With proper planning, it is possible to have a wedding for less than $5,000.
Everyone knows that weddings can be insanely expensive. This is because of a few things. First off, the couple getting married wants the day to be perfect and are usually willing to spend a little extra money to ensure that. Second, vendors want to make your day perfect, too, and that comes an upcharge.
When you pay for a wedding, you may be paying for the quality of something, or the timing of the service. For example, services that are during a prime time of the week, like Saturday evenings, tend to cost more than those on Mondays. Or, deliveries that have to be completed quickly and at a very specific time, will also cost more than those with more flexibility. When you add a bunch of pricey elements all into one day, it’s bound to be expensive.
I promise you, though, that it doesn’t have to be. If you have read these posts on paying for your wedding in cash, ways to save money without cutting guests, and creating a wedding budget, you already know that the first step to an inexpensive wedding is to have clear budget. Once you know your budget, you can prioritize your wedding items to fit that amount. This does not mean you have to skip the stuff you really care about. Rather, this means the opposite. You just have to intentionally work with your partner to decide what’s most important to you, and then either save on or skip the stuff that isn’t that important.
HOW TO HAVE A WEDDING FOR LESS THAN $5,000
This post is going to be all about how to keep your wedding to $5,000 (USD). It is generalized advice, and you’ll have to modify what works for your situation and what doesn’t. When checking out this post, try and figure out how to apply the advice to what’s important to you, and what you can work with. In some cases, it just won’t fit. And in others, it absolutely will. These are just general guidelines and amounts, but they are based off real weddings, and real couples who made a $5,000 wedding happen.
GETTING ORGANIZED FROM THE START
As mentioned above, the key to having an inexpensive yet amazing wedding is to be very intentional.
To have an intentionally inexpensive wedding, you’ll have to get very organized from the start. Sit with your partner and identify your top three to five items that your wedding must have. These are going to be your pillar “splurges”. Everything else after them will either be saved on or skipped altogether. This will help guide you and your spending priorities.
Once you have your priorities, create a detailed budget with your partner. Identify the ways that you will come up with the amount for the wedding (using $5,000 in this case), and list out everything that you intend to spend money on. You may want to list any items that you’re getting for free, just in case you’ll have an added expense on them (like a gift for a friend who did you a favor). Spend some time really analyzing hidden costs and write them down so you aren’t surprised later.
With your priorities and budget, you can tackle your wedding planning with amazing organization and intention.
ASSUMPTIONS
Let’s start off with the elephant in the room. No one wants a cheap looking wedding.
Chances are, you’ll want a wedding with guests, decent clothes, and yummy food. You’ll want to be in a comfortable setting and to be able to enjoy yourselves. This post is assuming all of that is true. In order to work with some concrete numbers, we will also assume a wedding with 50 guests (including you and your partner). There is also an assumption that the wedding will skip some elements. Additionally, we’ll assume that there will be savings, too.
Another assumption is that the main focus of the wedding will be to have an awesome day, with friends and family you love, but nothing is over the top. There may or may not be help from those same friends and family with the wedding. For example, you may ask them to participate in items that you would normally pay a professional to help with.
This post assumes that there is either a very low key bridal party or none at all. This means that anyone who is asked to be Maid of Honor or Best Man (or Bridesmaid or Groomsman) may be standing up with you during a ceremony, but there will be no crazy asks of them that will actually cost you more money in the long run (like traveling for a bachelorette party, or giving them elaborate gifts).
With all of those assumptions in mind, let’s get into the details.
ELEMENTS OF A WEDDING THAT IS LESS THAN $5,000
VENUE
A wedding venue is typically one of the biggest wedding expenses, so if you can find one for free, this is your best bet with saving money.
Now, there are some cautions when I say “free”. If you want to save money, you really need to look at the space and situation and decide if it will actually work for you. If you have to rent supplies, pay for bathrooms, or add any extra elements just to make the space functional, it’s not going to be free.
It’s okay for you to anticipate a little upgrade here and there, like maybe some extra seating, but overhauling a piece of blank land isn’t the same cost as showing up in someone’s backyard with access to their house.
The easiest way to have a “free” venue is to keep your wedding guest list small. This will make any family or friends with a decent sized home more open to having guests there. I wouldn’t worry too much about how the place looks (unless it’s totally awful), because space is the number one concern. If there is enough space for everyone, a backyard can be cleaned up. Also, items can be removed from a room, or brought in, to help improve the look of the space.
Extra Costs With A “Free” Venue
If you are lucky enough to find a free venue, it’s important to anticipate any thoughtful ways that you’ll want to thank the owner of that space, and the expense that will bring.
For example, you’ll want to have the place professionally cleaned before, and maybe after, your wedding, so budget about $300 for that. You’ll also want to thank the hosts with a nice gift that is about $50 – $150. This could be a dinner out somewhere, or a nice bottle of wine, a framed photo of the event, or anything that you can think that they would enjoy.
For those of you who do not have a free venue to go to, there are other options that are not traditional but still will save you money. You may be able to rent a large room at your residence, if you live in an apartment or complex. This typically runs about $300, including any insurance you need. Many of these rooms come with tables and chairs provided, as well as perhaps a kitchen and bathrooms. Getting married at a beach, park, or forest may also be pretty affordable, if there are no extra amenities you need to supply. Depending on the location and any rental costs, it may be about $300 to $500 to enjoy a space for an evening.
Venue Costs: $350 – $500, depending on the situation
FOOD
If you are not getting married at a traditional wedding venue, you have so much flexibility when it comes to food.
Chances are that you don’t want to skimp on the food situation, and for good reason. Food is one of the number one things that cause a wedding to stand out as “great”, “fine”, or downright “bad”. If you are able to provide some quality food to your guests, it will be well worth the expense. While you definitely don’t want to serve food that no one will eat, you may or may not want to splurge on what you do provide.
For the purpose of this post, we’ll assume the aim is about $25 per person.
Catering Verses Delivery / Take Out Food
If you want to use a caterer, you can totally go for it, but just be price conscious.
With a caterer, who will provide a service, supplies, and set up, you will definitely end up spending more money. If you go for food delivery or take out, yes, you will have to supply your own set up, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Depending on the number of people you are having at your wedding, you may be able to supply your own reusable flatware and plates. If you don’t have enough, or you want to keep things a bit easier with single-use items, there are options. For example, you could order nice recyclable plates and flatware that isn’t too expensive.
Having food delivered or provided as take-out can save a lot of money. Depending on your preference, you could even order food from a few different places and have different stations set up for guests. To kick off the evening, you could have easy cheese, fruit, and meat appetizers from a wholesale store like Costco. Later on, kick it up a notch with sushi, barbeque, veggies, salads, or even Chinese or Mexican food if that’s what you love.
Because you’re not necessarily held to a venue’s restrictions, you can do whatever works best for you.
Extra Help
No matter your food situation, you may want to hire someone to take away plates, clean up, and provide some sort of service. You can usually find servers who are willing to help out, or even students, for not that much money. For these purposes, let’s assume about $20/hour, for four hours, plus a tip, for $100 total.
Food Costs: $25 / person = $1250
Plates and Flatware = $50
Server – $100
Total Food Costs: $1,250
DESSERT
When it comes to skipping items, definitely don’t skip dessert.
The great thing about dessert is it is absolutely possible to have a very affordable dessert that feeds a lot of people at your wedding. Also, what’s awesome about it is that you have a lot of different options. You may even be able to have a friend or family member make you a small tiered cake or sheet cake (or both), which could be their wedding gift to you. You could also have a bunch of mini desserts of cookies, brownies, tarts, or other goodies.
To keep costs down, look into what your local grocery store or bakeries have to offer. It could be really cute to make a sort of dessert charcuterie board, decorated with chocolates and different fruits. Donuts are also super affordable and not that expensive (though you will have to make sure they are somewhat fresh).
If you DIY your own dessert, you can take care of most of the items in the days leading up to the wedding, and then put the final touches on right before the wedding. Just beware that the ingredients and time may outweigh any cost savings if you do it yourself.
Dessert Costs = $200
DRINKS
Every wedding will need drinks of some sort.
To save the most money on drinks, keeping your wedding dry and free of alcohol is the easiest way. However, if you plan on serving only lemonade, water, and soda, it might not fit your family’s vibe. If you do want alcohol at your wedding, you could buy your own wine and beer in bulk, or provide just a few bottles of alcohol.
Low cost alternatives could be to ask guests to bring their own booze, though this can get a bit crazy depending on what they bring. You could also have a full bar with alcohol that you already own.
If you are buying your own alcohol, to save even further you may be able to order it from a place that allows for returns (though this depends on your location). Additionally, you could repurpose any leftovers as gifts or later use at other celebrations.
Depending on your crowd, it’s probably safe to assume about 3 drinks a person, on average. For a bottle of wine, this could be about 5 drinks, and each beer would be one drink. If you have good water where you live, just serve that in a nice large pitcher.
Hiring a bartender
If you are looking to splurge a little on your bar set up, you may want to hire a bartender. This doesn’t have to be complicated. As long as it’s someone of age, who can handle pouring some drinks (and maybe mixing a few depending on your situation), you may be able to hire someone for $20 an hour for for a few hours.
Tip to save on drinks
To save a little extra, no matter what your situation is, you should be prepared for guests to know which drink is theirs. Having pens that can write on glass or cups will prompt guests to include their names on their drinks. This will reduce any beverage waste. Additionally, you could buy a little less than what you think you need and have a back up plan for someone to go and get more if you start to run out.
Wine = 12 bottles @ $15 each = $180
Beer = About 40 bottles or cans = $100
Liquor = A couple of bottles of vodka, maybe something else = $60
Water = Free (assuming tap water)
Soda = $20 (get a variety pack from a wholesale store)
Juice / Lemonade = $20 (get a couple bottles of each)
Bartender = $100 (one person, four hours, plus tip)
Glasses = Borrow, or buy inexpensive reusable = $10
Total Drinks Cost = $500
FLOWERS
With a simple wedding, keep the flowers simple as well.
If you’re not too fussy, you can totally do your own flowers. A quick run to a local grocery store for a beautiful bouquet, and a somewhat crafty friend can make the simplest flowers into something fantastic. You could even add in a few extras for some décor, for not that expensive of a cost.
A friend actually helped me out with flowers at my wedding. We used flowers as bouquets, boutonnieres, an arbor, and all throughout the reception. We bought the flowers at a flower mart about two days before the wedding, and housed them in a cool patio. It worked out that it was November, and the weather was really cool outside. The total cost of the flowers was $400, and we didn’t skimp on a single thing.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you spend that much on flowers, but you can definitely utilize what’s readily available and avoid extra costs by doing them yourself. Just beware of the timing and the temperature, and it will work out well in your favor.
Flower Costs = $100
INVITATIONS
Look, let’s be real about invitations. If you’re going to skimp on one thing for your wedding, this is it.
The easiest way to save money on invitations is to send them virtually. This is also a huge plus if you’re getting married in this ever changing pandemic. If you’d like to go the paper route, you could make your own design in Canva and then print them at home. Or, look at a company that offers some discounts on printed invitations (there are lots online). Factoring in the costs of postage, aim for about $1.25 an invitation.
With 50 guests, chances are many of them can “share” an invite as they live together, so you may have about 25 to send out.
Invitation Costs = 25 @ $1.25 each = $32
OTHER PAPER
So, what other paper is there?
Well, you’ll have Thank You cards, signs, and RSVP’s to consider. To be honest, how much you spend on these items is super subjective. Thank You cards are a necessity, but they don’t have to be a lot of money. The most important thing is what is written in them, and that you get them back to the guests within a few months of the wedding. So, plan on 25 cards, at about $1 each, including postage.
When it comes to signs, you can make simple signs in frames that you borrow, if needed. You can totally skip paper RSVP’s and opt to have guests either RSVP online for free, or give you a call or email to confirm their attendance. So, let’s assume that both of these items are $0.
Other Paper Costs = $25
DÉCOR
How much you spend on décor is totally up to you, but this is an area where you can save by getting creative.
If the venue doesn’t need to have anything added to it, that’s awesome. If it does, you can look into using items from your own home, or borrowing from friends or family. You could also go online and make requests from your local Buy Nothing Groups. Just see if anyone has vases, candles, lighting or any crafts you may be able to use. Unless you are super into décor, I would challenge you to keep this as free as possible. When you’re done with the items, return them to their rightful owners or gift them after the wedding.
Décor Costs = $0
ENTERTAINMENT
With a smaller wedding, you may or may not need a lot of entertainment.
Yes, you can splurge on a DJ, or other performer. With a small guest list, though, you may not have much dancing or need for live music. Entertainment can be as simple as a good playlist on an iPod, thoughtful toasts, spending time with friends and family, or enjoying conversation. If you wanted low budget interaction, you could make a DIY photo booth, or put out some games for guests. All of these things can be free of charge or borrowed.
Even if you do hire someone to entertain, try and keep it reasonable. Maybe you can hire a performer or DJ for a short amount of time and get a discount for it by negotiating.
Entertainment Costs = $200
OFFICIENT
It’s actually quite easy to save on an officiant.
In most locations, you can ask a friend or family to get ordained online and perform your ceremony for free. You can even help them by looking up phrases and sayings for them to use. Though you may want to give them a gift afterwards, this is not a big cost. You will have to budget for a marriage license, which varies in cost but is generally less than $100. So, let’s assume that the act of actually making your marriage official is just that.
Officiant / Legal Costs = $100
PHOTOGRAPHER
No matter your budget, you’ll definitely want a photographer at your wedding.
The great thing about photographers is that there are lots of tricks to save money on them. You can find someone who is willing to negotiate their hours and work for a discount. Or, see if you can trade a skill and service with them. You can even ask friends or family to take photos for you, but this may compromise quality of the photos so beware before you trust this act with a non-professional. Though you may be able to find a photographer for free, let’s budget some costs in there.
Photographer costs = $600
VIDEOGRAPHER
Changes are, if you’re trying to stick to a strict budget on your wedding day, you’ll skip the videography.
Videography is definitely a splurge for most people. However, you may be able to get by with an inexpensive DIY option. Asking a guest to hold a camcorder or use their cell phone will give you a rustic video after your wedding. Conversely, if you opt to stream your wedding you can also have a recording of it.
Videography Costs = $0
CLOTHING
When it comes to what you wear on your wedding day, you should expect some costs.
Now, I know brides who were able to find their wedding dress for $1. This is not the norm. Chances are, you want to wear something that you love and are okay with a little spend. If you want a fancy dress, you can look second hand, or find something beautiful off the rack at a department store. You may also be able to borrow a dress.
Keep in mind you may have some alterations, so factor in the costs of those. When it comes to shoes, see if you have some that you can already wear from your own collection. You could also borrow from friends, or look for second hand. Also, borrow jewelry and a veil (which you’ll only be wearing for a short time, if at all).
You can do your own hair and make up yourself, or ask a friend to help out. There are lots of tutorials online to teach even the worst of us what to do. If you want some professional nails, or a wax or facial before the wedding, see if you can find a coupon or discount day.
For men, the best bet to save is to borrow or rent clothes. There may even be some useful items in your own closet. You may already own shoes, ties, or belts that will totally work on your wedding day. You can procure the rest. We’ll assume that the cost to rent is about $200, and everything else can be procured for free.
Dress – $500
Alterations – $100
Jewelry, veil, shoes – $0
Beauty Treatments – $100
Groom Clothes – $200
Total Clothing Costs: $900
TRANSPORTATION
Honestly, when it comes to getting around, the most inexpensive option is to ask someone to drive you, or drive yourself, whenever possible. You may also be able to walk, depending on your location and situation.
If you find yourself needing to hire some transportation, look into ride share options. Or, price out the cost of booking someone ahead of time. While every situation is different, let’s budget in about $50 for transportation costs or gas.
Transportation costs = $50
GIFTS
While gifts to other people aren’t a requirement to getting married, they are a nice touch.
When it comes to gifting others, you can totally get away with a nice thoughtful card in most situations. This keeps it very affordable. You could also take others to dinner, or gift a nice bottle of wine. Depending on the person, a framed photo after the wedding can also be an appreciated gift.
While every situation is different, let’s factor in 6 gifts, at $50 each.
Gifts Cost = $300
TOTAL COSTS OF ALL ITEMS:
Venue Costs: $350 – $500
Total Food Costs: $1,250
Dessert Costs = $200
Drinks Cost = $500
Flower Costs = $100
Invitation Costs = $32
Other Paper Costs = $25
Décor Costs = $0
Entertainment Costs = $200
Officiant / Legal Costs = $100
Photographer Costs = $600
Videography Costs = $0
Clothing Costs: $900
Transportation Costs = $50
Gifts Costs = $300
TOTAL WEDDING COSTS: $4,757
As you can see, you can challenge yourself to a $5,000 budget and still come out with a little “risk” money, just in case.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
Remember, when it comes to weddings, nothing is mandatory other than you, your partner, and some sort of legal agreement. You don’t need any of the extra stuff, and honestly they are all just nice to have. If you’re able to prioritize, trade, borrow, negotiate, skip, or purchase at a discount, you can save money on so many items.
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