Comments on: The $28,000 Budget: Myth?

By: amm

amm — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:08:49 +0000

I live in the midwest, so maybe it’s different. We’re having a huge barbecue/casual outdoor wedding with an open beer/wine bar, and it’s still clocking in at under 7K for 450 guests and 12 members in the wedding party. If you REALLY want to have an inexpensive wedding, it can be done. You just don’t get to have everything you want. I focused on my guests instead of on myself, and I really think we are going to have a beautiful wedding that is fun for everyone and doesn’t put us in debt the rest of our lives.

By: nikki

nikki — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:13:44 +0000

i guess i don’t understand even the 15,000 weddings, at least if you say you are trying to be thrifty. sure, we’re in the midwest, but we’ll be having around 300 people and are right at about 5,000. the church rental is free since we’re members, we’re doing a cake reception at the same location. no dance. no alcohol (it’s in a church remember? haha) the cake is 2.50 per person. why would you want to start off a marriage with that much less money?? maybe save some and buy a new car or something!

By: Allison

Allison — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:25:24 +0000

$15k is more reasonable than $28k, but still a whole lot of money to spend on a party in my mind. Our budget for a 200-person wedding in a Midwestern city is $7,500, and I think we’ll be under that.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:38:49 +0000

I remember from my high school statistics class that some type of average was calculated by eliminating the top 5% and bottom 5%, or 10%, so the average was more representative of real people. I think they should do that so the $30 drive-through weddings and the $1,000,000 celeb weddings aren’t in the picture. Then we would have a more realistic view of wedding costs.

By: kelleyatbrideorama

kelleyatbrideorama — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 23:30:42 +0000

This is good news, but not surprising. I think a lot about budget depends on where you live; and of course,how expensive or simple your tastes are. Here is the good news though: I got married last year, had a beautiful wedding in NY with 100 guests, and we managed to stay just under around $17,000. So it can be done. You just have to use sites like this to help you out!

By: Quynh

Quynh — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 01:49:54 +0000

I feel a lot better! I live in the DC area and we are trying to do a 150 guest wedding for no more than 15K. It’s a little bit of a challenge so far but I think we actually might make it! We might even be able to pull it off for a little less than that.

By: Little Miss Planner

Little Miss Planner — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 23:53:14 +0000

I wish that was the case in my area. I’m not having an outlandish wedding by any means… but my reception site and the catering is over 17k by itself. When I first saw the prices I freaked out… but every place was the same. At that moment of realiziation, our budget went from 20 to 35k.

By: Tammi

Tammi — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 20:33:18 +0000

I’m happy to hear this. Now I don’t feel like a cheapskate. Caterers and wedding planners have scoffed when I told them I want to keep my upcoming Brooklyn, NY wedding to 15K. I know this can be done. I am so glad to hear that the $27,000 wedding is more hype than happening.

By: crowiecat

crowiecat — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:25:46 +0000

I wish that were true in the SF bay area. My fiancee and I are trying pretty hard to stay within our $15,000 budget (in the silicon valley) for about 80 people here and it has been very challenging. We are footing the entire bill ourselves, including possibly flying some family out since they can’t afford it. Just the venue and the food (it’s outdoor with a buffet brunch) is already stretching our limit. I think though if you are willing to think outside the box, be more creative, and not buy into all the “wedding hype”, $15,000 or somewhere close to that is an achievable budget.

By: Laura

Laura — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:05:42 +0000

This makes me wonder why in heck I can’t seem to make a $25,000 budget cover everything!!