I am a new bride. I’m actually eloping before we have our bigger ceremony if that matters. My partner and I are not big on dancing and partying, really we want a small wedding where we can play collective games and chat at our rehearsal.

For example a Mario kart march madness themed tournament is a must haha. We also love board games and I feel it would be so much more special to do the things we want rather than things everyone normally does.

Where in (preferably New England) can I find a venue or Airbnb to do this? Do you have recommendations on nontraditional wedding venues? The amount of people would be 35-60 (haven’t family far away and I can’t really tell if they will come or not lol)

Thank you!

Wife's sister just got engaged and there was talk about keeping a low budget and trying to DIY as much as possible. Wife had the idea of doing the cards with Cricut and her sister is into personalizing/customizing stuff but nobody has one so we figured we can get a machine with a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal and maybe that would be ok. Is this a reasonable budgeting solution or are we going to end up spending more? Save the dates and wedding invites for maybe 50-60 people we think. And possible use for other projects to add value to the cost

Update. Was going through the available Black Friday Cricut deals so I thought why not share, for anyone also looking

Best Cricut Black Friday deals:

• $550 off Cricut machines (Cricut.com)
• 28% off Cricut machines & accessories (Walmart.com)
• 54% off Cricut Maker cutting machines (Cricut.com)
• $270 off the Cricut Explore 3 & Explore Air 2 (Cricut.com)

Hi! I live outside the US and white bridal gowns are hard to come by here. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I now need to arrange for a dress that I can get shipped to NYC by the 8th of December. I’m looking for a soft white/ ivory dress under $600. Any ideas on what online shops I can leverage? I'm a size 4-6 in wedding dresses and I like mermaids with sleeves/ straps. TYSM in advance!

Hi all, common debate in the wedding budget world but I want to hear from real people about their experiences. We’re deciding between doing the wedding at our house or using a venue. To rent the tent/tables/chairs/lighting/dance floor/toilet we’re looking at $4900 which includes set up but not delivery. I think there are ways to get this down since we have a lot of our own furniture we can use/borrow but this is the price on their website. For venues, we’re looking at $8000-$10000 for a place that’s beautiful, close by (important to us). To me, the backyard seems like the way to go since it’ll save so much money but I do understand there’s sooo much more hassle that comes with it being at home.

What are some pros, cons I may be overlooking? Is $5k worth it to save the headache? What did you all decide and why?

Hi, so i'm just having a ceremony and going straight to the airport after since our schedules are tight. I'm a photographer so I'm extremely picky with my photography. I had this amazing photographer friend in mind but he's quoting $500 for an hour which is a little bit on the pricey side for me (for an hour that is). My wedding is exactly two weeks away from today and I don't know what to do for photography. I would like to have the memories. I thought about disposables but most of the invited are of age and i know they won't know how to frame it. What can I do? 🥲

In a perfect world I know I’d have a DOC, but we are trying really hard not to go over budget and that would push us over. One of my best friends who is incredibly organized is going to be a pseudo DOC (I’m paying for her lodging as a thank you), but I was wondering if people who managed without a DOC could give some tips on what worked? I’m fine being an overly-involved bride, I’m pretty type A as it is, but I don’t want things to get out of hand.

Our venue does have a “program coordinator,” but he is more for venue-related items and not so much wedding-specific things.

Hi all! I'm searching for artificial florals that won't break the bank. I am having centerpieces and my bouquet as real flowers, but I want some extra pop on an arbor and maybe some runners and don't want them to absolutely destroy my budget. Has anyone had luck buying anything bulk or artificial for super cheap somewhere?

Hello all soon-to-be married people!

I am a photographer based in Monterey, CA, looking to expand my portfolio to focus mostly on engagements, proposals, and weddings! Please check out my website and portfolio!

I'm looking forward to making your vision come to life!

https://clicksbyriley.mypixieset.com

You can find me on all socials - Clicks By Riley

We found a restaurant that claims (i am skeptical) they can do a 115 person ceremony and reception in their outdoor space..

i am having a hard time wrapping my mind around doing a wedding at a restaurant.. have you done it before? how did it go?

Hi all, I will be getting married this August 2, 2025 in Nevada City, CA and have been on the hunt for wedding photographers, ideal budget is 2-4k, I've been looking for photographers who are LGBTQ+, somewhat close in proximity to Nevada City, i.e. Sacramento, Tahoe, Reno, etc. I really love film and documentary style. Would appreciate any recs, thanks!!

Hi There Event Planners,

We make gorgeous made-to-order arches and backdrops in various geometric patterns. They're ready for paint, flowers, balloons, and many other ways to decorate for creating a picture wall or accent wall.

https://preview.redd.it/7rby2sthdgtd1.jpg?width=1081&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9fe4c7b54fea78ce5903dc63dc99d4b92115cdba

Art Deco style, with a collapsible design making it cheap to ship and easy to store/move.

We sell these at a budget-friendly $400 for the largest arch and stepping down in price.

We have a lot more designs coming

We can do custom engravings, 3d letter signs, custom centerpieces and more too. Just get in touch and we can make it happen. Located in NJ, but can ship freight anywhere.

Pics: https://imgur.com/a/gHbdEVb

Hey guys! We're super low budget and I'm wondering if y'all think I will regret not having a photographer for our reception. We have one for the ceremony and were considering just using the POV app (or something similar) for the reception. Thoughts?? Anyone do something/planning to do something similar?

Hi all! I am a 2025 bride, but my cousin is getting married on 10/12/24 and has asked me to do her makeup as I have done it for all of the other special events in her life. We are looking for recommendations on the best, long-lasting foundation that is $20 or under.

About the bride -

1. Pinkish/Olive Toned Skin - though she is getting a spray tan this weekend, so we are looking for something in the neutral to warm range.

2. She can lean towards being a bit oily, but has worn (and loved) the MAC Waterweight SPF foundation. We would like to avoid anything extremely matte.

3. Prefers a buildable look rather than something extremely full coverage.

Can't wait to hear your recommendations! Thanks in advance.

Send me the sites with the cheaper dresses that aren’t a scam.

I(33) have an idea. our civil wedding sounds sort of a nightmare about who to invite. We don't have friends (at least ones were close to) and our families hate within the groups lol as in siblings hate each other, divorced parents beefing, and they hate strong enough to make about them. Hence why we have to be selective.

The idea unfortunately still requires 2 witnesses for wedding. Besides officiant, was thinking of hiring a photographer that can capture the ceremony to after. Like make use of surroundings.

Do you think this is weird? Sorry we're just so stuck because I have anxiety and everyone we want is older and have ailments and lives far. They sound like they've grown to hate parties and outings.

Calling all brides on a budget! I’m getting married in August 2025, and one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is finding ways to save money, especially with photography. That was until a late-night Tik Tok scrolling session led me to discover the app Collab.

This is such a game changer for weddings! Guests can download the app via a QR code, which takes them to a shared album where they can upload photos from our big day! I am so excited about this as it only costs $50 per album, and it gives us access to endless candid photos that capture moments we might otherwise miss– like my grandma’s reaction to my first dance, or friends having a drink (or five) together. 

I think it's such a beautiful, cheap, and effective way of ensuring every moment is captured. Plus, candid photos are SO in right now. I wanted to share this for other brides who might be struggling to cut down on costs but still want a ton of great pictures.

I can’t wait to sit with my husband (yes, husband!) the morning after our wedding, coffee in hand, and go through all of the amazing photos our guests took. Cheers to making incredible memories without breaking the bank!

Hi my girlfriend is Colombian and we want to get married and wondering about prenups. We can't afford the 6k that I've heard costs. We both don't really have any assets at all. We live with my family and all I have is a car.

The only thing I see in the future I might get is this house and money from my father's assets (only child) . So I'm not sure if I need a prenup or if the future assets will be protected in any case. Yhat could be years down the line ( my dad's 70) .

Any ideas?

I need help! currently trying to plan a micro wedding at Lake Como with a 30k budget! Please help! Venues, packages everything helps

Hi, my fiance (32m) and I (31f) just got engaged about a month ago. Since then we have gone back and forth on if we want a bigger wedding (about 90 people) or an elopement/micro wedding (50 people or less). I had found a venue that would accommodate a wedding for about $2,300 in southern California, which is one of the most affordable places I've found. But now my fiance and I are thinking if we should just elope with close family/friends because of stress we have already experienced (people don't want to be seated with other people, the bridal party not wanting to do typical bridal party duties etc.)

The problem is since I had been lucky enough to find a venue that could accommodate our bigger wedding for 2k, I would want to spend about half of that on a venue for a micro wedding. Soooo I know this is a long shot but has anyone found an outdoor venue for an elopement/micro wedding for less than 1k in California? Thank you!!!!!

(this will be crossposted)

Hi everyone. I’m getting married on 6/7/25 in the Catskills (NY). Most of my family will be traveling 3+ hours to get there, so we’ve decided to invite everyone to the full weekend of events (many of the rental properties in the area have 2 night minimums anyway). On Friday we will be having a welcome party, Saturday is the ceremony and reception, and Sunday will be a super casual bagel breakfast.

We have a limited budget for florals and table decor, and I wondering how to decorate the venue for the welcome party so it feels like a separate event from the reception. We’re planning to do some sort of food truck situation for the welcome party with disposable plates. The venue is outdoors and there are 3 main locations: the ceremony area by the creek, a large open grassy space where we plan to set up tables for the reception, and a barn with an attached patio and bar (right next to the grassy area).

Should I set up tables for the welcome party? We have quite a lot of older family members who will probably want to sit, but I’m at a loss for how many tables and how to decorate them. We really won’t have extra flowers unless we reuse them the next day, and I’m worried about things staying fresh (but maybe this isn’t a concern).

Any suggestions for affordable decor for the welcome party are appreciated!

Looking for restaurant suggestions for micro wedding in South Florida. Looking for something between Daytona - Miami for a nice set up. My ceremony plan was a simple beach wedding with a South Florida company that has beach options:) hoping to find a venue for food and dancing to complete the night for immediate families.

Does anyone know how to print custom individualized name cards at staples?

It’s a long shot but I am looking for a couple who can model wedding dress / tux set up totally free! Any of the following days July 5,6,7 (Orange county, Los Angeles area)

Hi! My fiance and I have decided to do all of our own decorations for the wedding. I just wanted some insight from anyone who’s done their own and set everything up/tore down. How was it? Did you get to the venue super early and set everything up? Have any help? How was end of night with clean up? Having some do the decorating is out of the question as we don’t have the budget, however we have a ton of family we are hoping will help outs thanks!

Hello! I am hoping to get some opinions on my plan for dinnerware for our backyard countryside wedding. My mother has a lot of boxed up china from my grandmothers and great-aunts, and I thought it would be a lovely idea to use some these sets for our reception meal.

I like this idea for a few reasons: it is a way to pay homage to my dearly departed family members, it will save us a few bucks on rentals, and we are going for an eclectic, laid back esthetic.

However, when chatting with my aunt she suggested it might look "cheap" and "mismatched". I still really like the idea and I think it will suit our esthetic. But I am curious to hear what others think. Would it be gauche? We aren't exactly classy people but some of my family members are big on proper etiquette and I don't want it to be the thing that people fixate on.

Hey guys, I found my dream wedding dress! Unfortunately, it's over $4,000 😭

Does anyone know of something similar to this in appearance, but more in the "under $200" range? It doesn't have to be specifically being sold as a wedding dress, as long as it's close enough. Cotton fabric is a plus because I'm planning on dyeing it ombre turquoise to white (beach wedding)

Hi everyone!

Looking for advice from those that have printed save the dates using Canva’s printing service. I would LOVE to see photo examples of the different options for card stock, paper finish, envelopes, etc. and if you think it was worth using their printing service overall. (And if you decided against it, where else did you print from that still allowed you to stick with the same general budget and maintain decent quality?)

Here’s what I’m specifically on the fence with:

1. Deluxe paper vs hemp paper
2. Matte finish vs uncoated finish
3. Adding on Canva envelopes vs buying envelopes elsewhere

I know many people have asked about this, but I’d love to have recent examples just in case they’ve changed any of their offerings more recently (I plan to order in the next few weeks). Thanks in advance for your help!!!