I Need Help Planning A Cheap Beach Wedding!?
My fiance and I are on a really tight budget for our wedding. We know we want it on the beach. The problem is, we both have huge families and weddings are a big deal in both, so everyone has to at least be invited. Right now our list is up to 150 people with just family. I refuse to take out a loan. Does anyone know of really good cost cutting solutions to kind of spend less on the rest of the stuff, but still have everyone come and have a good time? I’m lost and overwhelmed! Thanks for the help! I really appreciate it!
no flowers. They are expensive, and a beach wedding can be sans flowers.
utilize shells as decorations. You can line the aisle with upturned shells that have lit candles stuck in them. Walk on the sand or buy a roll of cheap white fabric from a craft place, and roll it out on the sand for instant chic aisle
buy bamboo rods, stick them in the sand, and pull some of the white fabric across for instant tent-arch at the end. simple, cheap, and fits the beach
i would do an evening wedding. They are cheaper to decorate because you mostly use light (inexpensive candles and white christmas lights) as your decor. Centerpieces can be cheap glass bowls from the dollar store – fill them with water and float some lit candles on them. They are so gorgeous and so cheap
food will be your main factor in keeping things cheap.
beach weddings can be real laid back in a nice classy way. I would have family chip in to make some of the food. Buffet style would be easy to work with, because you can buy some of it, have some of it catered, and have the rest made for free by family. Whatever ratio works best for you
if you want a nice cake, go for a small pretty one for pictures, and then get a sheet cake for everyone else.
do a limited open bar – buy the alcohol yourself, and have someone in the family bar tend. It’s open until it runs out. The great thing about that is you control how much is being spent there because you are getting the alcohol, you have a volunteer bartender, and its still fun and pleases the guests
I would suggest talking to your families. Sit down with the amount that you can afford and explain to them that you don’t want to start your marriage in debt. You don’t have to invite every member of both of your families if you can’t afford it. Send an announcement to the people who you can’t invite.
Another option would be to have a cocktail only reception so you don’t have to pay for a full meal. Personally I’d rather have a smaller wedding with all the trimmings then try and scale back the event and leave out stuff.
The answer above with the cocktail only reception is a great idea! Just make sure you have it at a time people arent expecting a meal (lunch, 12, or dinner, 7)
Good news is, you dont need many decorations with the beach as a backdrop.
Also, only offer beer and wine, or just beer. That way, you dont have to pay for glasswear or a bartender for that matter. You can set up big tubs and everyone can help themselves.
Good Luck!
have everyone bring grills if they have room, lawn chairs, blankets, and a covered dish to share, you provide the grills and meat to cook out, and get a keg of beer, and a case of wine 6-white 6-red , a couple of trash cans, and bags, and all your disposable items(plates, napkins utensils, cups) oh, and some tiki torches for light at night.
Make it simple just have the wedding cake and drinks soda water
I know I’m going to get ridiculed for this, but this idea worked for us to save on the cake.
First of all, you know how expensive cake is, and at the beach if you don’t do fondant it will melt.
We used Little Debbie Fancy Cakes and I adorned each one with a chocolate shell (which I made myself from a mold- very easy).
Of course, I unwrapped them all and put them on nice trays.
Each box has 10 @$1.50/box, I would provide 2/guest, so that’s about $50.
They looked nice, were different than a traditional cake, fit the theme/color, was not messy, and the guests loved them. You can tell them you got “petit fors” and they won’t know the difference.