wedding avaWhat to do if your wedding budget is $3,000-5,000? Is it possible to organize a wedding with such a small budget? The answer is, yes. Of course, this would be a very low-budget marriage ceremony and you would have to skip many wedding must-haves. But if you’re ready for that, go for it. In the end, your happily ever after matters much more than a single day of your wedding. So, let’s find out which things you absolutely have to have at your wedding.

Here you are 5 basic things you must have. All the rest is optional and can be skipped in case the bride and groom can’t afford it.

# 1

Wedding venue

Any wedding needs a location. It doesn’t need to be expensive and chic, it can be a backyard, a park, a local church, etc. You can save a huge sum of money if you choose your backyard instead of a wedding hall or restaurant. The only factor you absolutely need to consider when picking the venue is the number of restrooms for your guests. People can live with cheap beverages and simple food, but they can’t avoid using a restroom.

# 2

Food and drinks

These are important. You need to serve some food and drinks to your guests, but there are many tricks that can make dinner more affordable. For example, opt for a buffet, a food station, or even a food truck instead of a plated dinner. Talk with several wedding vendors before choosing one to compare their prices and offers. Serve only beer and wine instead of a full-fledged bar. You can even serve non-alcoholic drinks – that would be a lot cheaper and you can be really creative with alcohol-free drinks (not sodas but homemade lemonades, iced teas, morses, etc). Also, note that meat is more expensive than veggies and fruits, so you can serve vegetable-based dishes for your guests instead of steaks, and such a buffet will be totally affordable. Another idea is to make a reception with only appetizers and a dessert – cheap, tasty, and sophisticated.

But wedding planners advise to warn the wedding guests beforehand if you’re going to have a light dinner, like appetizers only, because they must be ready that a full meal won’t be served. You don’t want them to find that out when they’re hungry and waiting for food.

# 3

Seating

When you’re looking for a wedding venue, it’s perfect if it already has some tables and benches or chairs. Otherwise, you have to provide them for the guests. You can’t make them stand the whole time. Even you plan to have a standing-only wedding ceremony (and remember to make it brief in this case), the reception has to have somewhere to sit.

Here is a cute and cheap tip for you: make a picnic dinner. If you’re tight on money and still want to feed your guests properly, take charming little blankets and offer people to sit in some picturesque place with tasty appetizers and picnic foods.

# 4

Wedding attire

You don’t need a costly wedding gown and a tuxedo for your wedding. There are so many other options – to rent a dress, to buy a used wedding gown, to borrow a dress from your mom or grandmom or aunt and make a few alterations, to purchase a dress on a sale, or even to wear some casual clothing instead of a classic wedding gown.

With the groom, it’s even easier. Remember that renting is much cheaper than buying. So, if you don’t have a fitting suit, just rent one.

# 5

Wedding photos

Sure, the best option is to hire a professional wedding photographer for the day or even just for a few hours. A specialist will make your wedding photos (a way to memorize this important day) worth the money spent on it. You can save money on the dress or on food but try to find a nice photographer for decent money. You will never regret hiring a professional when looking at your wedding photos years after the event.

Still, if you can’t afford a wedding photographer, encourage your guests to take photos and videos – you’ll have at least something. It’s great if you have professional or even amateur photographers with high-quality cameras among your friends – ask them to take at least a few stage photos.

So, these were the most important things at a wedding and you absolutely need them. If you still have money left after providing these 5 points, you can think about music, wedding décor, and other, less momentous elements of your future wedding.

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