THANK YOU WW for all the advice and support along the way. It was you guys that convinced me to hire a pro photographer, helped me fine-tune my DIY makeup and talked about the importance of a caterer.
My advice is simply to research, research and research some more when it comes to choosing your vendors and what to allocate your budget on. You CAN have a lovely event at most budgets. What worked for us was focusing on the guest experience. Our reception was a pretty relaxed vibe that fit us as a couple. Think garden party followed by epic dancing music and booze canoe.
I’ve written up the cost breakdown for those curious about possible budgeting for a lower cost wedding.
And of course the photos! (there are a mix of pro and non-pro)
Update : Here's an imgur link to most of the photos I posted through-out the board. https://imgur.com/a/XQh32