A Wedding on a Budget
The leaves are falling and you are still "falling" in love, which means many of you need advice and help to plan your wedding. In my August column I told you the story of the shoestring budget wedding I coordinated for a family member. In this column I am going to itemize the budget items to show you how we planned a wedding for under $1,000.00! I do not recommend setting this low of a budget, but sometimes circumstances warrant it. When the love bug bites and finances are limited, a small intimate ceremony and reception may be your only option. Even though it is an added expense the assistance of a wedding coordinator will help you stay within your budget and have a wedding you can look back on with fond memories. It took hours of planning and research for my assistant and me to find the most economical and acceptable options from the vendor selection to the punch ingredients.
Wedding gown $100.00 (including shipping)
We purchased the wedding gown from the internet. It was a $1500.00
dress which we purchased for $80.00.
Bridesmaids attire $60.00
There were two bridesmaids and their dresses were $30.00 each. They
didn't match in style, but were the same color.
Groom's attire $104.00
The groom rented a vest and shirt and purchased black jeans and shoes.
Groomsmen's attire $58.00
The groomsmen rented the same vest and shirt as the groom and wore
their own black jeans and shoes.
Ceremony Site $0
We were lucky to have a perfect location in the backyard of the groom's grandparents. There was a lovely gazebo in the yard, which was large enough to accommodate the ceremony including seating for the wedding guests.
Reception Site $0
The same location as the ceremony, but in a different area of the yard. We had a relatively large patio area in which to set up three clothed picnic tables for guest seating and a smaller patio where the cake. Drink, and gift tables were located.
Officiant $0
A friend of the bride who offered to conduct the ceremony free of charge.
Music
A wedding CD was played on a portable player.
Photographer $12.00
Four rolls of film were purchased and a family member took the photos. The original plan was to purchase disposable cameras and place around different locations for guests to use, but the bride and groom chose to have a specific person do the photos.
Flowers $143.00
Flowers were purchased from a local greenhouse to be potted in four white urns for the ceremony and three smaller containers to be used on the three picnic tables for guests. This was the first thing done during the planning phase to give the flowers time to grow and bloom by the wedding day. We purchased four hanging pots to be hung in the gazebo. A florist was used for the bridal bouquet, bridesmaids' bouquets, boutonnieres and cake flowers.
Cake $94.00
A small two-layer cake was ordered from a professional and
supplemented by three cheesecakes purchased locally.
Guest Book $27.00
Picture frame and mat. Guests signed the mat and a photo from the wedding
was enlarged and put into the frame for a keepsake.
Punch and Coffee $25.00
Ingredients were purchased and a family member prepared.
Paper Goods $32.00
Paper and plastic utensils were used for cake and drinks.
Table clothes $9.00
Table clothes were made from sheets purchased at a discount.
Marriage License $32.00
Wedding Rings $78.00
Invitations and stamps $44.00
Blank invitations purchased at office supply and printed on computer.
Rehearsal dinner $38.00
Pizza
Grand Total $856.00
A lot of extras were pared down including the guest list and as a family we pooled our resources coming together with various decorative and miscellaneous items. As I said previously, I do not recommend that you cut yourself so closely on your budget, but it can be done. You must set priorities, decide what is most important to you both and concentrate on those things. Be willing to let some of the small, insignificant things go.
The average wedding costs $25,000 so if you have just become engaged, begin saving now for your wedding. Set a budget, set priorities, stay on track and stay true to yourselves and your wishes and you can have the wedding of your dreams. Last but not least, to keep those dreams from becoming a nightmare, hire a planner! Happy engagement!
Cheers,
Janet
