Anonymous wrote:Elope and go on a fantastic honeymoon!

This.

For me, I'd prioritize fun, food and dancing - it's a celebration! I'd limit the number of people, find a restaurant/bar/venue that I really liked, ask a friend to become an officiant and get married right there and then kick off the reception. I'd keep drinks simple - limited range of beer/wine and non-alcoholic beverages. Food would likely just be a buffet and a cake from Victoria's Cakery in Fairfax (de-licious)! I might get myself a bouquet but if I had flowers on tables, they'd just be flowers I got at wholesale and put in small vases I'd get at yard sales, etc. I could even just do some tea lights in globes if the restaurant/bar/venue doesn't already have something. But, I could also do without them.

I would wear a dress I liked but not a white wedding dress. I WOULD have someone do my makeup because I'm not good at it. DH could wear a suit he already has or just something nice.

I feel like there are fewer and fewer big weddings. Maybe it's just because I'm no longer at an age where there are many people getting married.

Maybe Covid shifted things?

Anonymous wrote:Courthouse, go for lunch with your closest friends and fam, save the other $24k for a house/honeymoon/etc.

+1
This is the way.

If you can still write off using a state or federal park on your taxes, I highly recommend using one of the beautiful parks and garden areas as a location, if the OP is staying local.

Anonymous wrote:Keep it small. Biggest cost blow up is the number of people.

💯

Anonymous wrote:A small reception at a nice hotel or restaurant for immediate family and a few close friends.

Best

Anonymous wrote:Elope and go on a fantastic honeymoon!

100%

A small reception at a nice hotel or restaurant for immediate family and a few close friends.

Courthouse, go for lunch with your closest friends and fam, save the other $24k for a house/honeymoon/etc.

Ours was less than that.
We had a private ceremony at our Church. We invited our parents and a friend each to that part.
In the evening we invited friends and family to a restaurant/bar that had a divider so we had a private area, probably had 50 people come to that. We provided food and drinks for guests at the restaurant.
No professional photographer, no flowers, no dress, we both wore clothes we owned.
We did have a cake big enough for all guests on a theme but it wasn’t a wedding cake per se.

Keep it small. Biggest cost blow up is the number of people.

It depends on what’s ideal for you. I have been to plenty of weddings that were a lot of fun and weren’t cheap, but weren’t over the top cost-wise either:

1) The couple rented out their favorite bar and had a friend’s band play.

2) The couple had 250 people in a high school gym with a DJ and tons of champagne with corks flying into the super high ceiling all night. Food was a buffet.

3) The couple had a small wedding in a rented mansion with about 40 guests, a beautifully catered meal, and string quartet for music.

Elope and go on a fantastic honeymoon!

How would you organize an ideal wedding in $25k?