Prioritise What’s Important To You
Even if you have a strict budget, you dont have to scrimp on everything. Take the time to think about what is most important to you and prioritise those things, then aim to cut costs on the less important elements. Perhaps you have always dreamed of that designer wedding dress but arent as bothered about the cake, or you want to spend more on that unique wedding venue that doesnt require any extra decorations. With some savvy planning, you can still create your perfect day on a budget.
Choose Your Wedding Venue Carefully
When considering how to plan a wedding on a budget, many couples may be surprised to learn that one-third of the average couples total wedding budget goes to the venue and caterer, so choosing the right venue can make or break your budget. Look for all-inclusive venues or those that are non-profits so a tax deduction may be possible. Also, hosting your wedding ceremony and reception in the same place might result in a discountplus your transportation needs wont be as great. And when looking at the venue itself, consider how much décor the space will needthose venues that are surrounded by natural beauty or already well-decorated will need less added décor than blank slate spaces.
Make The Flowers Part Of The Background Not A Highlight
Everyone knows flowers are an essential traditional wedding decoration. The bride and bridesmaids carry them, they probably adorn the edges of the aisle, and they might even be part of the table centerpieces at the reception.
But theres some good news for you. Minimalist is fashionable. So why not apply this to your wedding as well? Not every single surface needs to be covered with flowers. Not only will it look stylish to back off on the flowers, but itll also save you money. Maybe consider smaller bouquets. Or make the table centerpieces out of something cheaper. The odds are people will be having so much fun they wont even notice.
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Make Cheap Wedding Decorations
Wedding decorations can add up very quickly. But, those who do it yourself can save a lot of money. The following is a list of items you can grab, without overpaying, all while keeping your wedding plans under the $1000 budget.
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Lighting
LED lights offer an instant something special to any event and its outdoor space. They are also perfect for use in decorating outdoor furniture. Further, colored, dimmable LED lights create a charming ambiance as they offer a bright and bendable design.
The budget for this decoration isnt expensive, and you can make the wedding sparkling at less than $50.
A Red Carpet Without The High Price Tag
A staple in any wedding is, indeed, the red carpet. But, the red carpet doesnt have to be expensive. You can get red carpet aisle runners for under $25. And, considering itll only get used for one day, it doesnt need to be anything more than red.
To get a cheap aisle runner, you dont have to break your bank account. Cheap aisle runners work well on various events, such as graduation parties and weddings. Also, they make your wedding guests feel special, all while being on a budget.
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Free Wedding Flowers
Do it yourself wedding projects will lower your financial burden after getting married. For example, flowers from a florist can cost thousands of dollars, but it doesnt have to be that way!
Focus On Having Cake And Punch
If youre getting married in a church, use one of their spaces as a cost-effective way to have a wonderful celebration following your wedding. Doing so will keep it classy and focused on just the two of you. Plus, if you get married mid-afternoon, you can have a simple cake and punch reception if funds are tight.
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Commit To An Affordable Wedding And Clarify Your Priorities
Youve said yes to each other. Now its time to commit to an affordable wedding. Set aside a time to discuss what you will use the money for later. This is much-needed conversation to have anyway it helps you prioritize and understand what truly matters to each of you.
The two of you will soon face countless decisions on saving and spending: There are a lot of ways to spend money on a wedding, and a lot of ways to reduce costs. Establish a guiding star to help you keep things thrifty through planning process.
If one or both of you are feeling a little sad about not having the budget for a bigger wedding, just remind yourself of the research that finds couples with costly weddings have a higher divorce rate.
Affordable Venues On The Central Coast
9. Fernbank Farm
- Cost: 20% off 2022 & 2023 Ceremony & Reception Packages. Book before 31/07/22
- Location: Wyong Creek – Central Coast, NSW
You may have seen Fernbank Farm on the 2020 season of MAFS. Stunning gardens surround a lake providing an ideal spot for waterfront ceremonies and there’s also an impressive permanent iron arbor and majestic marquee. Fernbank Farm is an affordable wedding venue with elopements and micro wedding packages from $1,800. Caters receptions for up to 140 guests.
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More Wedding Budget Tips And Money
Remember, all you truly need to get married is you, your partner, a marriage license, and usually an officiant. The rest is all just extra! Of course, you could easily plan a city hall wedding and skip all the extra logistics and planning. But if you want to have a celebration that includes your loved ones, these tips are sure to help you cut costs.
The amount you spend isnt what makes a wedding beautiful, its the meaning and intention you put into the celebration.
If you consider yourself to be a bride on a budget, youre likely looking for ways to save money on your wedding. Be sure to bookmark this page to refer back to when you feel stumped or stressed about wedding spending! We want you to be able to tie the knot without tying yourself up in debt.
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Hire A Wedding Planner/day
You might be thinking of foregoing a coordinator in order to save some cash, but trust usif you’re looking to have your champagne-dreams-on-a-beer-budget wedding, then hiring a planner is your best bet. Time is moneyand an experienced coordinator will handle all the little details so you don’t have to stress. Plus, they can also pass along savings to you by hooking you up with their extensive vendor network.
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Do The Catering Yourself Or Hire A Family
While trimming the guest list saves quite a bit on catering, you can save more by finding a low-cost catering option. According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average cost per catered plate is $51, so if you have 50 guests, thats $2,550 in meal expenses even with a reduced guest list.
For our own wedding, catering was provided by family and friends, who prepared and served the meal in lieu of a wedding gift. This may work for you if you have someone who is interested in stepping up to that task.
Strategy: Have friends and family cater for you in lieu of a gift Savings: $2,550
If not, try asking a local family-owned restaurant to cater for you. They might be hesitant to cater a large event, but if your guest list is already relatively small, they may be willing to do this and work with you on a less expensive option. If a local family-owned restaurant can cater and save 25% per plate, thats still a nice savings.
Strategy: Ask a locally owned restaurant to cater the meal instead of a wedding catering service Savings: $638
Stick To Beer And Wine
You don’t need to host a fully-stocked, top-shelf open bar for your guests to have a good time! Hosted beer and wine is much more cost-effective. If you have your heart set on a signature cocktail, offer it up during the cocktail hour and then switch to beer and wine for the reception. It’ll be way easier on your wallet. Another bonus of limiting the liquor? Your crazy friends won’t get so hammered! #weclassy
Eder Photo | 32 North Brewing Co. | Amy June Weddings and Events
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Think Outside The Box For Wedding Catering
Feeding your guests will take up a hefty chunk of your wedding reception budget, so finding affordable food is key. What better way to create a memorable wedding experience than with a unique meal? Think outside the box for your catering who doesnt love a food truck, taco bar, pig roast, or shrimp boil? Not only will it be delicious but your guests will never forget it!
Cheap Weddings Require Flexibility
Planning a wedding on a small budget requires a lot of flexibility.
Dont be set in stone with all your plans if you are searching for cheap wedding ideas.
As I mentioned above, the more flexible you are, the better your chances of scoring some awesome wedding deals!
Its good to give your wedding vendors some wiggle room if youre looking for the best prices.
This way, they can work with you to meet your budget.
Look at a few options for flower arrangements or even 2 or 3 different dates for your venue location.
Here are a few ways you can save money for your wedding if you are flexible:
- Get married during the week
- Get married during the day
- Alternate expensive centrepieces with non-expensive pieces
- Get off-the-rack wedding dresses
These classy but cheap wedding ideas can save you thousands of dollars easily.
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Make It A Family Affair
The next step towards learning how to plan a wedding on a budget of $1,000 relates to the getting help from your family. There are numerous tasks that your family members can perform and help you save a considerable amount. For instance, you can use your own music system and ask your family member to be the DJ for your wedding night.
While planning your wedding, assign different tasks to your close family members. They can help you while decorating the venue and making other necessary arrangements. For instance, you can use family vehicles for transportation purpose and making other arrangements. This will allow you to cut the cost of your wedding to a great extent.
Barn At Madeline Island In Wisconsin
Airbnb
This barn home has serious history. The hand-hewn beams and barn board walls come from a 200-year-old barn in Vermont that was lovingly disassembled, transported, and constructed into this waterfront home. Surrounded by white pine forest and with private lakefront access, its the perfect cozy spot for a family retreator an intimate wedding. For a group of 35 or fewer, settle into the property and fill your wedding weekend with kayaking, biking, and long nights under the stars on the back deck. Rates start under $1,000 per night, and the minimum stay varies depending on the season.
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The Icing On The Cake: Buttercream Saves $
If your dream wedding wouldn’t be complete without a traditional wedding cake, opt for buttercream over fondant. Although fondant is more “durable” in hot weather and can be formed into fancier finishes, buttercream icing is not only tastierit’s also cheaper! We recommend getting a small cutting cake for photos, but having inexpensive sheet cakes waiting in the kitchen to feed your guests.
Hold Your Wedding At Home
Have a big backyard? Does someone in your family have some open land? Consider hosting an at-home wedding. Even with bringing in items like a tent, tables, chairs, etc you could still come out spending less by having a backyard wedding. Just be sure to crunch all the numbers!
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Look Ravishing With Free Makeovers
While some brides go DIY, it may save a lot of stress if you get make-up done by a pro. Before you start wincing at the fees, there are sneaky ways around this.
Get your make-up done at a beauty counter in a department store, then simply buy the lipstick to ‘touch up’ .
Department stores also run beauty courses that you could attend. You can learn a new skill, do your own make-up on the day, and even help out at your friends’ weddings.
Alternatively, check out local beauty training schools. They may do your hair and make-up free on the day as part of their training.
Limit Your Guest List
Less is sometimes more! You might feel tempted to come up with a guest list as long as the royal weddings, but think of it this way: Every guest is an expense. It sounds harsh, but its true, you guys! With each addition to your guest list, youre only driving up the overall cost of your wedding.
To save money on your wedding, you may want to host a smaller, more intimate affair. If the number of people at your wedding isnt important to you and your fiancé, try cutting your guest list by 20%, then another 20% on top of that. Or invite more guests to the wedding ceremony and host a smaller reception with your family and closest friends.
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A Sophisticated Backyard Wedding In Connecticut
A wedding producer at Fête NY, Allison Aronne has years of experience planning weddings, but planning her wedding to Ryan Beauchamp was that much more special of a job. And through her industry connections, Aronne found the perfect location for their nuptialsher boss, , stunning backyard in Kent, Connecticut. With a gorgeous backdrop for their ceremony and the most beautiful tent set up on the lawn for dinner, this backyard wedding left no detail untouched.
Cafes Restaurants And Bars
Restaurants can be great wedding venues for couples who want a classy and elegant wedding without having to spend a lot of money. Using a restaurant as your wedding venue offers a beautiful setting and plenty of space for guests. Look for a restaurant that has a covered patio or terrace dining area that you could use for an outdoor reception for a chic dinner party vibe.
Often when you book a restaurant for your reception, youll only be paying for food and drinks for your guests, rather than the rental of the space itself. Many restaurants wont need added decorations if the decor is to your liking, and they make wonderful settings for an intimate dinner. Just be sure to book your restaurant early, as spaces can fill up quickly!
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Make Your Guest List The A
It goes without saying that a shorter guest list is easier on both your budget and your sanity! Even if it’s unrealistic to whittle your list down to 20, chopping it from 300 to 150 will still help take things from overwhelming to manageable. More often than not, an intimate affair really does requires less money and less workand it comes with an invaluable bonus: more quality face time with that cozier group of guests you invited!
Christophe Genty Photography | Alexis Solano Events | Kari Young Floral Designs
Feel Free To Buck Traditions
Dont ignore traditions completely, but try your best to include only the ones that are most meaningful to you. You can also create your own! If youre interested in learning more about where popular wedding traditions came from, check out our podcast, The Bouquet Toss!
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Print Your Own Wedding Stationery
The cost of bespoke wedding invitations and the rest of your stationery can soon stack up, but you could save a fortune by taking it into your own hands. There are thousands of beautiful templates you can buy on Etsy and Canva and customise yourself, while websites like offer high-quality printing services for as little as £10, for beautiful and luxurious looking wedding stationery on a budget.
Print your own wedding stationery or send virtual invites to cut costs
These Are The Tricks I Used To Have A $5000 Wedding With 130 Guests At A Vineyard In Southern California
According to The Knot, the average wedding costs $35,000. When I discovered how expensive weddings are, I immediately researched elegant weddings on a budget. I planned a $5000 wedding that was unforgettable and Im here to tell you that you can have a beautiful wedding for under $5,000 too!
As a note, you will be super lucky if you find a $5,000 wedding package. If you find a cheap package that meets your needs, jump on it! Creating a DIY wedding will take some planning and maneuvering.
Need some wedding inspiration? Start your wedding off on the right foot with this free printable wedding planner. Also, check out diy budget wedding decorations to get you started!
This is how I planned my wedding:
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Find Cheap Wedding Venues
Make sure to look for a small, cheap, and intimate wedding venue that offers everything you need. By simply looking around and discussing it with your friends, you can actually find a venue that is affordable and willing to host the wedding.
You can choose from a variety of options. But make sure to find a venue where you can get all the facilities. The first option in this respect is the local church. Getting married in a church is a fascinating idea and holds customary values too.
An outdoor park may also serve as a viable option. However, you also need to contact a catering company to make all the arrangements. If you can get such services at cheap rates, there is no better option than this.
If you arent thinking of a lavish wedding venue, booking a City Hall would be a wise decision. This is the cheapest way to get married. Just contact the concerned person and seek information regarding the available dates.
Another cheap way of renting a wedding venue is to look for one among the Airbnb wedding venues. Look for a place that offers beautiful backyards and spacious indoor area to serve as an ideal place for your wedding.
Almost each of these options is inexpensive. Therefore, you should consider them one by one while finalizing a superb wedding venue that is affordable and meets all your requirements.
