Low Budget Reception/Wedding. Please Help
Hello everybody!
My fiance and I have finally set our date for May 1st 2004. We have decided to get married outside and we have a friend who`s ordained to perform marriages marry us for free..so that`s taken care of. I don`t have my dress yet, but our wedding will be rather informal, so I suspect I can find a really pretty dress that will do the trick for a low cost (I`ve found one for 115 dollars!).
So...the questions I have are this. What all is really "neccesary" for the wedding itself. Reading through bridal magazines makes it seem like it HAS to be a big production. Our wedding is going to be pretty small-fewer than 20 people including ourselves. We have discussed it and we can`t rationize spending thousands of dollars on one day just to go into debt...so we`ve set our total budget to be under 1000 dollars. So...what all is really needed in the flower department? Any ideas on how to keep the cost down without it looking tacky?
As for pictures..I have read this is the one place not to skimp on, but on the other hand I`ve seen a lot of nice pictures come out from receptions just using disposable camaras. BUT we would like to have some nice photos of the wedding party done by a professional..any ideas?
FINALLY....and here seems like the big budget drainer...the reception. We live in southern arizona, and want to have the reception in the evening and we would like to have food, some alcohol and music (DJ or something comperable). It seems like every place we have checked out costs thousands. Any ideas on how to keep costs down in this department?
Anyway, I appreciate any help you all could give. Thanks!
Laura
Posted by Laura; updated 11/25/03
Reply
Congrats Laura! Get a friend that has a video camera to record the ceremony and some stuff from the reception. Consider doing your wedding portraits/formal pictures ahead of time at a place like Sears--they`ve done some wonderful shots of my family and I suspect they wouldn`t be any different for a bride. As for a reception, call around to some restaurants. If you`re looking for about 20 attendees, there`s no reason why a restaurant can`t accommodate your party--alcohol included. Consider offereing beer & wine rather than hard alcohol as that will reduce the cost. If you`re getting married outside, consider doing a cocktail reception with hors d`oeuvres and a carving station. Picture a garden wedding... Wine spritzers, beer for the gentlemen, cheese & crudite, light fare. How about at someone`s house...? That will cut down on site fees ;) I`m cooking for 25 people for Thanksgiving and it`s not too hard... Maybe a close friend would want to help...
Posted by Leah; updated 11/25/03
Reply
Hi, Laura!
I will be getting married on July 3, 2004. In lieu of a formal reception, we are going to have a nice ceremony at my home church, and refreshments following the ceremony in the church fellowship hall. My family has wonderful cooks, and they are all offering to help out. Perhaps asking a few family and friends to help out with food would be a good option for you. Congratulations and best wishes to you!
Posted by Angelique; updated 11/27/03
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Congratulations, and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Posted by Stephanie Fudge; updated 11/27/03
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Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. For your decorations, to keep down the cost, use lots of white tool. Perhaps rent an arch, they are inexpenisve and decorate it with white lights and tool, with some seasonal flowers. You don`t need many to make a beautiful focal point. Also, sprinkle rose petals down the isle and around the arch.. This looks beautiful and is really inexpensive.
Posted by Lorrie; updated 11/27/03
