Can I have this kind of wedding for this budget?

Thanks guys - I'm also open to a winter wedding, which I understand can be a way to save a bit of cash?

I understand on the photographer needing to cost maybe around $3-5k no matter what. It kind of pains me, but you're right - it's just not feasible to not get photos. SO and I definitely agree on photography being a low priority item and he took this to mean he didn't want a photographer which he was thrilled about (hates posing for pictures). I was like uhhh no someone will be photographing us.

Honestly, what I'm hearing from you guys is that I kind of am kidding myself and we might need to up the budget.

Plus 1 for a winter wedding. One venue I looked at was $5,000 savings for having the wedding on a day in January, February or March. The Sterling Ballroom, @Celia mentioned has a Winter Wonderland & Summer Sizzle package where the PP is discounted.

I'm having a winter wedding, and while it saved me a lot of money on the cost of renting the venue, I haven't seen any other savings with other vendors. My venue still has a food and beverage minimum for a Saturday wedding and the price per person didn't change. As others have mentioned already, to really save cash, have your wedding on a day other than Saturday. Also, I think you already know how quickly you get to $60,000. I would seriously re-examine your guest list.

@earias - yep! I'm also going to show this thread to SO who seems to think that if we cut out flowers suddenly our wedding is going to be cheap

FH's brother got married in CT at the Union League. Ik it has something to do with Yale alumni but idk if that's requirement. Anyway theirs was black tie and around your budget for 200+ people

I third Cescaphe Event Group.

Also Glen Foerd on the Delaware is beautiful and has a 300 person capacity. Is $190 pp including all tax and gratuity.

Delaware has no sales tax. The city of Phila. charges 8% sales tax, with 10% for alcohol. We married in DE and saved thousands; everything but the gowns and tuxedos were in DE and therefore tax free.

We went with a ballroom (100 year old hotel), so I don't know what the extra costs would be for an outdoor/semi-outdoor venue (I've heard tent rentals are pricey). We wanted the convenience of guests staying overnight (popular, in our social circle), at a (greatly) reduced block rate; over 100 guests used the block and most were local.

We saved around $50 per person, by hosting on a Sunday night. Of course, we ended up hosting more guests than initially estimated and we did a bunch of add-ons and upgrades, so our total outlay wasn't much lower. We ended up close to 6 figures, for everything but rings and honeymoon, for 225 guests (4.5 years ago).

We hired a phenomenal 12-piece band, with an extra half hour; they cost over $11k. The cheapest band my sister heard (Phila. area) was 6.5k, for 9 pieces. There are cheaper bands around here, but you get what you pay for, with quality.

I will definitely look Cescaphe Event Group all. Love the suggestion!

We got married in Mystic, CT, specifically at Latitude 41 and used the coastal gourmet group. There are a few other venues in that area (old mansions, vineyards, a super cute old inn, the seaport and aquarium as well as some other yacht clubs) that they can cater at too. Mystic is about an hour from Hartford airport and about the same from Providence. It's a great destination, especially during late spring thru early fall. For our 100pp wedding our venue was about $22k (tax, tip, rentals etc), we had too shelf, four meal options, they were super accommodating.

Otherwise I would suggest Newport area, similar vibe to Mystic, just much larger.

We spent $3k for flowers, if you're interested and $1500 for a DJ and Sax player. They were a huge hit for the wedding, the sax player had everyone on the dance floor.

So, I also want to add: our guest list may be slightly cuttable. But the guestlist is also very much determined by our families who are making financial contributions (this is their only string), so there's really not much wiggle room here

@JGCT - this is very helfpul. Thanks. I like the idea of a hybrid entertainer (DJ and then 1-2 live musicians). That could be a decent compromise

Try https://partyspace.com/philadelphia

@Dreamer - omg some of these venues are great. Thanks!

My first wedding had similar criteria to yours but with 120 guests instead of 250+. Got married at a country club and it was $15k. Had open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, the works. It's very possible. Photography and flowers can get pricey. If those are your negotiable points, you can save a ton. I like your vineyard idea. Sounds like you've got a great plan in mind!

We looked at venues in Newport and it was very pricey. $40k for 100 people (and that was only for the location, food and drink). I agree with PPs; if you're willing to do it in the off season (winter) it might be doable!

So it seems like where we are getting married would work for you, certainly price wise, however there is no outdoor ceremony space.

We are getting married at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls NY. (Though technically I suppose you could get married at the Niagara Falls Park And do reception at the theatre)

http://rapidsweddings.com/weddings

Food and booze for 250ppl would run you roughly $24k before gratuity and tax. They provide a DOC, use of their sound and lighting etc etc. It's worth it to look into, but as I said the theatre itself has no outdoor ceremony space

That's definitely doable.... I properly hosted 120 guests for $7000...

You they can have a photo booth, a dj or band or both etc etc..just no outdoor.

Oh and the airports would be Buffalo NY or could fly into the Canada side of Niagara Falls if feeling adventurous and there is a little airport in Niagara Falls as well.

Plenty to do, the theatre is a about a mile from the falls, a big casino etc.

Willowdale Estate, Topsfield Massachusetts. Amazing.