Wedding under $5000? Anyone done this???

[Boobycino]

Firstly, no rush, we won't be getting married to spring or autumn 2012. For maybe around 50 people. Could explode to 100 if all of DPs family come, but if that happens we are eloping. So I'm thinking 50.

I'm just roughly planning out my wedding, could anyone experienced in planning a wedding tell me if my plan is realistic, if there's any big gaping holes in my plan. I've only been to a few weddings before, so what I don't I don't know about weddings im sure is huge.

Here's what I envisage - beach wedding ceremony, simple, standing, few chairs around for older/less able/pregnant/breast feeding guests, but I'm thinking like somehow settling up a giant shoe rack/dumping area, cos I want it to be on the sand ;) (unless it's too windy/raining) but more or less the only expense will be the celebrant (and somewhere to safely leave shoes ;) )

For the reception I'd love to rent a large beach house for the weekend - ideally ON the beach, if not walking distance from the beach, pretty much anywhere within an hour of the gold coast north or south.

Im thinking I'll get a beach house with room to put up a small marquee in the garden, But is have it sort of inside/outside, if it rains, we'll just be dancing in the rain ;) and obviously move all electrical equiptment under cover (so a balcony for the beach house is essential as a 'stage')

I'll hire a DJ - not sure what that'll cost. But I'll also offer to put up my brothers band, feed them, fly them in etc if they come play for me. (he's in a paid pub band) I kiinnnddaaa want to have karaoke :o even if by karaoke it's just singing along to dj'd music on microphones. I'm figuring lighting will be needed as well as it'll be outdoors at night. 

Catering, id want a roast buffet banquet. style thing. I kinda see long table in a U shape with long bench seating. I won't have placings, I want people to just come in, sit down, move around etc 

Alcohol, I'll explain to guests that say from 6-10 I have a couple of waiters hired to go around serving wine and beer, and maybe I'll just hire a big fridge for the night next to a table of (plastic) cups and it'll be self serve. I won't have hard liquor available. (though I know DP will want it and then I'll keep on the wait staff because I reckon it would be cheaper to pay someone by the hour to serve alcohol (who is rsa trained) than letting drunk people have at it) because I want the option for it to go all night - which means controlled alcohol.

My best friend and her mum own a wedding invitations business. So I'll ask for them to help me out and I'll pay them, but hopefully get a discount. Though I don't plan to do the whole stationary thing, just the invitations.

I don't know how fussed I am on decorations.

My dress I'm going to buy from a store that's NOT a bridal shop. I'll just find something white a pretty, I'll give myself a $500 limit, but I doubt I'll spend that much. It'll probably include shoes. DP and none of the grooms men are wearing suits, they are wearing white boardies and white short sleeve button up shirts. Brides maids I'll just find something pretty and buy them all the same, so probably like $50/$100 each and they can sort out their own shoes (within a guideline) 

I will also request no gifts. I know we'll get given them, but I don't want anyone to feel at all obliged. 

Oh and photography, figure I'll just hire a student photographer (who's got a excellent camera and some talent) for like 2 hours for the ceremony and to do some poses, then just get everyone to send me candid snaps from the reception. 

Ummmmm

Oh yeah, then I want someone to just come in and clean up cos I'll be on my honeymoon :p

Does that all sound realistically less than $5000?!

Thanks:) 

[sweet_lemons]

It can be done but it's hard! SO very very hard!

Ours is going to cost about $6 - 7K...maybe more...need to sit down and add it all up.

I think the DJ and cost of the band will blow out your budget.

With the beach house - are you talking about renting one for the night/a few days? We looked at this too and while it seemed reasonable the bond they ask for is usually massive and the idea of a guest ruining something and us losing the bond was too risky for me. Marques are not as cheap as you think. $400 upwards for one with walls.

Spit Roast is anywhere from $15 - 20 upwards per head.

Then there is the flowers and cake? The Wedding favours? Hair? Make-up? Transport? Suits?

I think for $5000 for 50 people is super hard but definitely worth trying for!

P.S - Ebay and China websites will be your friend!

[NancyBlackett]

Where will beach house be? If caterers etc have to travel to get there it might be additional cost - plus overnight stay.

You could always hire the beach house for the entire week and make it honeymoon too :)

I think paper lanterns swaying in the breeze would be perfect for decorations and incredibly cheap!

[BigRedV]

I agree with strawberry creams, a wedding on that kind of money for that number of guests is near impossible.

[Pinkzy]

Congrats on your upcoming wedding :)

It does sound like the wedding you want with a budget of $5000 will be hard, but it could very well be possible. My wedding was around the $3000 mark and it was a very, very simple do with 15 guests.

[Lemonhead]

I dont think you could do what you want to do for under 5k.

We are planning ours for 50 people and the costs are as follows:

Alcohol- $2000 (paid for by my aunt and uncle, a few big kegs, cartons of beer, champagne, slushie machines.
Catering- $2400
Tables, chairs, linen, large marquee- $1300
Dress- $170 (designer knockoff from ebay! Made to measure from Beijing)
Decorations- $300
Photography- Free, done by a friend starting up her photo business.
DJ- Free, DPs uncle (in law) is a DJ!
Cake- Im making, probs cost about $100.
Hair and makeup for me- $110 by friend.

Thats most of it, we have paid the catering and party equipment hire whic are the 2 biggies thank goodness.

[BazzasMum]

We did our wedding for $3200 for 35 people and half of that was the bar tab!!! That was pretty much meals only though. Will put down other costs.

We got married in the beach resort garden ($65 a head), pics (a friend, we paid for their meals and developing costs, around $400), gave every table a disposable camera ($100), celebrant ($150). Bought my dress from Sunny Girl (less than $300) - was a deb dress. Shoes from Payless (only wearing them once, they were pretty enough!) Did own hair and makeup. Flowers I got at the markets and made up my own bouquets ($20 all up, roses), bonbonnieres, and invitations.

If we'd had more options, I would have done what you plan. Rent a beach house etc, buy own alcohol instead of paying $5 a glass of wine, $8 a beer and $50 a bottle of champagne. I had to bring my own stereo to the function room for music. Oh and we got kicked out at 11pm, just as things were getting interesting!

So yeah, this was a few years ago, but I think I wasted money with the resort, as beautiful as it all was. I'm sure you could squeeze it all in for $5K.

[MrJones&Me]

You know a way to save money (no, seriously)

Hire a wedding planner. Most run on a sliding scale (i.e. more budget you have the more you pay for their services)

They have a MASSIVE knowledge of whats out there & who's cheap/reliable/useful etc.

Have all the connections

Know all the hints/tips/things that are missed.

Good Luck with it all :)

[Lemonhead]

Oh forgot to mention, youd rather have more booze than you need. You can deal with lack of food, crap location, rain, whatever...but if the booze runs out holy hell! HAHA

[Boobycino]

That's something I'd not considered - things getting broken and losing a large bond.

I might just dump the band, my brother can just bring his guitar for some *live* music.

Hmmmmmmmmmm... My brain already hurts. I'll admit my best friends wedding is making my nervous, hers started out simple and is now a $20,000 wedding.

But another friend pulled together a cheap wedding - but they own their own house so used their own garden, very limited guests and self catered (well, family catered) outdoor ceremony etc and so it cost them not a lot.

I'm pretty tempted to elope.

[sweet_lemons]

Thought I'd break down our costs for me and you... :D

Dress - $185.00 (still need to buy shoes, a shawl and underwear)
Suit - Hiring - TBA
Flowers - Planning on getting fake - $300 all up
Cake - $450 (made by a friend - very reasonable price)
Photographer - $1000 - $1600 (haven't decided on one yet)
Invites & Stationary - $200 (making it all myself)
Ceremony - $600 (church ceremony)
Reception - $3000
Hair - $0 (Friend who is hair dresser is doing our hair)
Make-up - $80 (Still need to find someone - thinking of going to Elle Bache - convenient location)
Cars - $0 (Using our own car and another friend who has the EXACT same car as us - will prob buy ribbon though!)
Music - $0 (doing it ourself using the reception room's sound system and an ipod!
Chair Sashes - $50 (buying them on Ebay - will sell them after).
Wedding Favours - $200

TOTAL COST = $6617

Still need to consider centrepiece costs & chair cover hire.

Also need to get rings.

And then we've spent about $5K on our honeymoon excluding spending money!

[Boobycino]

Okie doke... I think the mission would be $5k. With like $3 'contingency' then theres the tearfully calling my dad and seeing if he can pitch it as our second contingency ;)

Also after a quick chat with DP I'm trying to plan two weddings. With the band and DJ and wanting a big long table etc and marquee I'm seeing a fairy tale princess wedding and that just ain't happening.

I don't know how we'll do the guests situation. Plan A was always (from 2 weeks into dating) was morning wedding, on the beach, champagne and nibbles, on a Friday morning so only people willing to take a day off work to share in our love attend. Photos and then SEE YAS there's a pub down the road we are off on our honeymoon!!! Bahahahahahahaha

So a beach house is sort of my compromise cos I hate the idea of sort of not even going to my own reception, but I also don't wanna pay for it. Lol.

[Boobycino]

We could also like do what I did for my 21dt which was hired a room in a bar - however it was people paid there own way mostly cos I was pregnant I certainly wasn't putting on alcohol! But then around 11 pm they bust open our private area with our own bar and the rest of the patrons spilled in as we spilled out and it was up to guests to stay on - and obviously pay for themselves - from there.

My DP would have a heart attack but I'd happily have the same again where we provide the venue and some start up drinks, but the meals and drinks are their own responsiblity.

I just don't see why we are obliged to bankrupt ourselves as a young family to fulfill someone elses notion of what's appropriate.

In DPs culture though. My golly goodness Im gonna be cursed a dozen times over for not getting married in a church, if we don't provide free food and alcohol ill probably be hated even more than I already am :D

[Boobycino]

Hehehe I love the idea of doing the music yourself from the iPod!

[BigRedV]

Ok, gonna sound harsh here but if you don't want your partner's family at the wedding, get married on an island. For my package, we are paying $3795 and it includes legal fees and documentation, celebrant, my hair and make-up, bouquet, groom's buttonhole, 3 nights accommodation with all meals included, 2 hour photography, including disc, wedding co-ordinator, signing table, bottle of bubbles for bridal toast, plus heaps more things like massages etc.

[BigRedV]

Also, if you have 20 guests or less, that price is including the reception.

We will be having 40 at the most and it is only $15 a head for meals and $300 to hire our own beachfront reception.

[Boobycino]

Sounds divine bigred ! Where?!??

[Guest1234]

With the ceremony, you will need a permit to have it on the beach or in a public place, which will cost money for the permit. Just something to look into and add to the budget.

[Boobycino]

Big red does it work on an usland? Is there a boat /ferry for guests? Is it like a resort so some guests can stay on (at their expense)

[Boobycino]

Thanks fruit tingles, ill look into that too. I think where we originally planned it (in Syd) was about $280 for 2 hours.

[The Fox]

id do a destination wedding similar to what BigredV suggested. its almost impossible to do a wedding with 50 guest for 5k and even harder if you have more guest. The best way to cut numbers is to travel for the wedding, that way only the people who really want to be there will go, also they can pay their own travel costs in lieu of a gift.
Honestly, we planned for 80 people at our wedding and already its looking more like 100 (including the band etc), it is so hard to cut numbers without offending people.

[Guest1234]

We are just eloping :D with 2 of our closest friends as witnesses, and our daughters. Still doing the dress and suit, fancy photography, and all that, just no guests :) no idea how much it will be though, haven't really decided on our package yet.

Then when we get back, we are going to take those that matter out for a fancy dinner as a delayed reception.

Because of this we can splurge on things like the destination, photography, and the dress & suit etc. But its not for every one.

[BigRedV]

Sounds divine bigred ! Where?!??
Google long island weddings. They have 4 different packages. It's 20 minute ferry ride from Hamilton Island.

[Buttoneska]

honestly, nope not even close... but I am sure it can be done.. I have no idea how though

[BigRedV]

Also, they have a cheap elopement package.

Ferry is about $120 return.

I read on a wedding forum that the accommodation is only 3 stars, but it's
actually 3.5 stars. I got a bit worried at first, but then thought, oh well, you don't spend much time in your room.

The only thing is, everything else costs money, like sashes on the chairs etc. but they are all completely optional.

[Boobycino]

I'm loving the destination wedding idea. I've been looking at this all wrong. :goodvibes:

[BigRedV]

I'm loving the destination wedding idea. I've been looking at this all wrong. :goodvibes:

Did you look up Long Island?

[BigRedV]

We are also asking people not to bring presents, we just want them to be there. Plus, we have bee living together for so long, we don't need anymore toasters and we don't need the extra luggage for the flight home :laughing:

[Boobycino]

That's it. I don't want anything. Really. We already have too much stuff!

I'm considering even nominating a charity if people can't help themselves and have to bring something that they can donate something somewhere.

I'm cooking dinner but will jump on the lap top and have a look at long island when Jasper is in bed. I hope DP is warm to it.

He'll probably agree to anything when it's over a year away and then when it comes to booking it decide he wants a church wedding and 200 guests, but, yeah, cross that bridge if we come to it!

[BlissedOut]

We did ours under $1,000, but we don't drink and neither did our guests, we also did pay for your own meal in lieu of gifts, which a lot of people don't like to do, with our huge family it was either pay for your own meal, or we could only invite immediate family (which is over 50 people on its own).

We called in our resources, uncle did the entertainment (he does it professionally), aunty did flowers, bishop did ceremony, cousin did cake, another photography... we shouted everyone who provided a services dinner (we're not quite that cheap).

Your biggest expense will be alcohol.

It was cheap, but nice and everyone who wanted to be there was there, which would've been impossible if we shouted their meals.

Contact your local carvery for catering estimates. They may be considerably cheaper.

[Boobycino]

Yeah. I'm having a look, I might look at a few different islands. Im looking at moreton island because I still want a few people to come.

I'll work my way up the coast on google maps and see what else I can find.

Thank you so much. Not where I expected it to go, but i do think an island wedding kin
da gives me what I want. Plus it can incorporate the honeymoon budget ;)

:goodvibes:

Haha now just to 1) earn some money to 2) buy a ring (only a few hundred to go before I FINALLY get my ring, only 4 years after he asked me to marry him, hmm better late than never hey?!?) then 3) earn MORE money to 4) get married. And somewhere in there have another baby. :eek: lol. Hence the need for a BUDGET wedding! :freakingout:

[BigRedV]

My tip for the ring. I have a really nice engagement ring, it's white gild, and am considering titanium for my ring, definitely for DF as he won't wear it anyway.

[pumpkinears]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!! I got married 2 years ago & did it well under $5000. We got married at a lookout at the beach. My sister did the photography and we had pictures on the beach after the ceremony. We had our reception at the local pub. It was so relaxed and enjoyable. We had guests pay for their own meal instead of wedding gifts. We also paid for an open bar and arranged transport( bus) so guests could drink and not worry about driving. We got married about 45 mins away from our town were we lived. We had about 50 guests so it can be done..
My dress $300
DH clothes $200
DS $30
Celebrant $500
Bar $700
Cake $70
Flowers $50 I didn't have any bridesmaids
Limo $250
Invitations $60 I did my own table decorations. For entertainment there was already a band playing at the pub.hope it all works out for you and you have a fantastic day!!!!

[Boobycino]

That sounds lovely too pumpkinears.

Titanium hey? I wanted white gold until I tried on some yellow gold rings. I actually really like it. I was pretty close to getting a secrets shhh ring, but found a ring at michael hill and I adore and then nearly fainted when I saw the price (in a good way ;) ) but DP wants an egagement ring too, but I reckon we should just get MY ring and then save for his...cos I'm mean and selfish. Lol.

[Pax]

Yep, in my Mum's back yard and everyone brought a plate.

you can make it as inexpensive as you want. For us it did not take away the specialness of the occasion.. nor made us any stress before or after.

[Lemonhead]

Island wedding sounds fab!!

Honestly I would rather go to a wedding in someones backyard where they put on the food/drinks rather than a fancy schmancy one where we had to bring a plate or buy our own food/drinks...but thats just me.

[mysticme]

We did our wedding for about that price for 120 people.
We hired the local hall in my home town. Did all the set up and decorating our selves. We did a buffet of sliced meats, salads, shop bought cooked chooks cut up and had fruit salad, icecream and the wedding cake for desert.

We were married at the local lawns of the swimming pool (coastal town) and my aunt was our celebrant!

Bear in mind that this price included a 1000 wedding dress.

So yes it can be done so long as you are willing to do the hard yards your self.

We used party hire sell shops and bought a lot of bulk items. Used paper table cloths. Etc!!!

Good luck. With this much planning time you should be able to get started on it now and get the best deals.

[vegemite]

I did mine for less than that.

I did spend a bit more but on my house, renovated a whole room, built a deck and garden and then got married there. Because the reno was already planned, I didnt consider that to be wedding cost.

We had 18 guests for our ceremony (immediate family only, and not all of my siblings), short sweet ceremony conducted by my minister SIL, champagne toast and cake immediately after and then about 30 or so other guests turned up for a party. We found caterers for $15 a head, just finger food but enough to keep people happy. We had BIL take photos, and also let the kids in attendance loose with an old 35mm camera and about 15 rolls of film. That kept them entertained and gave us some of the most priceless photos of the night. The key for us was just being firm about what we wanted it to be and not bowing to any pressure to change it to suit other peoples expectations.

It can be done, it's not easy but if you plan well and stick to your plan you will achieve exactly what you want :)

Good luck, and congrats!

[Boobycino]

Bah! And this is why we can't get married.

Talking to DP this morning about number of guests (always a matter on contention) I'm like okay then we'll have everyone, meet on a beach get married, bring champagne, stand around toasting and congratulating and chatting, maybe even heck have a swim (DP will be wearing boardies for a reason!) then bye see yas off on honey moon.

Then he says nup we can't do that if his family travel all that way (some will come from overseas) then there's actually got to be a wedding.

If his family come out from overseas they will be expecting a full scale lebanese wedding, and while that's all well and good, if he has like 70 family members ive got like 25 max, plus some friends (to buffer out the sheer volume of people WE DON'T KNOW ) it's a 50k wedding. And it will have to be in a church or I'll be hated by 70 people I don't know. At my wedding.

Dammit! Why couldn't I be marrying the younger brother. Because the basic function of our wedding, plain and simple, is DPs family and spread out all over the world and so his wedding, being the eldest son of the eldest son, will just be an opportunity for them to see each other and have literally nothing to do with me and my family. I bet ANYTHING if I don't wear white they won't know I'm the friggin bride and id almost put money that with dp in shorts they won't know he's their nephew who's the person getting married and I don't see why we should organize a whole wedding to accommodate them.

And I know it's DPs wedding too, but i know he's only saying he wants this because he'll be drawn and quartered if he doesn't.

:freakingout:

Okay. I need to just forget actually getting married and focus on just getting my engagement ring.

*stomps feet and throws a small hissy fit*

[Boobycino]

I'm just gonna have to get him really drunk at Vegas... Lol.

[spideysmummy]

Neither of us wanted a big wedding! We got married in Feb and spent max $3k for 80 ppl!! I havent added it all up exactly though... Anyway it was PERFECT, and ppl keep saying how good the day was. We planned the ceremony on the beach but it had been pouring for 24 hours leading up so decided to it in the park on the beachfront and set up a marquee if we had to. It stopped raining midnight and we got married in overcast (but not raining!) and windy weather 10.30am - still in the park rather than on the sand. Followed by BBQ lunch back at our place. (which isn't big!)

A quick breakdown so you have an idea of what we did.

Dress $150 half price, was white but not from a wedding shop
Sandals $30 on sale
Underwear $10 kmart!
Rings $1000 for my set dh purchased together before proposing so not including this! Dh ring only $50 but it was what he wanted (black titanium)
Flowers $230 - artificial frangipanis and sweetpeas - my bouquet, bm bouquet 2x buttonholes
Cake $70 from local bakery - we just had a massive mud cake slab and decorated with flowers... Was sooo yumm!!
Food - I think it was $500 - for platters, meat and salads. We did antipasto platters followed by gourmet BBQ with heaps of salads, bakes, breads etc. My uncles cooked it, then it was all put on a trestle and ppl helped themselves to the 'buffet'
Alcohol - $700ish for beer, wine, champas and afew bottles of spirits
Celebrant $400
We hired a bamboo arbor for the ceremony $280. It was too windy to set it up and they had a no refund policy :(
Table, chair & glass hire - $200
Decorations - $50
Hotel for 2 nights (instead of a proper honeymoon) $600 but was a wedding gift
Photographer $300 (a friend - her usual fee for weddings starts at $800)
Dh suit $200
Hair cut earlier that week $40
Bombonierre (personalized shotglasses filled with jellybeans) $260 for 80.

I think I've covered everything...
We had a friend drive us because we didn't think the car was that important - he has a brand new black commodore so we just bought the ribbon and gave him a nice bottle of wine as thanks :)
We did our own hair & make up (I'm not a girly girl!)
One of mums friends helped out in the kitchen all day, clearing platters and making sure there was food out etc. She wouldn't accept cash so we gave her a voucher :)
Uncles cooked the BBQ, then it was self serve. Also self serve booze and it worked fine. We had speakers set up but just used the laptop for music, my step dad played mc and announced us as we arrived home, and then later for cake n speeches etc. Oh and mum cleaned up the whole house after (I still have to get her a big thank you pressie!!!!)

I think that's all. We had an amazing day and I wouldn't change a thing!!!




Sent from my iPhone using Bub Hub

[Lemonhead]

Im in the same boat hey. DP is Portuguese and everyone in his family has the big sha-bang. Ceremony in a church with a priest prattling on for ages, huge reception blah blah blah...well everyone also got help form their parents which we dont have so we opted for something different that meant we wouldnt have to take out a loan.

Weve been planning our wedding for 5 years and have gone from a 35k thing to what I described before because we finally realised that its about what WE want. Heaps of DPs family have disapproved of us having it at the registry office but its NOT THEIR DAY.

What about something in Bali? That was everyone pays their own way and for about 5-6k you can have a nice ceremony and cocktail reception! If people want to come they can fly there and because not everyone will be able to it lowers costs.

[Boobycino]

Oh my goodness yeah I'm not having a long winded church ceremony. I'd get bored. I'd fall asleep. I know id somehow wind up agreeing to have the ceremony read twice for the Arabic speaking guests.

I'm thinking 30 minutes from down the isle to kiss the bride will do me. :) DP will already have zoned out by then for sure. Lol.

[RunningWithScissors]

I think it most definitely can be done! My sister's wedding cost about $3000 (minus the dress which was $3200 but she had bought 4 years earlier after they got engaged!) and she had over 100 people!
She hired a chapel (non religious) and a hall, all set up for $1500. She put $800 on the bar for beer, wine and soft drink. It was about $500 for the celebrant and legalities.

The food was made by family...a huge buffet. Flowers were done by a friend for $150.
I paid for her photographer as a gift $300 for the entire day and all images on disc. BMs paid for their dresses, flower girls dresses were $30 from ebay and page boys suits were $40 from a small clothes shop. I did the nails and hair. Make up was done by a girl I went to trade school with who had done beauty too. They boys wore black pants which they all had, and a black shirt.
We used my cousins BMW for the bride and our dad, and the girls travelled in DHs clubby :)

It was gorgeous!

Mine was a smidge more expensive :o but I would have traded her short and sweet civil service for my long boring religious one in a heartbeat!

[suemp]

Hi, good luck planning. i am not married nor planning but wanted to put my 2 cents in. i work for real estaes who deal with holiday house rentals on the water, and very few if any in the area you want (non in our area) will agree to hire the house out for weddings/ or parties. sorry to be a dampener

[fingersandtoescrossed]

Please check out this website! I too have a small budget and these dresses are sooo cheap and stunning, from what I can tell there's no extra charges besides delivery.

Seriously worth a look :)
http://www.weddingdressshop.com.au/

I hope this helps xx

[Guest]

While a lebanese wedding sounds awesome! (no seriously they're so much fun!) I think if his family want all their family then they have to pitch in and pay for their guests. I think it's only fair because those guests are there for his parents and not you so why should you pay? I think you could definately do a ceremony and reception for 10k realistically. I would look for a resteraunt on the beach, have the ceremony as you want it, don't compromise because its the most important part, and have the reception at the resteraunt, pay per head because it'll be cheaper if they provide everything and all you do is pay per head, plus its easier for you and you won't have to organise a hundred different things. But there's things you can save on, but more than 50 people on 5k is hard, but 10k definately do-able.

[Bubblemummy]

Firstly Sorry but im guilty of skimming most posts :(

BUUUUUUT
I am getting married in 33days :freakingout: And all along it has been a struggle, the wedding i want and the wedding we can afford.
We were going to have it at the bowling club (dont laugh haha) it has a beautiful reception center upstairs and for 20- 25 guests would be $3500. My original wedding was going to cost $10,000.
I can buy a car for that so I thought *@$% it, I can do it cheaper myself.

So now we are having a BBQ wedding in our back yard. Its cost us around $2500.

Your biggest expense will be catering, dj, photography, and marquee.

If you are like me and can hunt down a bargain then what i would do if i were you, is contact a tafe near your location, get the photography section, and have a chat to the teacher of one of the classes, they should be happy to give your details to any interested members. That will help you and give them a helping hand. Make sure you chek their work first tho. Also if they are a big tafe they should have a section for food, you may be able to hire 3rd or 4th year apprentice chefs to cater for you, and down here we have classes for advanced cake baking & decorating, you may be able to find someone there to do your cake!!

Also i recommend entering competitions, I won a $100 voucher for handmade jewellery, so i got our wedding bands made out of Silver (until we can find the right set in white gold)

There are also so many business on fb where you can pick things up for the wedding, also buy swap and sell pages in most areas.
There is also so much you can do yourself. I have made my bouquet, and will be making accessories for the bridesmaids and, as i make hair accessories, ill be making matching ones for the bridesmaids and flower girl (my lil miss).

eBay was my best friend, i got about 85% or more of my stuff on there.
I got my dress for $120, made to measure and i can recommend her to anyone who wants her details.

Ok ill stop babbling on.
I have a thread on here about my budget wedding of your interested take a look and see what my stuff has cost

Good Luck xox

[4SweetAngels]

My wedding was about $3500 with 30 guests. We had it in our back yard (beautiful yard!). We did alot of the work ourselves to save on hiring. Our big expenses were the celebrant & photographer (we only got the basic package with him). It was well worth it, i don't feel like we wasted money that needed to go else where we had 2 small boys and I was 33weeks pregnant on the day.

-I made invites & decorations bought all I needed for that at christmas time from big w & spotlight (blue & silver, stars & hearts theme)
-Guests paid for their pre-ordered meal at the local bowling club instead of gifts or a wishing well etc...
-celebrant
-photographer
-Catered afternoon tea myself with the help of a few girlfriends
-BYO alcohol, we provided ice & eskys
-Michel's Patisserie cake, with such a small number of guests we had heaps over and only had twin mud cake hearts
-my dress
-dh pants & shirt
-My brides maid, made her dress
-Best man had black pants already we bought his shirt

I think thats all? I really shopped around... The biggest expense was the celebrant in saying that she was one of the cheapest as she is one of the more popular in our area therefore she can make her prices more competative.

Have fun!!!

H:pxx

[musicalmumma]

it can be done just get creative and seek out family and friends with talent. Our wedding was just over $3500 including dress and rings, I had a friend make our cake and two friends to take photos, also did my own make up and my friend who is a hairdresser did my hair and bridesmaids very cheap.
My husband does not drink so we decided people could pay for their drinks too
we also got married in off season (winter) and you will find that resorts will be more flexible with pricing if you do it during that season.
hope everything goes wonderfully for you and that you have a beautiful wedding day

[leeby13]

It can be done .... coz we have done it I made the flowers myself which were easier than I thought . We got married on our 10 acre farm by a celebrant , had a spit roast cater for it & just had stereo on with lots of cd's , had the cake made & did the decorations myself all the guests were the photographers & we got my brother to do some wedding shots . I think it cost less than 1,000 dollars & it was an awesome day although it did not last but thems the brakes lol & besides I am happy with my new partner & if we decide to get married will do it again like last time

[zinfandel]

have something really intimate and simple. just like a dinner on a special occasion but with a little more since it's a wedding. I think that is much better than having wedding guests that aren't really close to you as a couple. plus, you get to talk and mingle with all of your guests.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-29/sofia-coppola-married-in-italy/2859668

even sofia coppola only had 80 guests at her wedding, this makes it very intimate

[Astraamy]

Put an add on gumtree asking for student photographers and student florists and any other students that could help. Maybe a student event planner

I'm a floristry student looking for more portfolio photos so offer my services for cost. I get HEAPS of replys when I put that on gumtree.

I bet there are students in your area who would do the same.

[babybloom]

Yes we did.
had an evening coctail style party in a fancy hotel room (which we then stayed the night in). did not bother with braidsmaids dresses or potograther.

It was more of a elopment ceremony. set us back about $3500

[MuminMind]

So, I was just reading this thread out of curiosity, and then noticed that you have a new avatar; A picture of you in a wedding dress(!!!!!) with your stunning DD!

So, CONGRATULATIONS! TELL US, how did it go? :)

[Boobycino]

Oh no, that's a brides maids dress. ;)

After being my best friends maid of honor and helping the wedding along in any way possible from literally unscrewing pieces of dance floor and moving them while 20 weeks pregnant, and ironing more table clothes and runners than I thought could exist in one place, let alone the usual stuff like trying to find stupid buttons under her skirt to hitch her train up and stuff...

... I'm quite happy to not get married any time soon.

:no:

But it was a beautiful wedding. Lol.

Also being due in march we aren't really likely to start to think about planning a wedding now for at least a year or so. It goes back to 'one day when we have time'

[anewme]

You so pretty I thought you were the bride too.

[Zombie_eyes]

Wasnt your scan today???? How did it goooooooo???? Omg suspenseeeeeee

[anitanchad]

hey there,

we have just paid for our wedding in bali in june 12 and a day after paying i found out i was pregnant and due in june, so unfortunatly we wont be doing it…. however, i don't know what ur take on bali is but we were going there so we could have it all, 5 hours dj, 5 hours professional photographer, smorgasboard and amazing reception for 80 ppl, cake, hair and make up the works, for 5,000. thats for 80 ppl and not skimping on anything at all. i was looking at doing the same wedding here and it was going to be 35,000.
If Your interested that also includes the australian wedding planner who lives in bali called natalie at balika weddings. she is great. honestly have a look into it you can see the pics of weddings online at mandira hotel bali and klick on gallery to see other weddings it is truely amazing and a good way to limit numbers as we invited 300 and only 80 could make it..

hope that helps

[Boobycino]

Wasnt your scan today???? How did it goooooooo???? Omg suspenseeeeeee

Df has me sworn to secrecy. He said blahblahblah wants to enjoy this time where only we know crapitty crap blah blah. He also specially said no bubhub & Facebook.

[Zombie_eyes]

:freakingout: