$1000 wedding?

Wow, first I want to thank all the people that have tried to be helpful and encouraging.
For some on here, are really rude

Hey Amanda! A thousand is a pretty skinny budget, so the first thing you really need to do before sorting through any offered advice on what sort of wedding would be to sit and chat with your FH about what your ideas and priorities are. For a thousand, it won't be lavish, but you still have some decent options if you get choosy. Firstly, talk about what kind of wedding you're both okay with: courthouse ceremony and small reception at a restaurant, friend officiating you both at a state park (if it's legal in that county, be sure to check!) with your family and a handful of besties in tow, super intimate and have the ceremony in your house or house of someone in your family (like if your nan has a really beautiful old Victorian house or some place special to you) and then you all go out for dinner and dancing at the club later... There's options, you just have to weigh them and see which works best for you both. But in every scenario your guest list really needs to be pretty small, like your immediate families, and just two or three of your absolute closest friends that you couldn't be without.

As far as saving money on a dress, there's a lot more wiggle room here. While there are dress rental companies, the prices vary depending on the designer. Shop around, but don't feel pressured to sign any contracts or pay any deposits until you've really made up your mind. See if maybe your mum or FH's mum has their wedding dress still and if it would suit you and if you can borrow it. If not, the thrift stores can be a gold mine. Seriously. I once found an Ursula of Switzerland gown for $20 that had initially been nearly $1000. It may take a lot of dedicated shopping around, but it's worth the hassle if you end up finding what you want at a fraction of the price. Also be sure to check out Goodwill's auction websites. If borrowing from family and thrifting don't pan out, heavily discounted stores like Ross and TJ Maxx are amazing. They usually have some pretty nice dresses that don't cost an arm and a leg. No, they won't be Vera Wang ball gowns, but they're still nice and easily dressed up with the right jewelry. Same goes for gent's suits, unless he already has a nice suit he'd wear.

Other things will just take a bit of research and planning. I wouldn't worry too much about decor or flowers, but if you're wanting a bouquet for yourself there's some nice ready-made ones at Michael's, or you can go to the grocery store florist and get some of the flowers they have on display. No, they won't all be peonies and white lilies, but they're still pretty. Cakes from Costco and Sam's club aren't expensive, and taste pretty good, too. You just have to order them 24-48 hours ahead, and you can get a 2 tier cake for $40, or a half-sheet cake for $22. Small guest count = smaller cake = happy budget. If you opt to go to a restaurant after your ceremony, you can just bring the cake with you as long as you call ahead and usually they'll help serve it.

Music doesn't have to cost anything, depending on where you're having your ceremony at. Make a playlist on your mp3 or YouTube, and then play it on yours or a friend's stereo if your ceremony is at home or a park, or if you're having a courthouse service ask if they have a sound system you can use. Some do, and some courthouses have really nice ceremonies to make it feel intimate yet fancy. Or if you wanna head to a dance club with your friends later, they have all the music you need.

On food I'd really suggest having a small guest count and going to a restaurant. Because who wants to spend all day cooking and then have dishes to do later at a wedding? Have a guest list of 10-15 people, call up your and your FH's fave restaurant, and book their party room. Many restaurants have special offers and sometimes special menus just for that, and that way every guest can get something delicious they like and you don't have to worry about the cleanup later.

Hope any of this is helpful! Best of luck

Potluck isn't bad if you ask for that instead of wedding gifts! I've had family members do this, I don't know why people have become so superficial, especially when it comes to weddings. If potluck works for you, I'd hope that your loving friends and family would understand that you're looking at a budget.

Potluck isn't the only cheap way to go, though. My budget is gonna be right around $1500 most likely. The venue is my great grandmas house (about five other family members did it here, her backyard is beautiful), you can use a background or get a permit for a park. My dad is handling all of the cooking (Italian food/pasta is absolutely amazing for a large amount of people), you don't NEED a super nice and fancy cake. Davids bridal has their $99 sale every few months, be on the lookout for that. Centerpieces, decorations, all of that can be DIY'd for cheap, just don't impulsively buy, you know what I mean? Sure you might see Mason jars at Michael's, but don't buy them until they're on sale. I've been at Michael's like 4 times in the last two weeks, watching the items I want to pick up. If you space it all out, it feels like you're spending less and won't hurt your bank account right away.

You can definitely do it, don't listen to these bitter brides. Just because they got paid for doesn't mean everyone can. It's doable, remember you can ask your family and friends to help you. You're not alone on this. Good luck, bride !

I started out wanting a budget around there but even though I got fantastic deals and am doing a lot of DIY it's still going to run about 3500$. The biggest expenses are the food and photographer (assuming you can find a free venue)it's going to be less if you have a smaller guest list but I tell you what those have a habit of expanding too (doesn't help that I have 6 siblings). I started saying a firm 20 people and we're finalized at 45. If people are laid back a potluck isn't really a terrible idea. People might grumble about it though. It's not all that expensive to do a backyard wedding with DIY decorations and semi-catering. You can get Chipotle or chick-fil-A or olive garden catering to go and have someone designated to bring it and have a buffet with the pretty chinet disposables, it's all about arranging things nicely. I know it's not very eco friendly but nobody is going to want to do all those dishes. You could get a keg and a few bottles of champagne for the alcohol. I bought all the booze myself. I took advantage of mail-in wine rebates and Harris Teeter's 20% off wine cases sale that they run periodically and got enough wine red, white and rose for under 200$ that'd be less if you have less people. Someone had the idea of getting a friend ordained online as an officiant which is awesome. You flat out will not be able to afford a professional photographer. Even the college kids want a few hundred at least. You'll just need to decide what's important to you. It was very helpful to me to write out the day's events. Where everyone will be, what they're doing how the day will go. Then go through that plan and think what has to happen at each stage and what needs to be bought for it to happen. Good Luck!

Well network, network and network. Like alot of these people have said. See what you want and what you will settle for. Do you have a friend that has a large back yard or clubhouse? Do you have a few guys that wouldn't mind bbqing it up for you? Catering is a stress free and easy way to get things done. Bbq is large quantities and small budget. Craigslist for tables and chairs if you are able to use a friends back yard. If you have a church affiliation, utilize them! sometimes they will lend tables, chairs, etc. Don't be afraid to dumpster dive. We found pallets, and decorations from people moving that we were able to upcycle for next to nothing. Got a flower district? use em! We got about 5-600 dollars worth of flowers for $85.00. I am planning a very low budget wedding, but have already started utilizing my friends that have a craft or trade in exchange for a wedding gift. My "i do"bbq was lovely and was all under $500.00 Good luck! Use your resources and get crafty!

dollar tree frame, old pallets we found at a warehouse from craigslist, and flowers from the flower districtmy friend is a baker and gifted cookies and cake!

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I love your pasta idea. That is a great way to feed a large group! Pasta, salad and some breadsticks and you are good to go!

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Thats a great idea! I also should chime in if you are close to a bevmo they are currently doing the 5 cent wine sale. where you can get some great selections and the second bottle is 5 cents! And it's exactly as you say..You can make it happen its all about presentation!

Hi Amanda! I encourage you to do your best to keep to your budget! And I'd love to see what you are able to come up with. We are having a small wedding as well. Here are some ideas that we have come up with that might help. The dollar store and 2nd hand shops are great places to find cute vases for center pieces. Walmart actually makes great looking wedding cakes! For our 40 guests we are looking at spending around $50. I'm buying fake flowers off Amazon to diy the bouquets, 20 lilies for $10! Cooking food for your guests is a great idea! In some cultures it's tradition to have the families cook for everyone! Getting married in a park is a great idea too, it's already decorated for you. We decided to have our wedding in October because the venue we loved was a third of the price in the off season. For a wedding dress, websites like Rosegal or Dresslily could be worth looking into. For music, create a playlist on Spotify, it's $10/month and sometimes they run free trials. And you could always ask your guest if they have a hidden talent or would like to help out in some way, that's how we found our photographer and cake maker. In some cultures your friends and family sponsor parts of our wedding to help out. You might find that one of your friends loves making cake pops, or something. Good luck and best wishes!

For a $1,000 budget I would take parents, and
siblings to a nice restaurant afterwards for a nice meal, and of course hire a photographer.
Potlucks and self catering for a wedding isn't advised because it's a wedding that is hosted by the couple thanking guests witnessing the unionZ Guest shouldn't provide, nor subsidized, any part of the wedding-they are guests not employees.

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I agree. For $1000 I would have had me, him, officiant and his girlfriend, my two sons, his sister and her boyfriend, my sister and plus one if she wanted, brother, his wife, nephew and his steady girl. Fourteen people at in the event room at our favorite restaurant followed by dinner. That comes to $71 per person.

My dress was $60 of Amazon.

Look for places with wedding packages, i live here locally in Florida and found a place that can do the wedding ceremony, and reception, plus catering and a dj, clean up and set up, and serving for 5,000.

pretty high still for us, but that includes everything, so try looking for wedding packages, you can do everything at once that might cost effective,

smaller the wedding the less cost, we are doing a small wedding of 75, keep it close and personal, and what its not included, turn to your bridesmaids/wedding party and make your own decorations. tHAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING

Brace yourself for this monster-post!

Like the others said, you could do an elopement, or a small dinner with immediate family only. But if you'd like to have more guests, here's my idea...

I wouldn't try to DIY your wedding catering, because frankly I don't think $1k would be enough once you include all the other little costs that will add up. I agree that a BYOB & pot-lock wedding could seem tacky, but it’s really about how you present it. If your invitation is very formal-looking, with traditional wording, people are going to arrive expecting something completely different, and might even be disappointed. However, if you phrase it the right way…maybe even don’t use the word “wedding”, it will seem like an intentionally low-key event. For example, you could say it’s a “Backyard Summer Pot-luck to celebrate our marriage” or something like that. Set expectations early so people arrive ready for a low-key event. Another alternative is a surprise wedding…I read a post somewhere about a couple who was so stressed out about their up-tight, expensive wedding planning that they decided to say “f--k it”, and surprised everyone by getting married at their engagement party! That could be a really great option for you because less people will turn their noses up at a pot-luck engagement party. The trick with that is - in order to truly surprise people - you might have to just keep it between you and your groom…if you end up telling your parents, your bridal party, etc. word will eventually get out and it won’t be a surprise anymore.

If you decide to go the BYOB & pot-luck route, try to find a free venue (make sure you consider restrooms). You can email your invitations, and then make your own cake or desserts. You could ask one of your well-spoken friends or family members to get ordained online, and perform the ceremony for you. A lot of people have DSLR cameras nowadays, and even phones take great pictures; so you could ask a handful of guests to be document your wedding with photos and videos. You could also ask a photography student if they'll do your wedding for free in exchange for unlimited rights to the photos (to help start their portfolio). Ask your wedding party to wear dresses and suits that they already have - don't make them spend a lot on wedding attire if you're not going to yourself! You could have your 'maids all dress in white or black, so that you don't have to worry about their dress colours matching (or go for mismatched...it's a thing now!).

At this point you haven't spent a penny. A Spotify (or other online music service) playlist could replace a DJ in a pinch; make at least three playlists: one for ceremony music, one for pleasant eating music, and another for dancing (if you expect people to dance). Just make sure you pay for Spotify premium ($10 per month I think) so that your ceremony and reception aren't interrupted by ads. You can do your own hair and makeup with products you already have, but you might want to purchase waterproof mascara (crying!), a good primer, or new eyeshadow. There are sooo many YouTube videos…practice lots beforehand. Alternatively, if one of your friends is a wannabe MUA, they might volunteer to make you pretty that day! Dress-wise, unless you can get your dress on super sale, don't go to a bridal salon. There are wonderful simple, modern, and bohemian dresses online from companies like Lulus, ASOS, Dressy, or Tulle & Chantilly. Bridesmaids dresses are almost always available in white, and are often under $200 – they’re a great option for a low-key wedding dress that would fit a backyard venue perfectly. Pick up a couple of big grocery store (or Costco!) bouquets, and quickly split them into a few smaller ones for you and your ‘maids, reserving a few flowers to be pinned to the groomsmen as bout's.

For decorations, there are lots of great resources available for decorating on a dime, so do some research (and start saving glass jars now!). Wear shoes that you already have - they won't need to be broken in, and no one’s going to see them under your dress anyway. Now all you've got left is favours and infrastructure costs... tables, chairs, tablecloths, dishes (Costco has decent disposable plastic dishes and glasses)...it all depends on how you see your reception going, but it might be worth paying a decorations company to rent that stuff and set it up for you.

So far it sounds like that costs less than $1000, but there will be lots of little things that come up. For example, your wedding license, event permits, etc.

Some very important don'ts...

- Do not, do NOT advertise it as a regular wedding, or people will arrive and their expectations won't meet reality. The absolute last thing you want is for people to show up and be disappointed. Set their expectations early so they know what they're walking into.

- Do NOT scrimp on your wedding favours. With a potluck wedding, you're essentially asking all your friends and family to put some of their own money into your event. Make sure you get them a proper favour to thank them for their effort and for being good sports. Plan to spend a good chunk of your budget on favours

- Don't ask just one guest to handle the photographs, because they won't be able to enjoy the party if their whole day is photography

- Don't do a Jack-and-Jill to fund-raise for your wedding. I know people who have done this, and as much as we all love them and want them to have their dream wedding, it still feels tacky. I’d much rather attend a simple backyard wedding than attend a Jack-and-Jill

- Don’t forget to send out heartfelt handwritten thank-you notes. Especially when everyone is pitching in like this, it’s worth the time and effort to make your guests feel appreciated

Here are some ideas for venues that are cheap (not free), but are inside - so you don’t have to worry about the weather!:

- Churches / church basements (technically free, but you should always give a donation)

- a nice AirB'N'B or VRBO house in your area (a lot of them specify "no parties", so let the property owner know before booking)

- if you live in an apartment building or condo (or have any friends that do), most will have an event room that's available to be reserved

- college or university event spaces…Big schools are set up to be able to host hundreds of people at once, and sometimes already include tables and chairs . They’re often overlooked as event venues, which means they usually have reasonable booking prices!

I agree with most comments on here - backyard @ a friend's/family's house, elopement sort of event. Small party, or a BYOB-type of event. There's a lot of cool e-invites you can make and send to people's emails, or use facebook to invite people without having to buy invites/stamps/envelopes, etc. Sola Wood Flowers offers super cheap wood flowers that you can DIY into a small bouquet/whatever you need for flowers if you're wanting to go that route. Look for used dresses and suits. I forget the website, but there's one out there for second-hand bridal dresses that are on great markdown. Google should provide a couple options!

...and if you want to get a great dress to wear once, I suggest Rent the Runway, or check out TJ Maxx for their new bridal selections at great prices. lot of people in NYC do a courthouse ceremony, take photos with a just-getting-started photographer/ grad-student and then meet a few immediate friends/family at a restaurant. if you do the park thing, definitely cater it. Congrats!

I suggest using a friend's home or backyard. Someone making the food, doing DIY centerpieces from the Dollar Tree. Here is a youtuber who did lovely wedding items for under $100.

Buying a nice formal gown from a department store. Adrianna Papell makes some nice dresses that can double as wedding dresses (some are under $300.00). Check out the one below for $280. Can get it for less if you wait for a sale or use an on-line coupon for Macy's, Dillards, etc:

Adrianna Papell Tulle Rosette

Also, in my opinion, you can have someone cook the food but not your guests. If you, your mom and sister/brother can cook the food that would be idea. You don't want too many people cooking or handling the food as other have mentioned because you don't know how clean their kitchen is. Use one kitchen and do a deep cleaning of the kitchen before you start prepping the food the day before. Make sure everybody removes their jewelry, wears plastic aprons, scrubs their hands down like a surgeon and wears disposal gloves and a hair net when preparing the food at all times, especially when handling raw meats.

Be extra diligent about keeping the cooking area very clean during this process and keep all pets outdoor or contained in another room while you are cooking. Use disposal pans with the clear plastic lids to cover all food items (these are cheap and can be brought just about anywhere). I would also use disposal serving items and flatware. You can get some nice heavy duty plastic plates and silver flatware from the Dollar Tree (especially during the holiday season). You can get a nice one tier cake at pubix or Cosco. Designate someone to serve the food and cut the cake (this will have to be their task until everyone is served). You don't want people serving themselves because you want to make sure you have enough food by controlling the portions served. Make server(s) wear disposal gloves and a hair net during this process.

With $1000 you can have a private courthouse ceremony, and take your parents out to a very nice dinner afterwards.

Keeping costs low can be hard. In this case I would recommend to keep it a little more casual and to use as many contacts as possible. Smaller backyard weddings are great and can be super pretty. Classic barbecue buffet can keep the food costs down too, just delegate a couple family members to do the cooking on the spot (uncle, brother, etc). Drinks can be water, beer, wine, and juice. Or completely non-alcoholic if you want. Keep flowers minimal or fake. (Bridal bouquet and grooms boutonnière). Cakes can totally be homemade. As a friend to officiate. Have a friend with a nice camera? Ask them to take pictures. Music can be a phone or iPod or computer hooked up to a rather large speaker.

With all of this in mind, the most expensive thing is definitely probably going to be food and rentals (tables, chairs, plates, cups, tablecloths, etc.) It won't be easy, but definitely possible.

I think it can be done, depends on your guest list. Mine is under 50
Our venue costs 125.00 and doesn' allow alcohol
My dress was 15.00 from a thrift shop
Having a seamstress alter my dress and make my groomsmen vests
5.00 invitations from Wal-Mart
Photographer for 350
No dj I'm getting little speakers for my iPod
Mil is baking our cake
Good is going to be bbq chicken made by FIL and my mom and I are making side dishes
Fake flowers from Ollies cost 1.99 each
Extras from dollar tree to add some decirations

In addition to what the other HELPUL people have said:
-Azazie also has beautiful bridal dresses for $200-300.
-Join local Facebook groups. I'm seeing leftover decor for cheap in my area... other brides selling their stuff after their weddings.
-Since it sounds like you already have a venue, rentals may be the biggest cost.
-Food: at my first wedding we did food trays from Wal-Mart and MIL supplemented other foods like crockpot meatballs, etc. We also got decent wine from Trader Joes.
Best to you!