Joined Dec 2014
L3: Novice
Forum Thread
How to Host an Inexpensive Wedding
April 6, 2016 at
06:49 AM
in
Wedding & Bridal
(3)
So I recently got engaged, and holy shit was I surprised when I found out how much the average wedding in the U.S. costs (about 30k for those unaware). Being a slickdealer I was immediately suspicious at what appears to be an outrageous cost, for basically throwing a large party. Like anything else in life, I know that there are ways to save money when hosting such an event, but I'm having a really hard time figuring out how. I have tried posting in specific wedding forums, but have been met with tons of negativity, and claims that it can't be done, from people who's opinions seem very suspect to me.
Maybe I'm just being an arrogant misinformed dick, but I find it very hard to believe that a wedding HAS to cost this much money. I feel like the slickdeals community can resolve this question for me once and for all, so here it is:
Were you able to have a relatively inexpensive wedding? Estimate what your cost was per guest? How did you save money? What were the sacrifices/compromises that you made?
Personally, I have a pretty specific idea of what I want at my wedding. If you have any saving ideas that apply to my plans specifically please let me know.
What I envision:
Outside wedding in a beautiful field under a tent in New England early September with about 150-200 guests (no church/priest, so saving money there). I want to host my guests appropriately so I want an open bar and a fully catered wedding with music. I feel like location/space, food, booze, music, and bathrooms are all you need to host a fun filled wedding, so why does it cost so much?
What I think I need:
1. Venue, large field, requires lots of parking, access to electricity, bathrooms (or option of port-a-potties). How do I get this cheap?
2. Booze, seems pretty self explanatory, buy it yourself and you'll save way more money than if you purchase through a middle man.
3. Food, I believe you can get pretty good catering for about 25 bucks a person. What did you guys pay? Does it make a difference in price that it is being held outdoors?
4. Bathrooms, hopefully on site, but if not renting port-a-potties. Any specific way to get nicer ones on the cheap?
5. Music, probably rent a sound system and make my own playlist. Are there businesses that offer this type of thing at a lower price bracket?
6. Tent, this own is expensive, I can't seem to find large tent rentals that seem like they are fairly priced. It is a very unique item, so maybe this is something I will have to pay for.
7. Various rentals, tables, chairs, linens, dinnerware, wineglasses, dance floor, stage.
Thanks for the help
-Ben
Maybe I'm just being an arrogant misinformed dick, but I find it very hard to believe that a wedding HAS to cost this much money. I feel like the slickdeals community can resolve this question for me once and for all, so here it is:
Were you able to have a relatively inexpensive wedding? Estimate what your cost was per guest? How did you save money? What were the sacrifices/compromises that you made?
Personally, I have a pretty specific idea of what I want at my wedding. If you have any saving ideas that apply to my plans specifically please let me know.
What I envision:
Outside wedding in a beautiful field under a tent in New England early September with about 150-200 guests (no church/priest, so saving money there). I want to host my guests appropriately so I want an open bar and a fully catered wedding with music. I feel like location/space, food, booze, music, and bathrooms are all you need to host a fun filled wedding, so why does it cost so much?
What I think I need:
1. Venue, large field, requires lots of parking, access to electricity, bathrooms (or option of port-a-potties). How do I get this cheap?
2. Booze, seems pretty self explanatory, buy it yourself and you'll save way more money than if you purchase through a middle man.
3. Food, I believe you can get pretty good catering for about 25 bucks a person. What did you guys pay? Does it make a difference in price that it is being held outdoors?
4. Bathrooms, hopefully on site, but if not renting port-a-potties. Any specific way to get nicer ones on the cheap?
5. Music, probably rent a sound system and make my own playlist. Are there businesses that offer this type of thing at a lower price bracket?
6. Tent, this own is expensive, I can't seem to find large tent rentals that seem like they are fairly priced. It is a very unique item, so maybe this is something I will have to pay for.
7. Various rentals, tables, chairs, linens, dinnerware, wineglasses, dance floor, stage.
Thanks for the help
-Ben
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replace 200 guest with immediate family
done
/thread
and she got the nicer duck.
/thread
I did have a big wedding...part of it, I think, was that both Dh and I were the first children in our families to get married, so everyone was VERY excited about it.
If I were to get married today - I would nix the reception completely, and have a nice ceremony in a beautiful church, and then cocktails/cake afterwards. That's it. Bing, bang, boom...done. My brother-in-law may get engaged soon and he keeps telling us they're flying to vegas to get married and then they'll have a casual party back home afterwards. Sounds good to me!
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ELOPE.
DON'T GET MARRIED
Okay, three words. But they're all words.
DON'T GET MARRIED
Where we were married, the church/priest were free but there was an inherent implication that you'd make a donation.... IIRC it was $100. The organ player was not free (she actually gets paid by the church to play for masses and such), so if we wanted her services, that cost $$. The cantor was a friend of DW (free)
At the time we were both college students - well, DW was a 1st year teacher making $30k, so not exactly a high earner.
A friend of mine drove us in his car - he had a classic Lincoln at the time - saved $$ on a car, although we did get a party van for the wedding party (but DW's uncle drove for a limo service at the time so that was discounted)
As I said we got flower arrangements and photos from friends/friends. After going to bridal shows and seeing how much that shit cost, we got a hell of a deal. Photos can be outrageously expensive. This was back before digital photography really took off, so I'd have to imagine that now there are a ton of people that can do relatively good photography for little $$ (the equipment is much more accessible).
The reception was held at a social club (again IL's are European) and since FIL was a member it was cheap. We decorated it ahead of time as well as did all the centerpieces, etc.
We did our own invites (no "save the date" - that wasn't really a "thing" back then), DW did the calligraphy.
Rehearsal dinner was held at a golf club where FIL knew the owner. Bridal party gifts were done by ourselves. Photos were taken at a public park (free).
We paid for most of it except for food/entertainment at the reception. Like it or not, since again I said the IL's are "old country", there's a certain level of expectation that comes along with such things. For example, food has to be plentiful and good, there has to be a live band and open bar. BUT again, this was done at a social club and we picked the caterer. Friends manned the bar. I don't recall what it was $/head but in the end we more than made $$. That's how the community worked - we had some 300+ at our wedding (AGAIN, "old country") and believe it or not they wait until they eat to write you a check ($$ is the standard gift.... if any of these people rolled into a wedding with a blender that wouldn't be looked upon highly).
What we did not skimp on was the honeymoon - we spent a month touring Europe - we both had the free time, and stayed with DW's family for about half of it.
So in short we saved $$ wherever we could, and prioritized.
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