I have gotten some “Ask Tinka” emails about throwing a wedding as little as $1000 so I decided to respond with an idea I have.  Afterall, everyone deserves to celebrate their wedding– even those who don’t have $15,000 to spend!

If I were getting married with a small budget and wanted to have a simple wedding day with only close family and friends, this is what I would do: I would have the wedding and reception at my home or the home of a close relative or friend. It’s cozy and best of all, FREE! I would wear a simple white sundress and have my groom wear something casual like khakis and a white shirt. Then, instead of a traditional buffet or sit-down dinner, I’d serve coffee, hot chocolate, and cake! Get your favorite songs together to play on your stereo and have a designated area for dancing. Keep the reception short– about an hour or two and maybe serve wine and beer.

That sounds just delightful to me

1. Gratuity! Gratuity is usually added to the final bill for your caterer. However, it is also polite to tip waiters/waitresses, bartenders, church musicians, and any others who you think deserve it.
2. Taxes! Don’t forget to include taxes in your budget for the dress and tux, flowers, food, and beverages. You may think you are paying $20 per person and end up paying over $25!
3. Overtime! Many wedding vendors such as photographers and DJs charge overtime fees. You never know until the day of your wedding how long you are going to need them so make sure to work this out BEFORE your big day!
4. Food for your wedding vendors! Don’t forget to feed your wedding vendors! Your photographer, videographer, DJ, etc. will probably be at your wedding for more than 6 hours. Unless you want them to leave to get dinner, make sure you have a meal for each of them.
5. Postage! Some invitations can cost up to $2 for postage. If you are sending out 100 invitations, that adds up to $200. Make sure to leave some room in your budget for stamps.

When planning your wedding, remember that you are starting your life with the one you love. And it is important to get that life started on the right foot! That means having a special wedding day but also keeping the life ahead of you in mind. You don’t want to come home from your honeymoon to bills, bills, and more bills. So, the question is—how do you have the wedding you have always dreamed about without putting a huge dent in your bank account?

1. Ask recently married friends what they recall and treasure about their wedding day. You’d be surprised at how little some of them remember. Your wedding day is usually like a whirlwind of events surrounded by few moments that you truly hold dear. Friends who have been through the experience before can help trim down the list of what you want to spend money on and help you decide on what is most important.
2. Get crafty! Things like wedding favors and centerpieces can get really expensive really fast. Wedding favors can be as simple as a candy bar in a personalized wrapper that you could design and print yourself! For centerpieces, go for candles and a photograph of you and your significant other instead of flowers, which are extremely expensive. Another idea is to incorporate the favors into your centerpiece, which can save extra cash.
3. Get married on a Sunday instead of a Saturday– in the winter or fall instead of summer or spring. Most wedding venues have discounted prices for these things.
4. Trim down your guest list. You don’t have to invite everyone you and your family members have ever met. This will save money on invitations AND food!
5. Opt for beer and wine instead of liquor. Also, if you have your wedding earlier in the day, less people will want to drink.
6. Keep the reception under 4 hours. Most venues charge extra if you go over time. (And people will drink more if the reception is extremely long.)
7. Have the ceremony and reception in the same location to keep from having to pay two hefty bills.
8. Print out your own invitations and programs. Most of them will eventually end up in the trash can, and that is money literally being thrown away. You can even design online wedding invitations to save money on postage and supplies.
9. Have a budget, and stick to it! After you figure out how much money will be available to you, sit down with your significant other and create a budget for everything you want. You may even want to take cash with you when wedding shopping to keep you from going over your budget.
10. From the moment you get engaged, be on the look out for sales and deals. Don’t wait until the last minute to buy everything! Take advantage of your engagement period and give yourself time to find all the necessities—most importantly, an inexpensive wedding gown.

Want to know the secrets that are saving brides hundreds or even thousands of dollars? Keep reading!

1. Search “wedding coupons” online. You won’t believe how many coupons you will find.
2. Go to the websites of the stores you want to buy things from and sign up for their e-newsletter (if they have one). They will probably send you coupons and deals. You can also sign up for special offers at some stores.
3. Haggle with your wedding vendors. Dealing with vendors isn’t like buying an item at a store. You CAN negotitate the price. If you photographer says they want $1800, suggest $1500 and see if you can get them to budge. What do you have to lose?
4. Name every possible reason you should get a discount– maybe your wedding reception is short… maybe you only want the vendor for the ceremony or reception… or maybe you have local vendors that won’t have to travel far. You might have to be creative to get them to knock some cash off the price.
5. Recommend the vendor to another person having a wedding. If they get hired, they will likely give you a discount on your special day.
6. If you find a product you like online, type the product name into Google and look at the Shopping results. See if another store has the item for a cheaper price.
7. Start shopping early! If you begin looking shortly after you get engaged, you are much more likely to run into sales and specials.
8. Have a wedding on a Sunday instead of a Saturday or during the winter or fall instead of summer or spring. A lot of vendors need business and will be more willing to negotiate with you.

Photographer:
Average price: $2980
Lowest price found: $1300
Highest price found: $4000
(Price based on one photographer for at least 6 hours)

Videographer:
Average price: $1846
Lowest price found: $925
Highest price found: $3000
(Price based on two videographers for at least 6 hours)

DJ:
Average price: $911
Lowest price found: $445
Highest price found: $1500
(Price based on one DJ for at least 4 hours)

Officiant:
Average price: $255
Lowest price found: $55
Highest price found: $400
(A justice of the peace is usually less expensive than a priest or pastor.)

I am having some trouble managing my budget for my May wedding. My fiance and I are always fighting about how much money I spend. Our budget of $15,000 is quickly drying up, and I am beginning to panic! I am almost ready to reschedule the date so we’ll have more time and more money. Any tips?

Stressed-out Bride named Olivia

Olivia,

First of all, take a breath. This is a very common problem that brides have when planning their big day. I suggest that you and your fiance sit down and focus on the things that are most important to you on your wedding day– what you will remember for years to come. It could be having great pictures and an amazing DJ. Then, you need to think about what is not so important. Is it THAT important that you get expensive centerpieces? Then, write down a budget and STICK TO IT! Write down what you have already and what you still need. Remember– you don’t want to start your life together fighting and broke! If you need more tips, visit our article Money-Smart Wedding Planning.

Budget: $10,000
Ceremony venue: $300
Reception venue: $800
Officiant: $100
Florist: $700
Caterer/Food: $1500
DJ: $800
Wedding dress & alterations: $700
Suit/Tux: 150
Bride & Groom Accessories: $400
Cake: $200
Photographer: $1000
Videographer: $600
Invitations/Announcements: $300
Favors: $150
Hair, Make-up, etc: $100
Transporation: $200
Rings: $800
Wedding party gifts: $200
Marriage license (depends on state): about $50
Alcohol: $500
Other costs (decorations, ceremony accessories, etc): $450