Weddingbee boards

I tried to save money as much as I could.  I couldn't avoid spending less then half of my budget on the venue which included all food and drink and location.  That was the biggest cost.  I made everything I could.  I also shopped the entire year before my wedding for sales and really made out well at Michael's.

Here is the breakdown....

Dress: $300 (online-designer replica)

Tux: Free with groomsman's tux rental

Jewelry and veil & shoes: Free- borrowed and used stuff I had

Hair and Makeup: Free (had a friend who is a stylist do it)

Ceremony fee: $300 (at hotel same as reception)

Reception: $5,000 ( hotel venue:included plated dinner, apps, & drinks (beer, wine, soda and coffee bar for 100 people)

Invitations: $105 (for including postage for 150 invites - invites purchased on sale at Michael's)

Celebrant: $300 (she ran the rehearsal and wrote our ceremony just for us)

Centerpieces: $50.00 (wreaths bought on sale with ribbon) The hurricane candles were borrowed from the venue for free)

Ceremony Decor: $75.00 (all bought on sale from Michael's)

Table Numbers:$5.00 (made and put together myself - just the cost of paper)

Place Cards: $20.00 (made myself - cost of paper and decorative flowers)

 Pro Photographer: $500.00 (only had him for 4 hours (he is a friend) 

Cupcakes: $400 (125 cupcakes for 100 guests)

DJ: $400.00 (5 hours of music)

Ceremony music: $300 (string duo)

Gifts to parents and wedding party: $300.00

Tips for vendors: $100.00

Wedding Bands: $300 (for both - he got a simple steel band)

Flowers: $260.00(ordered bulk flowers online and made all bouquets and bouts myself)

Favors: $200.00 (bought candy in bulk and filled little boxes with them(boxes bought on clearance from Michael's)

Programs: $50.00 (made myself -cost of paper and ribbon)

Total: $8,965.00

Wow you came in under budget. Way to Go!

Here is a link to view photos from my wedding

http://gallery.me.com/jmdietrich#100062

Wow! That's inspiring! I'm also trying to plan a wedding for $10,000. Good to know it's possible. 

You did a great job!!!!

looks like a million dollar wedding to me!!! Great job!! :-)

Thanks!!  I was so happy to be under budget!  It wasn't hard to do with a lot of DIY and searching for coupons and sales.. :)

My Venue was the Holiday Inn Select Downtown St louis.  I have both good and bad things to say about them... but over all good.

Good:  they are willing to work with almost any budget and Lisa (banquet organizer) was a HUGE help and very good to work with. They just re-did the entire banquet halls so everything is NEW!

Bad: hotel rooms had some issues (but it was also in the middle of being renovated durring the time of my wedding -which they said it would be done months before my wedding)  Do a taste test for the food... we didn't really like about half the things we tasted.. but in the end we found something we liked.