[Joey]

Hey everyone! I’m recently engaged and am starting to plan the wedding. It is a special day for us so we want it to be nice, but also don’t want to break the bank.

Any suggestions for cutting costs while not still havinf a nice memory/ceremony?

I’m in California if that makes a differences.

[Rebecca]

Small pretty cake for traditional cake cutting purposes, big Costco sheet cakes for serving to guests.

So many things I cared about before hand, I could not have cared less about on the day of — Just go simple and make sure your loved ones are there!

[Bailey]

Keep it small if you can, we had our wedding in my parents back yard, keep the food simple (my friends on tight budgets only had one protein, or just had heavy hors de vours), obvi a cash bar is much cheaper but if you don’t want to do that we went to one wedding where the bar capped it at a dollar amount the couple agreed to and it turned into a cash bar after that and it seemed to work great, or you could just have a few wine/beer options and no liquor.

I went to a local sample dress store and got an amazing dress for $100! I’m sure trunk shows would be a good option as well. Men’s warehouse normally does the grooms suit for free with 4 groomsmen. The only thing I’d say don’t worry about the price is the photography and for me the dj was also higher ticket as it was important to us. But we went to plenty of weddings with rented speakers and a playlist as well.

But photography for sure get some one really good not budget as you’ll have the photos forever!

[Lacey]

Skip a traditional wedding and elope! Google “adventure elopements” and you’ll see so many examples of couples making a really special day that fits them. Weddings are expensive because they are a giant party for other people… so if you cut out paying for the big party you not only save a ton of money, but you get to have an intimate day that caters to your relationship.

Maybe that looks like a getaway to a unique AirBnB, or a day hike or skiing, or whatever – the sky is the limit when you don’t have to consider other people!

[Vincent]

It sounds almost too simple to say, but it’s all up to you and your spouse-to-be. It’s going to be a great test of the give-and-take in your relationship and your ability to prioritize.

There were things about our wedding that didn’t matter to me but mattered to my spouse (and vice versa.) Some of the best moments during the planning were discovering mutual agreement on certain expenses that seem to be common at weddings that we both didn’t care about one bit — so we just skipped them.

Congrats and best wishes!

[Sammy]

My husband and I “eloped” on the beach. Rented nothing but an arch and some chairs, had parents, siblings and our children and that was it. Thought I would regret not having a big wedding but I don’t regret it for a second.

It was special, beautiful and intimate. We did hire a local amateur photographer.

All in we spent like $400

[Jessica]

Friday not Saturday. DIY flowers. Find a venue you can bring in your own food & booze. Alcohol from Costco/Sams, wine from Aldi or Trader Joe’s. Cheap or digital invitations. No favors. Small wedding party.

Really shop around for a cake baker, prices will vary widely! Dress used or off rack.

[Brenna]

There are a ton of “used” wedding dresses on FB marketplace and in thrift stores. We had zero money and got married in our back yard with folding chairs for family and friends, and an arch my husband made and painted and we hung crepe paper from it.

Had a friend do photography – he was very avant garde and there were only four or five posed pictures. Had another friend get a $10 Doctor of Divinity degree from the Universal Life Church and he married us. Another friend made a cake. The maid of honor and best man were the only attendants and they wore what they had.

Had cold cuts, … Bouquet was flowers from the garden and a folding fan.

Probably cost about $100 at the time. Our friends didn’t have any money either so we said no gifts. It was fun and we’ve now been together for 45 years.

[Author]

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