Budget bride

Have you considered state or local parks?
I'd also recommend listening to the wedding planning podcast. I get so many great tips from Kara: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kGpIp1Cj6Z1MHA0tx5lcn?si=OlJZO6J1Spi0bFGSkRr54g

Compare. Negotiate. Good luck, op🥂

For venues, look for places that aren't typical wedding venues, like an aquarium, restaurant, or beach! The fees are often way cheaper. Also check with the local parks department, you may be able to get a permit to use a park for either low cost or free. For catering, try going through your favorite restaurant instead of a wedding catering company. It seems like as soon as the word "wedding" is attached, the price skyrockets. Also considering limiting your guest count - the more guests, the more expensive. When looking at dresses, check on Azazie or another online retailer, since these are often cheaper than a bridal salon, or look at white bridesmaids dresses - those can be just as formal and bridal, but cheaper. There are many ways to cut costs while wedding planning, and the wedding will still be just as beautiful!

View Quoted Comment Thank you, Lisa. I’m also trying to find places that let me rent the space but not use catering. I feel like that’s where they get you. When I looked into other restaurants catering it ended up being closer to 20-30 per person rather than like 100

Everyone here is on a budget.


Take a look at Peerspace.com and Eventective.com. Negotiate with them about what you need/want and what you don't. Check out community halls through the local parks dept.

View Quoted Comment That makes sense! And I agree, catering pricing is usually ridiculous when forced to go through the venue. Check out either a local park or, if there's a community center in your town that has a banquet hall, check them out too! You should be able to use your own caterer for those locations. There may be other venues as well, search through the vendor section of Wedding Wire. Otherwise, maybe try to negotiate with some of the venues that you like to see if they'd allow you to not use their caterer? It's probably not super likely, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

Yes ma'am, local parks or do it how it was done from the 1960s and previously which is having it in the home of the bride and groom's home with very few guests. Also, having it at a church where (if) one of you or your parents are a member there should be more affordable.

View Quoted Comment Community halls will let you bring in your own caterer. The website for your local parks dept will list available rental sites.

Are you getting married in a church? If so, look into using the church hall. Sometimes they can be quite nice!

Our reception will be in a city park. State parks are also good options, especially if you and FI are outdoorsy. Fire department halls, municipal-owned venues like community centers, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Catholic War Veterans (if in your area) often have event spaces.

Hi! Where are you located? Location makes a big different. I’m in central Florida and I’ve found an all inclusive venue for about 7k. I will only have to find my own photographer, personal flowers, and supply the liquor. There’s gems out there! Good luck!

View Quoted Comment Hi Crystal, I’m located in eastern pa. I’m hoping to find something like that near here. If you don’t mind sharing, how many guests do you have? I’m looking at about 140 guests so with catering prices that really shoots the price up.

View Quoted Comment Oh! Much different location. I wish I knew a place for you. I have friends who were married around there but they had to find their own vendors. I am going to have 75-85 guests. So definitely the increase in guest would change your price. The way my contract works, I pay around $60-$70 per guest and it’s including catering, decoration, etc. I also have the freedom to pick and choose if I want to keep certain aspects such as the catering or DJ. I hope there’s something similar in the least. It definitely is the catering that takes up the budget. Have you looked into Sundays or even breakfast or BBQ? I don’t want to assume your style and tastes but there’s definitely plenty of routes to keep you within budget! Don’t stress! Too much anyways

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much for the input. We are definitely open to Sunday’s and we’re even looking at a bbq place to cater but we just have to find a venue that allows outside catering. We’re also considering a church and just having a simple picnic in the pavilion. We’ll see what we find though. Thanks again!

Splacer, EventSpace, Park, Beach, farm or large back yard for venue, Dollartree vases for centerpieces and candles, grocery store flowers, skip favors, secondhand dress or from somewhere inexpensive like DB, etsy, Amazon, fashion nova, ModCloth, lulus, cocomelody, eBay, rent tux, get dj/makeup artist/photographer from Thumbtack app, limit # of guests, small bridal party, marry off season like winter or early spring, on a Sunday. DIY any and everything you can if it’s cost effective.

I’m with ya! We have been trying to find ways to cut prices, and in Hawaii, that is not easy! All you can really do is ask if there’s a way to cut the prices down.
For our venue, we lowered the number of guests, asked for different buffet options/prices, as well as what our bar options were. We are having a nice planned buffet (instead of a custom, plated dinner), and a paid bar for a few hours vs. a full open bar. That alone shaved a couple grand off of our bottom line.

I also have been trying to get pre-quotes from florists to try to get an idea of their price points and to see how willing they are to work with my budget. One company has already lost my business because I asked if we could have options for a lower price and was told, ”We can, but will give you a smaller bouquet with whatever we have in-store that day. So you won’t know what flowers are used until you get it on your wedding day.” No, thank you. Found a different florist with MUCH better prices!
Also, look to Pinterest for things you really don’t need at your wedding. We dropped favors, gifts, and other items just to put that money elsewhere.

What state are you getting married in?

View Quoted Comment I’m in Eastern pa. Looking to do it pretty close. Like a little north of philly area

Keep the guest list small. Most if the money goes to food and alcohol. I'm getting married in 10 days and after everything I'm at less than $7000 ( not including the honeymoon) it is possible. Good luck

View Quoted Comment I'm also getting married in Philly

View Quoted Comment Ok. I was about to suggest my awesome wedding venue but I'm in NC. Not sure if they have this concept in PA. The venue owners also own a company where they wanted to make weddings more affordable. It's all inclusive except for the dress menswear and wedding bands. They cover and plan everything but ask you to create and pintrest board and send you a questionnaire about what you want. It's made everything so simple and stress free for the most part. All inclusive venues are definitely the way to go when on a budget and even try some DIY stuff to save money on some things that may not be as important as others to you. Hobby lobby and craft stores in general as well as shutterfly and Etsy are great places to look to save some money.