$5k Wedding Course

How to Plan a $5k Wedding

Planning your wedding is a lot of work and having a tight budget can seem stressful. I will show you how to plan your $5k wedding without the stress. You can have a beautiful wedding and not break the bank.

The Budget - I will break down of your $5k wedding budget to guide you on where your money will be used.
My Wedding Saver Money Guide – This will show you how to make your dollars stretch and save money on your wedding.
Example Plans - Real 2021 example wedding plans with prices and where to find each item.
Your Plan - Finally below is a printable worksheet for you to play with and fill out to plan your own wedding.

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The Budget

Ok here is what you came for! I have broken down how to fit everything you need into your $5k. Below is the budget and some example weddings I have put together with real prices from real vendors
Now remember this is just a standard. You will adjust this budget to fit your wedding. If you decide you don't need any of the items delete it! If you want to splurge on an item do it! Make it yours!

Food and Beverage

Dinner
- Main course
- Sides
- Serving Dishes
- Plates/Cups/Silverware/Napkins
Alcohol
- Beer
- Wine/Hard Alcohol
- Ice
- Cups
- Mixers

Cake

Cake
Serving Set
Plates

Décor and Flowers

Reception Décor
- Tables/Chairs
- Table Coverings
- Centerpieces
- Head table Decorations
- Cake table/Card table
Ceremony
- Aisle Décor
- Arch/Arbor
- Chair Rental
Flower girl basket/ring bearer box
Officiant
Marriage License
Flowers
- Bouquet
- Boutonniere/Corsages

Venue & Transportation

Venue
Limo

Apparel & Accessories

Dress
Alterations
Tux
Rings
Accessories
Hair and Make Up
Flower Girl/Ring Bearer

Photographer & Stationary

Engagement Photos
Save the Dates
Invitations
Wedding Photographer

Music

Dj
Ceremony Music

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Wedding Money Saving Guide

There are lots of ways to get discounted or free wedding items and services. Here are my tips to get what your need for your wedding used, cheap or free.

Buy Used
Buying and selling used wedding items is a whole underground market that you probably didn’t know existed. Purchasing used items is great for your budget and the environment. There are whole shops, websites and FB groups dedicated to helping brides sell and buy used wedding items.

Shops- Yes wedding retail shop are a thing! There are resale shops dedicated to just wedding dresses and décor. Doing a google search should turn one up close to you. You can also check out thrift stores and garage sales. There are also pop up consignment sales.
Websites – Here is a list of wedding resale websites. Be sure to check at least one other place or local quote to make sure you are getting the best deal.

https://www.bravobride.com/
https://www.tradesy.com/weddings/
https://www.wedding-recycle.com/
https://www.100layercake.com/market/browse/25/wedding-decor

FB Groups - Most areas have a Facebook group or two that is dedicated to brides reselling their wedding items. These groups are usually call “our town” wedding swap, wedding resale, wedding buy/sale/trade. You can also search Facebook market place for wedding and you may find some items that way too.

Buy Cheap
Getting Cheap Wedding items and services is a lot like getting free stuff. You just have to ask! Ask the dress shop when the rack sale is. Ask hobby lobby when the wedding décor is on sale. Ask the girl selling her used wedding décor if she would sale it to you cheaper. When talking to wedding vendors do not be afraid to ask for a discount or for them to throw in a service for free. How do you ask? It sounds like this...
“If I book today can you give us a 10% discount?”
“ Could you through in some votives if we rent the tablecloths?’
“Could you give us a free 30 min engagement shoot if we book you to photograph our wedding?”
“Could you through in the corsage for free is I pay today?”

Giving something to get something is a good way to get a yes and all vendors like the sound of getting paid up front. They may counter with a lower discount or at worst they could say no which isn’t bad but at least your tried!
Another option to get cheaper vendors is to use less experienced vendors. Now be warned vendors that will give you a lower price do have less experience and that is why they discount their services.

Doing your own wedding is a great way to save money. Notice I did not put DIY under free because it is not! DIY will always cost you your time. If you have plenty of it then great! Diy projects always take up more time than expected. Be sure you have the time and skill to do your project.

Get It Free
The best price is free! Yes you can find free wedding décor and more! There are lots of was to get free wedding décor and services.

The first is free help. Take help from any one who wants to give it. Does your grandma want to buy your cake? Let her! Did your cousin who is a cosmetologist offer to do your hair? Let her! Does your dad want to build an arbor? Let him! Once you announce your engagement take notes on anyone who offers to help and take them up on their offers.

Second is free used wedding items. Lots of people have been secretly storing their old wedding décor and are probably happy to get rid of it! Let people know you are looking for wedding décor and you will surely be gifted some dusty boxes of old décor. Yes you will have the not fun job of sorting through said dusty boxes but things like vases and table clothes can be cleaned and look good as new.

Third is to ask. Ask and you shall receive (sometimes). Do not be afraid to ask for a little extra. Like I mentioned above do not be afraid to ask the worst that could happen is they say no.

Sample Wedding Plans

Here are sample wedding plans to help give you an idea of what a $5k wedding looks like and how and where to shop. You can read it below or download the PDF. There is also the printable PDF worksheet for you to fill out and plan your wedding.

sample_wedding_plans.pdf
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Sample Wedding Plans – 75 Guests

Wedding Budget $5,000

Food and Beverage $(Budgeted $1250) Actual cost $848
Dinner $350
Providing your own food is very possible as long as you have help. Be sure to delegate the cooking and set up so you won’t be running around working on your wedding day. All meals need is a meat, a starch, the appropriate condiments and filling sides. I calculated how much food is needed using this online tool - https://calculate-this.com

Main course- Taco bar! Hamburger from Sams 30lbs @ $2.88 = $87, 175 shells from Walmart $20, taco seasoning $5, 7 lbs cheese from Sams $19, 7 lbs each lettuce/tomatoes from Walmart $15 , 10 lbs. sour cream from Sams $14, 140 oz salsa from sams $ 9 = $170
Sides- 5lbs Rice from Walmart $5, 1 box Mi Arroz Seasoning $5 Amazon ,18 cans Refried Beans $12, 90 servings Lemonade Country Time from Sams $7, water = $30

Other meal options:
Pasta bar - pasta, meatballs, chicken, salad and breadsticks
BBQ – Pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, salad
Chili Bar – Chili, toppings, corn bread, salad
Sandwich bar – Different types of bread, deli meat, cheese, condiments , chips,

Serving Dishes – 3 heating trays, 3 foil pans, 3 serving spoons from Amazon here $38, 5 bowls for toppings, w, 3 spoons, 2 pair of tongs, 2 squeeze bottles for sour cream all from Dollar Tree, 2 beverage containers Here = $74

Plates/Cups/Silverware/Napkins- You could use grocery store dinnerware for about $35 or fancier matching dinner ware from Amazon Here for $78

Alcohol $211

Beer – Beer is a good budget option. You can get 144 cans = 6 24 packs from sams @ $19 each =$114
Wine/Hard Alcohol – 70 servings of wine = Barefoot 1.5L bottle for $10.99 at Kroger = $77 Don’t forget the cups!
Mixers – None for this wedding
Ice - 5 bags of ice = $20 to keep the beer cool. A good tip is to have everything cooled in the refrigerator to use less ice

Cake - $287

Cake- Cake doesn’t have to be costly. You can get some very nice tiered cakes from a grocery store and add your own flowers or you can get a small cake from a professional bakery and serve sheet cake or cupcakes to the other guests. Here we will get a $200 2 tiered cake from a baker that serves 50. 3 dozen white cupcakes from the baker for $30
Serving Set – I consider a cake cutting set a must since it will be in the pictures of you cutting the cake. You can get a nice serving set on Amazon here for $17
Plates – You can find cake plates and forks at your grocery store for $20 or here is a set with plates, forks and cups(for the wine) here for $40

Décor and Flowers $ 500
Reception Décor $372

Tables/Chairs -Included in venue 20 8ft long table and 120 chairs. We will use 10 for the guests, 1 for cake, 1 for gifts, 1 for the dj, 2 for food and 1 for the head table
Table Coverings -One of my favorite places to get table linens is CVLinens.com or Amazon. On Amazon you can find basic colors for a low cost. You can get 12 ivory tablecloths for $84 here. CVLinens.com has lots of nice colors and textures for a low price. For the guest tables we will get runners $28
Centerpieces – I choose an arrangement for each table 3 pillar candles in glass cylinders and 4 votives for each of the guest tables from Amazon. For the head table we will use the same candles and some eucalyptus.

48 candles from Amazon here 4 packs for $112
48 cylinders from Dollar Tree here for $48
50 votives- Gloss holder from Dollar Tree here for $50. Candles from Amazon here for $20

Head table Decorations – For the head table you can get a fancy accordion crinkled textured tablecloth for the head table from CV Linens for $15 and candles from count above. We will also add some Eucalyptus to use on the head table from Amazon here for $15
Cake table/Card table – Ivory tablecloths from Amazon for $7 each here.

Ceremony

Aisle Décor - Petals from extra roses from bouquet order below.
Arch/Arbor - All ready at the park where the wedding happens
Chair Rental - none for this wedding
Flower girl basket/ring bearer box – upcycle a basket someone has (ask your grandma! or a thrift shop)

Officiant- Free! In many states you can get ordained online! Anyone who gets ordained online (for free) can marry you. Here is a list of state requirements.
Marriage License $30 in my state. Call your county courthouse to find out.
Flowers

Bouquet – At Kroger or your local grocery store you can get a small inexpensive bouquet for $50-$80. Let them know your price limit and they usually can make a bouquet in your budget. It will most likely contain more greenery and fillers. If you are crafty and feel like you have the time and skill you can order Sams, Costco or my favorite online floral store globalrose.com you can order flowers and make your own. Bouquets can be made up to 4 days before your wedding. You need at least 20-35 stems for a bridal bouquet. Bridesmaid bouquets are smaller can be mad of 5-20 stems. You will need floral wire and floral tape (from Walmart or hobby lobby). I recommend ordering your flowers to arrive the Monday before your wedding. You will unpack, cut the stems and put them in water as soon as they arrive. Let them sit in water until Wednesday or Thursday when you make your bouquet. You can order 50 white roses for $51 from Global Rose on Amazon here
Boutonnieres – Babies Breath and rose corsages are simple to make. You need babies breath, 1 rose per corsage, floral tape and straight pins.

Venue & Transportation $    1050
Venue - In my area (KS) there are lots of venues that are in the $1000 price range. In many areas finding a venue for this price range may not be as easy. Here are some tips! Look for party venues instead of “wedding” venues. As you know there is sometimes an upcharge for everything “wedding”. Choose a Friday wedding for a discount. Use the budget to create a venue. If are lucky enough to have the space available you can upgrade your families property to host your wedding. You can rent turf, a dance floor, chairs, lighting, tents and portable toilets to create a beautiful space.
Limo – If you have any unused money from other areas a limo is nice but ultimately unnecessary.
Apparel & Accessories $       1050
Dress – Wedding dresses are not as expensive as you may think! There are lots of inexpensive options.

Buying new- When looking for a new wedding dress I would highly recommend staying away from “boutique” style stores. Larger stores like David’s Bridal, JJ House, Azazie.com, lulus.com are going to have more options. My search today turned up over 200 dress styles on David’s Bridal under $800.
Buying Used- Buying used is a great option. There are lots of consignment stores that specialize in bridal wear. They typically have all of the dresses dry cleaned and in perfect condition. There are also lots of websites that allow brides to list and sell their dresses.
Alterations – No mater what almost every dress needs some alterations. I suggest a local seamstress instead of the bridal shop seamstress. $50-$200

Grooms wear- Grooms have so many options when it comes to wedding attire. Formal options like a tux or suit can be rented for around $100-$150. Les formal options are a dress shirt and slacks, a nice shirt and jeans/dress pants if you wedding is very formal or outdoors. Shirts and slacks can be purchased at . $50-$150
Rings - The brides engagement ring and band are typically purchased by the groom before the engagement. You will need a grooms ring that you can purchase at a local jewelry store.
Accessories - You will need shoes, jewelry and a vail or hairpiece. If you have a pair of shoes you already own that is a great option. You can also buy used at a consignment shop or Amazon has lots of great options for shoes, veils and jewelry. $0-$200
Here are my favorite amazon options:

Veils/Headpieces- Lace veil https://amzn.to/3g17wsW , long veil https://amzn.to/2OCPm5O , hair piece https://amzn.to/3fQaq3X ,
Shoes - Pumps https://amzn.to/31TV1HE , flats https://amzn.to/325encV , kitten heel https://amzn.to/3uCLC3t
Jewelry- simple https://amzn.to/3t5Ho49 , statement https://amzn.to/3wJZeM7 , pearl https://amzn.to/3myrQU1
Belt-silver https://amzn.to/2Q9nyGs , simple https://amzn.to/321JTZf , wide https://amzn.to/2Rj5ydb
Hair and Make Up -$50-200 Having your hair and makeup done is absolutely in this budget! If you would like to use the budget somewhere else lots of girls do their own hair and make up. If you decide to do your own make up you can use the budget to buy the products you want. Depending on your area hair and make up can run $100-$600. For this budget try to stay under $200

Flower Girl/Ring Bearer -$0 For this budget I didn’t allow any money for the flower girl and ring bearer apparel. Most brides choose close family for these roles and the parents typically buy their outfits for the wedding.

Photographer & Stationary $ 750

Engagement Photos – Ask your photographer if they will add in a small engagement shoot. You can also diy your own pictures. The best time to take photos outdoors is 1-2 hours before sunset. You typically only need 1-3 good pictures to use for save the dates. You could also choose to not use engagement photos for save your dates.
Save the Dates – Save the dates let your guests plan for your wedding ahead of time. Some find them unnecessary when your guests are all local and well aware of your wedding. If you do choose to use them you can print them using the options below.
Invitations – Invitations do not have to cost a ton! The budget allows for about $200 to spend. You can get custom printed invites from lots of online places. To stay in budget you can spend $1-$2.25 per invite. Here are some options
- Etsy- You can order a downloadable design from Esty for $10-$25 and have them printed. I recommend Officemax, Staples, UPS Store, Fedex Storez
- Websites like Vistaprint.com , Shutterfly.com, zazzle.com,
- Laser cut invites $100 for $140 Here
Wedding Photographer - Small package from a local photographer. Depending on your area you will have to use a photographer with less experience. Be sure to look at their portfolio and like their style. Less experience does not have to mean poor quality. Amateur photographers cost between $500-$1000 in my area.

Music $ 400

Dj - Finding a DJ in this price range isn’t always easy. You will need to find a DJ just starting out or check with friends and family to see if they know anyone who DJ’s as a hobby. You could also use the budget to rent or purchase a large speaker and make your own play lists.
Ceremony Music – DIY music with a Bluetooth speaker and your phone. Put someone in charge of your music and make sure they download the song and put their phone on airplane mode! This will stop them from getting any calls or other dings while they play your music. Always have them practice before the wedding day.

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