Any venue suggestions

If your wedding is next month and your budget is $700, you are going to be looking at a city park, maybe a beach, a firehouse hall, a church hall. Not sure what the restrictions are like where you are. You can find low-budget venues, but most of the time they are either blank public spaces (i.e., you'll have to rent tables and chairs), or they aren't particularly pretty or fancy on their own (like firehouses).

$700 + last minute = not a great combination in the wedding world.

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Hold on, $700 is the entire budget or just the venue budget? I thought that was her venue budget...but if that's the whole budget, then I wouldn't recommend looking into public parks. There are usually large deposits and/or event permits at public parks anywhere from $250-$400, so that would really eat into the budget. I think the OP's best bet is to hold the wedding in someone's backyard

Do you have any friends with a big backyard? You can start a Wedding Fund page so people can contribute to different things like your cake, the venue. Ask schools - since they don’t have anyone in class they may let you use the cafeteria, theater, or gymnasium. Then start learning a lot of diy. Candles, greenery, and good lighting can offset flowers and other fancy decorations.

Normally I would agree with others and say look into a park but a large part of Santa Cruz county is on fire and will be for the foreseeable future. Most state parks are closed and have significant damage. I’m also not sure how feasible hosting an outdoor wedding is next month with the current air quality issues. If I were you and getting legally married right now is important I’d get married at the courthouse and hold a larger reception next year. I say this as someone who lives 30 minutes south and can see out my window how bad things are and knowing fire season hasn’t even technically started yet.

View Quoted Comment That's why is better having it inside

View Quoted Comment But don't you need a marriage license to get married?

View Quoted Comment Yes you would go to the clerks office to get a marriage license first. On the Santa Cruz county clerk website there’s a phone number you can call to book a wedding at the courthouse for $100 or you can even book it online. They are allowing one witness at this time.


https://www.sccoclerk.us/WeddingCeremonies.aspx

View Quoted Comment Indoor gatherings are prohibited right now.

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Me and my fiance already have the date to get our marriage license

View Quoted Comment Okay. Then you could make a reservation to get married at the courthouse after you get the license.

Civil marriage at the court and then just order catering and have people over

Because of budget, you will most likely have to compromise on some of your plans. While you may not be able to find a garden venue, you can find free locations that have beautiful flowers, etc. to take your photos.

Community centers, fire halls, or a park maybe?

View Quoted Comment The community centers in Santa Cruz County are temporary closed and my fiance doesn't want the wedding to be on a park

View Quoted Comment Have you tried a fire hall? I know that one I visited in my state was only $400 for 4 hours

Your wedding is in the next few months, and you only have $700 to budget the entirety of your wedding. Just have a backyard wedding, and DIY your pretty little hands off to make it the most beautiful wedding you could possibly make it. This is seriously the most realistic thing you can do. I know you want that garden, I know you want the glitz, the glamour, and the elegance, but it's just not happening right now. It's not over, you can do what several brides are doing, have a tiny wedding now, and save the big one of next year when you save up enough money. Or even better, plan for a vow renewal in the next 5-10 years to have the wedding of your dreams!

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I don't think that would work if the OP's budget for the entire wedding is $700...But then again, it wasn't completely clear if this was the venue budget or the whole wedding budget

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This is excellent advice

View Quoted Comment I took it as being $700 for the venue 🤷🏾‍♀️

View Quoted Comment I actually did too at first but I’m still unclear lol