Dinner with close family members. Go to the clerk for license. Then go an epic trip to the Maldives with stop in Dubai and maybe another city in Europe.

Anonymous wrote:Frugal brides should check out this place: https://www.stanthonysbridal.com/

They have lots of wedding dresses for $100. Local brides donate them so you can find high end designer dresses, then you just need to get them cleaned and tailored.

They can also advise you on other ways to save money.

Check out cheaper venues. Knights of Columbus in Arlington is pretty inexpensive for example but still offers the "traditional" wedding experience.

I wish I’d known about that dress place! I’m getting married on a budget and got a dress off amazon

Anonymous wrote:Pick up flowers from Trader Joes, the morning of. Have a friend take pictures. Outdoor park or someone's home as the venue.

And only invite 30 people or less. That is the key part to this plan.

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

This is the number one way to keep a budget. Less people means less everything else. For $25k I'd say 50 people is a good goal, but that gives you a little wiggle room.

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

I would actually spend $5k on the wedding and $20k on luxury travel

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Wait what? Explain this write off.

NP, but you can find some information on-line:

https://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/6-tax-write-offs-for-your-wedding-5133/

2. The Venue

If you are having your reception or getting married at a historical garden, museum or homestead, or even a state or national park, the fee you pay may be tax-deductible as a donation. Check with the site representative for more details. Again, any fee paid in exchange for a service won’t be deductible.

Check into locations and see whether they qualify for this donation write-off.

Anonymous wrote: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.

Wait what? Explain this write off.

Anonymous wrote:Pick up flowers from Trader Joes, the morning of. Have a friend take pictures. Outdoor park or someone's home as the venue.

I’m guessing you haven’t been close to anyone who has actually done this. Outdoor parks or someone’s home are really difficult places to hold a big event. They aren’t set up for that.

You are better off going with a hotel or a country club with in-house catering as someone mentioned.

Anonymous wrote:Elope and go on a fantastic honeymoon!

I guess it depends on whether or not your parents are chipping in. Your mom and dad might help pay to have all of their extended family at a great party, but they probably won’t shell out for a honeymoon.

Pick up flowers from Trader Joes, the morning of. Have a friend take pictures. Outdoor park or someone's home as the venue.

Having it in a restaurant is a good idea. Or maybe a hotel, a golf club, a country club. Basically, any venue that has in-house catering and bases the venue rental on a food & beverage minimum that will be easily met with your expected guest count. Paying to rent a venue and then bringing in a separate caterer to provide the food can get really expensive.

Also, look in the suburbs and not downtown.

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

+1

I got married in an attorney (who was also a civil celebrant)’s conference room. Me and my husband, sitting at a conference table:

“are you here willingly, to be married?”
“Yes”
“Yes”

And he signed the license. Boom. Done.

Then we walked around the street to a fancy bakery and got coffee and those fancy pastries that we never get because they are too fancy for everyday. Then we went to CVS to get a prescription.

It was a perfect wedding, for maybe $100. We spent the money that would have gone to an engagement ring and fancy wedding on a vacation house. In my name only. That’s love.

Wedding at a beautiful church with just parents, siblings, grandparents and one best man, one maid of honor. Then dinner in a restaurant.

I would still have a nice dress, bouquet and photographs of us and our families.

Take the rest and save it for a house down payment.


DH and I had a lovely DC wedding with 100 guests for 30k, but it's been 15 years. We had full open bar, dancing and a great meal, but we definitely skimped on a lot of other stuff like DJ, flowers, no limos, no videographer, no coordinator.

Frugal brides should check out this place: https://www.stanthonysbridal.com/

They have lots of wedding dresses for $100. Local brides donate them so you can find high end designer dresses, then you just need to get them cleaned and tailored.

They can also advise you on other ways to save money.

Check out cheaper venues. Knights of Columbus in Arlington is pretty inexpensive for example but still offers the "traditional" wedding experience.