How have you cut costs?

For reception specifically we went with a restaurant reception in the mid afternoon. We’re having brunch food and the restaurant is providing center pieces (a simple vase with fresh flowers). We’re also not having dancing or alcohol and keeping our reception to just a nice meal. About $700 with tax and service charge for 30 people.

We did a restaurant reception too instead of a venue. We also opted for limited alcohol. And we saved a lot on attire.

We DIYd out STDs, will be doing some DIY lawn games and florals, one seating chart/program not individual place cards, no favors or possible 2 candy choices as favors, DIY invitations and lots of research/time. Our venue is all inclusive and very customizable so we are cutting guest list by probubly a little less than half, we cut champagne toasts (they can toast with whatever theyre drinking), cut water and eat seat (they can get it themself at the bar) cut the bar to wine and beer only, using the natural beauty instead of getting a big love sign or photo booth, etc!

- We did free email save the dates.

- We found a venue that isn't super known in the wedding world, but is AMAZING. We can do the ceremony and reception on site in two different areas.

- Instead of a normal buffet we are ordering a bunch of food off the "appetizers and shareables" menu that basically look like a normal buffet but come out about $5 cheaper pp and our guests have more food variety.

- We are having the wedding on a Thursday night so it's much cheaper.

- Doing a hosted champagne toast, and then two drink tickets per guest instead of an open bar (it's a Thursday night, so it's probably plenty for most guests).

- Instead of an arch we are getting married in front of a stone fireplace that we can scatter candles of all sizes on as a back drop.

- We aren't doing big centerpieces since our venue has so much character on it's own that flowers might take away from. Our centerpieces will be frosted votive holders with tealight candles, flower petals sprinkled around and a tall table number in the middle. Similar(ish) to the picture attached.

- We are going to have two vases on the Mr and Mrs table that we can plop the bridesmaids bouquets in to use as reception decorations.

- My fiance is 3d printing the cake topper, table numbers, Mr and Mrs sign and maybe the name cards.

- I'm buying flowers from a wholesale flower shop and building the small bridesmaid's bouquets myself. Not having a bride bouquet since both my parents are walking me down the aisle.

The most efficient way to cut your budget is to cut your guest list. Food and drink will be the major part of your reception cost; say your meal is $75 a plate, if you cut 10 people that's a $750 saving. Also, if you have a non-Saturday wedding things are often a lot cheaper, and a low season wedding is the same - our all-inclusive package was $79 a head in winter but in spring/summer it would have been $125 a head.

We're having a Sunday wedding which cut our DJ cost by $100 and the venue cost by $600. We're also doing all artificial flowers, so far only spent $170 and anticipating spending roughly $100-$150 more so that saves us hundreds if not thousands on real flowers. The venue we chose has a HUGE closet of décor from past brides that we can use as much as we want, so that pretty much takes care of that cost altogether! We're also stocking our own bar with beer and wine only which is saving us at least $1,000 as opposed to hiring a bartender to run an open bar.

We are renting a beach house as our venue so there isn't much decorating to be done which saved a ton. I put together our centerpieces from lanterns I found on sale and other items I got deals on. We are able to use all of the furniture already at the house, and already had a couple of tables so our rentals were basically just cocktail tables and chairs. We bought out alcohol from wine depot and Costco. We also skipped the DJ since we have great speakers to use. One has a microphone that helps. We chose a small cake and cupcakes which saved a lot. Our guest list was just under 50 people so we saved a lot on food and drink.

Our wedding is going to have about 100-120 guests (we haven’t finalized the guest list yet!). So the must have’s have been reconsidered. I wanted a band and photobooth but both ideas were dropped and we found a super affordable DJ, hunt around. It took me 4 months to find ours. Instead of the photobooth we might have a “selfie” area with selfie sticks and fun dollar store props in the one area. I found an app that shares photos automatically so it’s even easier!

I want to keep the cake simple as possible and find a topper off Etsy (I am bad at wire diy) and steal my friends idea of a candy bar. Our venue is letting us bring in outside desert so I am probably going to enlist the help of some of my baking friends for additional sweets then use a sams club sheet cake for the guests.

We aren’t going to do favors that’s where the candy bar comes in and the selfie station.

we also found a hotel where breakfast is included if you stay there so we plan on just taking it over with our wedding guests.

Instead of planning on big floral centerpieces I had found clearance lanterns and stocked up. I am thinking about doubling their use too. Use for outside ceremony walkway and centerpieces during the reception.

Good luck!!

I am making paper flowers (and DIY-ing all other decor). Vases and small photo frames for the table from the dollar store. With some scouring, Ebay can be an excellent friend.

Kinda not doing favors? We will have some candy and some bubbles and coloring sheets for kiddos.

Ceremony and reception are the same setup, so no fee to change out chairs for tables.

We are getting unlimited soda, some wine and some beer but anything beyond that is cash.

Cake is from a Hy-Vee grocery store (but the bakery still does really cool custom cakes), and we are doing a small cutting cake with cupcakes.

We are also getting married in January and outside the larger metro area where we live so it is cheaper fees for that sort of thing.

Oh! Also, no programs for the ceremony and RSVP is online to cut printing costs.