San Diego wedding venue/planning on a budget help!!

Wow, I have not heard of such a low budget wanting all those things to be honest. It might be extremely difficult - as we did an intimate wedding as well and it cost almost triple of your budget and we aren’t even in CA! Lol Maybe someone will surprise you, but that person isn’t me. Sounds pretty though 🤩 For 1 photographer and videographer we paid $4,000; officiant $500; day of coordinator $1,500; transportation $1,500; and then the big expenses came such as venue!

Take a look at parks department venues. Those will have tables, chairs, and a kitchen. You bring in a restaurant caterer.
Also browse eventective.com for a venue. Again, the blank slate venues where bring in your own caterer will be least expensive overall. All inclusives, while they are convenient as a one stop shop, tend to have required food/beverage minimums that are more than your entire budget..but get a fully itemized price check just to make sure.

Look into Stone Brewing in Escondido or Liberty Station.


We had our Welcome Dinner at the Escondido location. We had around 80-90 people and it came out to about $12k and that included appetizer stations, 2-entree buffet and beer/wine. It was a hosted consumption bar since they didn’t offer an “open bar” option. However, they allow you to put a cap on the bar and they’ll warn you when you’re getting close to that amount and you can tell them to cut off the bar or keep it open. Ours alcohol total was around $2k for 3 hours. Buffet was around $55-70/pp and we did appetizer stations that was another $1500. We had sooooo much food leftover that they packed up for us to take home.
The food and beverage minimum back then (wedding was February 2020, but we booked back in April 2019) was only $4k and they had a balcony space that accommodates a party of 30-40 people.
We went with VOX DJs. It was close to $3000 but we got one of their top-tiered DJs (Ricky Hayes) and also had a lighting package with it. I do think they have other DJs around the $**** price point.
Our photographer budget was a little bit on the more expensive side so most I looked into were around the $6-9k price point. So I can’t help there.
Are you on Facebook? There is a Facebook ground called “Something Borrowed, Something New” that helps brides and vendors in SoCal connect. Really suggest checking it out... found my videographers on there and they were my ultimate dream team!

Oh! Also check out Bali Hai! I considered it for our Welcome Dinner. I can’t remember the minimums or cost, but I remember it being pretty inexpensive and pretty with an ocean view!


Good luck!

Have you found a venue yet? Upper East located at Hotel Solamar sounds like a great fit for you!