Houston, we have a wedding officiant and a backyard…

The national average cost of a wedding in the USA is about $29,200. Let’s connect you
with a value priced resource to help officiate, host, and take pictures at your wedding.

Making a decision on how much money to spend on your wedding is essential when you’re beginning to plan for the big day with friends and family. While some couples are comfortable spending more than $25,000, there are many couples who desire to spend much less. Is it possible to plan a wedding for $2,500 or less? We certainly think its possible.

The national average cost of a wedding in the US comes in at $29,200, a price tag close to four times the cost of weddings in other countries. The amount you decide to spend is largely a personal choice, and there are countless ways to get creative in order to make the budget you have in mind a reality.

Playfully and in sincere jest, the easiest way to reduce the cost of a wedding is to run away secretly without friends and family. However we do not recommend that, but if you desire to have a celebration that includes more than just the two of you, there are some imaginative ideas to help pull something together, which includes guests. We suggest to focus on the following key wedding day categories as the biggest areas to save money:

Venue:

City Hall has become a prevalent option if you want to host your wedding ceremony for a very small group in a notable town landmark. If you’re imagining a wedding day with more guests, turn to a backyard wedding hosted at the home of a family member, friend, or even a backyard for hire. Outdoor venues are increasingly preferred especially considering the current COVID environment. You can also contact your town about celebrating in a park. All three of the City Hall, Backyard, and Community Park options have low costs, clean spaces, and plenty of room to enjoy time together.

Food:

Food at a wedding is one of the most expensive things you will need to fund. If you’re hoping to plan your entire wedding for $2,500 or less, friends and family may help to keep costs low. Rather than purchasing all of the food for your wedding, consider turning your reception into a potluck. Ask guests to arrive with a dish they love that’s ready to be shared with all the guests.

Photography:

Your photos will be your only tangible memories from your wedding day, so it’s important to plan ahead. One thought is to work with a photography student or hobbyist to capture photos for you. Another idea is to see if a family member, friend, or friend of a friend is a photographer who is up to the task. You can also turn photos into a group effort and ask guests to capture snapshots on their phones all sent to one location through the app, or you can go old school and pass out disposable cameras.

Music:

Streaming services allow nearly countless ways to make sure your guests still feel encouraged to dance. Fill a Spotify or Apple Music playlist with a variety of dance friendly tunes. You can even create specific playlists for different moments throughout the day such as getting ready, ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing.

Clothing:

Consider borrowing formalwear from friends or renting pieces. In order to keep the cost of a dress well within budget, check with friends to see if one might have a wedding dress you can borrow. You can also consider wearing a dress you already own, visiting a local thrift shop, or searching online for a pre-owned wedding dress or wearing a white bridesmaid’s dress.

Suits are typically rented as formalwear, which helps to keep the cost low. In order to lessen the price even more, consider wearing an affordable suit or even a dress shirt and slacks you already own or borrow pieces from friends.

Wedding Rings:

Planning a wedding can be one of the most expensive events in life, and purchasing a wedding ring can often be a steep expense on the to-do list. Recently, more brides are going with budget-friendly selections for their big day, choosing DIY centerpieces over expensive decor and choosing affordable wedding rings instead of brand name jewelry.

The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice on style to find that special ring to symbolize your love.

There are plenty of wedding ring styles that won’t break the bank, even engagement rings that include diamonds, if that’s your rock of choice.

Floral Arrangements:

The cost to work with a professional florist can be high and you may consider working on your flowers yourself. You can order flowers from nationally recognized grocery stores like Costco, Trader Joe’s, or even Whole Foods in advance. You could also contact a local farm and shop for vases at thrift stores. Once you have your flowers and vases, set aside time the day before your wedding to make a bouquet and centerpieces. To keep your cost really low make a baby’s breath bouquet and tie it with a simple ribbon.

Wedding Cake:

Why not bake your own cake? While that may seem like quite a task, you will only need to purchase a few ingredients in order to enjoy something delicious. To make your cake a little fancier, think about stacking layers on top of each other. Then add icing, and complete your masterpiece with flowers and a cake topper or you could also pick up a simple small cake from the grocery store.

Hair + Makeup:

Instead of working with a professional for your hair and makeup, consider handling those items yourself. With help from friends, family, and social media videos, you can learn how to do a simple hairstyle and makeup combination in advance of your wedding day.

Officiant:

The ceremony is the most important part of your wedding day because it’s when you will officially become married. Consider visiting City Hall and getting married inside. The cost is typically around $100, and the City Halls in most cities typically have breath taking vistas. If you’re planning an outdoor backyard wedding, ask an ordained officiant who specializes in weddings only. They normally charge nominal fees of $100 to $300.

The following to do list considers weddings of all sizes and budgets. Skip steps that do not apply to you:

1 Year Prior

• CHOOSE A DATE
• SET BUDGET
• CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING PARTY: MAID OF HONOR, BRIDESMAIDS, BEST MAN, GROOMSMEN, FLOWER GIRL & RING BEARER
• GET ENGAGEMENT RING INSURED & CONSIDER PURCHASING WEDDING INSURANCE
• BEGIN COMPILING A GUEST LIST (make an “A” & a “B” List)
• PICK VENUE
• PICK CEREMONY LOCATION
• BOOK CLERGY / OFFICIANT
• CHOOSE BRIDAL PARTY ATTIRE & ACCESSORIES
• HIRE PHOTOGRAPHER & VIDEOGRAPHER (Make sure you book the team that your venue recommends OR See Banquet Manager)
• HIRE DJ / BAND (Make sure you book the team that your venue recommends OR See Banquet Manager)
• HIRE FLORIST
• BROWSE WEDDING DRESS & VEIL STYLES
• BOOK ENGAGEMENT SHOOT WITH PHOTOGRAPHER (TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE GOOD CHEMISTRY & LIKE THEIR PICS) ALSO USE THESE PHOTOS FOR SAVE THE DATES
• EXPLORE WEDDING DAY HAIR AND MAKEUP STYLES
• BOOK MAKEUP TRIAL ON DAY OF ENGAGEMENT SHOOT TO SEE RESULTS ON CAMERA
• CHECK WITH PHOTOGRAPHER ABOUT SAVING THE DATES RATES
• SHOP SAVE THE DATES ON LINE ALSO FOR BEST DEAL
• MAIL YOUR SAVE THE DATES

6 Months Prior

• BOOK TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM VENUES
• PURCHASE WEDDING BANDS
• ORDER THANK YOU CARDS (OR SEE IF THEY ARE INCLUDED WITH YOUR PHOTO PACKAGE)
• MEET WITH OFFICIANT TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR CEREMONY
• CHOOSE CAKE STYLE
• DECIDE ON GROOMSMEN ATTIRE
• PERSONALIZE & ORDER WEDDING INVITATION
• HIRE CEREMONY MUSICIANS (IF NEEDED)
• SET UP GROUP HOTEL BLOCKS FOR OUT-OF-TOWNERS
• CHOOSE FLOWERS FOR: WEDDING PARTY, ATTENDANTS, VENUE, CAKE, ETC.
• SCHEDULE DRESS FITTINGS
• BOOK HONEYMOON FLIGHTS AND HOTELS
• BOOK ROOM FOR WEDDING NIGHT
• ORDER WEDDING CAKE TOP
• PLAN WELCOME BASKETS FOR OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS
• PREPARE {PLAY / DO NOT PLAY} LISTS FOR DJ / BAND
• FINALIZE WEDDING GUEST LIST
• ASSEMBLE REHEARSAL DINNER GUEST LIST
• BOOK REHEARSAL DINNER VENUE
• CREATE GIFT REGISTRIES AT 3 NATIONAL RETAILERS
• FINALIZE HONEYMOON PLANS AND ENSURE ALL DOCUMENTS ARE IN ORDER
• EXPERIMENT WITH HAIR & VEIL WITH STYLIST
• PURCHASE: TOASTING FLUTES, SERVING PIECES, GUESTBOOK, FLOWER BASKET, AND RING BEARER PILLOW

2 Months Prior

• FINALIZE MENU AND CAKE WITH VENUE MANAGER
• MAKE APPOINTMENTS FOR ALL OTHER FINAL PAYMENTS WITH VENDORS
• CALL VENDORS TO CONFIRM DATE, TIMES, AND LOCATION
• CONFIRM HONEYMOON RESERVATIONS
• PACK FOR HONEYMOON
• PICK UP WEDDING RINGS
• BEGIN WRITING VOWS
• REVIEW CEREMONY DETAILS WITH OFFICIANT
• APPLY FOR MARRIAGE LICENSE
• FINALIZE SEATING ARRANGEMENTS
• FINALIZE PLAYLISTS WITH MUSICIANS
• FINALIZE FITTINGS FOR WEDDING PARTY & PARENTS
• CREATE WEDDING DAY TIMELINE & SEND TO YOUR VENDORS, OFFICIANT, AND WEDDING PARTY
• WRITE OUT HONEYMOON ITINERARY FOR FAMILY AT HOME
• DECIDE “SOMETHING OLD, NEW, BORROWED, BLUE”
• BOOK WEDDING DAY TRANSPORTATION
• FINAL DRESS FITTING (WITH SHOES & UNDERGARMENTS)
• WRITE THANK YOU NOTES AS GIFTS ARE RECEIVED
• FOLLOW UP WITH GUESTS WHO HAVE NOT RSVP’D

1 Week Prior

• RETURN ALL PAPERWORK
• GIVE FINAL COUNT
• MAKE FINAL PAYMENT WITH VENUE
• BEGIN BREAKING IN WEDDING SHOES
• DELEGATE SOMEONE TO RETURN TUXES, RENTALS, AND TEND TO WEDDING DRESS
• SEND DIRECTIONS TO WEDDING DAY LIMO / TRANSPORTATION DRIVER

Day of

• EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST
• ALLOW YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO GET READY
• GIVE WEDDING RINGS AND OFFICIANT FEE TO BEST MAN
• RELAX, SMILE, AND SOAK IN EVERY INCREDIBLE MOMENT