 3000 .
Doing anything at home ain’t an option due to small space .
Day service numbers will be 28 adults and 8 kids , evening guest numbers about 100..
Please help I don’t no where to start lol
We live in Somerset in south west England
The best way to cut down on the cost of a wedding is to trim the guest list. This will cut down on your food bill, alcohol, venue, decorations, invitations, etc.
One option is to have a cake and punch reception held in the mid afternoon. Another is to look around for an inexpensive buffet or a back yard BBQ.
You can get a cake and flowers from the local supermarket instead of a flower shop and baker respectively.
Buy your dress off the rack or a white prom dress. There is not need for you to have an expensive designer wedding dress.
Have a "dry" wedding. Do not have a cash bar, just no bar at all. Making your guests pay for their refreshments is tacky.
8 Comments
February 11th, 2011 at 6:03 am
well, where are you? we can help with some ideas if we knew were you wanted to have this wedding.
as it is, the wedding ceremony itself can be held in a park or a small wedding chapel for about 250 to 500 dollars.
the reception will be the expensive thing of course. you will need to find a place you can rent for around 1000 dollars or so. you can check out your local parks and recreation department. they always have nice rec centers or even old historic houses which they will rent for that or less.
you will need to find a caterer who can do your food for about 12 dollars per person…or do it yourself, but that is lots of work if you have never done if before, especially for that many guests. there are plenty of places where you can get it done for the money you have to spend remember that you will need to spend most of your money on the venue and the food.
too bad you didn’t say where you are. i could have given you some links.
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February 11th, 2011 at 6:32 am
The best way to cut down on the cost of a wedding is to trim the guest list. This will cut down on your food bill, alcohol, venue, decorations, invitations, etc.
One option is to have a cake and punch reception held in the mid afternoon. Another is to look around for an inexpensive buffet or a back yard BBQ.
You can get a cake and flowers from the local supermarket instead of a flower shop and baker respectively.
Buy your dress off the rack or a white prom dress. There is not need for you to have an expensive designer wedding dress.
Have a "dry" wedding. Do not have a cash bar, just no bar at all. Making your guests pay for their refreshments is tacky.
References :
February 11th, 2011 at 6:39 am
First google wedding checklists about three to four and then make a master list. You can then start to get estimates of each thing. First, mark off the things that you know for def. that you will not be able to afford. Choose a budget friendly or on sale wedding gown. Have finger foods or depending on time rather than an expensive, go for the family friendly, say turkey, ham, potato salad, a green salad and cake. Also, a cake purchased from a grocery store that has a good bakery are ofter very good and somewhat cheaper. You could have them make two 1/4th sheet cakes, size of a normal birthday party cake, ice and put on top of each other and then put a round cake on top. Each layer could be different. Bakery will work with you as to how many this will feed, but remember many will not want cake, a cookie tray also might help out. Cupcake towers are all the rage now, but I do not know the expense. Try to find a free venue (just a fancy word for church or location of wedding). Keep in mind that if you have outside in a park for example, you will have to have a rain/bad weather plan. Also, not having a dj and just a player for dancing if you wish dancing and a non-alcoholic wedding reception is much cheaper. It used to be only cake, mints, nuts and punch anyway, only light refreshments, but everyone seems to try to outdo everyone else. If you have a family member who has a home and lawn big enough, you could always do an outdoor bab b q. Keep flowers to a minimum, use cheaper, although to me, just as beautiful carnations with some sort of mum, say spider mums and mini carnations for mens bouts. Choose wedding colors that will be easy to match with decorations as in not something like eggplant.
Some helpful sites:
http://www.myweddingmusic.com traditional, but click on music, wedding songs from A-Z also
http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-songs a blend of many types of music, as in above click on for a sample
http://www.discjockeys.com 200 most requested dance songs
http://www.theknot.com has a budgeter, a wedding palette and a checklist
http://www.weddingmountain.com
http://www.dessy.com
http://www.blissweddings.com
Also, go to places like Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby which have many wedding supplies at reasonable prices. If in season, borrow nice ferns, put on plant stands and put baby’s breath, gypsophilia in and among fronds or long stem carnations in a water pick. Florist will know how to do.
Hope you find something here helpful. Good luck, best wishes!!
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February 11th, 2011 at 7:18 am
Flowers
In season local flowers are cheaper than flowers out of season or from different places
You can save a lot on flowers by doing simple flowers
If you could by flowers whole sale and someone could make bouquets and center pieces
This could save a lot of money than having a florist do this
Some people use silk (not plastic flowers)
You can save a lot of money on flowers
Reception
I do not understand day and night
Are you having two receptions? Day the ceremony and evening reception
The people going to the day, are you having cake or something after?
For the 100 people
Look at community centers, parks, any place you can rent from a town or city
Also look at private clubs like VFW, Moose, Elk, American legion, women clubs, etc
You could get a good deal, if you bring you own
If you could have people cook and bring some food, you will have less for catering
This would be the best place
For a full service place, google cheap wedding reception halls in your area
With a 3000 dollar budget, you really can not go over 20 dollars a head
Look at Chinese and Italian restaurants with banquet halls, they sometimes have the best price per head for receptions
There is a lot of ways to save money
Dress, look on ebay or sales
I got may dress on sale
David Bridal have a 99 dollar sale, and an outlet store
You can look for a DJ, I think a DJ is worth the money
A good DJ make the reception
I been to very expensive receptions, very boring
I been to very inexpensive receptions that were a lot of fun
The DJ/Band made the difference
If you know someone who DJ’s and will do this as a gift, and is good, that would be great
Some people have Ipod with music, you can do this
Do you have a friend that takes good pictures, ask if they will do that for your gift
My cousin wife take great pictures, better than some professional
Do you have some money
My aunt make my veil, did my flowers
Cake, if you are having two, price supermarkets
You can do a sheet cake for one
The place to start is date and reception
Reception will be the most expensive part of the wedding
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February 11th, 2011 at 7:57 am
Make yourself reception decorations
have certain people bring food
buy items on sale
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February 11th, 2011 at 8:40 am
Look at all your local football, cricket, workers clubs, Church hall, a lot of them have free event rooms if you use there bar, or are a member of the local community.
Don’t have an open bar on the night so all the guests have to buy there own drinks.
Instead of having a sit down meal have finger food/canapes/afternoon tea food theme, sandwiches, spring rolls, mini pizza’s, cheese and fresh fruit, any sort of finger food or canapes you can think of.
Don’t use flowers with the exception of your bouquet fill the room with candles, buy cheap pieces of odd shaped mirror from your local glass store to put underneath the candles. it will look stylish and unique and will make itseem like you have more candles then you actually do, a large candle sounded by tea lights will work as a cheap centerpiece option.
Make the wedding cake the dessert instead of having the cake plus a separate dessert all you will need then is to have wiped cream or ice-cream to go with it.
Shop around for a DJ get a quote for eveyone in around 15m and don’t be afraid to tell them you have been quoted cheaper, if you get married on a day that’s not in peak season they will usually match the price.
Start buying things now and putting it away, go to the local £ shop and pick up a couple of sets of candles a week, pay the deposit on the room and the chapel earlier and pay it off slowely it means you won’t be tempted to spend the money on other things and it won’t be a rush and the end to find the money.
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I’m a wedding planner on holidays and bored out of my mind, I know how hard it can be to do a wedding on the cheap but if you want any help then let me know.
February 11th, 2011 at 9:03 am
The biggest thing that’s going to drain your budget is the reception. I am having my reception and ceremony in the same place, to save on fees, and having an appetiser reception, with limited drinks. This is small compared to a lot of weddings I have seen, and it’s still costing us about $2500!!!
My advice would be to have one or two things that you want done really well and you’re not going to compromise on (mine is photographer – photos are the only thing that will last for generations to see after the wedding). I chose the cheapest package of a really good photographer, where I don’t get any prints, just all the photos on a disk, so I can print down the track.
Would you consider a coffee and cake reception? They are increasingly common. Or do an afternoon tea, with some club sandwiches and little nibblies. They would be easy to make (and enlist an army of friends and family to help) or fairly inexpensive to get a caterer to do for you.
In terms of a wedding cake, you could get a talented friend or family member to make one, or have a small one made and decorated that you love, and have a sheet of cake out the back (that no-one sees) to cut up for the guests – as it is not decorated, it’s much cheaper.
I am having candles as my primary decoration, they are incredibly inexpensive and my venue is providing a lot of them free of charge anyway. I have decided I will get two small floral arrangements, plus my bouquet, my bridesmaid’s bouquet and a few buttonholes. I am not having a sit-down reception as I don’t like the whole seating plan thing, so I don’t need table centrepieces. If you are, I strongly suggest finding something other than flowers, that can still look awesome.
In terms of your venue, you could marry in a church (only have to pay a donation to the church) and then you could have a picnic reception in a park? Or does a family member or friend have a larger home or a nice garden that they would let you use?
Sign up for lots of wedding websites to get lots of advice and talk to other brides on online forums.
All the best
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February 11th, 2011 at 9:37 am
Get married in the morning and follow that ceremony with a breakfast or brunch. Breakfast is the least expensive FULL MEAL you can serve your guests PLUS you do not have to serve any alcoholic beverages except for a champagne toast to the Bride and Groom. You don’t even have to order a wedding cake or hire a band/disc jockey.
Get married at sunset or after 7PM. Your guests have already eaten dinner/supper. Just serve them decorated cupcakes or wedding cake with ice cream and/or punch.
Answered by: A Certified wedding specialist / A Professional bridal consultant / A Wedding ceremony officiant
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