r/budgetweddings

Hello! I am getting married next month and doing a reception on a different day. I was hoping if anyone could look over this list and give me any advice or answer some of my questions! I plan to spend less than $5000 in total.

Ceremony: city hall, few friends including one with a nice camera 😂 this is how we plan to save the most money. I realized that between flowers, helping wedding party with costs of dresses/etc, we’d be spending most of our money with the ceremony and we’d prefer a private ceremony.

Reception: venue will be your typical function hall with a bar, very lowkey, formal/semi-formal dress code.

Flowers: not sure if I should even bother? I feel like I could just do centerpieces with fake flowers, and maybe do a real bouquet for photos. I don’t have a wedding party so I don’t need to get a bunch right? 😅

DJ: covered

Photographer: i think covered? A lot of my vendors are people I know in real life 😂 thankfully I have a few options for photos. So I’m not worried about this either.

Catering: covered

Wedding cake: i would LOVE cake recommendations. I’m down for a Sam’s Club white sheet cake with some Amazon cake toppers. If anyone has tried that one let me know if it was good, or recommend another one! I care more about quality rather than something fancy.

Dress alterations: probably gotta get it altered. I really don’t know how much that’s going to cost me!

If I’m missing anything please comment!! 🙏🏻 I really truly would appreciate any insight. This is all brand new to me and we also don’t have a ton of money to spend so any cost saving tips would be great! 💕TIA

For wedding decor, I’m thinking of just getting some bouquets from either Costco or Trader Joe’s and then we have a bunch of small vases from vintage and thrift stores. Anyone have any luck with using Costco or TJ flowers in this way? Any advice?

We are budget and idk yet if we will have any contributions or help but I need recommendations for venues to check out.

We are in PA and have family in fl and are looking anywhere between PA and Florida including Carolinas.

Venue dreams: black iron greenhouse for reception dream wedding venue westwynd gardens
Vibes: Think around Christmas or new yrs with night reception. Warm glowing lights. Christmas trees, greenery and dancing. Fire pit outside for smokers and smores , hot chocolate. Guests get a take home bag of pizzelles sprinkled in powder sugar or fresh apple cider donuts and maybe a funky thrifted hot chocolate mug.

Think Gilmore girls Lorelai wedding but a lil more formal

Decor includes a Christmas tree full of ornaments from every place we’ve traveled collected over the yrs.

Music could be playlist with a friend djing or dj. Or band. Who cares not important. Open bar.
Dress code: definitely dress up. I love dresses. Formal preferred. Idc about food. That’s fiancés problem.

Guest list: guessing 100
Where can I do this without spending an arm and a leg? May still go check out westwynd gardens just to see.

Hello I'm wanting to ask from other egaged/married couples on this. My friendship group we have been/will be eachothers bridesmaids. Known eachother since we where little so we have no shame voicing our opinions. When my friend lets call her Emma got married we paid for our BM dresses. Emma paid for makeup,hair. I was okay with it cause weddings are not cheap. Now its my tern to get married and my friend lets call her Pheobe. Keeps saying 'we should not have to pay for our dresses'

I know some may ask brides to pay for dresses to save o. Buget and off course my freinds will have the final say. If I ask them to pay they get to choose

If you asked your brides to pay for their dresses how did you go about it and where they upset?

To provide more contenxt for emmas wedding I chewed through savings for her bacherlotte/hotel stays and brides maid dress. (I would do it all over again in a heart beat she is like a sister to me and i only get to do that once and so glad i did. I earnt that money back ans bad a blast)

Is it awful to invite people to a very casual reception BBQ and ask them to bring their own booze and protein?

Like ill have sides snacks and dessert they just have to bring whatever they want for their main item. Like steaks or chicken or ribs or burgers or hot dogs.

There will be several BBQs and a kitchen available for their cooking needs.

As for the drinks we will have water, pops, and some juice that people can just drink or use as mix for whatever alcohol they bring.

This is more party than reception , there will be no speeches or dance floor. Just games a fire and friends and family.

There will be like 30 people ish.

Thanks

Hi! to save money we were thinking of doing wedding flowers through Costco, that or faux, and i was wondering if people could share their experiences with it! Specifically we would probably order one of the wedding collections, using the bouquets etc as normal and deconstruct the centerpieces to fill bud vases on the tables? Not sure if this is a good idea or not and would love to hear people’s thoughts!

Hi all! I got engaged recently. Trying to find venues that will accommadate max 100-150 people (closer to 100 realistically). Trying to plan an interfaith wedding so want two ceremonies (Hindu ceremony, Western/Christian vows, and a joint reception after) so trying to find affordable venues that let us celebrate Friday-Sunday or Saturday+Sunday.
Total budget is 25-30k for now (i know not a lot!!) but just trying to see what will be feasible.

Open to estates, banquet halls, hotels, barns, lodges, etc anywhere in the US. I think given that total budget, if we put maybe upto 5-7k toward a weekend long venue, we will be able to put the rest toward food, music, etc.

i have a feeling if we find a venue that offers guests lodging, that maybe ideal if we are trying to do multiple ceremonies with outfit changes etc

Would love to get any and all advice <3