So as you may remember back in January I announced that we weren't going to have any sort of official wedding. I tried and tried to find the cheapest way to have one but even paying a couple grand is just too much for us. So here's what we decided and here's what my official plans are as of now. I can't wait to do this all on my own. It's super fun for me and the decisions shouldn't be very hard.
[Ceremony]: Justice of the Peace
Estimated Cost: $50 for the marriage license but everything else is free.
Plan: Once we get our marriage license we will call a local judge to arrange a date and time for us to come in. Our parents will be with us. We will be dressed up (more details later in this post) and afterwards we will go for lunch or dinner with our parents.
[Reception]: A Party
Estimated Cost: (see more below)
Plan: Instead of having a formal reception where the more guests we invite, the more our bill rises, we have chosen to just throw a big party.
[Venue]: Our House
Estimated Cost: FREE!
Plan: Our house that we've owned for just under 2 years is the biggest symbol of our commitment. It's also the house we plan to live in until we die. It's our happy place and we are both constantly talking about how much we love it, from the yard to the decor. So what better way to take the stress out of a wedding then doing everything in the comfort of our own home. We have a large back and side yard, awesome neighbors, and a beautiful view of a pond and plenty of privacy.
[Food]: Caterer
Estimated Cost:$1000 or less
Plan: The one thing we don't mind splurging on would be food but when you have a formal reception you also pay for the service. Well, I am currently looking into different options with a BBQ company that would basically deliver everything and we would all just eat buffet style! The best part is that the food doesn't have to be fancy. It'll be more informal party food that you would find at a cookout.
[Drinks]: Some Provided, Some BYOB
Estimated Cost: $250
Plan: Because we have friends that have all different preferences, we decided to provide some wine, beer, and liquor but we are also going to encourage guests that if there's something they like in particular, feel free to bring it along. Honestly, our friends and family are of the age when we aren't party animals anymore so if we have more than a couple drinks we'll be sleeping.
[Decor]: DIY
Estimated Cost: $25
Plan: The Dollar Tree is my best friend. I mean really how hard is it to get white streamers and balloons and decorate myself.
[Invitations]: Facebook
Estimated Cost: FREE
Plan: Because it's a waste of money and paper, the best way to notify our friends and family is a Facebook Invitation. It will hold all of the details of the big party and it'll be a great way to discuss things that people want to bring. You can laugh all you want, but no one keeps wedding invitations so what's the point?
[Dress]: A SECRET
Estimated Cost: $100
Plan: I will be finding a simple and cheap dress to wear. It won't be a formal wedding dress at all. But it's what works for me and I can still wear it on other occasions. You'll just have to wait till photos of the big day to see what it actually looks like!
[Music]: iPod and iTunes Playlist
Estimated Cost: FREE
Plan: I already have a Bluetooth speaker I use for working out in the basement so easy as that I'll be hooking it up and using that to play music off a playlist I'll have made up.
[Photographer]: Friend
Estimated Cost: $100?
Plan: I have lots of friends that love taking pictures. I'll offer someone some money to attend and walk around and take some action shots of everyone. Pretty simple and they can use my camera and memory card if they wish. The price may vary. I just put $100 for now.
So there you have it -$1,275 estimated cost. Of course these are estimated costs so I hope to still keep it below that!
Stay tuned over the next few months as I go over everything in more detail and take you along on my journey as I get everything ready!
Great idea! Good luck have fun I tried doing the same thing with our wedding, it just seems silly to me to spend a lot. I'm sure your day will be wonderful and great.
ReplyDeleteI hope to be invited to the reception! 😂
ReplyDeleteSo excited that you are getting MARRIED!!! My husband and I had a pretty low budget wedding, but it was still a lot of fun. We got Balloons from Dollar Tree for guests to follow to find the room our reception was in. We were very fortunate that my Sister studied photography and took A-mazing pics, both for our engagement pictures and our wedding pictures. I can't imagine them having turned out any better, had we paid a professional. Enjoy all the planning. I can't wait to see your dress. And, I commend you both for choosing to stick to a budget.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your encouragement and support Sharon!! :) I cant wait to share more details with you guys too!
DeleteOne more thing. I don't know how much you want in the way of decorations or traditional wedding things at the party, but if you have a Hobby Lobby or Michael's in your area, they often have great coupons each week. I made many a trip to both places getting great deals on things like my fake bouquet, guest book, table decorations, etc. I know you aren't having an actual ceremony, but there still may be things you can get for a steal at one of these stores.
ReplyDeleteThats a great idea! im def gonna look into the coupons and stuff. Thank you Sharon!
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