$15000 budget

$10,000 my most expensive thing right now is a photographer and but not getting a videographer. Expecting roughly 100 people.

We are trying to stay at the $10,000. Food, photographer, and dress has been the most expensive. We are diying all the decor that our venue doesn't already have so that has helped. The venue and food was my big budgeted items. We haven't sent out save the dates yet but based on our family and friends in the area who we know will come we are already at 100. We'll likely end up at 150-200.

Me! About $14,000 here. We (I) have done a lot of research. We are going to go with a place that allows us to bring in our own catering and alcohol (this has been the big money saver)
I like the space better, and it's saving us about $1,000. Our wedding is also in January and I was able to ask for discounts. The photographer I'm planning on choosing dropped their cost $1,000. Pictures are something i don't want to compromise on and alcohol is what FH doesn't want to sacrifice. Including all of our family is also important, so cutting the guest list wasn't an option.
It can be done but requires work.

We had a different budget, but here's my general advice on budgeting/priorities.

Our biggest priorities were photographer (first thing we booked after the venue), and guest experience (food/drinks/comfort).

With any budget, you can host a wide range of people, depending on how formal you want to go. For example, we had 47 people (invited 85) because we wanted to have something relatively formal and be able to provide everyone with an abundance of high quality food, and a full open bar, while still having enough money for the level of decor we wanted.

In our location, we could have easily had 200+ people in a VFW hall, eating bbq (not that bbq can't be high quality) and drinking beer and wine only, with minimal decor for the same budget, and that would have been a totally fine scenario.

You and your FS will need to balance this same issue- would you rather have more people and have to cut some things and go simple, or would you rather have fewer people and go all out, or maybe something in the middle?

Yup. We're doing a lot of DIY and working the logistics ourselves. We got a blank slate venue and we're doing it all.

If I had another $5K I'd pay someone to handle all of it for us but we'd rather spend the money on awesome stuff for our guests and do a little more work.

We're having a Sunday afternoon wedding which cut costs. We splurged on our photographer, bought stuff instead of renting so we can resell, grocery store florist, and doing a lot of DIY.

We landed just under $15k.

We had 65 guests but planned for 80.

We spent most of our budget on catering, alcohol, and venue.

Ours is around $9000. The photographer and the DJ have been the most expensive so far, but if you put the bar tab in with the food cost, that would surpass them both easily. We've managed to save some money so far on my dress, as I got that at a clearance discount, and we're not doing STDs. We're looking at around 80 people or so if everyone shows up. We're cutting the flower budget too. The bouquets will be sola wood bouquets from etsy, and the tables will have some flowers that we'll do ourselves.

I've been spending more on guest experience (food, drink, music) and memories (photographer) and less on flowers, even though I would love the place to be covered in them. Overall, we're right on budget right now and things are falling into place, so, fingers crossed that it keeps going that way.

We are trying to stay under $10,000. We are having a small wedding - just 50 guests. Food/venue has been the most expensive with the photographer at a close second. I decided not to have a DJ because I just couldn't afford it. We are DIYing a photo booth so that's saving a lot of money!

My all inclusive venue for 110 guests has been the most expensive thing...

We are! My biggest money saver was honestly my venue. We booked a mostly-inclusive venue and chose their cheapest package. The caterer, bartender and alcohol, chairs, arch, DOC, and valet parking costed us about 8 grand.

I really shopped around for vendors. I found a fantastic baker that owned her own little shop. She's doing my cake of my own design for less than $300. We found our other vendors by doing research and comparing prices. A lot of them were really willing to work with our budget and point us to the best package deal.

I also DIY'd where I could. Always compare the price (money, time, effort) of DIY and buying. Signs where a hit and miss... I honestly made half the more complicated and personalized ones(program, welcome) and bought the more generic ones (pick a seat, cards). Flowers were another big money saver! I spend a ton of time on my paper bouquets, but there's easier tutorials to follow. I made 7 bouquets for about $100, including all tools minus the cricut, since that was really my cheat tool for the petals. I have a lot of stuff left over, so it was really worth it. I can always make more flowers for decor if I choose.

I could ramble on and on about how I saved money, but that's not the point of your question lol. Spend your money on the caterer, photographer, baker, and bartender. Those 4 are probably the most important vendors in my opinion. A DOC is a lifesaver and should be included if you are able to spare the cash.

I am inviting 75 guests. That's what my reception can hold. Having a smaller guest list has honestly made it easier and cheaper to plan though.

I had to sacrifice having a sit down meal. Our venue does not do sit downs unless you're paying for their most expensive package, which was way more than we could afford. We also got pushed to a morning ceremony and a 3 hour reception, which is okay I suppose. We have unlimited hors deuvors and alcohol, plus we're in a tourist town, so.. there's stuff to do. Still a tad disappointed, but it's honestly the best option for our guests.

We’re trying to stay under 15k. And I am NOT a diy kind of gal.
We’re planning for 55 guests, and most of them are local. (or locaish)
We shopped around for a venue, that was the big big thing for us, we wanted to be on the water and not more then an hour from our home.
Also we’re not doing any flowers. Which is a huge budget saver.
Invites & other paper goods through Vistaprint.


The key I’ve found is lots of shopping around. And knowing what’s important to you.

Hi! 15,000 here for 80 guests!

Most Important: Catering, Alcohol, Photography, Day of Coordinator

Sacrificing: Favors, Transportation for Guests, Videographer, DJ

We are sitting at about $11,500 (not including rings) at the moment. We have 146 total on our list and the largest expense by FAR is food. We are doing a cash bar (I know a major no no on here but in my region open bars are few and far between) so after that the venue and photographer were our biggest expenses. Working on DIY for all of the decor and our cake is free thanks to a good friend.

We are trying to keep it under $10,000, with approximately 60 guests.

The most expensive is our venue, at $2600, but includes a lot and we don't have to worry about linens, which looks to be quite an expense on its own. Also, we are estimating the catering to be around $2100, again, includes a ton...cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres, cheese, veggies, fruits, breads, teas, fruit infused water, lemonade...you get the idea. Servers and clean up are also included.

The photographer is probably the most important to me, and even that we are spending $1500 for 7 hours with 2 shooter (she worked with me!) Also hair and makeup! Still working on that one.

I am really wishing we could afford a videographer, but I don't think that's going to happen. That's probably the only sacrifice I can think of.

We are staying below $8000 for everything; we only have about 25 guests. The only thing we are kind of sacrificing is having more people. We only invited the people we absolutely needed to have there and wouldn’t get married without. Our venue is beautiful, it includes the officiant, cake, ceremony and reception space, table clothes and dinnerware so that has been the biggest cost so far at $2000. We are bringing in a caterer that also provides alcohol so that will be our second biggest expense. We don’t really dance and neither do our guests so we decided a DJ wasn’t worth it, our venue will also be able to provide any recorded music that we want for the ceremony or reception. I have a friend that does hair and makeup professionally so she is doing mine, my MOH/sisters, my moms, and FMILs. I also have a photographer friend who will be doing our photography to cut costs.

We are working with a 16K budget. Most expensive as of now has been the venue. We paid $8,000, but it includes whole set-up, tables, chairs, linens, chair sashes, DJ, and catering for 250 people. Which in all honesty after looking around this was the least inexpensive venue we could find. Originally, the package we chose was an $11,500 package, but given that we are getting married this same year the venue worked with us and gave us a great deal. I suppose they did this because the date was open and would rather reserve it than not have an event scheduled. (the venue that we booked is still under construction and will open up in about a month or so, I'm extremely anxious) I hope I love it.

The second most expensive item on our list is the live band at $ 1,500. I really want floral arrangements, but that might just be an overwhelming price and will just probably end up getting floral for the ceremony at the church.

$8,500 actually budgeted to wedding, plus a dress that is WAY more expensive than I'd ever imagined spending, but my dad gifted to me as a birthday/Christmas gift for three years With that its $10k all in.

We're spending the most on venue $2,400) and catering ($1,700 plus $900 for booze, snacks, and cake).

We're at about $11K for 130.
We're DIYing what we can. My FH is a carpenter and building several things and I just love throwing and decorating parties.

Most important was food. We're bringing our own booze and just doing beer and wine, but that's what our guests all drink anyway. We also spent money on photography and a DJ. And I kinda blew my dress budget. Less important are florals and cake. Almost none of our guests are out of town so we're not blocking rooms. Bridal party all lives within minutes so we don't need overnight accommodations.

My budget was 5k for about 50 people. I didn’t have a videographer and booked the photographer with the officiant package. We did a consumption bar and offered bunch of beer and some wine and signature drink.

We are about 17k for 130ish. Our venue is our biggest cost but it's a great package with food and booze. Photographer is $1,800 for 2 shooters. My dress was $500.
Invitations are coming from Costco.

DIYing as much as possible.

Flowers are likely coming from a wholesale club or wholesaler.
Favors are going to be potted herbs which a friend is growing for me(she runs a commercial farm)