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J
Just Said Yes April 2016

Wedding budget under $1000! Is this doable?

Jenna, on June 22, 2015 at 11:23 PM Posted in Planning 0 43

Me and my fiancé have to pay for our entire wedding. Both of our families don't have a lot of money so we are trying to make everything work. I have no clue what venue we could get for this price when my budget for the entire wedding is less than $1000. We will have about 75 to 100 people. We just bought a house so money's tight and we also have a 7 month old. I just wish I could afford a nice wedding for the most part places charge at least 50pp and that's way over our budget. i wish I knew someone with a big yard/house I would just get married there! If anyone has any tips or advice that would be great. Thanks so much!

43 Comments

Latest activity by Shannon, on August 31, 2018 at 9:06 AM
  • Rachel
    VIP May 2016
    Rachel ·
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    Honestly, for under $1000, you're going to have to find a very low budget venue (park, friend's backyard), and keep the crowd very, very small, do a cake and punch-type reception, etc. That does not provide much of a way to provide for anything.

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  • StarFromIHJ
    Master August 2016
    StarFromIHJ ·
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    How many people?

    Honestly, I'd put off the wedding to save more.

    ETA, you could also have a lovely, small, restaurant reception for that much.

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  • kahlcara
    Master August 2013
    kahlcara ·
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    It's going to be difficult if you're set on hosting that many people. Maybe do a courthouse wedding and then a cake and punch reception? With a guest list of 100 people, you need to keep total costs under $10/pp, which is REALLY low.

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  • Original VC
    Master July 2015
    Original VC ·
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    $1000 for 75 to 100 people? That means you'd spend $10-$13 per person. Even if you had a free venue, a free officiant and got married on clothes you already own, it still means you'd spend at most $13 per person for food and drinks. I'm sorry, but I think you either need to wait out longer to save more money, or reduce your guest list Smiley sad

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  • Emily O.
    VIP June 2016
    Emily O. ·
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    If you want a nice wedding, which it sounds like you've priced venues and want that, I would put it off. It will be extremely difficult, if not impossible to pull-off. Most djs alone cost $1,000. I agree with @Rachel, if you want to go ahead and do it you will have to cut down your list and do punch and cake style reception.

    ETA- Added more info

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  • AG13
    VIP April 2016
    AG13 ·
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    No. It's not doable for that many people. Go to the court house and plan a vow renewal in 10 years or just wait and save money.

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  • tucker052315
    VIP May 2015
    tucker052315 ·
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    Hire a photographer, get a cheap dress, go to the courthouse, take your parents, siblings, and grandparent to dinner and call it good. Or do a early wedding at a local church and have cake/punch.

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  • Emily
    Master May 2014
    Emily ·
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    Most couples pay for their own weddings now so that's not uncommon or unusual. Parents don't have to contribute, that is an outdated "tradition".

    Anyway, $1000 for 100 people is going to be very challenging. I would suggest waiting longer so you can save more or just go to a nice restaurant with immediate family (20 people or less) after a courthouse wedding.

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  • StarFromIHJ
    Master August 2016
    StarFromIHJ ·
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    I agree with everyone else, save money and push off the money!

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  • Kelli
    Master September 2015
    Kelli ·
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    To be blunt - you can't have a new house, a baby, and a big wedding at the same time. If you really want the wedding then put it out another year. If you just want to be married, I think Tucker has a great idea about just immediate family and dinner at a restaurant.

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  • allysia
    Master April 2016
    allysia ·
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    I'm sorry I just don't see anyway to properly host 100 people for only 1k. I agree with putting it off and saving more but if you don't want to do that then as others have suggested have a courthouse wedding and an intimate dinner afterwards.

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  • Corinne_
    Master September 2016
    Corinne_ ·
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    Do you have any parks nearby? You could get married at the courthouse and throw a big Potluck Picnic / BBQ. Otherwise, I really don't see how $1000 is gonna work out. Our venue alone costs that much and it's a cheap one (it includes all the rentals though).

    I second what other people are suggesting, get married at the courthouse now and have a vow renewal with the whole shebang some years down the line when you managed to save up a bit more.

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  • AlexisM082
    Master February 2016
    AlexisM082 ·
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    Please don't do a potluck. Just wait to get married. BTW, FH and I just bought a house and we're paying for our wedding 100%. 75 people is costing us roughly $18,000. Save the money.... There's always going to be time to get married.

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  • Tina L.
    Expert October 2015
    Tina L. ·
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    Good luck with that ours is 7k for almost 300 his bro is a cateror and is giving us a great deal niece is photographer nephew has printing co n doing our invites got a great deal on venue thru my boss we're lucky he has a big family that does this stuff otherwise we'd put it off another yr

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  • J plus C
    Devoted June 2017
    J plus C ·
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    I'd just wait. We have a two year engagement, because we have two kids, a new condo, and I don't want to stress about money.

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  • OMW
    Master August 2013
    OMW ·
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    I'd get an extra job and earn as much money between now and then to make up some extra. 1k is way too low. You're looking at a courthouse wedding and cake and punch at someone's house. That could be nice, but with the cost of the certificate, the officiant, your dress, etc. 1k is simply not that realistic.

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  • Ariella
    Super February 2016
    Ariella ·
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    Save the money until you can have the wedding you want. Why rush? If you set on getting married now you need to drastically cut your guest list down. An officiant is going to cost you a couple hundred alone. You'll see how costs are going to add up. Our original budget is not what it is now.

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  • JamieLynn
    Master June 2016
    JamieLynn ·
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    Most of us here are also paying for our own weddings. My FH and I decided to five ourselves time to save, 1.5 year engagement- so we could have the wedding we envisioned. I can't vision hosting that many guests properly for $1000. Please reconsider and wait awhile.

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  • OGSue
    Master August 2016
    OGSue ·
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    I agree with the others, 75-100 people is difficult to do a wedding with that budget. Your best bet is to just grab your family and maybe a handful of friends and go to the courthouse, and then to a restaurant, or just put that money towards something else and get married at the courthouse and when you have more income have a vow renewal ceremony and reception. Or like others have suggested wait and save for the wedding that you want (that's what FH and I are doing, we are having a 2 year engagement just so we can save).

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  • OG Kathryn
    Champion May 2016
    OG Kathryn ·
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    Id wait and save money. Theres no rush right?

    enjoy your engagement for another year. youll be married for the rest of your life!

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