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Lorel
Beginner October 2020

Wedding blues

Lorel, on September 12, 2019 at 10:15 AM Posted in Planning 2 34
For brides that are on a SUPER tight budget, how did you manage to make your wedding happen. I just want to throw in the towel and just go to the court house. I REALLY don’t want to. I’d love to have a ceremony and reception and celebrate with everyone. It just seems so impossible. I already have my dress, I can make my flowers myself, and most of the decorations I will do. For the actual venue I can’t find anything affordable!! That includes the food and drinks! I’m so stressed!! We can only really afford MAYBE $5,000 for everything! (Venue, food, drinks, dj). I just want to give up and cry.

34 Comments

Latest activity by Nichole, on September 14, 2024 at 6:46 AM
  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
    Yam ·
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    Tons of budget brides are on here hun! Myself included. $5000 is a good budget for a smaller guest list like 50, how many guests are you having?
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  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
    Yam ·
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    If you’re comfortable posting the city you’re interested in I could give it a shot. I’m just sick in bed, not like I have anything going on!
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  • Amber
    Master February 2020
    Amber ·
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    I'm sorry you're having such a stressful time with your planning, but thankfully you have a lot of time to do some research on ways to cut costs here and there.

    A big thing to consider on a budget is having your wedding on a weekday, that generally makes the price lower for vendors. If you have to have your wedding on the weekend, I suggest finding a free venue to cut costs drastically. A public park or beach maybe!

    Other than that, having your wedding at a time between meals will make it easier to afford food and drinks. For a brunch wedding, you could serve very minimal alcohol (maybe just mimosas or something like that) with light appetizers instead of a sit down meal Smiley smile Hope this helps!

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  • Amber
    Master February 2020
    Amber ·
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    Also making the flowers and décor yourself like you mentioned is a HUGE money saver. We plan on doing the same! Artificial flowers have always been my plan since day one of planning.

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  • Lorel
    Beginner October 2020
    Lorel ·
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    We have 62 people on the list, of course we are expecting that number to drop since we are planning a weekday wedding. We are in Aberdeen,MD! Thank you so much! I really appreciate any help!
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  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
    Yam ·
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    You’ll save SO much money for a weekday wedding! Mine’s on a Wednesday and all these pros were more willing to work in my sad budget because no brides were competing for that day.
    I’ll see what I can find!
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  • Mrs. Bubba
    VIP September 2019
    Mrs. Bubba ·
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    Hi there!

    What do you need help with?

    Planning, purchasing, execution of your plans?
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  • Erin
    VIP September 2023
    Erin ·
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    When I thought I was going to have to do my wedding on a small budget I did a lot of researching. I found a city park that was nice looking (but public) that would have cost $100/hr for the venue, I had planned to just do hot dogs and hamburger for food, make my own cupcakes instead of a full cake, music on an iPod or computer with rented speakers instead of a DJ, splurge on the dress, fake flowers instead of real, no favors (or favors that can also double as decor for the wedding), disposable plates and utensils, etc... it’s possible to have a nice gathering with family and friends on a tight budget, it just might not be the big white wedding that you grew up expecting to have, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Best of luck to you Smiley smile
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  • Keri
    Expert November 2019
    Keri ·
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    I'd look into restaurants with a banquet/private room that can accommodate 50-60 people!

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  • Lorel
    Beginner October 2020
    Lorel ·
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    All of the above LOL!!
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  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
    Yam ·
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    Http://labanquedefleuve.com/facilities/banquet-facility/ Special weekday rate of $325 an hour, they do ceremonies and receptions
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  • Samantha
    VIP October 2020
    Samantha ·
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    $5000 is a perfectly reasonable budget for an intimate wedding. If you look at free or reduced costs venues, make the decor yourself, and set up an ipod and speakers for music, you can dedicate the majority of your budget to food and a photographer. You could also look into local colleges and see about music or photography students or professors, they tend to be less expensive than full-time professionals, but are incredibly talented. There are tons of sites you can buy a used dress (stillwhite, poshmark, Facebook marketplace). Just think about what you want to prioritize, there are a million ways to cut corners in other categories.

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  • Samantha
    VIP October 2020
    Samantha ·
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    I'd also recommend The Budget-Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer by Jessica Bishop. It helps you prioritize aspects of your wedding and track your budget. I've found it really useful.

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  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
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    Https://www.thecellarbaltimore.com/wedding-event-hall/ $600 for 7 hours weekday rate, not sure if they do ceremonies too
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  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
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  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
    Yam ·
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    Http://dnr.maryland.gov/Publiclands/Pages/wedding-events.aspx And finally a full list of parks/beaches in your state that allow weddings! Always super cheap. I’m a park bride myself.
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  • Kimber
    Devoted June 2020
    Kimber ·
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    Feel better!

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  • Yam
    VIP September 2019
    Yam ·
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    Thank you ❤️
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  • Lorel
    Beginner October 2020
    Lorel ·
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    Can I hire you to plan my wedding please 🤣🤣 you’re so speedy and have helped me so much 😭💕
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  • Ivy ORP
    VIP October 2019
    Ivy ORP ·
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    $5000 is definitely doable. There are so many ways to cut costs and the posters here have all kinds of ideas to help. Catering from a local restaurant is often less expensive, community centers and non-traditional venues also tend to save some money. We cut flowers, but if you can do it yourself inexpensively, go for it. We also don't have a big wedding party so no extra gifts. If you want alcohol but don't want to spend a lot, wine and beer are just fine. We are doing a lot of DIY but made food and the venue a priority, that is where the bulk of our money went. Don't forget to cut what doesn't feel important to you or seems unnecessary like programs, favors, and signs. There are lots of ways to find a dress without breaking the bank too. Reach out when you need advice but you got this!

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