The (Super) Low-Budget Wedding Reception
Even low-budget weddings can take a huge bite out of savings ... and often leave you stumbling under a serious pile of debt.
Take heart, though: planning a wedding yourself in a hands-on way can save you some money. At its best, it also lends that personal touch that provides lasting family memories. When you've got enough time to tackle it, creating your own wedding favors and planning your own reception can lead to a special satisfaction no pile of catalog orders can ever compete with.
If you have the time and energy, expect to take great pride in your super-low-budget wedding. And this won't just arise from your one-of-a-kind creations. It also flows from the huge savings you realize, which you can then spend on something with lasting impact on your future, like a car or a down payment.
You might have a lower budget, but your wedding costs will break down much like your spendier counterparts. You can still save money in each and every category. The secret comes down to one basic choice: avoid the formal wedding.
Of course, if you're footing the bill yourself and just can't see starting your married life with a heavy financial burden, you could skip the reception entirely, opting for a courthouse ceremony and intimate dinner instead. Then you could plan a more formal ceremony down the road. Wedding vows renewals are popular today, and it's a romantic way to spend your anniversary! So if funds are tight, and you're paying for everything else — don't wait to get married. Just wait on the formal ceremony.
But if it breaks your heart to forego the big wedding, yet your wallet's an empty nest, you'll need to pull out every trick in the budget book. Fortunately, there's one that can save you thousands.
Focus on the Venue
The reception alone will bust your budget if you're not extremely careful. Of course, the most obvious way to save money here is to sharply limit your guest list.Also, the venue that's hosting this grand occasion could make or break you. Your best bet? Find one that's free or nearly — taking into account the costs of renting chairs, tables, tents, portable toilets and so on.
A "free" location could include your home, or that of a friend or family member. A low-cost option might include a church reception hall, the local fire department, or club halls. Most will have a kitchen area for preparing and serving food.
Sometimes you'll even happen across a local restaurant that specializes in low-budget receptions. These usually offer a package deal, which might include dinner and limited beverages along with the restaurant space or banquet rooms. Check hotels in your area for banquet rooms as well. Some may rent the banquet room by itself and offer reception packages as an optional add-on.
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The venue's key to saving cash, so leave no stone unturned in your search! You could happen on a gem of a deal that will save you tons. So network. Ask friends and family. Scour the internet. Try unusual locales like vineyards, museums, gardens or plantariums. We have several plantations in our area that offer competitive wedding packages. These are elegant locations, with price options that don't rule out the low-budget wedding.
Once you've done your homework, record your findings. Chart not only the price but services and packages available at each venue. Then, it's easy to see how to get the most for your money.
For instance, one venue might offer really cheap rates, and let you book your caterer separately. Looks good — but sometimes, a location that costs more will offer a catering package that's a better deal overall.
Beating the Biggest Budget-Buster of All
There's one type of reception that's "truly traditional" (not counting royalty!), and that's the potluck. If you've read this far, you probably agree that the commercialism in today's weddings is slightly out of control. The biggest cost in the average budget, usually even bigger than the venue, is the food. Slashing costs here is a must if you want to get through this process financially intact.Serving up crackers and cheese whiz, however, is not a solution. Your guests will feel deprived. They'll leave the party early, in search of sustenance. Those warm memories of lingering over something hearty with your friends and family will be conspicuously missing from your wedding. The solution for the cash-strapped? The potluck.
The basics of the potluck reception is that you ask your guests to bring food — not a toaster or espresso maker or other trinket from a registry list somewhere. Many guests will be pleased, even relieved, to have this choice. Sound off-the-wall? Up until recently, potluck weddings were absolutely the norm. They're truly the traditional way to celebrate the coming together of a couple. And not coincidentally, they're the absolute best way to throw a low-budget wedding that still lets your guests leave satisfied. (Take this same budget to a caterer, and you'll quickly find that caterers offer very limited menus to very limited budgets!)
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If you're shy about digging out and dusting off the potluck option, you can simply refer to your reception as an "Old Time, Traditional Wedding Celebration." The potluck dinner suits this theme naturally, and no one will even question it.
You may even want to pick an "Old Time" theme for your decorations and favors. Tuck simple gerbers or wildflowers flowers in medicinal and apothecary jars, for example, and hand out beautiful old-fashioned candy sticks tied in ribbon. This will fill out the "Old Time" theme even more. Or start with a 50's or 20's theme, both old-fashioned themes with a lot of life.
How to get the point across to guests? Simply slip in a note with the invitation that gives invitees this option. For example:
Our reception will be an "Old Time Traditional Celebration" with a potluck dinner.____ Please check here if you would like to bring a dish for the reception in place of a wedding gift.
We kindly request a call for dish suggestions.
Have your guests check in ahead of time so you'll have some say over the menu. No one's obliged to participate, but it's likely that many of your guests will opt for this.
And fact, you and guests alike will probably be surprised (and delighted) at the variety and quality of the dishes that debut on your banquet tables. Guests always want to bring out their top-drawer recipes to a grand occasion like yours!
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Haven’t read the entire site, but I’m liking what I see. My dream wedding is at the beach, and although my fiance is accommodating, my ideas don’t go very far because I can’t pull the trigger. He’s thought of renting a mansion or a house, I would prefer if it were a waterfront, or had some sort of water body around it. I’ve searched but only find catering halls, which seem to be rather pricey. My budget is around $5,000 including honey moon (I have that sort out already). Any ideas for locations in NJ or NY that you guys know of? I’m currently looking in Long Island or South Jersey (for the shore).
Oh, our wedding date is hopefully 6/6/2010 (if I can find a place to have it in).
My colors are burgundy, black and white with 75 ppl… My budget is only $2000.00 and I don’t think I’ll be able to spend even a penny over that. I have a cake picked out that I’ve decided to make myself. I got the favors from dollar tree for $10.00. The ceremony will be held at the park which may be free, not sure yet. I’m going to rent a VFW hall but don’t know what to do about food unless the VFW will provide catering (I was told some will for extra). We are not allowing acholhol cause we are both ony 20 years old. I got my dress online for $155.00, but I’m also buying most of the wedding party dresses and tuxes, I don’t want any last minute I don’ have anything to wear… Most of my family considers nice jeans and a clean t-shirt dressed up, (even the girls). I want for one day in my life for my family to pretend to be normal, unfortunately his family is the same way maybe even worse… Not that it wasn’t pretty cause it was but his sister got married in a white outfit with a veil. Nobody else dressed up other than that. At first my fiance wanted to do the same, but I told him there wasn’t going to be a wedding if he planned on going in jeans. Now hes excited to dress up cause I found a solid black tux with a white tie he likes. Anyways I went off track, I just need some cheap but pretty ideals to make a VFW hall look nice.. I’m also having problems finding bridesmaids dresses within my budget. I’ve resorted to searching city thrift stores but burgundy isn’t the most popular dress color. I thought this would be easy but it’s turning into a nightmare. Anywayz thanks for any help!
you do not have to have a budget for bridesmaids dresses! they should be paying it themselves. you give them a gift for being in your wedding party and pay for their hair and make up to be done if they refuse to do it themselves.
centerpieces: the dollartree.com are selling cases of 3×3 vases for a $1 each obviously and candles for less .com are selling votives with candles 72 of the for like $30
in the vases you can either buy flower which can be costly unless you live close to a wholesale flowermart. but pick flower that are in season so they will be cheaper. if the food is not included you can do a pot luck reception. or just a dessert reception and then go to a nice dinner with the closer family the next week
Well I have 4 bridesmaids… My cousin is only 15 so she doesn’t excactly have the money, my other cousin just had a baby and is working two jobs to support her family, and my sister is in missouri and we got her dress free, my friend who is my fourth bridesmaid is getting her own. I’m not buying wedding party gifts. My family isn”t exactly normal every one in my family that I have been around to see just gets eloped downtown, my aunt was the only actual wedding I’ve ever been to and she didn’t have a wedding party. All but about 10 people are close family it’s cousins mine and his and sisters and brothers and neices and nephews, grandparents and our parents and step parents. I wouldn’t feel right excluding any of these ppl. And do any of you know where I could buy table cloths and napkins cheap? I only have $1500 to readily spend, the rest is like an approx of the little here and a little there spending I do every month on things I see at thrift stores and stuff I find really cheap plus the bridemaids dresses. I was thinking about switching to black dresses but the bridesmaids dresses are about the only things that are burgundy besides the mens ties. Yea I’m going to get red tulips and then mix them with regular grocery store roses. I have the ceremony set, it’s the reception tables I’m worried about mostly. I have about $150 for complete table decor and dishes center peices, plates, table cloths, and etc. and I’ll have about 16 tables at the reception. This is a picture of a different vfw but its exactly the same except my location has white walls.
kelly,
have you thought about renting white linens and black napkins, it is really inexpensive. i would go to my local party rental place and see what they coudl do for me. the chairs are ok. i wouldnt worry about covering those. you should be able to get those rented for very inexpensively. that alone would dress up your tables. i wouldnt buy tablecloths, that could add up when you could get a great quality linen cheaper by renting.
kelley,
i would consider rose petals with votives. it would be centered, yet spread out and beautiful for oblong tables. you can get these pretty cheap at a florist. if you were looking for something more taller. i was at the dollar tree the other day and they had cylinder vases for $1 a piece. i looked them over and they were a great buy, nice size too. a floating candle/ with black stones on bottom ( from a craft store) would look beautiful. with surrounding votives, also cheap. also if you go to the party rental store, look into renting centerpieces and plates. you should probably get a fantastic deal with so many items. check it out. another thing worth trying for the linens. do you know of a facility or church that has white linens? they would let you borrow? most the time these venues have items on hand. another thing you could do is march cylinders down the table, i would do 3 to a table. actually this would fill up the area on the table and youd have very inexpensive centepieces. with the black stones or crystals, candles. plus it would look stylish. scatter stones on table or rose petals( just make sure rose petals dont bleed onto white cloths)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these centerpieces, second pic, you could scour thrift stores and flea markets. and find mismatch containers and rack up!! rose petals, floating candles and voila.
TIP: smaller glass containers like stemmed candle holders etc. wont require pillar candles but would use a votive instead. and you can buy those in bulk. (saveoncrafts.com)
*wedding centepieces
I am planning my wedding on a strict budget as well and I found out that none of my brides maids could afford to buy their dresses. My solution go to Deb’s. I got all 3 of my brides maid’s dresses for $80.00 after tax. The dresses were only $30.00 a piece and they do a Bridal Discount that you have to ask for. The discount takes 15% off the total cost, but you have to purchase at least 3 dresses at the same time.
kelley,
hi, this is what i would do. instead of searching for burgundy i would have them buy simple black dresses( dressy). have them carry handtied bouquets of burgundy roses tied with simple ribbon. flowergirl in white dress/ black sash scattering white rose petals. outdoors wont need much or any decor depending on your location. for the reception i would have simple white linens, black napkins. you would be amazed at what white chistmas lights can do especially if there are ficus or greenery inthe venue.
these are the centerpiece ideas i would look at….
* *number 1floating rose petals
one nice size cylinder vase will be sufficient.
*2
*you might enjoy all these ideal centerpieces
*different budget receptions and food ideas
food is usually the main budget buster. i would opt for a cake and champagne reception if afternoon wedding or after dinner reception. another idea is coffee and dessert reception. offer an array of different desserts and have sodas, coffee, water, etc.
* google results for a 2000 dollar wedding
*more results
*real wedding
kelley,
forgot, use 1 type flower in one or 2 colors thruout wedding for cost cutting centerpeices. and if you have a pic of the vfw hall i could look to see what needs decor and what dont. avoiding any unnecessary expense. smile. look forward to your reply!!
I have a VERY low budget ($1200 right now… hoping summer savings will bring that up). My colors are coral and marine (kinda hard to find). I’d like to do a lot of diy stuff to save on money. Right now, I have purchased silk roses, but I am having a hard time finding the other flowers that I want for a very low price. I really wanted to use real flowers, but they’re just too expensive. I do have some very pretty wildflowers that grow around my house that I can use (tigerlilies, daisies) if you have any suggestions for them. I also am looking for coral and marine cardstock to make invitations. Do you have any suggestions for imprinting or stamping a specific monogram on them for cheap? How about decorating ideas? Someone I knew is getting married this fall and she said that I can have her reception decorations after the wedding. Oh! And a cool idea to replace a unity candle… I’ve been told that around here, they have 2 different colors of sand (one for each side of the family) and the bride and groom pour them into a vase or bottle at the same time and it creates a very pretty pattern that they can keep as a decoration in their house. It also is a better picture of the two families coming together and never being separated (because it would be impossible to separate the two colors of sand). Hope this is inspiring to some of you. Also, if you could help me at all, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
angel25,
hi!!
try here saveoncrafts.com they have sooo much stuff!
also orientaltrading.com
have you tried your local supermarket florist, they are usually very cheap. there is a way you can have more $$$ for flowers. i would use nothing but simple greenery the ceremony area, accented by crisp white and coral striped ribbon ( elegant type ribbon) maybe you can find some edged in gold or silver depending on the metal accent. keep your flowers down tojust the bridal party and yourself. axe the boutonnieres for the guys and use colored pocket hankies instead. the tigerlilies and daisies would work very well, beware, daisies and sometimes lilies can wilt quick. florist have special ways of extending their life and appearance. i cant say enough about candles. they add more bang for your buck! for your reception, depending on wedding type and theme, centerpieces can be simple greenery. i promise it is beautiful!! you cant beat the look of greenery when paired with inexpensive votives. if you can t afford real flowers the substitute rose petals with candles, gorgeous combo!! i dont know if you have a plan for your food etc here is a great link….
*thrifty wedding
*budget friendly weddings ( they have budget friendly mood boards here, complete themes with how to) also check out practicalwedding.com (real weddings)
your local craft store should have handheld embossers, it will be reasonable to buy (usually under $40) and you can stamp the cardstock with desired item!!
please post back if you need further help!!
Stacey, I’m been doing some planning and budgetting with a lady from my church, and since she used to own a floral shop, she said that she may be able to get real flowers for my boquet at wholesale. The only problem is, not I don’t know what kind of flowers to use. She said that I should probable just choose 1 or 2 kinds because they come in bulk when she orders them. Any suggestions? My colors are Palm Beach Coral and Marine. I’ll go with roses if I have to, but I was hoping to find something a little less ‘typical’.
angel25,
coral gerbera daisies would be perfect! that way you can have a single type color and flower thruout. freesia is another beauty, but ask about the scent you dont want the smell to overwhelm( though freesia smells heavenly) for a rose look try ranaculus, its really pretty.
i cant say enough about dahlias. see if she can get these. they are usually inexpensive and hold up pretty well.believe it or not, a single stem orchid looks gorgeous in a vase in rows lined up down the table with votives in between. it only takes a stem to look superchic and beautiful. you can also add small glass containers with floating flowers and petals for a more lush look. here is a website to browse around….
*fifty wedding flowers
it will give you a visual and a price range of what your looking for. if you need xtra help please post back!! i would like to know what flower(s) stood out the most!!
Hey, Stacey. Thanks for the suggestions. They’re all beautiful! The hubby-to-be really liked the Ranunculus, but they seem to be more of a winter flower.
I really did like the Dahlias as a second alternative, but I think they are more of a late summer flower, right? And do they come in like a bright orange or blue? I was thinking one of the choices above with a few orchid accents of the opposite color. What do you think? 
angel25,
ranunculus are a cooler weather flower from spring to early summer. dahlias are a flower that you can usually findin all colors, in decent season in the entire summer with late summer being the most popular( again depends on area) i would call a florist and see what is available in my area and then narrow it down. to keep costs down i would keep the flwoers in season. i live in louisiana so we have longer blooming times on certain plants/flowers. here is a sesonal list of flowers that you can compare…
*wedding flowers by season
when did you say your wedding date was? another idea for centerpieces if take orchids and submerge in glass cylinders of water. they have that look for less. then have beautiful bouquets of simple orchids and tie yours with white ribbon( for example) and the bm in a colored ribbon. this is pretty popular for brides who want all one color. dendrobium orchid will be more economical of the orchids and it is gorgeous!! the thing about submerged flowers is you can pair them with candlelight or have them at a daytime wedding and they will not look out of place. if you want a variation in color choose the orange dendrobium orchids it will be simple, stunning, and i think ( if your gonna use orchids anyway) choose this as your one type flower. youwont have to worry about the season either.
*dendrobium orchid wedding
*floating dendrobium orchid centerpiece
you could always add jeweled or plain branches with these and it works so well!!
saveoncrafts.com has assorted vases including eiffel tower vases for very reasonable!!
*floating orchid centerpiece
one more idea is to have flowering branches as centerpieces ( which is so pretty) and then order orchids for your other decor. you could even consider fruit centerpieces.
*budget wedding centerpiece
calla lilies could be done too. i would check to see how much bulk would be though. calla’s look great submerged or can stand alone in a simple vase on the table surrounded by votives. clipped greenery added to callas will make your decor lush. think long stemmed mango or coral callas for the girls and the centerpieces and go to a florist and pick up a few white ones for your bouquet. i know they can be expensive but if you use them strategically they will be great for a lower budget. imagine your bm carrying 3 to 5 long stem coral callas, tied with a simple ribbon, it would look so simple chic and look like you spent more than you actually did.
*long stem calla lily bouquet
*you might like this site ( be sure to click on the flowers category)
angel25,
i forgot to ask. was you gonna use the silk roses or you wanted to go all real florals. also what type wedding are you having? then the florals can make all the difference. if you are having a simple backyard wedding, and you do have enough tiger lilies, you could use them. how warm is it gonna be? and will the wedding be outdoors? cause depending on those factors you may NOT have to purchase flowers.
here is a fabulous site with tips…
*wedding flowers and outdoors
it says here that tiger lilies are a great outdoor wedding flower in heat, after reading my post i realize i made a oops!! i only meant to put that they can wilt in high heat, other than that they will be fine!! i would for sure use these as my flwoers and they are free. i sincerely apologize for any confusion i have caused. you can use the daisies ( they need to be wired so the it wont droop, depending on type of daisy) i would just order extra tiger lilies to supplement waht i have( if you dont have enough only) otherwise you have all the flowers you need in the right colors!! plus you may have a neighbor that is willing to let you have some cuttings( if they have tiger lilies) . i would clip fresh greenery etc. and make some fab bouquets and centerpieces. you could even float tiger lilies.
angel25,
*coral zinnias
available in summer
It isn’t going to be outside. It will be at my church. (appr. 10 minutes from my house) I was still planning on using the tiger lilies for the centerpieces for the reception. but I wanted a little more chic, I guess, for the ceremony. I was still going to use the silk roses, but if we can get real flowers for cheap, I was going to use the roses for our arch. I’m hoping that I can borrow a very nice, amish-made arch from a man in our church who owns several farmers markets. I thought that they would be nice with some greenery against the wooden arch. Mainly, I want the wedding to look very nice, but be fun for everyone, not just the bride and groom. For instance… we wanted to put crayons on the reception tables so that people can color on the paper table cloths! Lol.
I’ll ask my flower lady what she thinks again… she hasn’t gotten back to me about the other flowers yet. Thank you for being so helpful!
I would suggest you change your wedding colors. My grandson recently married
and I did the flowers. I use silk and fresh. Fresh from my daughters yard. they turned out very pretty. Pick wedding colors that will go with the flowers available.
Hi! We are hoping to marry next April. We of course like most people are victims of the recession and therefore have a super low budget. We would like to have a beautiful wedding on the beach/park. Would like to hear suggestions on how to make the reception cost-friendly and every other aspect of the wedding. We are capping our guest list at 65. We live in Miami, FL. I would appreciate any suggestions! thanx.
mirtha,
can you tell me a little about the colors or style you like? i would love tohelp!
*Thrifty Wedding
are you wanting a theme? what formality do you want it to be; casual or semi formal? meaning do you wnat guys in suits or slacks and shirts?
Hi Stacey,
We would want something casual. As far as colors haven’t really decided…theme might be beach & nature. For example. I have a vision of glass vases filled with sand, seashells and starfish & votive candles. We would like to incorporate a lot of nature accents into the wedding. We would like to have all our guests dress in white as well. Maybe neutral colors like beige and off white?? what do you suggest?
mirtha, i think i might have the perfect wedding for you.
*Jodi and Aaron in Baja, Mexico
you could stick with the centerpieces they chose or add more greenery like ferns, curly willow, etc. to pull in more nature. add a fern motif to the wedding invites etc. place sand, shells and starfish in bowls filled with water then your flowers and candles. or have tall glass cylinders with shells and floating candles, then small floral with greenery in containers, and repeat down the table. place a palm frond under the plates for accent.
I helped a friend plan her wedding at the park about 1 ear ago. We made picnic baskets. We laid out very inexpensive quilts found at a local store (about 15 of them total) then placed a large basket with fresh fruit, drinks, small sandwiches, cheese and crackers. We wrapped each basket in white tulling and a coordinated ribbon. We stretched out a sheet between 2 sheets and played a video of the couple. We still hear people comment about how unique it was and how beautiful. And the bride was happy because it was very inexpensive.
sorry 1 year ago. We put one basket to feed 6-8 people at each blanket. We stretched a sheet between 2 trees for the movie.
I’m doing my wedding at a winery in Northern California for under $8,000. I know how hard budgeting can be. The 3 biggest expenses are food, flowers and venue. They best ways to cut back on food is by doing buffet rather then a big sit down dinner. This doesn’t mean you need to have plastic utensils and paper plates, but you can have a very elegant reception with simple linens, flatware and china. Or, to really save a bundle, do passed appetizers and skip dinner all together.
As far as flowers go, when florists hear the word wedding the price intently goes up. Call it a party and save a ton! Or do what I’m doing and do it yourself
There are wholesale retailers everywhere and by purchasing the flowers, vases and other decor though them and making the arrangements yourself you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
When it comes to venues look for budget killers! Cake cutting fees, corkage fees, insurance policies can get you where it hurts. I have a friend who is getting married at a restaurant and they are charging her $20 a bottle for corkage fee and $5 a person to serve the cake…and more often then not, you are required to use their services.
I hope this helps!!!!!
I live in Massachusetts and I need help. I am getting married in October and we only have 6,000 for everything. I don’t have a backyard to have the party in, or do any of our familes. I want it to be really nice and DIFFERENT. but it needs to be in our budget. i am open to almost anything and i am not picky. if someone has any ideas i would greatly appricate it
catherine,
i would love to help!! i highly recommend an all inclusive venue or a reasonable b&b. i dont know what prices are like in your area, but this would be the way to go or even a hall. you said different if you could tell me the vision you see it will help me narrow down some ideas. also what are some colors that you love. i will say fall colors would be ideal not only will they be beautiful in your area but if you go with what is in season you wont need many decorations. it would be a plus if youfound a local b&b that had a roaring fireplace to marry in front of and already had the mantel decorated. the only thing i would suggest for decor is large urns filled with “free” maple branches and some beautiful ribbon serving as your aisle decor. have your flowergirl throw silk maple leaves instead of petals. for your centepieces think maple leaves in nice crystal bowls and apples laying atop them. have a tree branch holding suspended place card leaves. ( again the branches can be free) for your invites have simple diy parchment paper( i love recommending this stuff its cheap and gorgeous!!) find a initial monogram on your computer and use an elegant font voila invites!! also you can buy 1 large sheet for your guests to sign and roll it up (put into a mailing tube from post office) and stow it away. or buy a fave coffee table book and have your guests sign the back of front covereverytime you open the book it will bring youback to your wedding day ( write “guests” in calligraphy across the top of cover so it will look elegant) have a great peacock or real pheasant feather pen ( cant find find one? diy get a gold plume pen and swap out the feathers, make sure you put a dab of glue to secure) . for wow factor consider adding a few pheasant feathers to your bouquet. i would consider simple white or cream roses. have bm in a simple nuetral dress like brown, wine or black( wear again friendly) carrying her fave( it it doesnt match decor just lighten shade a bit) color of flower in roses tie with a simple ribbon. you can buy roses at walmart( louisiana they cost $10.00 for a dozen) so that is super affordable. if you stick with all one color except for bm bouquet, you will be able toarrange them in a flash and they will look fantastic!! they also look great with colorful maple leaves ( another idea would be get bunches of acorns or nuts in shell place in bottom of a vase to secure white roses and leaves) you could also use this to hold your guest book pen. also paper lanterns are super cheap to fill up a room. just off the top of my head, hope youlike some of the ideas. let me know!!
Catherine!!! I too have a low budget! Actually less than yours!!! My venue is at Weymouth Lodge of Elks and it is only $350 for 6 hours! Cash bar is included! Get married at your church! We found a dj from the Weymouth Lodge of Elks that is only $600 for 6 hours!!! My dress is the most expensive thing I am getting! We are still looking for catering! We found our photographer, Lauren Halvonson she is AMAZING and she is $500 downpayment and $500 two weeks prior to the big day! PS-you can do this! My wedding is October 25th, 2009. =] we are on the same page..let me know if I can help.
Hi Catherine,
I’m also without a backyard on both my side and my fiance’s. However, we’re looking into the event rooms at condo buildings where our relatives live. They’re cheap to rent and allow you to put your unique (budget-friendly!) stamp on the decorations, flowers, etc. You might not even have to rent tables, etc.
The Elks lodge idea and the maple branches ideas are great! Wait until the end of summer and buy some tall planters on sale to put the branches in. Or pay repeat visits to your local thrift store to buy those milk-glass bud vases that people are always getting rid of.
My best friend is getting married in a few weeks. She is my hero when it comes to DIY. Her and her fiancee wanted a unique wedding also. He is a musician and she is a mini Martha so they decided to do the wedding their way.
They lucked out with the fact that her parents have a large backyard, but you can rent out parks for a pretty low cost. For a “theme” they chose eco-friendly picnic. They have picnic tables, mixed matched vintage table cloths, earth soluble plates and utensils and my favorite thing is their choice of glass ware…they are using mason jars! She loves to make jams, so she will be able to re-use them after the wedding. By stringing lights around the trees and buying local meats and produce and having a bbq they are saving a few thousand.
She is backing her cake and for entertainment, the groom and his band are playing as well as another local band. Your wedding should represent you and your fiancee. If you don’t want huge flower arrangements or the traditional sit down dinner…don’t do it. It’s your wedding, make it represent who you are.
I hope this helped.
I sooooo agree with you there on the idea of making your wedding your own way. Me and my hubby to be are on a very tight budget, and we are cutting costs where we can. I we are having a winter wedding next year. I’m on the same page with you on the whole DIY and i’m thinking of doing our flowers myself.
My son is getting married in August. They are on a tight budget and want to have a reception outdoors. They are looking for ways to save a bundle on food sinc ethey are having 200 guests. We need ideas for a menu, and place to have the reception. Is it rude to have the wedding in one church, and reception at another church hall?
The entire wedding budget is $3000 which includes everything but dresses. Help!!!!
Terry,
i have a great websites here:
*thrifty wedding
*7 Creative Ideas For a Wedding Reception
*Wedding Reception Menu Ideas
My nephew and his bride had a great reception and they served sloppy Joes. It was made ahead of time and frozen, then thawed the day before and put into large electric roastes to heat and serve from. My son is going to do the same thing only with pulled pork. Baked beans, potato salad, or macaroni salad and coleslaw and and some melons cut with the tops out and a little flat spot to sit on and then make melon balls and fill with grapes and kiwi and strawberries and what ever you wish in fruit place them on glass plates so they don’t leak through to the table cloth and you are good to go. Little favor cups with peanuts and M&Ms . The trick is in how you display the food. A covered table ( I use Sheets) with bricks used to elevate bowls and platers at varing hights and then covered with some material purchased at Wal Mart along with some yardage of white netting. Then cover the bricks with the material and place the bowls and platers and then bunch the netting and place it around the serving dishes and you are good to go. Another nice touch is to have some candles placed randomly and add the Wedding Cake as the center piece and it is beautiful. You can pick up artifical flowers at yard sales and make net bows and tie them together and place them on the ends of the first several rows going down the isle at the church too. Yard sales are good places to find small vases too. They don’t all have to match. Place a single flower with a piece of greenery in it and use as decorations on the tables. Be sure to buy a role of white paper to use as a table cloth on the eating tables. Plain white napkins from the dollar store and stamped with a wedding motif or the first names of the bride and groom are inexpensive too. I hope this helps ! Judy
for food options, you can do just an hors doure and desert reception, thats what me and my fiance are doing, and we are just making the reception about 3 1/2 hrs and in between lunch and dinner, so our guests wont be starving or expecting those bing meals. we are making most of our food (try to keep it to cold entrees) and we are hiring servers from the local high schools cooking class, so that they dont cost a fortune!. please visit my website and give us a call at the store if you have anymore questions
my wedding is comming up fast. The only alcohol we are having is beer. What else should I get to drink at the wedding.
melissa, i would have punch, sodas, bottled water, in the south we add iced tea and lemonade. if outdoors or casual think galvanized tubs iced down with beverages and glass containers filled with different “ades”. it makes for a beautiful presentation and offers a variety.
Diana,
Congrats on the wedding, you can still have a very nice wedding on a low budget, though I am personally not a fan of the pot luck, if you feel that your guest will go for it, then do it…I would just kind of ask or get a feel for what everyone is bringing, becuase you dont want to have a lot of the same things..
Also, why have food or dinner reception, Why not have a dessert bar, so its all dessert ( candy and cookies, maybe cupcakes, etc) and you can serve, Coffe, Tea and and maybe wine ( you can get a couple of bottles at Costco). The Dessert Bar is a cheaper way to feed your guest and also cut cost…you can even do the dessert bar as a potluck as its easier on your guest to bring brownies or candy/cookies than whole dishes
Also try Big Boo Designs they do affordable ( and I mean affordable) wedding invites and save the date as well as other stationery, which will be good for you since you are having a small wedding… I assume you are having a small wedding since you are on a small budget. Also if you tell them what you need, they can do something just for you and within your budget
What you can also do is when you send out invitations on the RSVP card, you can have this place make a space for you to say
“Please check here if you would like
to bring a dish for the reception in place of a wedding gift.
Call with dish suggestions please.”
By having them Have them call to get or offer suggestions on a dish so you have control over the menu. So no one feels obligated to particitpate.
If you can’t find a house, why not try a church reception hall. Alot of times, especially the smaller churches have low prices and a kitchen on site for your to prepare food….also during off season its cheaper.
For your bouquets, you can buy flowers from local market or carry a couple of big Lily’s wrapped in ribbon at the bottom all that you can get from Micheal’s or local craft store. Also, if you want the bouquets for the bridesmaids ( if you have them) can be also used as centerpieces for the table. Just have them ( after the wedding) put them in the vases that are already on the table ( with water or whatever you want in them ( somepeople put marbles, peas or beans, etc in glass with water) just depends on your wedding colors and you can just put those votive candles on table ( you can get those 6 for a $1.( looks better if this is at night)
For you pictures, instead of getting a photographer, just put cameras on table and make an annoucment at begining to let your guest take photos and then collect the cameras at the end of the night, THe guest will get photos that you wouldnt get, and you wont have to worry about it. And just have a trusted friend with a Digital Camera take photos of you and your groom after wedding in different poses , you can go to park or in front of church or a garden….I say digital, becuase you will be able to see the photo once its taken….
Good luck and I hope this helps or at least gives you an idea and If I think of anything else I will post
I am planning on getting married this December and my fiance and I are on a very very very low budget. Can anyone give me some ideas as to how we should conduct our reception. I like the potluck idea, and the idea of having it at someones house, but we don’t know of anyone with a bid enough house. We only have 3 months to plan our wedding, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated…thank you
hey diana imalso gettin married in december.actually my in law thought us havin a potluc dinner great.she did dat @her wedding 30years ago.well i made my own invites and will be having a garden wedding jus after xmas so nature and flowers r gona look so fab. im al good 2 go 4 my wedding dnt stress GOD will be wud u and everythin will work itself i promise
.all d best….
A potluck is a wonderful idea. It was the tradition many years ago to have a potluck reception. As you can see modern couples have strayed away from it. Anyone who has a potluck reception could have a old fashion traditional wedding as their theme.
Lee, I am getting married in 3 weeks and I only had 3 mths to plan I am having the wedding an reception in a family backyard. But original plan was to have on the beach. you could look at having at a pavillion by a beach side if you are close to one. Also look into Lions club or one of those clubs, they can sometimes be reasonable
hi Diana,my name is Amelia.i’m getting married on Nov 01 2008(in 1 WEEK),my fiance and i are just like you in a VERY small budget.thank God we live in Florida so we had A LOT of choices.i was goint to buy my dress at first at david’s bridal but i didn’t like that the day i went the girl that helped me made me wear the corset bra and wen i put on the dress i had my lil fat coming out of the dress so i try to explain to her that the dress fitet good but the the corset was the one making my lil fat come out.so she said i needed a bigger dress nd that it was more expensive.so i left davids bridal and ended up at group usa.there i found a dress that was on sale for $ 99.00(yes $99.00) because of a defect that it had on the inside wich i fixed myself.my reception was in the hall of a park( $150.00),the food my friends and my mother-in-law cooked.the decoration and the favours i bought at the wholesale warehouses next to my house.($200.00).the beers i went to a place that rent the barrels ( $300).i hav my friend that did my hair and makeup($65).well mi spent a total of $1000.00.so mamaif you live in Miami Florida don’t worry you’ll find everything you need.
My Fiance and I will be getting married October 21, 2008. We are on a very tight budget, not planning on spending over $2000.00 on the wedding. I am VERY artsy, do-it-myself type of personand so far thats helped save costs. Here are some things I am doing and have done:
1. For favors I’ve done mini take-out boxes with rose petals, 2 mini floating candles and a matchbook engraved with our names/date.
2. For guest book I bought a photo mat/pen set for $8.00. Took black ribbon and decorated the mat edges, finished with some rhinestones. For the pen I bought a black ostrich feather ($0.99) taped that tightly to the pen, took the rest of the ribbon and wrapped it tightly around the feather/pen. Then I got a cute pin I have and secured it at the top.
3. Did my own invites. I happen to be very good at calligraphy and have my own pens so I went out and bought card stock in my colors, rhinestones, pearls, and ribbon ($35.00) and made my own invites.
Also if you’re planning on using a lot of candles I suggest going to a dollar store. They have candles, taper candle holders, and even mint julep glass vases that go for $10.00 a pop in hobby stores!
Hi Ladies,
Snippet & Ink has just published a post on how to have a posh, stylish and INEXPENSIVE cake & punch reception that is pretty much dripping with style … and only has doable Do-It-Yourself elements (as opposed to florals that require the bride to invest 4.5 hours of free time right before the reception).
Personally, I married at the JP but the neighbors are always pressuring us to “have a party” to celebrate it. This post might JUST change my mind!
Great idea!!!
I will definitely use this in my wedding to cut corners. My fiance’s best man just got married and they had silk flowers! I couldn’t stop staring at them they looked so bad! Thanks for the tip/link!!!
Hi Cassandra, welcome! This is just my take. I look forward to seeing what other people think!
Okay, 1) This shouldn’t be a problem unless it’s one for you, or you expect to be grilled on the fine points of your spiritual beliefs. Can you fly under the radar on this one? Will you be upset if prayers and scripture are part of the day? Can you nod your head and go along or will the situation make you uncomfortable? If so, you may want to arrange something more secular, with an officiant who isn’t related to you!
2) I personally believe that asking the guests to bring a side dish is a sweet tradition for couples not flush with cash — one that should have never gone away. However, in practice it can be harder. These days people can be resistant to bringing food (lots of people don’t cook very often.) If you want to do this, you might want to feel out a circle of friends & relatives first and see how they take it.
3) You can decorate a children’s wagon and have a bridesmaid or groomsman pull him down the aisle. Very cute.
4) This, to me, is the crux of THE PROBLEM. This is very big.
Everything seems backward here. Because the budget DETERMINES the size of the guest list. You simply can’t spend what you don’t and won’t have. 300 guests is an enormous number for a small-budget wedding. Always, the first and most powerful thing to do if your budget runneth over is cut guests.
I don’t care how many near & dear uncles and cousins your fiance has, you cannot invite them all on a small budget. Sure, creative, resourceful brides can make a dollar stretch, and you can even ask guests to bring some of their own food, but that still leaves you with the bill for beverages for 300 (god forbid that include alcohol!), and an enormous venue. Or if you’re having it at home, a huge rental bill for the chairs, tables, tent, not to mention all the bathrooms you’ll need to rent for that number of guests.
So, my advice is, don’t get pushed into planning a wedding that neither of you can possibly afford. It’s nice he has so many relatives, but unless one of them is a genie or he has a secret stash of gold, you won’t be able to host them all. If you try, your wedding planning will be an impossible task instead of a remotely pleasant one. Your stress levels will go through the roof, the closer you get to the date. This is not the kind of strain that any newlyweds need .. and not the kind of memories you want for your wedding. Plus, realistically, the entire burden of “pulling off” this unlikely task is going to fall on your shoulders. Don’t let that happen!
Instead, figure out how many people you can REALISTICALLY feed, water, entertain (and accommodate in the powder rooms), given the REAL figure that is your budget. Once you figure it out, THAT is your guest count, not how many relatives you have scattered over 48 states. Many couples find a smaller, more intimate wedding is immensely satisfying, and more reflective of who they are as a couple.
Best of luck!
Here are a few questions I could use some help getting answers for.
1. I’m an Atheist and we’re getting married inside a church with my soon to be father-in-laws friend who is a pastor. It’s his sisters church that we are using. Could this prevoke a problem?
2. I believe its alright to ask the guest to provide a small side dish such as salads or meat trays. We’re providing the main dish which is a pig roast. My fiance thinks it’s wrong of me to ask them to do that because he said it’s suppose to be a day of celebration and it doesnt look good if the guest are bringing dishes to pass at OUR wedding. Is that wrong of me to ask them for that?
3. My ring bearer is only going to be about 5 months old but his sister, my flower girl, is already 2 years old. How can I get him down the isle without having to have someone else carry him?
4. I have almost 300 people on my guest list, most of them are his family. That’s a big list for someone with my budget. I cant afford alot and neither can my fiance. How can I cut down that list without hurting someone’s feelings? This is why I want to have them bring a dish to pass because I cant afford to buy food for 300 people.
I am on a very tight budget, but I have until August to pull this reception decorations off. I found a beautiful lit-up-tree to use from a thrift store for $2.00 some of the lights were missing and I replaced those for $4.oo. I put bows, bells and other things and their picture from a white frame with silver at a dollar tree for $1.00. I found a wedding wreath for $2.00. I found tea light holders for .25 cents each. I found another thrift store that made beautiful huge bows for $1.00 each. I found raindrop flowers at another store only $1.65 for a bunch. I found small flower vases that I will break off one flower from each bunch, which will make several and put in these vases, that I only give .10 each at a thrift store. So, ladies if you have plenty of time to look, go for thrift stores. I also found a new flower girl basket, and ring holder for $2.00 each. The most expensive items on my list are the sage and white paper lanterns.
Does anyone have any new/neat ideas for a reception. I know that the candy bar/ice cream and popcorn bar is becoming very popular in our area these days, and since we’re not getting married until May 09, I don’t want it to be over-used. Any new ideas on what to do at the reception would be great! Thank you!
Amber, here are a few ice cream buffets at weddings. They’re a little easier for caterers who have cold pans, party tubs, etc. on hand, but you could go to Home Depot and buy some galvanized tubs and fill with ice for your cream. A few portable hot plates would work great for warming hot toppings, then just concentrate on a variety of room-temperature toppings you can serve in bowls like sprinkles, candy chips, fruit. Please see pics!
Another popular option for some weddings: rent an ice cream cart or even an ice cream van. See pics above, or check out the really cute kid manning the ice cream cart here!
Does anyone have any idea how to make an ice cream bar for a wedding? Thanks
And, I felt compelled to add a few more! :-? I love the details here .. the darker donuts for the stately wooden background, the white powdered donuts for the winter wedding, the chocolate-dipped strawberries one couple placed at the base … then, the touches of iris and hydrangea are cute!
Jessica, that’s such a cute idea. Here are some really sweet photos of donut cakes from couples around the web who weren’t afraid to have fun at their reception.
Has anyone done the Donut wedding cake? I would love to know more about that? I am wanting to plan a low budget reception with lots of spunk, sweets and color.