really low budget wedding, please help !?

Question

i have a budget of $6000 for my wedding. i know its really low.
i need ideas for girft favors, that are cheap but look nice/have meaning.
i also need help with the reception. i cant afford to book a big hall and have caterers. i was wondering if a bar/restaraunt would let me book it for a night, and then everyone pays for there own meal. is this wrong to ask everyone to pay for there own meal ? and would a bar let me do that ?
also, any other tips you could give me for my wedding, tips on how to save money ?

thanks.

Answer 1

Dear girl - It is NEVER correct to ask a guest to pay for his dinner. So that idea is out. However, it IS customary for the best men, maids etc to pay for their own clothes.



Your budget is not so very very low that you can't work with it. I would forgo all favors as they are not necessary and people really don't care for them anyway.



A restaurant is a good place for a reception. For less expense, choose something like a Chinese or Mexican restaurant that has private dining rooms for these very occasions. They usually have set menus and this will be an inexpensive option for you.



You can also choose to rent a hall and have an inexpensive buffet and cake and punch reception.



Have your wedding at an off hour such as 2-4pm or after 7pm. Then you can get away with just appetisers and cake and drinks.



Early am weddings give you the option to have a breakfast reception. This is a great idea, as most people won't be drinking alcohol this early, just a little champagne toast.



Or have a luncheon reception. Choose a chicken dish for the entree. This will cut costs.



You want a 50s style dress. Look online. Wear what you want.



Don't go overboard on floral. Just small tasteful bouquets for you and your maids and bouts for the men. No centerpieces necessary.



No live music, and don't hire a dj. Use an ipod for your music. Most restuarants will allow this.



Best wishes!

Answer 2

You never ask people to pay for anything at a wedding. My budget is $10,000 and we're having a 150 person (minimum) wedding, so as long as your guest list isn't through the roof you should be able to manage.



I would suggest looking into state parks and county parks as a wedding site. They're very reasonable, some of the ones in New York are about $100-$200 to reserve for a day. As for catering, we found a good caterer in our area that is buffet style and after taxes, gratuity, and plate rental will be about $16 a person. Catering doesn't need to be $100 a head! We're doing a fun, barbecue style meal because that is what we can afford.



Check out UniqueVintage for dresses, they have a lot of 50s style clothes that are really quite lovely and very reasonable. If you are in the United States, bridesmaids and groomsmen expect to pay for their dresses and tuxes. UK, different story: the bride usually pays. But again, check out sales: JCrew is having a huge sale right now, and bridesmaid style dresses are about $50. Pretty damn good!



I'd also recommend checking out Offbeat Bride for more ideas; it is a wedding website for brides who are a bit less traditional, which can mean some creative budgeting.



Good luck, and best wishes for your marriage!

Answer 3

I would suggest that you have your ceremony and reception at the same location - and perhaps serve hor d'ouevers or a light lunch instead of a sit-down dinner. When people are invited to a wedding, with the exception of perhaps a cash bar, they are not expecting to have to shell out money for dinner. Perhaps have a small wedding ceremony and a small reception - limit the # of guests.



You would need to contact restaurants or bars in your area and ask them if they would allow a space to be rented out - but that is probably going to be more expensive than having a earlier wedding with a reception onsite.



Have you considered getting married on a Friday or Sunday in place of Saturday? I had a friend get married last year on a Sunday and she saved a TON of money in doing that. The hall she rented normally went for $5000 and she only had to pay $1500 plus catering.



Skip the favors and donate money to a charitable organization (one that means something to you and your fiance) - and then on a piece of card stock write up "A donation was given in your name to....." No one needs chocolate or any other trinket from your wedding.



As for wedding dresses - try second-hand stores - often persons will donate their dresses and they end up selling for 1/2 or more off the retail price. Also, check out David's Bridals' $99 dress sales - contact your local DB to find out when they might be held.



Technically - the groomsmen and bridesmaids do pay for their own dress, shoes, etc. so you should not be contributing to those costs.



Good luck!

Answer 4

You could comfortably do a nice cake and punch reception for $6000. These are coming back in style as brides look for ways to spend less on weddings. Another option is get some nice appetizer-type things from a store like BJ's or Sams Club and hire several young adults with catering experience to serve them. There are lots of such people around, ask on craigslist. Don't ask your guests to pay for their food. Always simplify your plans instead.



Don't dress in one of those costumes. There are many beautiful Marilyn style dresses around. Search for Marilyn halter top pleated dress or for something less literal, retro pin up dresses. And with a $6000 budget you can afford to spend $100-200 on great dress, which is all you'll need. Also get a pair of really great pumps.



Most brides in this country ask their bridesmaids / best men to foot the cost of the formal wear. In other countries, it's customary for the bride to pay for those things. Here, the main goal is not to pick a costly dress that your bridesmaids can't afford. The men are pretty much stuck with the standard cost of a tux rental.

Answer 5

When you are working with a small budget it's best to keep your guest list small. The more people on the list the more expensive it gets.



I would ask some of your friends and relatives if they have a space that you could use for your reception. Maybe someone has a big house or backyard that they are willing to let you use. This way you wouldn't have to worry about the rental costs.

If you don't have anyone who can let you use their house then I would check out your city and local city websites. They often have parks, community centers and halls that are available to rent for a good price. Most of these places will allow you to bring in your own food - so you can do the food yourself and save a lot of money. You can just offer your guests appetizers and cocktails instead of doing a full meal. You can save a lot of money that way. The one thing I don't recommend is asking your guests to pay for their own meal. It's really not appropriate to do that. You just need to get creative and ask friends and family for their help. Ask someone to help make food, decorations, the cake, the flowers, etc.

$6,000.00 is a small budget, but it is something that you can definitely work with.

Normally the best men, groomsmen, maid of honor, and bridesmaids pay for their own dresses. Sometimes brides will pay for them - but mostly it is the responsibility of the bridal party to pay for them.

For your gown - I think that the Marilyn Monroe look is really cute, but I don't know if I would purchase a Halloween Costume...not without trying it on anyway. You may want to check out local theater company's in your area - they often have costumes available year round. You also may be able to rent a costume from them.

David's Bridal is having their $99.00 gown sale - you may want to go take a look to see what they have. They also have a great online collection that is affordable.

http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_return_online.jsp?pagesize=all



Don't worry - everything will work out. Just start doing your research and recruit friends and family to help.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Do NOT ask people to buy dinner. If you can't cater, fine. Buy fresh fruit and prepare fruit trays before the big day. Just don't have the wedding during a meal time.



Maid of Honor and Best Man typically buy their own clothing. It's traditional and fine.



Check thrift stores as well for the dress, but online is a great idea for finding the type you're looking for.



Have a friend take the pictures, just make sure they know what they're doing and have brought extra batteries and at least another camera just in case.



Congratulations!

Answer 7

we had a simple wedding also- we did have a meal catered- this was the biggest expense(100 people= $1000) we rented a"community center" for $75 for the reception. i had a wedding dress made for $350. Had 2 people stand for us- bought dresses at Boscovs- got on sale for about $60 each. Flower girl dress came from sears. Husband and guys did not wear tux's only dress shirt and tux vest- which we bought online for about $25 each. Favors i got off of ebay for cheap- we probably didnt even spend 6000 on a wedding. I would not feel comfortable asking people to pay the mail OR ask girls and guys to pay for the clothes... I personally was just asked to be in a wedding in june of thisyear and we are expected to pay for the dress and Im NOT happy because its $200 for a bridesmaid dress!!! Search around at big department stores for bridesmaid dresses. You'd be suprized how nice of dresses/gowns are out there.



Good Luck!

Answer 8

Absolutely do NOT ask everyone to pay for their own dinners. Why don't you have a small, intimate wedding instead?



I got married in the Nevada desert, about an hour outside of Las Vegas. The whole wedding ceremony cost about $800, which included limo, pictures and an hour on-site. I had 30 guests. My husband and I were going to elope, but decided to let our closest friends and family know, so that if they could afford to come and wanted to come, they could. No strings attached.



Afterward, we paid for a buffet dinner at an Irish pub. We rented out their back room for about 3 hours and had a great time.



The wedding, my dress, hit outfit (he wore a kilt suit, not a tux), our week-long honey moon in Vegas and the dinner cost us about $4,500.



Yes, you can ask attendants to buy their own dresses and tuxes, this is common practice. But my advice is to have a wedding you can afford, and don't make people pay for anything they can't or aren't willing to afford.

Answer 9

Favors: You could give away chocolates/candies bought in bulk. Wrap in a piece of tulle and tie with a pretty ribbon. Attach a poem or little line saying "thank you for celebrating our day" You could create a CD. Buy the CD's in bulk and burn them yourself on your computer. Choose songs that are meaningful you you and your fiance. Design your own CD cover on your computer.



Food: Rather than ask people to pay for their own meal, just serve appetizers. Talk to your desired restaurant, i'm sure you're not the only person to want to book a party there. I recently went to a wedding reception at a bar. They did this. On the invitations they had provided a list of local restaurants in case the guests wanted to get dinner before going to the party. The bride was writer, so she had it worded nicely.



wedding attendants dress/tux: I've stood up in 5 weddings and had to pay for all my dresses/shoes/etc. The girls/guys in my wedding also had to pay for their own dress/tux.



wedding dress: look on ebay, craigslist, freecycle, and local consignment shops. also check out david's bridal



Other money savers: print your own wedding invitations, have people rsvp to your email account instead of paying for the response postcards and postage, use your ipod as your dj for the night, just bring in your sound system from home, ask friends and family to take photos/video of you. Place some disposable cameras around, Then, you can have your paid photographer focus on a few of the photos you want.



Good luck and Congratulations!

Answer 10

$6000 isn't bad unless you are inviting a lot of people. Tell us how many you are inviting. Then we can answer better.



Favors: go to orientaltrading.com and look there.

Reception: Very poor taste to have them pay for their own meal. What's the point? they could go somewhere else for a meal and maybe pay less. Try an appetizer or dessert reception. Number of guests is where you start paying. Do it in a park or something where it is cheap to reserve the area.

If you want to do a restaurant, you would have to check with the specific restaurant and you would have to pay for all the food.

No Costume, please! Just get a flowy white dress. if you want something cheap look here: http://www.lilywedding.com

Tuxes get rented by those wearing them. MOH should buy her own dress, or you can pay for half if you feel generous.

Answer 11

Dependsing on the area that isn't that that low. THe easiest way is to cut the guest list, depending on your family that may not be an option. You can cut out aquainances and people you haven't spoken to in a while. You still should include guests for single people over 18. If you want a bigger guest list, you just have a less fancy wedding.



Having it off season (not summer), having it on a Friday or Sunday, and having it on an off time (not dinner), can lead to good deals.



Find a pretty venue, you may geet a decent deal and it can save on decorations. You may get a bare hall for cheap but you may find yourself spending your savings on trying to make it look nice.



Don't go crazy on flowers. Consider a smaller bouquet, and buy flowers in season.



You do NOT ask people to pay for their own plate or drinks, ever! Don't do a full dinner, you could have a lunch or hor dourves if you plan it not to be at a meal time. You could even do "cake and punch", with basic nonalcoholic beverages (coffee, tea, soda, water, milk), cake, and possibly a few other snacks, that is the BARE minimum and if you choose to do that you must do it at some time other than a meal time.



Weddings are a luxury, remeber that. Your guests are guests, they should not be expected to pay their own way. Adjust either the guest list or the style of party if you can't afford what you want.



Wear whatever you want. I would avoid a $30 Haloween costume, since those are genrally very very cheap looking, even $100 costumes can look like crap. If you find soemthing nice don't worry about the pirce or the label attatched to it but therte are other potentially better options. You can get a regular dress for that price that would still look nice. Jessica McClintock has nice dresses and some are very very inexpensive. When you mentioned Marliyn Monroe I thought of this one: http://www.jessicamcclintock.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10002&storeId=10001&productId=85425&categoryId=10332&subcatname=Bridesmaids&spage=1&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=10318 $105, a little over what you were mentioning but still inexpensive.

This bridesmaids dress http://www.jessicamcclintock.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10002&storeId=10001&productId=124037&categoryId=10332&subcatname=Bridesmaids&spage=2&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=10318 is only $30 and comes in white, though I don't know if it has other colors on it (i like the store but they don't have tons of pictures on the site)



You can also look at stores like JCPenneys, Macys, or even Target for inexpensive dresses.



Generally bridesmaids are expecte to pay for their own dress. Just talk to them about hteir budget and make sure not to pick anything expensive, and don't be pushy about shoes, hair, and other expenses. Let them know you don't expect a gift.



Big favors are not required. I think food is good, everyone can use it and it isn't that expensive. Even something simple like a pen, thin practicatlity rather than cute because 90% of people won't hang on to some trinket with your name on it.Oriental trading has great prices on things, even if it isn't the best quality and they have wedding favors.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/

Answer 12

Get a couple credit cards, run them up, then at the wedding, take up an offering. lol jk. go to davids bridal or another wedding gown rental place. My mom rented hers for $100 back in 1999. Or go to http://www.costumesgalore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MarilynPlus&Category_Code=PlusSize to rent a 'Marilyn Monroe' dress. You can rent 'private rooms' at some restaurants for a fee. You'd have to call around and find out. As far as making everyone pay for their own meal, I say go for it. There's no need to go into debt over one day's worth of extravagance.



Saving money tips:

-do your own hair, nails, and makeup or have a friend do it for you

-flowers are going to be your biggest expense, so try to cut it down as much as possible...to just your bouquet only perhaps

-wedding invitations: if you have microsoft word, go to www.office.microsoft.com, click on 'templates' and in the search box type 'wedding invitations'. Go to wal-mart and get some nicer parchment-type paper and print your invitations on that.



hope these tips help a little

Answer 13

$6000 is not extremely low. People have spent less and had a nice wedding.



It is VERY rude to ask for guests to pay their own way for a meal at your wedding reception. Lets try to be creative & do something different and not make you an etiquette nightmare.

It is perfectly normal for the wedding party to pay for their own attire.



Since the meal is usually the most expensive part of a wedding, why not change it up? Have a brunch or lunch if you really want a meal. If you can do without the meal, have a mid-afternoon or late evening ceremony & reception that isn't at a mealtime and serve snacks.

Definitely skip alcohol, its a budget-breaker.



As for dresses, look into bridesmaid dresses available in white. Check eBay, too! Also check craigslist and recycleyourwedding.com both might have things you are looking for.



I would strongly suggest you look into renting a cheap hall, or if you are having a summertime wedding look into a park pavillion.

Answer 14

Wow, I wish I had 6k for my wedding. Ours will be about 3500. 1600 to rent the tables, chairs, linens and tent. we will be at a friends house on the lake, so the 'venue' is free. our dinner will be a buffet style and we are having lasagna (made in by me in advance and frozen until the day before) tossed salad, garlic bread, and a few vegetable trays and other snacks for the party goers later on. we're using clear plastic plates and cups and getting a keg and a couple cases of wines from a local vineyard. my flowers will mostly be gerbera daisies in tangerine and fuschia, with orange and pink tapers and the daisies in centerpieces. my dress is absolutely gorgeous and I bought it for 500 bucks at a sample sale at a nice bridal boutique close to home. we're planning on about 100 people. as far as favors go, I'm planning on burning a disc with our wedding music on it for each guest (we aren't using the traditional music obviously) and putting a sticker label over the cd-r. those are really really cheap favors and people will most likely listen to them. traditionally, the attendants pay for their own attire anyway. if you do it all yourself, it can be tastefully done for a small amount of money. good luck and best wishes!

Answer 15

Not is that low. I am doing mine for less than that. Cut your guest list down as much as possible...close family and close friends. Ask around to the restaurant's to see how much they would do it for. It is not wrong to ask the MOH and bridesmaid to pay for their own dress/tux. i wouldn't buy a "cheap" or cheap looking costume for your wedding dress. this is your wedding after all. Check netbride.com. I am doing candy bars for my favors

Answer 16

Here are a few ideas that can be done inexpensively



Small flower arrangements at each place setting could double as wedding favors and table decorations. I have bought glass containers at thrift stores for twenty-five cents. They don't have to match. If you're using artificial flowers you could use terracotta pots.



Divinity fudge makes delicious cheap wedding favors. Wrapped up in white tulle and tied with a white ribbon it would be beautiful. Add a tag; you make yourself, with a little message like "Love is divine". Cut out the tag with scallop scissors and punch a hole for the ribbon.



Candles made in seashells are pretty for a beach wedding or any wedding for that matter. Melt some beeswax but don't get it too hot. Pour it into the shell and add a wick. Get directions at your craft store. If you live near the sea gather shells yourself. Shells can also be bought by the bag.



Candies, such as M&Ms in your wedding colors, Kisses or Hugs, mints, a wonderful piece of chocolate or any kind that you would like, look great in a cupcake liner. They come in different sizes and colors you can even get them customized.



Wedding reception ideas are plenty. Mainly the wedding reception is the party, a time for all to celebrate your new life together.



The party should reflect the style and spirit of the wedding.



Don't forget wedding songs reflect that spirit as well.



There are a lot of creative solutions to saving money at your wedding reception. The most obvious is to limit the number of guests you invite. Hindsight is 20/20 and at my own wedding I could have shaved at least ten people off my guest list. Every little bit helps.



Consider having your wedding reception at someone's home, your home, a club, park or museum or even a fire hall.



If you book your reception at a hall, hotel ballroom or restaurant, the catering manager can act as a wedding coordinate, saving you big money and time. They can provide services such as cakes, a d.j. and florists at reasonable prices. It's like one-stop shopping. My wedding reception took place at a beautiful restaurant and the catering manager was happy to help me with all kinds of things. It was a big help!



Consider a buffet or do-it-yourself, with help of course. See other money saving tips at Wedding Reception Ideas for Food.



A great way to be thrifty is to make your own favors.



My personal favorite is to get M&Ms in your wedding colors, put them in clear bags and tie a ribbon on them. Everyone loves these and you can find you own special colors at colorworks.com.





When comparing the cost of different locations remember rental fee, food, beverages, parking, gratuity, set-up fees and the cost of rentals like tables, chairs, canopies,etc.



Don't forget if your reception is outside have a back-up plan. Get everything in writing.



A huge expense at the wedding reception can be alcohol. But there are lots of ways to save on cocktails without compromising fun. If you're supplying the alcohol yourself, shop around at shopping clubs like Costco. A lot of online retailers have great prices and selections.



Making your own reception decorations is easier than you think. Get creative with wedding decorations.

Answer 17

I got married in Las Vegas. It was intimate friends and family. We paid for all their rooms and for two days. We took them the the Mandalay Bay buffet and they loved it. In Vegas I am sure Elvis can marry you and your hubby, there should be plenty of costumes there.



My hubby rented the tux there and there are stores with a wide selection of dresses.



I paid for everything.

Answer 18

http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_detail.jsp?stid=3201&prodgroup=210



http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_detail.jsp?stid=3174&prodgroup=210



1. I suggest you check out the David's site. Not exactly Marilyn, but there are some gowns that are similar.

2. Big etiquette no-no to ask everyone to pay for his/her own meal. Please don't do that. Much better to serve cake and punch immediately following the ceremony. Please don't ask your guests to pay for anything.

3. Usually best man, groomsmen, bridesmaids, and maid of honor do pay for their own wedding attire.



See budget tips here:

http://community.theknot.com/cs/ks/user/page.aspx?username=BudgetBridesBio

Answer 19

You can do TONS with $6000! First, lets talk about the reception. It is a huge no-no to ask your guests to pay for their own food. Do not do that. Instead, how about having some friends or family members do your "catering"? A really great inexpensive idea is a pasta bar. Have your "chefs" boil up pasta a week or so before the wedding and store it in big freezer bags in the freezer. Then all they have to do is drop the bags into a big pot of boiling water at the reception and it magically comes back to life. :) Go to your local GFS, Costco, or whatever bulk goods store you have and buy your sauces (marinara, alfredo, pasta, whatever), grated cheeses, and other miscellaneous toppings like veggies, precooked meatballs that only need to be heated, precooked cheicken and steak strips, garlic breadsticks... all this stuff is super cheap, but when you lay it out buffet style with things on different levels (just use boxes and coffee cans to create levels, then cover with a simple tablecloth or fabric), it looks like a million bucks. Use disposable plastic plates to reduce clean up and costs. When you are looking for a reception hall, consider some places that you might not have thought of: county parks have picnic shelters, and some even have banquet halls, your county fairgrounds may have a meeting center or banquet hall, local club lodges (elks lodge, fraternal order of police, falcons lodge, etc.) usually rent their spaces out for receptions, and they're usually very reasonable. Just make sure they either allow outside catering (so your family can bring in food) or that they have a menu option that works for your budget. For decor, start asking around to see if anyone is getting married around the same time as you, or has gotten married and has decor items left over. Alot of d.i.y. brides find themselves with 30 glass vases and square mirrors sitting in their basements collecting dust, and if you ask, they'd probably be grateful to unload the stuff for cheap. I'm actually using the same vases that were used for my mom's wedding (2 years ago) and my sister's (last year), so all i have to buy are floating candles which are about $6 for 20.



Okay, now let's discuss your dress. You want a simple, sexy, knee length halter dress in white. http://cgi.ebay.com/WHITE-MARILYN-PLEATED-BABYDOLL-COCKTAIL-DRESS-S-M-L-XL_W0QQitemZ220326918690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_CSA_WC_Dresses?hash=item220326918690&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1308%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50 There ya go. Don't get a costume. They not well made and the materials are cheap, or if they ARE well made, they cost more than just a simple dress. Here's another cute one that's a little more formal: http://cgi.ebay.com/White-House-Black-Market-Marilyn-Dress-NEW-8-148-NWT_W0QQitemZ290288295537QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_CSA_WC_Dresses?hash=item290288295537&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50 and this one almost looks like a wedding dress: http://cgi.ebay.com/MARILYN-WHITE-SILK-DRESS-A309-Halter-Monroe-Cocktail-S_W0QQitemZ350151436706QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_CSA_WC_Dresses?hash=item350151436706&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50



Bridesmaids and groomsmen usually do buy their own dresses and rent their own tuxes. If you want to keep their costs down, keep it casual- khakis and dress shirts for the guys (maybe vests), and sundresses for the girls. It would be a little silly for you to be in an informal dress and have your guys wearing tuxes and girls in really bridesmaid-y dresses anyway. How about these for your bridesmaids:http://cgi.ebay.com/NR-Maggy-London-Silk-Chiffon-Dress-Clear-Pacific-sz-6P_W0QQitemZ250353054868QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_CSA_WC_Dresses?hash=item250353054868&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50



For your flowers, you can ask a crafty friend to help you and your maids make simple bouquets from grocery store flowers. You can do this the day before your wedding (crack open a bottle of wine and a box of good chocolate and make it a party!). Everyone makes their own, so they all look a little different, but still cohesive because they all have the same flowers. Just gather the stems, wrap with clear rubber bands, then wrap with ribbon. Super easy, cheap, and really special. You might want to have the grocery store florist make the corsages and bouitioneres (I have no idea how to spell that), since they are a little harder to put together. It'll still be cheaper than a traditional florist.



My budget isn't much more than yours, and I'm expecting about 150 guests, so i feel your pain. lol Feel free to email me if you need any more specific help!

Answer 20

All sounds fine to me. Another way would be to charge people for coming - say $100 a ticket? That way you'll either make money from ticket sales or save a fortune because nobody will come.

Answer 21

go on ebay or crags list