SUPER budget conscious

@Karsten, my comment was mainly directed towards the part of your post that said "figure out what's most important to you and your fiancé." Proper catering should probably be up there. As far as "actual advice that benefits her", I'm pretty sure "don't self-cater with a dump meal" is pretty good advice that's been said many times over on this thread

Amaretta, In Florida, alcohol is only allowed in designated areas, everywhere else it is prohibited. It’s prohibited at our beaches as well.

$5000 tops. Under 55 guests I'm diy everything possible EXCEPT food.

Karsten, your idea about cutting favors (that can be had for $1 PP), decorations (that can be cheap dollar store stuff or something on clearance from Michael's or Walmart), a wedding cake (all- inclusive venues offer them for as little as $375), and perfectly matching attire for the bridal party (which saves the couple zero dollars as the attendant attire is the responsibility of the attendant) adds up to just about nothing in the big picture. You'll have to do better than that to make your point -- as in cutting alcohol and using friendors instead of professionals.

$10 ceremony venue, $200 reception venue, $250 for 5 hours of dj, $590 for 8 hrs of photo coverage, $67 my dress, $160 fh tux, $350 florals, $300 catering (meats only) $500 for all sides, $1000 for alcohol.

This is everything that is already done. The rest are all estimates. So far only 3400. It can be done.

Dump meals?

There will be some dumps taken...quite possibly runny.

Just make sure there's weenies in those crockpots.

The closest I've seen someone come to your budget was a $3,600 - 100 guest wedding at a park shelter, friend DJ, hired 'griller' n food from a local grocery store/deli. With the exception of the basic porta potty...it was nice. I can not think how you can cater in food n have a wedding for 200 n $3k budget. Could you trim the guest list, postpone to save up more $?

Take a look at your budget. Typically 50% will go towards venue/food/drinks (tax n tip, too). Now look into BBQ or Italian caterers n see how many guests you can host for 50% of your total budget.

We do potlucks for holidays all the time. About 45 people but even that takes a lot of work the morning of & is chaotic. I can not recommend a potluck wedding for 200 guests.

I find it really mind boggling that anyone would invite 200 people and then proceed to treat them like this. AND make their friends work...without any idea of just how much work this really is and how much it will cost even if you make everything yourself.

In real life there are things we can't afford; most of us get over it and do what we can, but in the wedding world it seems like everyone thinks they deserve giant guest lists whether or not they have the money to host them even minimally. Sure. make your mom cook. Have your friend take photos and charge your friends for liquor. Why not? After all, it's your day.

She got dumps like a truck, truck, truck ...

Idk that's all I think of when I hear the word dump.

Oh and dumpster fire .. which is what this thread is

I want to see Kendra's menu.

And honestly, the bar for a wedding celebration should be a little higher than 'no one puked or died".

So first off, I don't really ever want to eat unappetizing dumped in a crock pot hot food in a park in August like ever.

Second, how much of the 3k is being eaten up by the costs of a dress, suit, rings, invitations, Costco flowers and cupcakes, and whatever else you buy?

Third, how many crockpots/outlets are necessary to properly fee 200 people?

I had a civil ceremony with a 15 person dinner afterwards. A week later I had a DW with 60 people. Honestly the civil ceremony with 15 people felt like wedding enough . Scale back.... if you feel like your missing out do a vow renewal when you can accommodate more people .....

Kendra...you left out an important number: how many guests are you hosting for this amount of money?

Beyond that -- what does a $10 ceremony site look like (and are you paying for chairs?). I can't imagine a $10 site. Are you featuring an arbor or any ceremony decor -- fake or real? What does a $200 reception site look like, and how long do you have use of it (and are you paying for tables, linen tablecloths/napkins vs. paper/plastic tablecloths and paper napkins, porcelain plates vs. paper/plastic plates, glasses vs. plastic cups, porcelain coffee/tea cups vs. synthetic hot cups, a licensed bartender, metal silverware vs. plasticware, indoor plumbing or port-a-potties)? A DJ who charges $50/hour is obviously not in demand -- especially on a Saturday night in the summer. Probably an amateur/friendor. The same could be said of a photographer who charges $75/hour for their work on a Saturday evening in the summer (the average photographer in our area charges around $600/hour)? He/She is in the same amateur category as the DJ. A wedding gown that costs less than half of what the rental tux costs...that says consignment, off the rack, no alterations, or a cocktail dress on clearance (which is fine, but not what most brides want), a catering and alcohol bill for who knows how many guests of $1800, and a floral bill that I know is a very modest, probably coming from a DIY big box distributor that costs $350 and requires purchased vases, etc.. You're already at $3400, above the OP's budget, and what about the other things you need:

1. License

2. Officiant

3. Invitations

4. Wedding Rings

5. Dress Alterations

6. Shoes

7. Foundational garments

8. Veil/Accessories

9. Pro hair/MUA/Manicurist

10. Wedding Cake

11. Soft drinks/coffee/tea

12. Transportation

13. Set-up/Clean-up crew

14. DOC/Event Manager

15.. Honeymoon Suite

16. Honeymoon

It's fine to offer budget friendly wedding suggestions, but it's better to offer full disclosure of what that budget will buy you.

200lb roasted pig

10 beer can chickens

Sides:

Baked beans

Cheesey potatoes

Pasta salad

Macaroni salad

Green bean casserole

Salad bar

Dinner rolls

Apps:

Fruit kabobs

Veggies with dip

Ham wraps

Pigs in a blanket

Drinks:

Sweet tea

Tea

Water

Lemonade

Desserts:

Cupcakes (3 different kinds, 400 cupcakes)

Lemon bars

Peanut butter fudge

Trying to make sure i didnt miss anything.

I'm on a small budget too, so we slashed our guest list to 28.

The average wedding in my area costs over $30k. We hosted 75 for $10k. The cuts we made did not in any way impact the guests. We found an affordable venue, hosted delicious food, and free booze. We cut unnecessary things like favors, programs, bridal party, etc. We reduced spending on decor, our attire, etc.

I'm definitely not in the same boat as crockpot meals in a park, but it is possible to host a wedding properly for well below the average budget.

For one i said it was $5000 for 200 people. Our $10.00 ceremony site is a beautiful garden and we are using left over chairs from our reception venue for no extra charge. Because of the garden setting all we are really adding is some fabric draping on the altar. Our $200 reception venue is a township hall that holds up to 400 guests. They have bathrooms, a full kitchen, stage and all of the tables and chairs. Expensive place settings is actually where we cut some of our costs. FH and i dont really care about plastic vs linen, etc etc. We have use of our reception venue from noon to 1am which is perfect because my ceremony isnt even starting until 430. No licenced bartender but that is not required at the venue all we needed to have alcohol there was a copy our home owners insurance. My grandmother's best friend however is a licenced bartender and will be working our bar as a wedding gift. She insisted. The dj is actually one of the most well known dj companies in my area. He went to high school and grew up with my dad so we got a discount. Our photographedr owns her own buisness and is trying to expand her wedding portifolio. (She normally does nature/concert photography) She also went to college with my sister so she also gave us a discount! My wedding dress was found on facebook. Lady bought 3 dresses for her wedding. Only wore one. Mine still had the tags on it but it bad been in her closet for months and she wanted to get rid of it. Normal retail was $650. Little to no alterations need to be done but I am getting the sleeves tightened a bit and a bustle added. My aunt is a seamstress (own her own buisness) and is doing it for free. My flowers do not require vases as my centerpieces do not have them so big score there but we are getting them from sams club. Licence is $35, officiant is my uncle, he insisted and is doing it for no charge, invitations and save the dates were designed by my moh and will cost a total of $42 from our universities printing center, not sure on postage quite yet (i never mail anything), wedding rings are simple bands only $50 each. My shoes are $10 sandals, already had all my shapeware from SIL's wedding last year when i was bridesmaid, got my veil for $4 at goodwill, i will be doing my own make up and its only $75 for my hair, we are doing our own cake/cupcakes which should come up to around $60, we wont be doing transportation, doc, or honeymoon suite. Our honeymon is packing up thr car with camping supplies and road tripping all the way to the ocean.

Wedding planning is all about cutting where you feel comfortable cutting. I know some brides have read my posts about my wedding and cringed. But guess what? Idgaf! Its right for us and the people we are inviting. People get so caught up on what other people think and im just to the point where I do not care. I just cant wait to be married to FH.

Tell your guests you can't-and-elope.

I'd be so embarrassed to exploit my friendships and family connections like that. Omg