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It really depends on your venue, vendors, etc. If you're willing to dramatically sacrifice certain things (photos, dress, etc) then I think it's possible. Otherwise, I'd cut back. 350+ is A LOT and on a budget like $20,000, you're going to have to cut corners in a lot of places, to the point where I'd worry that no one will be happy.
It's possible, but get creative--can you do the bar yourself? Can you have a backyard wedding? Does your church/work/any other association have tables and chairs that you could borrow? Make your invites really simple, do email STDs, skip programs. You could skip favors too. Do a cocktail reception and only provide tables for about 60-70% of the people, and have some other seating (does anyone you know have benches? Cool ottomans? Matching sofas?) available. Do a signature cocktail. Choose a venue that's beautiful so you don't need a lot of decor.
Phew, that was quite a mouthful!
Yes! I think it's possible. We're have 250 guests for under 15k. Have you thought about making it a cocktail reception rather than seated meal? We're doing wine and cheese, so that's cutting the cost significantly. Our biggest budget item is actually renting the Chiavari chairs. Because we're doing apps instead of a seated meal, we don't have to have as many rentals for every guest to have a seat. Also, we're using a DJ instead of a band.
I totally understand not wanting to trim the guest list. I feel like 250 is bare bare bones for us. However, I REALLY think you can do this for under 20k. Also, what are you doing for favors? You can either nix the idea completely (no one will notice, you'll have a bunch leftover anyway) or use something you already have. For example, since ours is a wine & cheese thing, my family has an overabundance of saved wine corks. I'm DIYing a little message on each one and sticking a photo of us with our new address in each cork like a picture frame. It sounds complicated, it's not. And all it costs is the printing of the picture & address thingy.
I hope that helps!
I agree that it totally depends on your priorities. Here the average wedding is about $28 for 150 people, but i'm in a major city and Saturday is a hot day. That being said, it depends what month you're getting married in and I agree, you will have to get super creative with your menu and remaining vendors. If you have the ability to expand your budget, you may want to do so...even if it's just a little bit.
I think its possible but like others have said, you might need to seriously adjust some things. I don't know that it is possible to have a more traditional / formal wedding (sit down dinner, open bar, lots of flowers) on your budget with your guest list, without going insane. Can you scale back the bar a lot? Can you look into a more out-of-the-box venue? Can you get someone to be a "iPod DJ" instead of hiring a DJ? Things like that can take a chunk out of your budget but require some open-minded thinking. Good luck!
250...I think we'll end up in the 150 range but doing it for $13-15k. I am doing it right outside of a major city so I'm getting a phenomenal deal on the reception and catering and I'm lucky my cousin is a pastry chef at the ritz carlton in CA and she'll be doing my cake. FI parents are paying for the rehearsal dinner and flowers. Mom and dad said, do what I gotta do and they'll find a way to make it happen. Only problem is that my mom and dad just started building their retirement home and my brother is also getting married only 5 months before me and they're going to help him as well. Oh yeah and my younger twin sisters just had a $20k sweet sixteen soiree. I really don't want to be a financial burden so I'm trying to pay for most of it myself and just asking them for like $5k total. My dad is in real estate and its just not the best of times. We can do it, its totally doable, it just takes tons of creativity and LOTS of negotiating.
Well, it wasn't a big wedding, but we did give my daughter all she wanted, and then some, on a fairly small budget. There were only 65 people, and we spent less than $6,000.
They wanted an outside wedding, barn,etc. I looked for non-traditional venues. (There are several vineyards that cost $2500-4000. just to rent for the day, and nothing else is included). They chose one of several venues I found; a small vineyard/winery that charged $20per adult for a bottle of wine, with free use of the place! They recommended a wonderful caterer that charged $14.00pp. We were required to set up before noon, and the wedding was at 5pm, so we basically had the place all day-and people left @ 10pm. Priorities were "3 layers of satin on the tables, and all matching glass and regular tableware. I did a huge amount of comparison shopping. Clear glass dishes-Martha Stewart everyday-from KMart-dinner and salad plates $200.00, Wine glasses were purchased from IKEA about $60.00 Glass coffee cups and tableware from Craigslist sales-$140.00. I paid $200.00 for 5 BM dresses BNWT on Craigslist. We ended up renting chairs, tables, and tablecloths$400.00 Satin overlays and sash runners from online site were about $200.00, which included the napkins we made from some overlays. Seven dozen flowers from a farm for $70.00 They made their own invitations for pennies a piece-tied with bunch of raffia from DollarTree, (also used to tie tulle circles with Lindt chocolate favors, and around mason jar vase centerpieces)-cost of 8 jars from Goodwill was less than $2.00 We hired an up and coming photographer they found for $400.00, and got a huge discount from a fabulous DJ because he was friends of a friend! We got candles at a craft store, and loads of clear marbles $16.00. Clear cake plates and plastic forks for serving cake-$8.00 Her purse, veil and jewelry came from weddingbee classified or ebay. Cake was made by a friend, and was decorated with flowers, and champagne grapes, plus ribbon for bouquets from costco. Another $260.00 was spent on beverage jar, buckets, ice and crystal cut canning jars for beverages, plus additional drinks. Two wedding gowns cost $800.00 total. Several items have been resold. And we have an $800.00 credit for wine for gifts and all the family picnics we want to have this year!!!
Well, we're having 700 guests at $23K, so anything is possible ;) Honestly, I think you've factored in the costs that depend on the amount of people, and what you have left are fixed costs, like the photographer, the dress, etc. It just depends on what you can find to fit in that price range. For centerpieces and things like that, just haunt the boards for good money saving ideas, and I think you can do it. Like, I just found out that Dollar Tree sells 7" tall cylinder vases for $1 apiece, which saves you about $9 from renting it. Things like that are what will help you stay in your budget. Also, I've bought a ton of stuff from ebay for my wedding at way below what it would cost at Joann's or Michael's.
i think anything is possible if you're willing to sacrifice on certain "big ticket items" like photo, dress and flowers. can you cut the guest list by even a little? 50ppl off the list would give you another $2k+ more breathing room.
We are having 250 guests at our wedding for under $8000. But we got a lot of great deals. Our church just built a new Worship Center and Fellowship Hall that we get to use for free for our venue, I found my dress for $350, we're doing our own catering and freezing it beforehand so that church ladies can warm it up the morning of, etc... The other posters are right, anything is possible!
Don't worry, we are in the exact same situation! My fiancé and I are both from huge families...our guest is currently almost 400 (expecting 325-350 and still cutting out a lot of people), and we are aiming for spending $18,000. It can definitely get frustrating reading all the advice for budget weddings with only small guest lists, but we have to stay positive! We chose a less fancy venue with great packages, because to us it was more important to have everyone we loved at the wedding than chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and steak with lobster. Just do what is important to you and your fiancé, focus on the actual marriage that is starting, and it will all work out...it's great practice for budgeting during marriage!
Same here, our list is just over 400... We're hoping we'll have about 325 show up. Our budget is $35000 max max max $40000. We're wondering if itcan happen. We're trying to plan a formal wedding. All its been so far is a church, a venue, and calling on quotes for caterers, decor, bar, service, dont forget BM dresses (hopefully I can have a few) and GM (again, hoping) my dress, his tux, flowers....gifts if we have a bridal party, gifts for oour guests...well, you all know how the list goes on, and on, and on...
Like mentioned in other posts, its all about sacrifice.
What kind of a wedding do you want? What are you expectations?
We are having a 150+ wedding on a $3,000. Yes you heard right, $3,000 budget! Talk about small!!! And our reception is taking place on Lake Michigan. Its crazy but whenever the word "Wedding" comes up the price is jacked. I have been the most creative person ever to pull of this wedding but Its coming along beautifully!
Get help from whoever and be creative. You wont have a problem what so ever with a 20k budget! You might just have to lower your expectations a little. Dont worry at the end of the day, you'll be married to the reason that you even spent 20 thousand dollars in one day! And thats a pretty special person!!!=)
Do you really need 350 people there?
Seems like you could have a much nicer wedding if you trimmed down the list.
this is about you getting the wedding of your dreams right?
Not about feeding adn catering to 350 people...
If you need to HUGE wedding then you will get what you want in numbers and not in quality.
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So my wedding budget isnt exactly tiny, Im hoping to stay around 20k. But we are inviting over 350 people (on a Saturday evening). Bsically the reception food/drinks is over 75% of my budget leaving 5k for EVERYTHING else. Im starting to feel like its more and more impossible even if I go the DIY route on everything.
I dont want to cut the guest list any further, and I want the wedding on a saturday night.
Anyone think this is possible or should I expand my budget?