Meet Fitz and his wife Lindsay. They have been married for two years and are proud to say they cheaped out on their wedding. Spending less than $1000 for the entire day, they still were able to have the wedding of their dreams.
VENUE
They decided to get married in the month of October and were in search for a place to fit their budget. They found a beautiful outdoor park which was clearly a win. The park had a built-in amphitheater, so they didn’t have the hassle of bringing their own chairs and the best part yet, it only cost them $80 to rent for the entire day.
GUEST LIST
When it came down to the guest list, they had to do some major cutting. Immediate family only! They did not have to play the political game of feeling if they invited this person, then they must invite these other 8 people. They just skipped all of that, so no one was singled out or had their feelings hurt. Their good friends understood the reasoning behind why they decided on immediate family only.
FOOD
Having only immediate family significantly cut down on the food bill. They decided on a local Italian caterer which was $10 a head. With the guest count at about 35, their food bill was just $350. Compare that to a traditional wedding, which can be anywhere from $60 to upward of $100 per person. That move ended up saving the couple thousands.
ALCOHOL
The park was a BYOB which saved them a ton of money too. No need for a bartender or paying for an entire alcohol package. Just bring along a few boxes of wine and cases of beer, pop them in a cooler and then it's good to go in the alcohol department.
ATTIRE
For the suit, Fitz did some bargain shopping at Primark and bought his suit right off the rack for only $49. Lindsay's stunning wedding dress was $65 from Lulus. Primark and other stores may not have the best quality but you're saving thousands on a piece of clothing you are wearing for less than a day. And let's face it, you can't tell Fitz and Lindsay cheaped out on their wedding attire. They looked pretty darn good for $114.
INVITATIONS
Instead of doing mail invites, the couple did e-invites where they emailed and texted their guests their invitations. These types of informal invites made their wedding more casual with a “no pressure, come if you want to” type of feel. Traditional wedding invitations can cost a few hundred dollars with printing, labeling and snail mail postage. And bonus, they didn't look cheap, just chill and environmentally conscious!
BRIDAL PARTY
Fitz and Lindsay did not to have a wedding party. The only person beside them in the wedding was their son Tommy as the ring bearer. With no wedding party, comes no wedding party gifts, no wedding party bouquets or boutonnieres, hair and make for bridesmaids, rehearsal dinner and all the other expenses with a wedding party.
MUSIC
Most everyone has some type of speaker to play music. They just borrowed one of their friends speakers to play music for the ceremony and reception. Just creating a simple playlist, they were still able to walk down the aisle, share their first dances, and party with music without having to worry about the cost of a DJ or band.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Fitz and Lindsay were lucky enough to have one of their friends who was a photographer, so their wedding was captured beautifully. For those who do not have a professional photographer as friend, there are other cheap alternatives. We all see everyone snapping pictures at weddings and nowadays phone cameras can be just as good as professional ones. You can always ask your guests to join a shared album where they drop photos and videos in to create your own personal wedding gallery. That way you're guaranteed to have some pictures to remember your day by.
DESSERT
Instead of going with the traditional wedding cake, they ordered cookies from a local bakery for their guests. Their bill was less than $50 compared to a few hundred for a wedding cake. Cookies, cupcakes, donuts, are all delightful treats that will cut down on the budget and take care of that sweet tooth craving.
WEDDING BANDS
Wedding bands were the only thing they did not factor into their $1000 wedding budget and the only thing they did not cheap out on. When budgeting on how much to spend on wedding bands, remember that wedding bands are the one and only thing from the wedding day that will be worn every day for the rest of your life. So, it is best to get a ring you love, not just the cheapest band you can find. Although, wedding bands can be found in every price range. Work with an expert jeweler to find one that suits you AND your budget.
When it comes to planning a wedding, there’s no right or wrong way of doing things. For Fitz and Lindsay, they decided to spend less on their wedding and focus more on their family. Their love journey began and lead to buying a house together, getting engaged, having a baby, and then getting married. With that being their path, they cared less and less about having a huge wedding and wanted to spend their time and money on building their new life together. Even though they decided to cheap out on their wedding, they managed to pull together a memorable day together that celebrated their love .
