Wedding / reception budget under $1000

What are your colors going to be Lydia? My wedding is in 3 weeks so I can pass my candles and centerpieces onto you, if you have black, red, white, with touches of sliver and glitter.

Congradulations first off, Secondly I personally have an $800 buget out side of any help my family may offer and about a month left til my big day. Best advice is take advantage of help. If your local church will allow you to have the ceremony at a low rate or even free go with that. My parents live on the lake so we are having the ceremony at their home and the reception at the church gym. My dress we got from davids bridal and it was only $400 but my mother bought it. If your family will put forth any help take full advantage of it. My family has decided to cook for the reception and our guest list is pushing 130. I agree with your idea about using fake flowers other than your bouquet, they can be just as nice for a lower price.

I am doing my own wedding and I am also on a strict budget. Luckily my dad is getting my dress for me so that cuts down onthe price for me. I know prices change with location but if you search you can do it. I live in KCMO and I found a place that I could do our ceremony/reception including food all for about $600 dollars. Also consider the day monday-thursday are a lot cheaper then friday-saturday. you have alsopicked aperfect time of the year because venues are often cheaper at this time also. I am also doing alot of DIY any who GOOD LUCK and its most definatly doable

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@Cori: If Lydia doesnt want them, ill definitely take them! Those are my colors and i havent decided on my centerpiece design yet.

@Lydia: I would suggest a lot of DIY for you. Flowers can be picked out of the wild for free. Buy a dress from Macy's or JC Penney, they are really nice and if you go at a certian time, really cheap. Rings can start out being made of sterling silver, and those can be bought for around $20 on Amazon. Its doable, as long as you are willing to be flexible on your options. Invitations come in a DIY kit from Micheals or Target for $20, or you can design them yourself and print them at Walmart for twelve cents per invite.

Here are a few tips from my DIY Bride blog that may help:

Crazy enough, our local grocery store, Publix & Winn Dixie (southern stores), can cater for large events under $500, less drinks and paper products. Ex: a huge salad with all the fixings, baked chicken, rice and veggies. You just have to pick and set up the food. I know atleast one of the stores didn’t provide food warmers, but you could pick those up at any party store.

Sales, clearance and coupons. If you know you are going to order from a website. Sign up or register with the site and see if they send you a new customer coupon code. And always go down the clearance aisles. You never know what you fill find. EVERY store has one. And not just the wedding aisle. I found my picture frames that I used on the head tables in the Christmas clearance.

Buy regular round cakes and rent or buy the stackers. How much is a round cake at your local baker - $30 or less, right. For under $100 you could buy 3 cakes and the stackers

I think its doable. Just keep in mind too that during the holidays pricing for venues are a lot more. I say have it at your church...wedding and reception. Get family and friends to help if possible. You can make your cake or try Walmart, Sam's club,or Kroger. First make your guest list since you already have your budget. Don't stress it can be done. Good luck!!

Dress off the rack, parents & siblings at your church ceremony, dinner in a restaurant.

@cori that's so sweet, let me ask my fiancée about those colors first , and @everyone I found out I can have the wedding at my church but I can't have the reception... One idea that popped in my head was a habachi grill and buffet place , we love that place and it would only be $12 a head which is do able it's just no dancing .... I'm trying to figure out other ideas for a reception , that has all in one including food for one base price , if anyone know one in south jersey pls tell me. The backyard idea is out the window btw...

I'd say small ceremony and then everyone goes out for lunch afterward

I know here in Michigan places like Coney Island, Pizzeria's, and some Mexican spots have banquet halls you can rent out. Get food and dancing starting at 8.95 per person. If you have those you should check and see.

Alright I will

What about a community center ?

A clubhouse attach to apartment

Current jvl discount code 238893

I have a few suggestions.......

have you looked on the sams club website? there's where I'm getting my flowers from. most of the bulk roses packages run about 1.00 a flower. Can hardly get fake ones for that.

you may have to get a membership, but I think it's worth it in the end. being able to get a load of flowers for less than what a lot of places are charging just for the bouquet.

assuming you can bring in your own food and plates and all:

here's a idea for siverware:

http://www.dollartree.com/SIlver-Look-Plastic-Cutlery/p321360/index.pro

the sku # for them is: 118198

silver trays for a dollar each:

http://www.dollartree.com/Nickel-Plated-Trays/p300407/index.pro?zipCode=80010

both the tray and the siliverware look very nice and are durable.

that's a few ideas I have, I thinks it's some helpful info for some of the things that add up.

Exactly, everything Marilyn said is so true. I'm planning a wedding I don't have a set budget but I know I'm not spending over 1,500 due to I'm having the wedding at my church.....my bridesmaids getting their dresses off eBay......my family caters......my cousin has a hall for my reception........my sister and daughter is doing hair and makeup....my bff is making bouquets and the entire family is pitching in on decorations and they're going to decorate.Its all about taking your time getting help and sticking to your budget I might not use $1,500 I got our wedding ring sets from Zales I paid $154.00 for my entire set and his bed Zales always have a sale. I got my wedding dress from Amazon for $39.99 it looks like I paid a fortune. It's about you that day and what makes you happy. My husband to he friend is a photographer and my best friend husband is the dj.