Second time- feeling down

EVERYTHING YES!! I've done the same exact things. The only difference is I'm not a parent. It's my fiance's first but my second. I know how you feel, financial situation and all. It kills me inside every day just thinking about it.

View Quoted Comment Yeah that’s about where I’m at. I don’t want to feel that way either because I’m so beyond excited to be marrying this man.

You can still do small and budget friendly without going to a courthouse! You just have to be open minded.

Hi Tara, I understand how frustrating a small budget can be. Have you considered some less formal reception options? Renting a pavilion from a park is a great option for an afternoon to very early evening celebration. I'm sure plenty of family and friends would love to join you even if it's for cake and punch. Maybe even a few sandwiches or hot dogs and hamburgers. It would be covered, picnic tables and bbq pits are usually there, restrooms nearby, and usually a rental is between $50-200 depending on the size. It's just an idea. I know you'll make the best of your day regardless.

View Quoted Comment

I know what you mean. Instead of having like a BIG wedding, we're looking into still having like maybe 40, 50 people tops. We're looking into an elopement company as well that accommodates for guests without going crazy price wise. There's definitely options out there. I'm still stressing over it too and it just feels like the day will never come.

View Quoted Comment Oh for sure. We actually are having a cake and punch reception in the community room of our church. Small guest list, about 50 people. I’ve been throwing fabulous kids birthday parties on small budgets for years so some things I just have down. I think my thing is I don’t want to have to worry. I want to be able to relax and enjoy our families. But I don’t want something tacky either so feel like I’m in a catch 22.

View Quoted Comment You got this. As you know, inexpensive and tacky don't go hand in hand. Spin your magic.
I'm actually excited to see what I can do with a few bucks and no skills when trying to throw together a centerpiece. Haha

Have a wedding ceremony with close family & friends and then go to dinner for the reception.

FH and I are both second-timers too. We’re not in the same situation. But if we were, I’d totally do an intimate ceremony and restaurant reception. As it stands, we’re only having a max of 75 and definitely no “just because” guests. We’re having a destination wedding in Vegas, so I’d be fine if only 40 make it. The show will go on and ultimately we’re getting married no matter what.

Don't get discouraged, you deserve a great wedding even if you have other priorities, too! Try finding a student photographer (maybe your local community college has some leads), and I found lots of affordable but not tacky things on Amazon (veil, belt/sash, groom's tie, etc.). Best of luck, I'm sure you can have a great wedding in your budget!

My cousin used student photographers and saved a ton AND their pics look great! Budget weddings can totally be done well with a lot of research and work.

Awww. I'm sending you a big hug. I love your budget btw. Omg I wish that was mine. Find someone that charges by the hour and just book an hour.

You got this

View Quoted Comment Ikr. I'm glad I'm not the only one. Less than 90 days and three budget fear is real

View Quoted Comment Great idea!!!

I have a 2,000 budget and to be honest the second 1000 was not in budget. So in retrospect I only wanted to waste a thousand but then ya know dress, rings and all that wasn't bad but it's just... Not what I wanted.
Second marriage here, his first, I'm nervous I'm anxious but he has been a real troop and he has been there exactly when I need him and if your future hubby is as close as that. You'll be fine! We can do this

View Quoted Comment Oh yeah been looking but all the photogs in my area if you throw in the word “wedding” the price skyrockets to at least $800 minimum. Have asked about ceremony coverage only and none do that. Even the students seem to be out of price range. It’s amazing to me that once the word “wedding” is thrown in there prices go from reasonable to astronomical.

Sending you a hug. It’s my second marriage his first we have 4 kids between us and I wanted a small wedding like 50 people he wanted a big one. He vowed to pay for the whole thing himself. Well life happens and I’m so stressed out. It’s too late to back out and it just never seems like enough.
kids are expensive something always comes up and when your saving even the smal things like $20 feel like $5000.

hang in there we got this 😊

Try the Professional Photographers of America website. That's where I found our photographer. She's created a package for us that gives us only what we need. We were looking for someone for 3 hours, ceremony pictures, formals and candids at two locations and someone quoted me almost $2000! I about passed out at that!! But I kept reaching out and found a woman who does wedding photos as a side job. For what we want, she quoted $450. I know that's too much for your budget (it's a stretch for us), but maybe you can find someone on the website that will come for an hour and charge accordingly.

It will take time, but I think you can find someone that will work with you. What I did was use the location search and then I started checking each one's website. If they didn't have a website listed on the PPA site, I googled the person's name, the word photographer, and my state. Sometimes I was able to find their website that way. If I couldn't find anything at that point, I skipped them and went onto the next name on the list. If I found a website, I checked out their pictures. If they didn't have any wedding photos (not all of them do weddings since it's for all photographers), I moved on. If they did have wedding photos, I looked at the type of wedding they've shot. Our ceremony is in my mom's backyard, so it was important to me that they have at least some experience with outdoor weddings. I didn't write them off completely if they didn't and if I liked the pictures I saw, but they were second tier. Once I had narrowed it down to about a dozen, I started reaching out through their websites. I think I emailed 7 the first night. Several didn't respond at all. One responded immediately and then disappeared for over a week. But there were two that kept in touch and one I just clicked with. She wanted to speak on the phone for about 10 minutes to have a more personal contact and we were on the phone for almost an hour. She should be sending the contract out today.

Sorry this is so long, but I hope maybe my process can help you. I makes me so sad to read that you want a photographer so badly, but feel you can't find someone. I was the same way. The photographer is one of our only vendors. I'm doing my own flowers, cake, hair and makeup, but I am definitely not DIYing my photos. (My mom suggested that originally trying to be helpful.)

If you have any questions about my photographer search or being a tiny budget bride, feel free to message me.

You should look on Facebook marketplace for a photographer! I’ve noticed a lot of people in my area who are just trying to start their business have posted on there. You should definitely be be able to find a photographer, you’ll just have to search in some different places bc the ones in your price range probably won’t have websites and such yet! Do you know anyone who just has a really nice camera? Maybe they would be willing to become a photographer for the day for you. Even if they aren’t a pro the camera will give you pretty good images!

View Quoted Comment This is actually really good advice thank you!!!

View Quoted Comment You're welcome! I really hope that you get your photographer.