Venues on a Budget?

Those four places are all going to have wildly different budget constraints.

I think your best bet is to figure out what you want, and then see what's available in each state. Try using the Cost Calculator under the "Planning Tools" tab, above, as well as the Venue search here on WW and also over the Knot.

I’m a Texas bride, but in my research didn’t find anywhere that you could do a wedding on a $5k budget unless you rented a historic hall without a/c ($500/day). Most of the venues I looked at were at least $5K to rent. I’m in the west Houston area.

For 5K, have you ever considered renting an Airbnb house/mansion for the day? I bet you can get a really great piece of property for 1K for just the day. You definitely definitely definitely definitely want to discuss your intentions with the landlords, but that way you would still have 4K left over for things like food and decoration. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many venues that will be able to accommodate a budget on 5K and for you to be able to feed your guests and pay for all other services etc. so renting a beautiful house with great property might be the best way to go

I live close to DC and can tell you that no, DC is definitely out for a $5,000 budget unfortunately. You can’t even get a venue for less than $3,500-4,000 here which is super hard on us too. Good luck though!!

Chapel Dulcinea in Austin is free!

Chapel Dulcinea in Austin is free!

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I would second this idea especially if it's a smaller wedding. Peerspace and Giggster are also places you could look - they are basically the airbnb of venues

I'm getting married at a local botanical garden — only $1950! Maybe something like that, or a park nearby?

A local park sounds like your best bet. Plus you can bring in your own caterer. Their event facilities will have a kitchen and tables and chairs included. Or take a look at eventective.com for venues that allow you to bring in outside catering. Those do not have the required 5figure surprise catering minimum tacked on that an all inclusive will charge.

I’m getting married in a government-owned ranch that has a grassy area with a beautiful view and it’s only $500. They offer weddings, but don’t specialize in them, so it’s a very reasonable cost. I would suggest looking for a place like this, where it’s not really meant to be a wedding venue!

What about a private garden or vacation rental? Some vacation rentals can accommodate small events, and a garden kind of has the same outdoor/casual vibe and nature aesthetic of a barn or beach but without being quite as commonplace.

Alternatively maybe consider a winery, arboretum, zoo, public park, or some other non traditional wedding venue. You have a lot of options with a smaller group, but will likely have better luck searching for venues that cater to corporate functions, family reunions, etc vs looking at places that advertise themselves as wedding venues. Wedding venues will all cost more and be designed to accommodate much larger groups.

Some places offer pop up wedding for usually around 50 or under, but some do it for around 200 people or under. We did the smallest package with an outdoor wedding and indoor reception. They hire the officiant, the cake, the coordinator and they decorate. 1200 total with clean up fee. We can add food for 13 a plate for as few people as we want, we can add liquor for as low as $200. It's a very pretty place right outside of our metro area. I had never heard of pop up weddings before, but I love that I came across it!

I'd do a public park and very casual catering, or have a restaurant reception. You'll need to find a venue that is naturally scenic so you can do minimum decor to meet your vision. "Blank slate" venues such as conference halls tend to be cheaper.


5k is the cost of many venues or dresses, to put it in perspective. Having it on a Friday will often get your discounts or a lower minimum.