When I first got engaged I was really overwhelmed. Excited…but overwhelmed. I was not the type who had her wedding planned since she was a little girl – in fact growing up I promised myself I’d never get married!
I mean, who would marry this fool?
I learned after a lot of blog reading that the first thing I needed to decide on was the venue – and that was supposed to take half of my budget. But just as weddings are expensive
VENUES. ARE. EXPENSIVE.
So how do you cut down on costs for a venue?
1. Have a country wedding! Now this doesn’t mean get married in a barn (though if that floats your boat do it!). This means choose hotels and venues that are outside of major cities. For instance, go 30 miles outside of even a small city and your venue prices will be cut in half.
I live in the middle of nowhere so this was going to be inevitable. In order to get married in a vineyard in the closest city it would cost me at least 5,000 dollars, just for the VENUE! A similar venue costs $1280 only a few miles away!
2. Check out local parks – a lot of parks and rec centers have indoor venues that people rent out for dirt cheap. These can be very inexpensive – and include tables and chairs! (Or you could just get married outside.) Check your local parks and rec center for information. One of my friends had an amazing wedding at a parks and rec center for much cheaper than a traditional venue! [Tip: Some even have cabins your out of town guests can rent!]
How beautiful is this one? I had the honor of attending their wedding. The parks and rec center had this very inexpensive venue and it was GORGEOUS!
3. Use non-conventional or new venues! Botanical gardens, urban garden centers, museums, art galleries, etc. Sometimes you might find a deal – though as these are becoming more popular they are becoming more expensive.
4. Keep your ceremony and reception in the same place – this can save you hundreds of dollars
5. Use your connections! Have a friend with a barn and giant field? Ask them if they’ll rent it out! Have a family member with a gorgeous backyard? Beg Aunt Mildred to let you invite 100 people for a party 😉
6. And lastly, use your backyard!
**BIG CAVEAT HERE! It’s not always less expensive to use your own backyard or a friend’s house or a field. These can be cheaper than venues in the city – but many of them come with hidden costs. Sometimes it is MUCH cheaper to use an all-inclusive wedding venue!!! Why? Well that’s the subject of my next blog post!
Remember to keep on budget no matter what! What inexpensive wedding venues have you found? Any other tips for brides out there?
Mary
Topic: Venues on a Budget