For the past 2 months I have been planning my wedding with a VERY small budget of $10k that my mom had set aside for us. Unfortunately, just before I put the deposit down on our location, she had to back out due to the stock market crashing and economy going south.
I'm not really sure what to do now. My fiance and I had originally planned to elope, but after so much planning, we are really set on having an actual wedding. We are both already working out of a mountain of debt, so I'm slowly coming around to the idea of trying to put together a nearly-free wedding.
I've already bartered with my wedding day coordinator and invitation printer, so those will be free. Any other suggestions or advice would be GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Wow wish I could have had a free wedding! That would be incredible. Sorry I don't have any words of wisdom as we spent way TOO much on our wedding. I am sure it will be amazing. Bartering is definitely a great system and maybe have the ceremony/reception in someone's backyard. Good luck!
If you are already in debt, I wouldn't add further to it by wedding loans. Can you elope & then have a couple potluck receptions in whatever towns house most of your guests? That way you could still see everyone, and do a minimoon out of the travelling?
Or, put what you need on your website & see if anyone volunteers. If you know someone that was recently married, maybe they will loan you their stuff for free?
Maybe a way to save would have been to create your own invites and not hire a DOC... Thats what my fiance and I had to do! My suggestion is stay minimal and DIY where ever possible! Instead of splurging for a DOC (which believe me, I SWORE I needed) I am creating tasks for various family members to help with. They are all minimal, but will save us a lot of money! Good luck :)
You could always ask a friend with a camera to take the pictures, craigslists always have cheap wedding gowns and wedding bands, ask a talented friend to do the ceremony and reception music...etc...there are many ways around this!
or...
you could always just elope first, then when you have money saved up, throw a proper recpetion with all the pazaa that you originally had wanted!
I feel your pain! Lay offs and economy's down turn makes it harder to save.
Sounds like you are getting a deal for a DOC and invitiations! A recent blog by Miss Meatball introduced the FDIM Scholarship Store for bargain buys, i.e. your wedding dress, accessories, maybe even bridesmaid dresses.
For tuxes, I know Friar Tux, and probably MW, has programs where the groom gets a free tux with so many tux rentals (via the groomsmens).
How big is your guestlist? Trimming the guestlist is always the quickest way to reduce your budget. Maybe you can wed at a public place, like City Hall, where fees are small. Have a friend officiate for cheap!
If you want to DIY flowers, you can go to the flower district. There's a lot of creative ways to save, but it comes with sacrificing certain luxury items. You can make it work!
My boss just got married and her budget was also $10K. She did it!
I think you can do it. You just have to be creative.
You are in Cali right? I had first research eloping. Supposedlyyou can use any park without getting a permit so long as it is less than a certain amount of people (I think ten).
I think if you find a nice lil park- like a quiet secluded beach, or national park... or even recruit a friend who has a nice property- then have everyone do like a potluck- I bet you can do it. Maybe find a family friend who knows someone who knows someone who would be willing to officiate would be neat too.
Consignment shops have wedding dresses sometimes. My friend got her dress for a couple hundred dollars- and it was a pure silk dress.
I was lucky to have some money from my parents, but I still tried to save because the "w" adds $$$. My friends did a wonderful job helping with making favors and simple decorations. Dont' forget all the wonderful bargains you can find for supplies like here on WeddingBee and sites like Craigslist.
I would definitely agree with others that asking friends for help and looking into public facilities can save you a lot. I reserved a gorgeous public space for $150 that everyone loved. Where I grew up, there's a beautiful lawn on a beach cliff that's free but first come, first served. I remember seeing people block off the spot bright and early in the morning for afternoon weddings. Look at lists of city parks and talk to someone at the city offices, they might have some suggestions. If it's in a neighboring city, have a friend reserve it if they charge more to non-residents.
Flowers? DIY and use a wholesale florist online and get flowers in bulk. Order freeze dried rose petals and scatter them about the tables and use candles and natural greenery. Or if you want it even easier, use www.proflowers.com/weddings for a cost effective way to have gorgeous flowers. I went to a wedding where a girl used them. Even for reception. Reasonable wedding stuff can also be found (also party things) at www.orientaltrading.com . I buy party favors for my son's birthday parties there!
I'd seriously consider using a wholesale florist and buy flowers in bulk and freeze dried rose petals in bulk...can scatter those down the aisle and on reception tables and put some simple greenery around some candles on table w/petals. Pretty!
I had a friend also use (nobody knew until she told us) proflowers.com they have a wedding section and you can buy package deals of flowers at a huge discount.
I'm getting married in April in Iowa and our budget is 6K -and we are totally under it!!
I'll tell you how...
Dress on sale from clearence/tag sale Orig 1800.00 got it for 400.00
DIY invites -about 50 bucks for everything at Micheals
Buffet meal - huge price saver. We are having a Feast of Italy buffet, full of pastas, sauces and breads..something fun and different I'm sure our guests will love.
DIY flowers-centerpieces-corsages/bouts
No attendants-another huge money saver-no gifts for all of them, make up, hair, etc.
There are tons of ways to have a fab wedding for a little money!
I think that you boil things down to the very basic and meaningful. Remember that the idea of a wedding is much different than what we tend to do. It's two people dressing in their finest to pledge themselves to each other forever (well, until death). It's their friends and families coming together to celebrate their nuptuals, usually with food and drink. It's toasts and well wishes for the bride and groom, a symbol of eternity to mark the commitment (rings), and something for the bride to carry while she approaches the altar.
Back up a sec and figure out why you were looking forward to a "real" wedding. Were you looking forward to celebrating with your friends and family? Was it the idea of an event to plan (because if that's it, you can throw a big bash when your first child turns one, after all!)? Figure out what was the most important and go from there.
Boil it down to the very basics and deal with that, and if you have money to spare, go from there. Or, like someone else said, you can always have a small civil ceremony (go to a restaurant with your closest people after) and have a bigger reception for your one year anniversary!
Hey Everyone,
For the past 2 months I have been planning my wedding with a VERY small budget of $10k that my mom had set aside for us. Unfortunately, just before I put the deposit down on our location, she had to back out due to the stock market crashing and economy going south.
I'm not really sure what to do now. My fiance and I had originally planned to elope, but after so much planning, we are really set on having an actual wedding. We are both already working out of a mountain of debt, so I'm slowly coming around to the idea of trying to put together a nearly-free wedding.
I've already bartered with my wedding day coordinator and invitation printer, so those will be free. Any other suggestions or advice would be GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Thanks,
Sara
posted by carpepm 1 posts 1 month agoWow wish I could have had a free wedding! That would be incredible. Sorry I don't have any words of wisdom as we spent way TOO much on our wedding. I am sure it will be amazing. Bartering is definitely a great system and maybe have the ceremony/reception in someone's backyard. Good luck!
posted by pinklau325 119 posts 1 month agoIf you are already in debt, I wouldn't add further to it by wedding loans. Can you elope & then have a couple potluck receptions in whatever towns house most of your guests? That way you could still see everyone, and do a minimoon out of the travelling?
Or, put what you need on your website & see if anyone volunteers. If you know someone that was recently married, maybe they will loan you their stuff for free?
posted by cannotwait 214 posts 1 month agoMaybe a way to save would have been to create your own invites and not hire a DOC... Thats what my fiance and I had to do! My suggestion is stay minimal and DIY where ever possible! Instead of splurging for a DOC (which believe me, I SWORE I needed) I am creating tasks for various family members to help with. They are all minimal, but will save us a lot of money! Good luck :)
posted by futuregrado 35 posts 1 month agoYou could always ask a friend with a camera to take the pictures, craigslists always have cheap wedding gowns and wedding bands, ask a talented friend to do the ceremony and reception music...etc...there are many ways around this!
or...
you could always just elope first, then when you have money saved up, throw a proper recpetion with all the pazaa that you originally had wanted!
posted by boogerette 8 posts 1 month agoI feel your pain! Lay offs and economy's down turn makes it harder to save.
Sounds like you are getting a deal for a DOC and invitiations! A recent blog by Miss Meatball introduced the FDIM Scholarship Store for bargain buys, i.e. your wedding dress, accessories, maybe even bridesmaid dresses.
For tuxes, I know Friar Tux, and probably MW, has programs where the groom gets a free tux with so many tux rentals (via the groomsmens).
How big is your guestlist? Trimming the guestlist is always the quickest way to reduce your budget. Maybe you can wed at a public place, like City Hall, where fees are small. Have a friend officiate for cheap!
If you want to DIY flowers, you can go to the flower district. There's a lot of creative ways to save, but it comes with sacrificing certain luxury items. You can make it work!
My boss just got married and her budget was also $10K. She did it!
posted by czrena 19 posts 1 month agoI think you can do it. You just have to be creative.
You are in Cali right? I had first research eloping. Supposedlyyou can use any park without getting a permit so long as it is less than a certain amount of people (I think ten).
I think if you find a nice lil park- like a quiet secluded beach, or national park... or even recruit a friend who has a nice property- then have everyone do like a potluck- I bet you can do it. Maybe find a family friend who knows someone who knows someone who would be willing to officiate would be neat too.
Consignment shops have wedding dresses sometimes. My friend got her dress for a couple hundred dollars- and it was a pure silk dress.
posted by Sparkles 93 posts 1 month agoI was lucky to have some money from my parents, but I still tried to save because the "w" adds $$$. My friends did a wonderful job helping with making favors and simple decorations. Dont' forget all the wonderful bargains you can find for supplies like here on WeddingBee and sites like Craigslist.
I would definitely agree with others that asking friends for help and looking into public facilities can save you a lot. I reserved a gorgeous public space for $150 that everyone loved. Where I grew up, there's a beautiful lawn on a beach cliff that's free but first come, first served. I remember seeing people block off the spot bright and early in the morning for afternoon weddings. Look at lists of city parks and talk to someone at the city offices, they might have some suggestions. If it's in a neighboring city, have a friend reserve it if they charge more to non-residents.
posted by dmdwed 56 posts 1 month agoFlowers? DIY and use a wholesale florist online and get flowers in bulk. Order freeze dried rose petals and scatter them about the tables and use candles and natural greenery. Or if you want it even easier, use www.proflowers.com/weddings for a cost effective way to have gorgeous flowers. I went to a wedding where a girl used them. Even for reception. Reasonable wedding stuff can also be found (also party things) at www.orientaltrading.com . I buy party favors for my son's birthday parties there!
posted by bellenga 152 posts 4 weeks agoI'd seriously consider using a wholesale florist and buy flowers in bulk and freeze dried rose petals in bulk...can scatter those down the aisle and on reception tables and put some simple greenery around some candles on table w/petals. Pretty!
I had a friend also use (nobody knew until she told us) proflowers.com they have a wedding section and you can buy package deals of flowers at a huge discount.
posted by bellenga 152 posts 4 weeks agoWhere are you getting married?
I'm getting married in April in Iowa and our budget is 6K -and we are totally under it!!
I'll tell you how...
Dress on sale from clearence/tag sale Orig 1800.00 got it for 400.00
DIY invites -about 50 bucks for everything at Micheals
Buffet meal - huge price saver. We are having a Feast of Italy buffet, full of pastas, sauces and breads..something fun and different I'm sure our guests will love.
DIY flowers-centerpieces-corsages/bouts
No attendants-another huge money saver-no gifts for all of them, make up, hair, etc.
There are tons of ways to have a fab wedding for a little money!
Good luck!!!!
posted by nette 25 posts 4 weeks agoOH, and our venue is 'free' if we spent $1000.00 on food and cake.
posted by nette 25 posts 4 weeks agoI think that you boil things down to the very basic and meaningful. Remember that the idea of a wedding is much different than what we tend to do. It's two people dressing in their finest to pledge themselves to each other forever (well, until death). It's their friends and families coming together to celebrate their nuptuals, usually with food and drink. It's toasts and well wishes for the bride and groom, a symbol of eternity to mark the commitment (rings), and something for the bride to carry while she approaches the altar.
Back up a sec and figure out why you were looking forward to a "real" wedding. Were you looking forward to celebrating with your friends and family? Was it the idea of an event to plan (because if that's it, you can throw a big bash when your first child turns one, after all!)? Figure out what was the most important and go from there.
Boil it down to the very basics and deal with that, and if you have money to spare, go from there. Or, like someone else said, you can always have a small civil ceremony (go to a restaurant with your closest people after) and have a bigger reception for your one year anniversary!
posted by cheese 7 posts 4 weeks ago