How to plan a cheap wedding?

Can you limit your guest list? That's usually the first thing that people will try to cut in order to stay within budget.

Yes please share on this topic. I would like to know. Our guest list is under 100 guest

View Quoted Comment No with family’s list and mine and he still hasn’t gotten his list together it’s 200 ppl max I am not going over 200

Elope? ;-)

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Our budget is $15,000 and we are just about there even though we haven't done our rentals or decor for the ceremony and reception yet. Our guest list is only about 50 people. That amount doesn't count our attire, rings, wedding planner, hotel for that night, and a couple of other things. We also are not doing any of the traditional things to save some money: wedding party, garter and bouq toss, favors etc. We chose a venue that did not require a lot of decor so we could save there, chose a wedding month and day that were off peak (August on a Friday), and are having brunch for dinner with a limited open bar of wine and beer only. There are a lot of ways you can cut things if you are not emotionally tied to doing every little thing you are "supposed to" for a wedding.

View Quoted Comment Generally 50-60% of your budget goes to venue/food/alcohol. With that large of a guest list you will need to find a good deal on catering. BBQ/Italian/Mexican tend to be the cheapest. Look for sales on wedding dresses and limit signs/programs and unnecessary things like that. Having a small wedding party will cut down on costs as well.

View Quoted Comment Those r my 3 buffet options lol and vegan/vegetarian and kids options to is what I’m doing for food

1. Limit guest list
2 only get DJ and photographer for ceromony and reception
3 weekday wedding
4. Earlier in the day wedding

with 200 I do not think you can do a dinner wedding.

I am doing a reception style ceremony so it’s all it one place

View Quoted Comment If it is a bbq buffet you do not need a kid option for us kids would be more. A lot of places offer special meals for free.

View Quoted Comment Okay thanks

I will be spending about $15,000- this is my price breakdown.
Venue (Reception and Ceremony) -$3,500
Photographer-$1,440
Videographer- $900
Food/Drink- $4,000
DJ/MC/Photobooth/Sound- $1,500
Flowers- $1,300
Desserts- $500
Decorations- $500
Wedding Dress- $1200
Officiant-$100

We will be having approximately 140 people. These prices will also vary based on your laction and what you’re wanting! Hope this helped some!

Speaking of flowers how many should I get ?

View Quoted Comment I have a few hook ups
my aunt and uncle will be the officiants
my cousin is doing hair
my friend is a photographer so she’s only costing 400
Dj is 800
photo booth is 750
Were still contemplating on a videographer
and my dress is probably 600

This is super helpful as I’m trying to plan a 10k (maybe go over but trying not to) wedding for a guest list of 150 (expecting 125 or so to make it)! I found the likely dress on ebay nwt after trying it on in store which saved me money (it’s also non traditional which prob cut costs). We’re planning to do a cocktail style reception which should save some money in theory but I’m still trying to figure out the catering side of things. Trying for a venue with character and prob going for some additional greenery for decor.

Regarding flowers, you may have to limit what you choose. Picking local flowers that are in season will help with the cost. Renting the vases as well. You may have to skip a few of the things like a videographer as they are usually $1000 or so. If you really want your ceremony recorded, see if someone in your bridal party has a camera that they could use and have someone record it. Alcohol wise, one thing we are doing is having a friend of a friend bar tend then you don't have to pay as much in corkage fees etc. Honestly, your guest list is going to be one of the major hits to the budget. At 200 it is definitely going to be a crunch. Another way to save is by the dessert! Get just a small cake for your cutting and then get dessert like cookies or something for the guests. Most don't eat cake so you won't be missing much there. You don't even have to do dessert if you want.

Cut your guest list. That’s the first / easiest way to save money.

I am spending about that and I have 80 guests. Here is my breakdown so far:
photographer: 2000
venue: 3500
cake: 500
musicians: 500
dj: 1000
officiant: 600
decor: 500
dress: 900
I’m expecting to spend up to $5000 on food and drink but the caterer isn’t booked yet.

We invited 88 guests here’s how we spent a $14,000 budget. My suggestions do your research, shop around, and ask for discounts tinge the best deal. See if you know anyone who professionally does wedding things on the side (i think you mentioned your officiant). DIY what you can. Cutting your guest list will help tremendously. I think we’ve spent 12k so far.
Reception Venue: 1,950
ceremony venue: donation to church $100
officiant: donatio, probably $100
ceremony Musician $150
photographer $2,000
DJ $465 ( friend of a friend/professional)
cake $365 delivered (coworker/professional)
dress with alterations $978
accessories $150
hair and makeup $160
catering (including rentals) $3,009 estimated
alcohol (beer and wine with signature cocktails) $1,000 estimated plus $300 bartender
decor around $700
DOC $400 (friend)
invites (including save the dates) $115
havent gotten flowers yet 😳

We spent about $9500 (for everything but honeymoon) for 75 people. In addition to PP (biggest way to cut is guest list). Plus, everyone says DIY, which saves money, OR just don't have things. Yes, it's cheaper to make your own signs, for example, but you'll still spend money on materials. The cheapest is just to not have wedding signs. So eliminate things where you can: favors, wedding programs, menus, signs, decorations generally. These little things REALLY add up. A $5 wedding favor per couple doesn't seem like a lot of money, but then you need 150, so in reality, it's $750 (plus tax and shipping). Here was our rough breakdown (from what I remember):

-Venue (private restaurant): $200

- Dress and alterations: $1200

- Buffet dinner with appetizers: $2700

-5 hour open bar: $2000 (my father paid for this, so I can't remember the exact cost)

- Photographer: $1100 (friend from HS who gave us a great deal)

-Hair/makeup: $30 per person (my sister, a professional hairstylist did my hair for free, and I found a very inexpensive MUA)

- Ceremony/officiant: $150 donation to church

- DJ: $500 (shopped around a lot)

- cake: $110 (retail cheesecake only). We didn't want a wedding cake

- flowers: $120 (boutineers only. A friend made my bouqet and BMs out of silk flowers as a gift)

The rest was invitations, gifts, favors, decorations and other incidentals. Finally: location, if you can have the wedding in a rural area, do it. We live in Washington DC but got married in upstate NY where my mother and extended family live to save money. The same type of wedding in DC would have cost of DOUBLE.