When my husband and I spontaneously decided to get married in just three weeks, we had to face the reality – our budget was severely limited. I had stashed away a little money in savings, but my husband had none. Despite being restricted by our finances, our love for each other was enough motivation to proceed with our wedding plans.
Running away to elope was not an option. We wanted to share our special day with our family. Yet we had to be shrewd with our expenses. And this is where our $3,000 wedding story begins.
THE CEREMONY
Considering that even the most modest churches usually demand a payment of several hundred dollars at least, we had to be creative. When I contacted my church and learned about the $1,000 price tag, we decided to choose a more economical alternative.
We settled for a courthouse ceremony, held in a historic courtroom that we rented, allowing our loved ones to witness our moment. This courtroom added a unique charm to our wedding due to its vintage ambience, having served as the setting for several films. For the room rental and our marriage license, we spent around $200.
Total Cost: $200
THE VENUE
We exercised prudence by only inviting our closest friends and family to the reception, held in my parents’ backyard. Their home was perfect for hosting such events.
We made the setting more elegant by renting linens and tables, complemented by beautiful floral arrangements. The already present lightning setup enhanced the overall aesthetics. And for the entertainment, a Mexican Trio provided a lovely acoustic backdrop.
Venue: $1,700
THE FOOD
Remarkably, we ended up with surplus food. Our menu collection was an array of sushi platters, pasta from a local Italian restaurant, fruit salads, appetising bite-size starter and a dessert table instead of a traditional cake. Drinks were plentiful, satisfying every wine and beer lover.
Food: $700
THE DRESS
I was fortunate to find a beautiful dress right off-the-rack at Macy’s, and it only cost $40. Despite a tight schedule, I was thrilled with my choice. My husband wore a suit he already owned and as we decided not to invite a wedding party, we didn’t have to buy any additional outfits.
Cost: $40
EVERYTHING ELSE
We communicated all the necessary details via email so there were no invitation costs. A friend who is a photographer took pictures and my brother recorded our precious moments. For our honeymoon, we rented a hotel room for a night and enjoyed a mini-honeymoon weekend getaway to Temecula. We waited three years to splurge on our “real” honeymoon in Costa Rica. We spent approximately $300 on our wedding rings from Sam’s Club.
In the end, our $3,000 wedding was largely covered by my generous parents, with my husband’s parents sponsoring the drinks. My husband and I only bore the costs of our personal expenses such as wedding bands, honeymoon, and outfits.
I would love for people to understand you don’t need vast sums of money to have a wonderful wedding. Sure, I dreamt of a fairytale wedding but faced with financial constraints, I realised it was not the wedding, but the marriage that was important. I am more than satisfied with our frugal $3,000 wedding!
