Very tight budget

Location?

Have you considered a courthouse wedding or eloping?

What's your budget?

I'd start reaching out to venues. Some might be running specials to fill last minute dates, but that's a long shot to have "your" date match up exactly. You could also check with restaurants.

Ideally, you need to set a budget, figure out your number of guests, then you find a venue that fits both. You don't have a date locked in until you have a signed contract in hand.

Yes I wanted a courthouse wedding but the in-laws did not agree. I'm trying to keep in mind this is their son, so I have to budge a little.

No set budget. Just can't afford much

We're thinking of having the wedding at a park but I'm not sure where to even start or how it works.

You have to set some sort of budget or you'll end up overspending

Talk to the parks and Rec department in the city that the park is in. Some parks/beaches are free or very cheap to rent out. DIY a lot of stuff. Watch and wait for sales on wedding related things to make it romantic. (I.e. Tulle/Christmas lights) save some glass jars and spray paint the lids in a color of the wedding etc.

Honestly, if you are trying to spend very little cut the guest list down to immediate family only (sibling, parents, and any of your own children) the uncle/officiant and their spouse. Consider a small park ceremony that has a pavilion or some sort of covered structured. Afterwards, take them out for dinner and drinks at a restaurant.

ETA: We had priced this option out before choosing to go our route and it was $860 ($100 park rental, $400 for 2-hour open bar, salad, and choice of entrees from an Italian restaurant for 8 guests including tip, $100 for a dress, $100 for both rings, $60 for marriage license, and $100 officiant fee)

I would also recommend a courthouse wedding, get a photographer, few guests n out to a restaurant afterwards. Or elope n short honeymoon somewhere.

If you are set on a park type reception...figure out how you are going to pay for the site/food/drinks...as this will be at least 50% of your budget.

Well you can't host 40 guests for NO money. You have to feed them something after the ceremony. The most cost effective option is a cake and punch reception in the afternoon, at a non-meal time. Keep it very short - 2-4pm for ceremony and reception. A park with a covered space / pavilion would likely be the least expensive venue option.

Little or no money? No. Even your wedding licence is going to cost a lil bit. You can have a low cost wedding. One of my friends had a park wedding. $100 for 2 hours at a beautiful city park with lake background. Rented some chairs and an arch...costco flowers. Reception was in a private dining area in a great italian restaurant. Wine was flowing. All in all under 5k for approx 40 people and it was a great time.

Courthouse weddings can be really pretty!

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_59cad1e0e4b05063fe0d9fe1

We had an extremely small wedding only 4 guests. We got married in the same park that he proposed in, it was free. The only expense for the ceremony was the officiant my bouquet and our clothing. We then went to lunch at my favorite italian restaurant. We also ordered a very small wedding cake well because we like cake. Everything was less than $500 and our day was amazing. I wouldn't trade it for a $50,000 wedding. This is where we got married

Hi date twin!

I second the option mentioned by pp's on having a restaurant reception. It's a very affordable way of hosting people for your wedding day. We are doing a restaurant reception with 26 guests. There's no room charge for the private room at our restaurant however there is a food/drink minimum. Ours is $1000.00 not including gratuity. We are being given 4 hours use of the private room. We are having a served dinner with a cocktail hour. Open bar so guests can order any drink(s) they want.

I thought of a park wedding but with it being early April I know it may still be cold or rainy here in PA. However parks are a very inexpensive option for a small wedding ceremony. Courthouse weddings can be romantic and very affordable too. I know you want to keep the in laws happy, but if you want a courthouse wedding then go for it.

Also, you absolutely gotta set a budget!

My friend did a restaurant brunch buffet wedding and it was lovely. They had the whole place since they normally aren't open for brunch and they were able to have the ceremony there as well. They had about 50 people, their friend was the officiant, she and her adult daughters each held a rose, music on iPod, bar served wine, beer, mimosas and bloody marys, soft drinks and coffee/tea. Food was buffet and all the basic brunch foods: pancakes, eggs, French toast, waffles, potatoes, fruit, breakfast pastries, salad, salmon, bagels, light chicken dish. Cake for dessert. Everything ran about 4k.

So, my husband and I had two weddings. We were planning a pretty large wedding for May 27. Then we found out his dad's cancer was quite serious, and we didn't know how much time he had. His doctors advised us to move it up. We frantically planned a smaller wedding for April 1.

We had seven guests (my two siblings, his sister, and our parents). We hired an officiant and photographer for around $400, and we got about 1.5 hours of photography and our ceremony, beautifully personalized for us. My dress was $60 on Poshmark (my original dress was getting alterations and wouldn't have been ready). We bought FH a suit that he wore again for our May 27 "wedding." We held our ceremony in an art gallery at a public library (the space was free to use). Then we all had a great dinner afterward! We reserved a small private room at a restaurant, and the booze and laughter flowed. It was absolutely beautiful.

It's tricky to pin down how much it actually cost, because some items like my veil, bouquet, rings, etc. had already been purchased. I'd put it well under $2k.

I loved that day just as much as our large wedding--which by the way, his father was able to attend. If you can find a great officiant and photographer (seriously, the pros we hired were so fabulous, and it would not have happened without them), a beautiful place to do it, and some great food for after, you'll be just fine.

I second the PP who suggested a restaurant brunch. Perhaps you can find one with a pretty outdoor setting for the ceremony and then brunch. I would look at any other day but Saturday to save funds. Do not do a bridal party, those expenses add up faster than you think and your friends will be happy to be guests. I would also skip the rehearsal as you don't really need to rehearse and then you avoid that meal.

Check with your local park rules. We contacted a local officiant who has a "Short and Sweet" package - 8 guests, local park, $75. Then take your guests out to brunch/lunch/dinner.

You do need to have a budget. Just saying "as little as possible" is too vague. I would say rent a park pavilion and have a picnic theme. You can get catering from a sandwich place.

Our smallest wedding ceremony is 155; we do a beautiful, short ceremony and it in a gorgeous local park, designed by the man who designed Central park. A vast majority of these weddings are under six guests (we can do up to 20 there, but it costs a little more....)

Then we recommend several restaurants that have private rooms for lunch.

That is as little $$ as possible besides going to a dusty courtroom on a Tuesday afternoon after traffic court, generally on a day you don't pick. In NJ, very few courts even do weddings any more.

Here's the bottom line. If you have little to no money, you can't throw a party for 40 guests and if his parents have a bug about this, then they can cough up a check. Sorry.

Look into parks, but realize that in April? Anything can happen, weather wise. The last big late snow I remember here (in NJ) was actually on April 7th. Go figure.

But figure out a budget, cut everyone except your immediate family and cut some of the stress on youself.

I agree with @Celia, if all you can afford is a Courthouse wedding and lunch/dinner after, then that is all you can afford. If your ILs have an issue with that then they can contribute so you can have a bigger party. Yes this is their son but this is also his wedding, if he is agreeable to a Courthouse wedding then his parent's opinions are moot.