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I completely agree with you -- I consider a budget wedding to be 5-7k with ~100 people. Maybe that number was factoring in rings and the honeymoon? $20,000 for a budget wedding seems really inflated to me.
Yeah, as a bride who was planning a true budget wedding (3k-5k) I always laughed when a 20k wedding was considered a budget wedding.
I think that a budget wedding is one where the bride and groom set a budget and limits, and stay within those parameters. That may mean $5000 for one person and $20,000 for the next. I consider my wedding a budget wedding -- we are keeping it at $17,000 in Southern California where the average is $35,000. It has been very difficult, and I am doing quite a bit of diy and wholesale -- but it is important to me and my fiance that we stay in our budget!
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Caliocteach - she stated it perfectly.
I am in Dallas, TX. The average here is 25-30. Mine is around $15,000. I just can't believe I'm spending that much on one day. Yes it is very special. But that's a down payment on a house! *gulp*
haha. Thank god I used to be a bridal consultant and have some tricks up my sleeve, plus I'm pretty crafty. Now if I could juuust find the time!! PM me for ideas if you run into a dead end!
-Laura
20K as a "budget wedding" is a good laugh. It's only a shade less than the average wedding cost in all areas of the country other than the Northeast. And it bears to keep in mind that the average is inflated by megaweddings with six-figure budgets.
I would consider a budget wedding to be less than $10,000 with all the typical fixings (dinner, dancing and around 100 people).
Gotta agree with the first couple posters that I usually think of a budget wedding as being ~$5K or less. I don't think the number of people factors in to how "budget" a wedding is... the final cost is what counts. If someone chose to only have 10 people at their wedding, but treat them lavishly, I don't think that should make it any less "budget" than a big wedding. And I agree that the $15,000+ weddings featured as budget, low-cost weddings is just bizarre.
Of course, that's just the connotation that "budget wedding" for me. Technically I suppose a budget wedding is just any wedding that *has* a budget, no matter what it is 
edited to add that ours was 5K, near DC, 40 people, and we didn't scrimp that hard.
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I also agree with calioteach. I think the "budget" designation has to be adjusted somewhat for regional pricing differences. At the same time I think that youb need to take into that "budget" should mean paying lower costs for many items; DIY projects if possible; possibly not using many traditional bridal items or traditions.
As a general rule, I would consider anything under $10k to be budget. I think it also depends on where you're getting married and how many guests you're having, though. A wedding with 500 guests is going to have a different baseline than a wedding with 30 guests.
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It does depend on where you live, not just # of people. You may laugh at $20K being budget in NC but it really is in NYC!! And here $15K doesn't even come close to being a downpayment on a house. You need many times that for a downpayment on a studio apartment!
I'm going to have to disagree with peihan17. I think the number of guests directly factors into whether it is a budget wedding. If someone chooses to invite 10 people but spend $10,000, that clearly isn't a budget wedding. I threw a wedding for 550 with $10,000, and let me tell you, that was a budget wedding!
In general, though, I agree with all you ladies. It does vary widely depending on where you live, but I would say $10,000 and less is consider a budget wedding.
Maybe it is the teacher in me, but I feel the need to do this:
<span class="src"><cite><font size="2" color="#666666">Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)</font></cite> - <span class="src"><font size="2" color="#666666">Cite This Source</font> - <span class="src"><cite><font size="2" color="#666666">Share This</font></cite> <!-- google_ad_section_start(name=def) -->
<div class="luna-Ent"><span class="me">budg·et <span class="pronset">
<font color="#116699"> </font><span class="pg"><font color="#558811">noun, adjective, verb, </font><span class="secondary-bf">-et·ed, <span class="secondary-bf">-et·ing. <div class="body"><span class="pg"><font color="#558811">–noun </font><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">1.</td><td valign="top">an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future. </td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">2.</td><td valign="top">a plan of operations based on such an estimate. </td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">3.</td><td valign="top">an itemized allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period. </td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">4.</td><td valign="top">the total sum of money set aside or needed for a purpose: <span class="ital-inline">the construction budget. </td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">5.</td><td valign="top">a limited stock or supply of something: <span class="ital-inline">his budget of goodwill. </td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">6.</td><td valign="top"><span class="labset"><span class="ital-inline">Obsolete. a small bag; pouch. </td></tr></tbody></table><span class="pg"><font color="#558811">–adjective </font><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">7.</td><td valign="top">reasonably or cheaply priced: <span class="ital-inline">budget dresses. </td></tr></tbody></table><span class="pg"><font color="#558811">–verb (used with object) </font><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">8.</td><td valign="top">to plan allotment of (funds, time, etc.). </td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">9.</td><td valign="top">to deal with (specific funds) in a budget. </td></tr></tbody></table><span class="pg"><font color="#558811">–verb (used without object) </font><table border="0" class="luna-Ent"><tbody><tr><td class="dn" valign="top">10.</td><td valign="top">to subsist on or live within a budget. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="body">Note: only definition that is remotely close to fitting the "wedding must be under 10K definition" is #7 and once again "reasonably" is open to individual interpretation. All of the others pertain to keeping within a set means or set amount. <div class="body">If someone has 150 people at the wedding, opts for diy, has no cake, uses cheaper flowers, has no favors, has a friend be the officiant, wears a dress under $1000, and serves a buffet -- but the total cost is $20,000 and that is within the budget they have set -- making sacrifices to keep within that budget, then it is a budget wedding. A budget for one is not the same for another. <div class="body">Just like if someone spends $5,000 on their wedding, but puts it all on a credit card because $5,000 is beyond their means and puts them over budget -- that is not a budget wedding.
Sorry! I forgot that this blog does that.
Click here instead: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/budget
then read the bottom of the post begining with "Note".
I'm going to have to disagree with empyle1. I have 15-20 guests coming to my wedding and my budget is around $8,000-10,000-ish. Mind you, I am having a destination wedding and that cost includes EVERYTHING. Plane tickets, condo, wedding ceremony, dinner, rings, bride and grooms attire, photographer, etc. I am very much a budget bride, so much so that we've cut out the wedding party, bought my dress and shoes from ebay, DIYed our STD and invites, and probably our flowers...if I don't get them at costco. 15 peeps with a 10,000 can most definetly be a budget wedding. Many other things factor into weddings.
I think a budget wedding is any event where there is a set budget and you adhere to it. Many people assume a carte blanche when dreaming of their event or when choosing individual items for the day and weddings can be had for very little money or quite a bit of money.
Like many have said the term "budget" depends on circumstances, on personal finances/contributions from family, and your goals and desires for the big day. I also think it depends a bit on the age of the couple and their friends and lifestyles.
Our wedding wouldn't be considered "budget" by some of the standards listed above, but there are many areas where we arebeing and have strived to be extremely frugal, DIYing mostly, and not using vendors or going the traditional route in getting things done, in order to do them in a less costly way.
I think a wedding budget is a little like a salary. Some people live comfortably on $30,000 a year with few complaints and others live comfortably at $150,000 a year with few complaints. It doesn't mean though, that the 30k life is less happy, less successful, or less full of wonder than the 150k life. They're just different.
I also wanted to say that just because one's wedding isn't under 10k - doesn't mean that the people hosting it don't consider it to be a "budget" wedding. I think most brides want to be seen as resourceful, budget conscious, and clever about their choices and ways that they see themselves "saving" money. If you look at it in that light, then there is less jealousy, misunderstandings and one-up-manship. Everyone can find ways to save money, can't they? And $3 saved is $3 saved no matter who's saving it.
Interesting post, ASmith! I've had the same thought.
“Budget” can mean two things, which makes it a poor classification. On one hand, it can be “inexpensive” (a $5K wedding), while on the other hand it can be a “good deal” (a $15K wedding that feels like $25K). Here’s an analogy: you are looking for a purse. You find a nice purse that originally sold for $30 at a thrift store for $5. Then you find a $300 designer purse on sale for $50. They are both a good deal, no? Clearly, the designer purse is “budget-friendly.” But let’s say you only had $30. The designer purse isn’t “in your budget.”
Holding a big, lux, or "magazine worthy" wedding for a less-than-MSRP price tag is a feat. And the majority of brides try to do the absolute most with whatever budget they have - and feel the pinch. A truly inexpensive wedding is a continuation of that challenge, although I imagine there are unique limitations to throwing a wedding for under $5K. I agree that it would be nice to have a distiction for the "small budget" weddings.
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Maybe I'm a little naive, but when I think of a "budget wedding" I envision a bride trying to put together a nice, quaint, beautiful wedding with a very, VERY tight budget - like, something around $5-7k.
I was just looking on "Style Me Pretty" under "Budget Beautiful", and apparently any wedding with a budget of $20k or more is considered a "budget wedding"!!
What is your idea of a budget wedding?