$15k Wedding??

I would personally cut the guest list down to have what you really want. Don't go with a mediocre venue and food.

I spent about 15k for 50 in Cocoa Beach.

I think you really need to look at your budget and how many people you are trying to invite.

Cutting the guest list is the best way to achieve a lower cost.

You're not getting country club for 150 guests on 15k. I'm at 13k for 60 guests in upstate ny with heavy employee discounts. (Without them we'd be close to 16k).

Downgrade the guest list or have a longer engagement.

Cut the list, honestly. Invite the 50 guests you really want to see and spend time with

It is doable! You just have to decide what is worth it and what is priority. We are in FL also (the east coast). There are quite a few places that will do everything except the cake in our area for around 13k. That is at 135 guests. The only thing my BM (It was her wedding) had to worry about was dress and flowers.

It's really ur preference..my wedding is going to be about $10k for 140..I'm having it in a ballroom attached to a restaurant (nicer than a hall but same idea I guess) buffet style ..it's like $60 a plate with open bar ..we have cut alot of corners but I'm happy we arent spending a million dollars ..it's only one day u know..n god forbid something goes terribly wrong I will feel better knowing I'm not spending $50k on a wedding like some ppl I know ..just my thoughts good luck!

We hosted 65 people with $15k in suburban Philly. Cut the guest list regardless

Not sure on what the pricing standards are for your area, but I do have some general advice.

With our budget, we could have hosted 150-200 in our area, with really basic decor and simple food/drinks.

We chose to invite 85, and had 47 attend. If I could do it again, I'd skip even inviting the roughly 30-35 people that didn't come (we figured they wouldn't) and just invite about 50. It was perfect. We could hire the best vendors, upgrade decor, and go all out with food and drinks. Plus, we got to actually spend a meaningful amount of time with everyone who was there.

I would always prefer to have a smaller crowd, but treat them fabulously, than have a large crowd and provide the bare basics.

Have you looked at Club Renaissance at Sun City? I know, I know, you want to roll your eyes at Sun City, but you will be taking over the facility. A little out of the way (it is in southern Hillsborough county), but I think you get more for your money. A friend's parents had an anniversary party there and I think it was nice.

Ours is $15k with 175 guests in Wisconsin. I think it can be done!

In the Chicago suburbs ours is about 15k for 100 guests.

My wedding was about $17k for 175 in small town Missouri. That includes steep discounts on catering a buffet (dad runs a catering side business, and it was done by business friends of his - while I forbid him from doing any work the day of, I couldn't stop him from doing most of the planning/prep before the day of, hence the steep discount).

I can't imagine doing it on that budget in a higher COLA.

I know someone who had a nice $5k wedding in winter haven. Not sure what her guest count was. Family helped pay for a few things, like the cake. I think it was at a country club.

I think the Crystal Ballroom has a venue in Tampa

We got quoted 14k for 150 at a country club in NOVA. JUST the venue and food and open bar (which is pretty decent) but still, no dj, dress, photographer, etc. Our budget was 15k and we have upped it to 20k which seems a bit more reasonable for our area. I'd cut your guest list. If it were an option for me that's what I would've done.

It's up to you and what you want (and to be blunt, what is considered "tacky" in the WW world won't always be tacky in your circle...) but we are at a strict 15k budget and have 150 on the guest list. Granted 85% of our guest list are out of town ers and 25% are still in college so we are thinking we'll probably only see about 100 guests, but we're budgeting as if everyone will come.

Look at the St. Pete Beach Community Center, you rent it out and bring in your own catering and alcohol. I also saw a restaurant in that area that was *really* cheap and had good reviews but I don't remember the name of it. If you look on WW and The Knot, you'll find it. Those won't be country club, but may allow you to properly host that many people in your price range.

ETA: it's Silas Steakhouse

I recommend cutting your guest list. Our wedding was $9800 for 72 ppl in upstate NY, and our catering was $23 per person for buffet, $21 per person for full open bar, and $200 for venue. Catering/venue are only one cost of many (DJ, dress, photographer, cake, ceremony space, officiant, gifts, invitations, etc). If you're at your budget with catering/venue, then you'll need to increase your budget or decrease your guest list. Also, don't forget to add gratuity and tax to all expenses.

I looked at a few venues in Tampa ( LOVED the aquarium) and most of the country club and inclusive venues were about $8k-$11k for 75 people and that didn't include photographer or DJs.

We picked a venue in Tavares and we are around $15k for 85 guests. Being able to supply our own booze was the biggest money saver.

You could probably get by with that budget and 100 people where I am but I sincerely doubt you will be able to do it in your area. In order to get something close to what you're wanting you are either going to have to cut back on your guests or consider a less fancy venue that you can still adequately host your guests.