Cutting Wedding Costs

Bekah7482
Bekah7482 Posts: 246 Member
edited November 24 in Chit-Chat
Hey guys, just got engaged and wedding planning is already financially stressing me out. I am actually looking for some real suggestions on cutting wedding costs.

We are planning a small wedding of ~50 people

Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    Elope?
  • heartsaver81
    heartsaver81 Posts: 71 Member
    Hey there. I just got married. We had two small ceremonies in two states and everything was less than $1300. Feel free to shoot me a msg I'd love to answer any questions you have.
  • eccomi_qui
    eccomi_qui Posts: 1,831 Member
    Invite 25 people instead.
    Make it a potluck.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    edited January 2018
    Do your own cake and flowers.
    Don't have a bridal party
    Design simple invites you can print yourself - they don't have to be cheap looking, just not overly fancy. Pick a size that doesn't cost a ridiculous amount to post.
    Simplify the menu
    Have a morning wedding and breakfast/brunch - should be cheaper food, less alcohol, no need for a dj/band
    Look for midweek/winter wedding packages that might be cheaper
    Buy a dress on sale, don't wear a traditional wedding dress, look for second hand/pre loved dresses etc.
  • Bekah7482
    Bekah7482 Posts: 246 Member
    81Katz wrote: »
    Elope?

    I wish, my fiance is dead set on wanting a whole wedding.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    Bekah7482 wrote: »
    81Katz wrote: »
    Elope?

    I wish, my fiance is dead set on wanting a whole wedding.

    Ahh, gotcha. I echo what others said. Try to do as much on your own as you can. Maybe enlist some buddies to help out? Making flower arrangements, invitations, etc.
  • AnnieH_4512
    AnnieH_4512 Posts: 1,422 Member
    eccomi_qui wrote: »
    Invite 25 people instead.
    Make it a potluck.

    More fun this way anyway
  • dwrightlaw
    dwrightlaw Posts: 804 Member
    81Katz wrote: »
    Elope?

    I vote this too
  • Melonpaul
    Melonpaul Posts: 323 Member
    Food: Potluck or order from a deli (usually cheaper than caterers in my area)
    Music: Appoint someone to be a DJ and use Spotify (you can rent speakers from guitar center or some other music store or if you have a karaoke speaker that might work)
    Invitations/Stationary: Design and print your own
    Dress/Accessories: Buy sample dress or things on sale or borrow from others
    Cake: Don't do a traditional wedding cake, do cupcakes or some other dessert you and your fiance like
    Decorations: Borrow, make yourself, buy cheap or buy second hand

    Also, cut out the favors for guests, wedding guests hardly ever take, let alone use wedding favors.
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  • eccomi_qui
    eccomi_qui Posts: 1,831 Member
    TeacupsAndToning wrote: »
    eccomi_qui wrote: »
    There's research to support that the more expensive your wedding is, the least likely you are to have a happy, lasting marriage.

    Be frugal, be happy.

    Gimme da research

    But also, in terms of median wedding costs, I think this bodes well for me

    Like most things, it's not a certainty - just what the data shows. Let me see if I can dig it out, I don't exactly have a bookmarks folder for wedding related websites
  • LiftingRiot
    LiftingRiot Posts: 6,946 Member
    edited January 2018
    90s-couple-natural-born-killers-S7BIw73uDt1sI
  • CaptainFantastic00
    CaptainFantastic00 Posts: 4,619 Member
    Did someone already say don't get married? If not, don't get married
  • eccomi_qui
    eccomi_qui Posts: 1,831 Member
    CaptainFantastic00 wrote: »
    Did someone already say don't get married? If not, don't get married

    What the flip?! All those promises you made to me
  • CaptainFantastic00
    CaptainFantastic00 Posts: 4,619 Member
    EyeLoveCake wrote: »
    Don’t get married.

    Eyy there it is
  • eccomi_qui
    eccomi_qui Posts: 1,831 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    Cream puffs on the buffet but not too many. Guest seating in the garage.

    I thought the cream puffs were reserved for the bride?
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  • KyleGrace8
    KyleGrace8 Posts: 2,205 Member
    Get your dress at the mall for $50 and have the wedding at a relative's house for free. No honeymoon or reception.
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  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Make a budget and decide on things that fit that budget.
    Discuss what is most important to both of you and put your money there. You don't have to have everything to have a nice day.

    When I got married 18 years ago we didn't have money. Dh borrowed a tux from his uncle and I got an off the rack dress for less than $200. We rented the local VFW hall for the ceremony and reception for maybe $100 in early December. Justice of the peace was $100 or so. I made invitations, decorations and the cake. We got sandwiches, veggie trays and stuff. We had about 30 guests at about 1 pm. No attendants. No professional photographer. No dj. No booze supplied by us. It was simple and relaxed and within our very small budget. It didn't win awards for best party. That wasn't really important to us.
  • sportychic87
    sportychic87 Posts: 214 Member
    We managed ours for 5k. Check out your city’s parks and rec, they may have buildings for rent. We rented an entire building for an entire afternoon-evening for $300, it was huge, bright and in a pretty park. Plus, we were allowed to take liquor in.

    Grocers often do catering and ours (Hyvee) was pretty tasty. Look around for decorators, I hired a local floral company to set up and take down $200. Don’t be afraid to ask if a company will do something for you.

    Enlist help; My flowers were Sams Club roses $300 and were great. I arranged my flowers with relatives (mom and sis) and that’s one of my best memories.
    Amateur photographers are cheaper, ours was $300 for ~200 pics.
    Finally, for ceremony, a lot of smaller older churches are cheaper and it’s not always a set denomination. We picked a non denominational old English church...$900 and gorgeous
    And don’t even ask about the rest of the money...it went to my dress! :D
  • Caporegiem
    Caporegiem Posts: 4,297 Member
    If I were you I'd invite 100 people and charge them $50 each, plus a gift, to come to your wedding.
  • sportychic87
    sportychic87 Posts: 214 Member
    Caporegiem wrote: »
    If I were you I'd invite 100 people and charge them $50 each, plus a gift, to come to your wedding.

    Eh, I don’t think that would have gone over well with my in laws though it would have been hilarious! Just add that to the rsvp!
  • Caporegiem
    Caporegiem Posts: 4,297 Member
    sportychic87 wrote: »
    Caporegiem wrote: »
    If I were you I'd invite 100 people and charge them $50 each, plus a gift, to come to your wedding.

    Eh, I don’t think that would have gone over well with my in laws though it would have been hilarious! Just add that to the rsvp!

    It's all about marketing. If you can make them think they're getting more than a regular wedding for their $50 then it's an easy sell. Wouldn't offer a refund policy if I were you.
  • sportychic87
    sportychic87 Posts: 214 Member
    edited January 2018
    Caporegiem wrote: »
    sportychic87 wrote: »
    Caporegiem wrote: »
    If I were you I'd invite 100 people and charge them $50 each, plus a gift, to come to your wedding.

    Eh, I don’t think that would have gone over well with my in laws though it would have been hilarious! Just add that to the rsvp!

    It's all about marketing. If you can make them think they're getting more than a regular wedding for their $50 then it's an easy sell. Wouldn't offer a refund policy if I were you.

    Dang! Shoulda done that!
  • sgtx81
    sgtx81 Posts: 466 Member
    I don't know when your wedding is, but assuming it's later on in the year when it's warmed up some, why not have your wedding on a beach, or near a lake? It's free and it would probably be a nice setting.

    Find a party rental place and rent a few of those long tables and folding chairs for everyone. After the ceremony, everyone can carry their folding chair to the tables. You can find plates at dollar stores for a buck each and glasses and possibly flower vases too if you want flowers on the tables. Walmart has silverware, 4 pieces for like a dollar or so.

    Baked chicken leg quarters, oven roasted potatoes, a mix made with cheap veggies like cabbage and carrots and onions and peppers, some sort of cheesy pasta, a salad made with iceberg lettuce, jello, pudding, cakes, cookies. Foods like those should feed 50 people fairly cheaply if you put in the time to do the cooking.

    Check easy to grow flowers for beginners and grow your own. Pay some high school kid who is doing well in photography class $50 to take wedding pictures for you.

    I saw someone mention renting a vfw hall above, that sounds like a pretty solid idea too. knock out the need to rent the tables and chairs. I don't know what all goes into a wedding, but I hope everything works out for you.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    A theme wedding-- on a beach, you a sundress, him a hawaiin shirt and khakis, sandwiches, fruit punch
    Or a cowboy wedding, use your imagination for a dress, him a cowboy shirt, jeans, sloppy joes, chips, cupcakes.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    As a father with three daughters, I recommend eloping.
  • RastaLousGirl
    RastaLousGirl Posts: 2,119 Member
    We are having a small wedding on the beach next month (about 50 people). We decided not to have a wedding party, so just me and him up there, my best friend is doing my flowers, and I found a wedding planner for that area at a reasonable price. We are having a cake and toast reception at the same spot. Simply Elegant. :) Also, we are having it early in the day.
    I have invited all the guests to join as at a restaurant for dinner, and reserved a room. But, we are still doing all the fun things that you do at weddings actually on the beach: First dance, music, bouquet and garter toss, etc.
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