Southern California Brides

Hi Almost Date Twinnie! xD

I'm an SD bride myself. FH and I both come from large families and we have a huge group of friends. We tried so hard to keep under a 20k budget. It so difficult with a big guest list (We are at 230 people)! The amount of people is a driver in venue, number of tables, decor etc.

Are you planning on inviting a lot of people?

I tried with that same budget but I could only find a restaurant as the venue and my guest list was around 50. I decided to scratch that idea. Good luck though!

I'm in SD as well FutureMrsMoon!

mmw I think with that kind of a budget yiu may be doing a lot of DIY, but if you're willing to put in the work, it can turn out so beautiful!

SD here too. My flowers alone were $2700.00. I am hosting 150-170 guests. For me DIY's were just extras to put personal touches on the wedding but I didn't tackle anything major myself. We found an all-inclusive hotel to take care of everything.

Elope or DW. Not in Southern Cali, but for that amount of money you could get married on a beautiful island or in Mexico with your closest friends and family. i just don't see doing anything in the states with that budget.

One of my best friends got married in LA for about $15,000 but she went over budget a few thousand, rented her dress, and only had 100 guests.

I know one person that spent $9K on their So. Cal wedding. It was an old coworker and I believe there was 60-70 people in attendance.

The wedding ceremony was at the Serra Cross Park in Ventura

http://www.serracrosspark.org/booking.html

The wedding reception was at

http://boccalis.com/Catering.html

Someone else gifted them the wine for the reception so that $9K did not include alcohol

They used a student photographer.

I don't think its impossible to do but like KB said you'd have to do a lot of DIY stuff, a lot of help from people i'm sure with like set up help, maybe using friends services offered or their home. I think even at a restaurant feeding people can take up the a good amount of the budget and usually florists down here are like min $2000 or $2500, otherwise you can go to like downtown LA for buying in bulk and cheap.

Cake you can scrimp on and do like sheet cakes from the store with a mock cake for the cutting. Also rentals if needed are pretty pricey. So lots of research would be involved. Oh and photographers are usually around $2000 so if you want quality work that's what you would be looking into unless you can find somebody great just starting out who has a good portfolio. You can use student services at colleges for things like DJ's, photography, hair and make-up and maybe even planning help.

Like everyone else has said $8k in SoCal is not impossible but will be difficult. Since your wedding is over a year away, I would suggest finding contests for free stuff. You can find anything from venue to gown, photography to cake, if you need it for a wedding there is a contest that will provide it. But it takes a lot of time to do that. So just a suggestion.

Ours was under 12K, I was able to do a ton of DIY (not all brides can pull it off and save money) and we shopped around, a lot of venues that include everything tend to be cheaper and we kept the guest list under 60

My budget is $10k. I am trying to do as much of it myself, because as you can tell from responses so cal is expensive. My venue is at a university and takes up a good amount of my budget. I am expecting 100-110 people on a saturday evening. It will be difficult but it can be done. I know nobody wants to hear this, but I'm sure you can cut a lot of cost on your dress. I'm looking at no more than $700 for mine.

Dyi center pieces!dont spend 2000 on flowers. You really only need ur bouque and bridesmaid bouquets to be real. The most important thing is venue and dress. Check out glamor shop in Los Angeles and la Seoul bridal . Keep dress at or under 1000. My bar is cash bar. Those that want to drink won't mind paying believe me

Some of the best venues in San Diego are at military bases and the cost per person is quite a bit lower than elsewhere and you can be right on the beach or on the bay. If you or your fiance' has served or even if you have a dad or mom or grandfather that was in the military, it is worth checking out. I was at the Admiral Kidd Club right on San Diego Bay this summer and it was spectacular...

- Keep the guest list as small as you can; under 50 if you can manage it

- Baby's breath for centerpieces and bridesmaid bouquets; you can splurge on your bouquet and sweetheart/head table centerpiece

- Limit your photographer coverage; you don't need them during open dancing

- Choose a venue that's a little farther east; prices seem to drop the farther away from the coast you are

My cruise wedding was $3500K and the cruise was $1500K. My ship left out of San Diego. My guests just came for the day.

I have done a wedding before with a $5000 budget. It is very possible. The key is to find a venue that won't take up most of your budget and have lots of support and help. You can do many things on your own or with the assistance of a planner that will cut down your cost tremendously. If you are in need of other suggestions let me know. Wish you a fantastic wedding

My budget is 10k and it's a lot of DIY. I've made all the bouquets, bouttonniere's, favors, my gown and my sister is making the centerpieces. Second, my caterer! I searched for local women's clubs to rent and 3 of them came up through one caterer's site. The caterer has contracts with these clubs and other halls as well. To save on the cost of a ceremony site we are having a small ceremony at the hall followed immediately by a buffet dinner reception for 180 guests for $7,800. This price includes the 7 hour hall rental, buffet dinner w/a chicken entree, wedding cake, cash bar, set up of tables and chairs with linens, china, glassware and clean up. DJ is a friend so no charge, invites purchased at Anna's Bridal Bargains (I choose a simple invite w/response post cards) and wedding accessories purchased at Exclusively Weddings. Both offer discounts for first time orders. Third, family and friends willing to pitch in and help!!

Mine! I suggest making a priority list first. Then you can splurge on your top ones, and scrimp on your bottom ones. I wanted a nice venue with good food/ some alcohol, so we splurged for that. Everything else I researched to death! Found an awesome dj for $500 and an amazing photography package for $890, etc. It definitely can be done, and you have plenty of time to get what you want for the price you want!!

I'm getting married at marina village by sea world. It was a inexpensive rental site. You can bring your own food and booze. It's all DIY. I'm using affordable weddings.com for linens. A inexpensive cupcake guy. You can sooo do it for cheap. A friends doing flowers.

Right here my budget was between 3-5 when I started planning two years ago. Things have gone up extensively just in the two years I ave been planning. may I ask what part of Southern california your in or PM me I might have some great referrals for you. Right now I am at about 6500 and here's the breakdown:

Dress, veil and undergarments (although i included it in the $6500 total it was a gift from my MIL)

Venue 3000 even includes appetizers, entree, cake, martinellies toast, venue for 4 hours, all linens, china, flatware, waitstaff, set up, tear down, sound equipment this is for both ceremony and reception.

Flowers: $777 and some change bride bouquet, grooms bout, MOH bouquet, BM bouquet, Jr BM Bouquet, groomsman bout, ringbeaer bout, flowergirl basket with petals, extra petals for the reception tables and aisle, two small alter sprays, 2 small arrangements for the guestbook table and In Memory table, 6 centerpeices and cake flowers.

Photographer $500 four hours of coverage, engagement

Session, guestbook photo album they can sign, print release, unlimited editing and all images on CD.

Decor: Kind of been buying as I go but I'd say so far maybe $200 mason jars, lace, pearls, old vintage books, old vintage typewriter, glass milk jars etc.

Cake: Included in venue cost or purchase on my own for $250.00

No DJ: Venue doesn't allow dancing only first dance as husband and wife that will be on CD, ceremony music performed by family on cello and piano.

Favors $60.00, STD"s and invites $60 I am only having 50 guests.