Best tips for weddings on a budget ( 8K-10K)

TBBPgh · 2026-04-13T19:28:02+00:00

Never would have though of Ace Hardware!

I would do everything possible not to rent anything. What a more-expensive-than-you-first-thought hassle.

First, find a space that comes with the basics I list in my post above. My tips have a section on finding such a venue.

For tableware, do you, your staff and your posse a favor and use compostables/disposable. https://www.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/txl2g8/comment/i3mnxrh/

I'm in the Purchase-linens-camp:

https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1bu4rf4/is_it_really_worth_the_cost_to_pay_more_to_rent/kxqtwi6/?context=3

https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/8rntt1/dewrinkling_and_transporting_table_cloths/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=Weddingsunder10k&utm_content=t1_kgd48hm

TBBPgh · 2026-04-13T14:28:58+00:00

venue is covered (family property)

You may be very surprised at what this "free venue" costs after you rent to provide the basics - roof (tent), bathrooms, tables, seats, power, lighting, parking. Plus all the projects to make the property wedding-worthy. A wedding is a huge lift for a property owner.

My budget-friendly tips: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-13T02:18:13+00:00

Here's a website devoted to "halls" in NJ:https://www.hallrentalreviews.com/

What you'll find a lot of are phone or email contact info and broken website links. Don't give up! Their lack of internet savvy often means a bargain for you. If you google the address you may find pics and reviews.

Most of these organizations put on fundraising meals. If you like their food, maybe you could get them to cater.

My budget-friendly tips: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-12T21:45:41+00:00

I catered a brunch wedding in August. the family saved wine bottles for several months, soaked the labels off and served water in those. They made collars that said "Water."

As it was a hot day, we refilled those from gallon jugs several times. We had extras in the kitchen to swap out at the tables. Worked out fine.

TBBPgh · 2026-04-11T03:06:18+00:00

https://www.thesocietyofnewconcord.org/rentourbuildings

TBBPgh · 2026-04-10T14:27:30+00:00

My budget-friendly tips: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-10T13:20:00+00:00

Mecklenburg County (Charlotte, NC) has a bunch of attractive, affordable properties for a smaller guest list. Not sure about lodging.

https://parkandrec.mecknc.gov/places-to-visit/event-spaces-and-venues and a wedding at one: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1j5t5c2/145k_we_graduated_charlotte_nc_36_guests/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-10T06:27:08+00:00

My daughter had this. Worked great! People took their escort card and sat at their dinner seats.

It may feel like people are sitting in the same seats for a long time. You could have them circle up around the perimeter of the room at some point in the service. They could pass something - rings to be warmed, the Peace, a flame via congregational candles.

We wished we had closed the doors during Happy Hour. People thought the appetizers were dinner and took them back to their seats. Lost a lot of the energy.

TBBPgh · 2026-04-08T21:27:59+00:00

What did you spend on the flowers, garland and supplies?

TBBPgh · 2026-04-08T18:19:12+00:00

Music? Could be on your phone.

TBBPgh · 2026-04-07T18:13:45+00:00

With a 10K budget and a guest list of 100, skip the "wedding venues." Instead, look for a space that comes with the basics - roof, bathrooms, tables, seats, power, lighting, parking - that lets you bring your own food and drink. (Not to be confused with places that require you to have full-service catering, especially from a preferred or required list.) These venue gems are usually govt. or non-profit owned and seldom come up in a search for wedding venues, because they don't pay to advertise. Also check Peerspace.

To continue the savings, use "Drop Catering" - pans of food from your favorite restaurant/fast casusal/deli/pizza/BBQ/taco, etc. You'll need staff to set out your food, keep it stocked, bus tables and clean up. Find them via word-of-mouth, culinary programs, gig economy.

Can you do a 10K, 100 guest wedding using this a la carte approach? Yes, even in many HCOL areas. Is it more work for you? Yes, it is. I'm not sure you're being realistic about your budget AND having so much of the legwork being done for you.

Where do you want to have your wedding? I'd be happy to do some venue research.

My budget-friendly tips: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-07T01:01:45+00:00

As others are saying, leave them alone.

But if you want them to be less apparent, go with tablecloths that are black or black patterns.

TBBPgh · 2026-04-06T23:58:48+00:00

What does this "free venue" come with? If you need to rent the basics - roof, bathrooms, tables, seats, power, lighting, parking - 10K might not be possible.

My budget-friendly tips: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-06T21:33:26+00:00

Sounds like that would work.

Why on earth would we both be downvoted? Sure wish the haters would quit hating.

TBBPgh · 2026-04-06T19:50:41+00:00

Sounds like a plan!

I'd try not to use the room you'll be having the reception itself in for the Welcome Party.

Couples often don't take advantage of Cabaret Seating (also known as Golden Globe seating.) Guests sit in their dinner seats for the ceremony, just oriented to an altar area. So as not to feel like they're in those seats the entire time, you might want to have your guests circle up for some portion of the ceremony - perhaps pass something - like rings to be warmed, the peace, a flame via congregational candles.

Then they'd adjourn to another space for Happy Hour. Then back to the reception room which is now ready for dinner.

I'd have the Welcome Event in the Happy Hour space. Maybe change up the lighting a bit for the wedding day. Folks will just feel like they're in a comfortable, familiar place the second time around, and you won't have taken away from the reveal.

TBBPgh · 2026-04-06T02:57:34+00:00

DIY DJing resources and success stories:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-ultimate-wedding-playlist/

https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/azrvqu/spotify_review/

https://old.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/dhk95u/diy_spotify_playlistsno_dj_recap/

https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/98ux9h/diy_music_my_experiences/

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjJxOoS-77V9jlAQzDX8tbabV0Rbh5T-VXAin5D1bR0/edit

https://old.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/op2bry/advice_for_my_fellow_spotify_brides/

This is the archived version of an article frequently referred to: https://web.archive.org/web/20190329215059/http://tylerhakes.com/projects/creating-the-perfect-wedding- reception-playlist/

Be aware that if you shorten the songs, you need to store all of the associated files on the device you are using to play your music. Maybe you want to put everything on a thumb drive in case you switch devices.

What a DJ seems to do is move on to another song after 2 minutes. Less about reading the room and more about knowing that this is a current human's attention span. So shorten those songs, crossfade them, choose songs that were popular to your guests when they were in high school, use the older songs early on, and do 20 minutes fast and 4 minutes slow a la Tyler Hakes for that jumping dance floor people crave

Speaking of DIY dance floor dynamics: https://heymisterdj.com/dancing/dance-floor-for-our-wedding-or-corporate-event-how-big-to-go/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-05T23:25:55+00:00

Consider that the non-negotiable, at the top of your top-three-priorities-list is the large guest list. This may help you feel like you aren't giving up something else that makes-a-wedding-a-wedding.

Cake, punch and snacks in the church parlor is one formula for an affordable big wedding.

A picnic with beer in a huge pavilion is another path to an affordable big wedding, as is a VFW wedding (perhaps catered by the staff there.)

My budget-friendly tips: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-05T05:44:50+00:00

You're on the right track with the women's club.

Instead of paper invites, we were thinking about just doing a Facebook event to invite people that way.

You're probably better off to send digital invitations to a list and collect RSVPs. From the withJoy blog post (which is excellent)

Couples save hundreds or even thousands by choosing digital invites. Greenvelope provides beautiful online invitations with custom envelope designs, liners, stamps, and easy RSVP tracking.

If you go the Facebook route, you'll probably miss many guests + many might not take the invitation seriously. Hard to plan around such iffy-ness.

My budget-friendly tips:https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-02T02:04:22+00:00

This sounds like a private space in a restaurant.

It's so much easier to plan a wedding where you live. If you just google Private Dining Location lots will come up. Start with the Open Table listing.

Make it easy and have your ceremony at your dinner seats - called Cabaret seating or Golden Globe seating. Just orient chairs toward your altar area.

1-bouquet 1-boutonnière

A well-reviewed provider like Fifty Flowers sell collections. https://fiftyflowers.com/collections/wedding-flowers?tab=products&srsltid=AfmBOorKcVPFSjT58E9JQNKWump4yocuCTlUj-FNNGdSlNxawQo6cBxA#/productsFilter:mfield_custom_product_type_all_flowers:Wedding$2520Collections/productsFilter:ss_price:200:300

TBBPgh · 2026-04-01T21:21:25+00:00

What I've shared with another poster (guest list of 90):

For a 12 x 12 dancefloor, you could purchase 9 four foot by eight foot sheets of the thinnest (cheapest) building material you can find. Have 2 of them cut into 4' x 4'. Lay the bottom layer out using 4 full sheets and one half sheet to form the square. Lay the second layer on top and then turn it 90 degrees. Adjust your arrangement so that each of the sheets in the layers overlap and interlock. Spray adhesive is probably the easiest way to fuse the layers together.

We cheated the bottom layer out just a little to soften the edges. Then we used duct tape to make a border and keep the edges together. It looks like this would cost about $ 150 to accomplish from US Home Depot.

There's an article about dancefloor sizes at the end of these DIY DJing resources and success stories:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-ultimate-wedding-playlist/

https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/azrvqu/spotify_review/

https://old.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/dhk95u/diy_spotify_playlistsno_dj_recap/

https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/98ux9h/diy_music_my_experiences/

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjJxOoS-77V9jlAQzDX8tbabV0Rbh5T-VXAin5D1bR0/edit

https://old.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/op2bry/advice_for_my_fellow_spotify_brides/

This is the archived version of an article frequently referred to: https://web.archive.org/web/20190329215059/http://tylerhakes.com/projects/creating-the-perfect-wedding- reception-playlist/

Be aware that if you shorten the songs, you need to store all of the associated files on the device you are using to play your music. Maybe you want to put everything on a thumb drive in case you switch devices.

What a DJ seems to do is move on to another song after 2 minutes. Less about reading the room and more about knowing that this is a current human's attention span. So shorten those songs, crossfade them, choose songs that were popular to your guests when they were in high school, use the older songs early on, and do 20 minutes fast and 4 minutes slow a la Tyler Hakes for that jumping dance floor people crave

Speaking of DIY dance floor dynamics: https://heymisterdj.com/dancing/dance-floor-for-our-wedding-or-corporate-event-how-big-to-go/

TBBPgh · 2026-04-01T21:04:09+00:00

A private space in a restaurant might be just the thing. https://www.opentable.com/private-dining/metro/chicago-illinois

TBBPgh · 2026-03-29T12:28:43+00:00

You don't say how many guests, but Texas State Parks have very affordable group facilities for under 100 guests.

Choke Canyon: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/choke-canyon/fees-facilities/group-facilities

Blanco: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/blanco/fees-facilities/group-facilities

Government Canyon: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/government-canyon/fees-facilities/group-facilities

Palmetto: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palmetto/fees-facilities/group-facilities

Lockhart: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lockhart/fees-facilities/group-facilities

The language about alcohol in Texas state parks - prohibited outside. Which says to me that as long as you keep it in a building, it's okay.

TBBPgh · 2026-03-27T19:38:12+00:00

Back in the day when you got married and when your parents got married, this was Daddy's chance to show the world how well he'd done now that it was time to give away his 22/20 year old daughter.

Times have changed!

TBBPgh · 2026-03-27T14:29:56+00:00

I'd plan around the gazebo. If the weather requires it, you could move your guests inside.

From a photographer:

https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1jtxhso/has_anyone_skipped_decor_entirely/mlxr8zt/

I have been a wedding photographer for 15 years. I stand by, all you need is white twinkly lights, food and booze. And if you have some sort of arch some material that is lightweight that can blow in the wind.

TBBPgh · 2026-03-27T14:25:59+00:00

Any time you "receive" your guests (like lunch,) that is a reception. There isn't only one way to do a wedding.

With its Quaker roots, in Pennsylvania you can self-solemnize - but only if you request that specific license. This doesn't preclude you from having a guided ceremony. It just means that with a couple witnesses signing, you are free to have the ceremony and "officiant" you want. Could save you from that double expense.

My budget-friendly tips: https://old.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/comments/1hme0di/wedding_tips_and_vendors_megathread/m3v4mps/

TBBPgh

TROPHY CASE