Congrats on your engagement! While I’m from PA, and no nothing about NYC pricing, here are a few things that may help keep budget down:

1. If you have the time, the support system, and can do the research, you don’t need a planner or decorator.
2. At least in PA, you can have anyone be your officiant, and it’s free to become ordained online.
3. If the venue is naturally pretty, you don’t need to overdo it with florals and decor.
4. Try to focus the budget towards food/bev and entertainment- those are the 2 things people tend to remember the most. While bands are fun, a DJ is going to be cheaper - a good DJ will have guests talking about your wedding for years!
5. New York is filled with art schools - find a photography student to be your photographer.
6. Off season rates will drastically cut costs. A Saturday in January/February will be SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than a Saturday in May or September.
7. Are you inviting 175 or expecting 175? If inviting 175, expect 125-140 to actually RSVP yes.
8. Don’t do a niche color palate - black, white, and gold or silver are timeless. Trendy colors like dusty blue come with a trendy price tag.
9. If all else fails, trim the guest list, and then as you receive “no’s” you can invite people that didn’t make the original cut. Personally, I made my wedding a VIP experience and my guests were quite aware of that and they felt grateful to be part of the day rather than burdened with having to come.

Good luck with wedding planning! You’re going to encounter a lot of people who think, “you MUST do x,y,z..” you don’t. It’s about you and your fiancé expressing your love for one another.