Looking to have a lower budget wedding.. Help!

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You know what you're in store for, so I think that's half the battle. Just keep everything organized and you'll be fine!

View quoted message Ahhhh... Me too! I'm sure you will see More posts of me asking more questions.even though it may save us money this way will def be a fair bit more stressful with doing everything ourselves! ... Thanks again! Xo

View quoted message That’s wonderful that you found your venue! I hope piecing everything else together goes smoothly!

I want to thank EVERYONE who took the time to reply to me! We have decided on using his dad's property... That being said hopefully we will save some money!... Luckily it is gorgeous there thanks again xoxo

View quoted message I really recommend Paradise Halls in Woodbridge. Their Sunday price in the summer starts at $80/head and their menu looked very impressive when I went to meet with them (we didn’t go with them because they didn’t have our date).

Message me if you need any help because I’ve done my research on affordable venues lol.

View quoted message Wow! Thats amazing good for you! For 180 people too!

View quoted message Hey Bianca my budget is *with everything all said and done* no more than $15000. Thanjs for the help

Would you be comfortable sharing what your budget is? That might help us give you the best advice.

View quoted message This sounds amazing!! Very similar to what we are trying to plan except with 180 guests it gets a bit more chaotic so we are providing food tables and and chairs.... Which end up being really expensive

We are probably looking at an $11,000 wedding all said and done. For a backyard bbq with 180 guests and open bar (beer and wine). And that includes purchasing all 5 bridesmaid dresses and 4 groomsmen outfits. And our engagement rings. So pretty good considering.

Places we cut costs:
-no DJ
-made own digital save the dates and invitations. Sent via email.
-no cake
-bottled our own wine and looked for caselot sales (none of the 10 cases of wine i have costed over $10/bottle and its all really nice wine that i will deink myself after the wedding if theres leftovers!)
-wil get a couple kegs of beer.
-DIY decor
-self catered (mom and stepdad will be making pulled pork dinner)
-no bartender
-cheap wedding dress (estimated $400 with alterations)
-no special transportation

Caitlin, I so get it. We live in London and the prices are extravagant for most venues. Have you considered using someone’s backyard? This would cut the cost of the wedding in about a half honestly.

My friends had this awesome wedding a few years ago that cost them under $3000. The held it on a family property, and rather than hire a caterer asked guests to bring a potluck dish instead of a gift. There was an online sign up system and everyone went out of their way to make something really delicious. They had about 80-90 guests, set up a drinks tent (and canoe filled with beer and ice), rented a tent and dance floor and asked people to bring lawn chairs. We could stay at a nearby hotel or tent on the property. There were several bonfires as well with things like s’mores for people who didn’t want to dance. One of the most memorable, and fun, weddings I’ve been to.

You could have your wedding in some family property to save money, that's what we did. Be your own DJ instead of hiring one. Make your centerpieces and decorations. Keep an eye out for sales in items you'd like or get them through wedding resale groups on Facebook. Pick a weekday or Sunday for a wedding add that tends to be cheaper. Ask family and friends for vendor referrals and help.

We are in the same boat. With the costs of wedding it can be ridiculous. So we found a venue that will host ceremony and reception and is staying well within our budget. We have a budget of 12000 and we will be way under. You have to ask what is the most important thing for you guys.

You could probably save a lot of money by having the big ceremony, but stating that only family are invited to dinner, and that everyone else is welcome to join the dance (or whatever) afterward.
Otherwise I've cut a lot of corners and by extension saved A LOT of money.
- I'm doing all of my own decorations. (Ordering silk flowers off of afloral.com)
- I'm skipping any special transportation.
- I'm not having a DJ.
- I was able to find a photographer for just a few hours rather than the whole day.
- My bridal salon had an end of season sale and I found my dress off the rack for half price.
- I was able to make quite nice invitations by "dressing up" a simple set I ordered from Vistaprint.
- having the reception at our home
There's probably more, but I just sound obnoxiously cheap at this point :p
Everything still costs money, but simple cut backs can add up.
It all depends what you're willing to skimp on. There's things that we just don't need, so we either omitted, or cut back.
Just sit down with your FH and figure out what you guys agree are the less important details.