$10,000 Budget - Help! All the way from Australia : )

A lot of Brides and Pros in here always say you'll regret cutting photography. But if you absolutely HAVE to you can always call local colleges photography departments and see if they can see if any students would be willing to.

Kristen, you have a budget, but the biggest costs are food and venue and before you can determine either of them you have to know how many guests you'll have.

Before you buy ANYTHING, decide what is more important to you? Having as many of your family and loved ones with you on your day, or having a book of Pinterest-style photos of the decor after?

I had $12k, ended up spending $13k, with 100 invited and 80 attended. We were able to have these 80 people because we chose a rustic barn venue ($900), and a local caterer. Catering + table linens + rentals were $6200. With $10k if you are determined to execute a formal wedding you need to be ruthless in reducing your guest list as small as possible, so you can put the money towards a 'high end' venue/catering, because formal decor can be done DIY on the cheap as well as rustic.

Buy a white or ivory bridesmaid's dress as a wedding dress (check out AlfredAngelo.com to see how bridal you can get in a BM dress - mine was a white BM dress, $230 UDS). Alterations are way cheaper on a BM dress, too.

Please do not skip a photographer.

Friends and family will all take the same photos, and they may not be the ones you want or think they would... I agree with @Anelyse to call a local college and find a student photographer. But do a test run with them, and be very specific in giving them a written list of photos you want, since they will not be thinking about things that are 'obvious' that a wedding photographer will do.

And don't forget the most basic thing: Write up a contract, that explicitly states what they will give you, and a time-frame in which they will do it, and the price you're agreed to, and then give them a deposit of 30-50% with balance to be paid on delivery of the photos. This is not common with wedding photographers, who typically require full payment BEFORE the wedding - but that is because they are dealing with significant cost and effort, and your college student photog won't be using the equipment or doing the editing a pro will. This will ensure that they are incentive to meet the terms of the contract.

But again - you need to figure out how many people you will invite, before you decide anything else - it will drive 60-80% of your budget, with venue and food. That must come first, before any decor is considered or purchased. I can't emphasize it enough: If you don't have a contract with a venue, do NOT by any decorations!!!!

Our current list of guests is at 64, but we may have to cut it down like you said, which is so hard to do as I always look out for other people's feelings before my own. I've just found a place that does large events but is also a local buffet restaurant. If I either get an average buffet or a decent two course alternate drop meal, including room hire, table dressings, wedding favours, DJ, soft drinks, juice, tap beer and wine, it ends up less than $6000 Very good start! Except that no one is really that keen on using this place, but it'll save us a tonne! That leaves us about $4000 for photography, suit hire, cake, invitations etc. and HOPEFULLY a nice, but probably short, honeymoon.

Double check with the venue if that price includes gratuity. Most venues in the US have a 20% service change that doesn't include tip. Also make sure plates, silverware, etc are included.

That's my budget too! And how my DF and I wanted things

Here's what we did:

Found a house to rent on HomeAway.com. I'm not sure if that is a site there, but look for big rental houses online via AirBnB.com or FlipKey.com, those sort of sites. We rented a 6 bedroom house with 2 kitchens. $2300.00

Since we can't have a "Wedding" at this particular location but can have parties (some allow it, some don't), we found a Historical Village (they moved an 1800's church, school house, court house, general store, etc. all to one acre as a museum) to have the Ceremony & pieces from traditional receptions at, without having the full blown reception. $400.00

So, that means we get married in the church, go outside to this big brick paver area with a gazebo, and do the dances. Then everyone heads to the house. We went to Sam's Club & got all sorts of food & are setting it up buffet style. $300. We have decorations and server help to do all the ceremony set up & breakdown, then to the house to get the food ready & to clean up after people. $250

Thumbtack.com - I found a photographer with excellent prices, reviews & work. Got a full day videography & 2 photographers for $1300.

My dress from Davids Bridal was on sale at $599. Alterations $235.

Decorations for the ceremony we bought on ebay, so that was a whole $100.

We splurged on the house decorations at $300 from a rental company for 3 cocktail tables for around the pool, cake & cupcake tree stand, things like that. I know theres a list of about 20 items but I can't remember it all right now!

Alcohol was about $200

The cake from Sams is $35 + about 30 cupcakes for $15.

He's not doing a full tux, just the vest. It's a Florida wedding in September - It's too darn hot for tux's!

I may have left some things out, but it's turning out to be a very good blend of DF's idea with my elegance idea! We are absolutely against the sit down reception where you tell people "sit at this table, at this time, eat this food that was picked out 5 months ago, and don't get up until you're told" type thing. We went to that last year and HATED everything about it! It was a beautiful wedding & they spent over $30K. It was my ideal wedding.... Before I attended it

Oh my, I'm super happy! Two affordable reception venues in one night! Only problem is that these are with a guest list of 50 people rather than 64

The second venue I've found is at a Novotel and has so many great extras! Anyway, bed time, it's 1am here