High taste on a low budget

You will have to prioritize what is most important to you and decide how you will allocate your budget for those things. You may also want to look on Thumbtack or social media for vendors - especially those who are just starting out and may have discounted rates. Also, you may want to consider DIYing some things to save costs. But beware, DIY doesn’t automatically mean cheaper or costs savings. The best advice I can give you is to make a list of what you want and comparison shop for vendors and other wedding items. Also, keep
in mind that Black Friday is next month and the holidays after that so you may find good deals if you plan ahead and shop intentionally.

I'd do a microwedding. Have your ceremony in a picturesque park. The permit will be a few hundred. Prioritize photography, hair, makeup, dress, florals-- things that will actually show up in your photos. Do your cake cutting right after the ceremony so you can send your photographer home. Then take everyone to a restaurant for your reception.


With your budget, that's the most realistic. I'd keep it to immediate family only. I had a microwedding due to covid, and the photos look fantastic

The key to keeping costs down is limiting the guest list. For $3k, the max would probably be around 10-20. Also keep in mind that some vendors charge more for weddings than for other events (vow renewal, anniversary party, birthday party, etc.) so you could keep things simple for now and take it up a notch later.

Venues such as Veteran Halls, Parks and Rec/Community Centers are much more affordable. Also having a reception any day except Saturday will reduce costs. If you're open to a brunch reception that will cut your costs in half plus alcohol will be minimal (mimosas, Bloody Mary's)...

If you have $50K tastes on a $3K budget, definitely consider a micro-wedding at a beautiful venue. If you consider a weekday wedding (day or night) some gorgeous venues offer small wedding or elopement packages: hotels, resorts, historic homes, museums, etc. Then treat guests to a meal there or a restaurant nearby.

- Small guest list

-Don't just have something to have something.

-Choose the venue wisely, this will cut down on décor needed to "cover up" or "enhance" a space.

-Weekday wedding

- Ask your photographer to only be there for ceremony and formal family photos after. Also look for someone building their portfolio.

-Look for alternatives to dresses and tuxes.

-For hair and makeup consider doing some of it yourself or going to a salon the day of.

I was on a tight budget of $1,500. We limited our guests to 30 and had our reception at a beautiful restaurant. The thing about making something look classy is to use restraint. Centerpieces were single long stemmed roses. We didn't blow a lot of money on florals beyond bouquets and boutainaires and even then they were my only DIY project. My husband wore a regular suit as did his attendants. We didn't worry about making everyone "match" just wanted everyone to "go with" each other. So my advice is to focus on the overall details of things and get rid of anything that is there just for filler.