4 Weddings <$10,000
4 WEDDINGs Under $10,000
The average American wedding costs about $30,000. Is it possible to have a nice wedding if you don’t want to spend that kind of cash? OF COURSE IT IS!
*Insert all the happy emojis*
Planning a wedding for less than the national average is totally doable. Limiting your vendors and using creative wedding venues will have a huge impact on the overall budget. Even on a budget, here are the critical day of staff you want in your corner and what to budget for them.
Coordinator: $1,250 (Month of support - Contact our team if your wedding is in Texas)
DJ: $1,200 (for 4 hrs)
Photographer: $1,000 (for about 3 hrs)
You might DIY your makeup, ditch the live band, and pull back on floral designs to reach your budget goal. But you can still have an amazing wedding with our tips. Here are our top picks for using the $6,500 left in your budget to create the best wedding ever.
Wedding on a beach or in a public park
In some cases public spaces are free. However, the municipality may require a permit for photography or to host a formal event with more than 20 people. Permit pricing varies greatly from city to city but we have 4 great free wedding spots in Austin that we love.
Budget $1K for a staffing company to manage furniture set up , food service, and event breakdown. Budget another $2-3K for tables, chairs, and dinnerware rentals -depending on party size. That leaves $3-4K for food.
Brunch wedding with light fare:
Rent your venue on Peerspace, Airbnb, a local museum or nonprofit for $2K or less. Budget $1,000 for florals & decorations then add breakfast catering with mimosas and champagne for $50/pp. With an 75-person guest list that comes to be just around the $6,500 goal.
Backyard Wedding
If you have the space, might as well use it right?? Your main costs will be decorations & dinner. The venue is taken care of! Imagine any house party you'd normally host, but this time plan it for 100+ people. You’ll still budget for the Coordinator to keep the day stress free & DJ if you want a dance party. Budget $5,000 for food ($50/pp) and $2,000 for decorations and table rentals. A tent rental unfortunately won’t fit in this budget.
Host a grand dinner
Host your private event at a restaurant after the ceremony. This is perfect for a wedding party of 20 or even 100 people. Restaurants often have rooms they can block off for smaller groups, or you can book out the entire space for your small to mid-sized event. Most restaurants won't charge a venue fee, just a minimum spend or a per person fee ranging from $50-200 that covers all the food and drink. Go for a restaurant that has food you both love and you're bound to have an amazing time. that’ll still leave at least $2,000 for florals, and table decor.
We hope this article helps you feel more confident that you can have a great wedding no matter the budget. And our planning team can help you find the perfect wedding combination to meet your vision and your budget. Reach out if you ever get stuck. PLUS you might get lucky enough to have a relative gift DJ or Photography services which will be extra cost savings.
