Exactly How to Spend Your $5000 Wedding Budget
If you are planning a wedding on a tight budget, this post will walk you through how to spend your money and creative ways to cut wedding costs to make the most of your $5000 wedding budget.
Having a wedding on a budget of $5,000 is not impossible, but I won’t lie, it will be difficult. With the national average wedding cost sitting right around 30 grand (as of 2024), a $5000 wedding budget is going to require you to adjust your expectations, do a lot yourself, skip out on some traditional wedding items or vendors, and get really creative. But don’t worry, I’ve got lots of budget-saving tips and unique ideas to come!
This post is all about how to spend your $5000 wedding budget.
General Advice for a $5,000 Wedding
Adjust your expectations
There’s no denying it – weddings are insanely expensive. If you are going to have a wedding for under $5000, it will require you to adjust your expectations or reframe your idea of what your wedding will be like. Think of it as a really nice party or an extravagant elopement instead of a cheap wedding. Having realistic expectations from the beginning will keep you from becoming disappointed later on.
Avoid the Pinterest trap. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Pinterest. But the weddings you see on social media costs tens of thousands of dollars, if they are even real. Many images on social media are from styled shoots, which are when wedding vendors and paid models get together to showcase what they can do.
Its real easy to compare ourselves to what we see on social media, and if your budget is 5,000, it will also be pretty easy to get discouraged or disappointed. If you do use Pinterest, be intentional about what you search for and which pins save to your boards. Ask yourself if that is realistic inspiration for you. Remember the end goal is to celebrate your marriage with friends and family, and you can do that without spending an arm and a leg.
Cut the guest list
Are you ready for the biggest budget saving tip of all? Cut the guest list. The guest list is the number one budget killer. The more guests you invite, the more difficult it will be to stay under your budget of 5k. Think about it. More guests means more space, more tables, more chairs, more centerpieces, more table settings, more food, more drinks, more servers, more bartenders, more stationary, more favors… basically, more of everything.
There are very few items that are not affected by your guest count. Some venues even charge higher prices just for having a higher guest count. Usually, more guests means more requirements from the employees and more wear and tear on the venue itself.
If you are seriously trying to stay under 5 grand, the first thing you need to do is limit your guest list. For a $5000 wedding, I would suggest inviting no more than 50 people.
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Be Prepared to DIY
There is always a trade-off between money and time. If you want something done for you or done quickly, it typically costs more money. If you want to save money, it will probably require more of your time and effort. With a $5,000 budget, you should be prepared to sacrifice some of your time to make your money go further.
Know what to skip
At the end of this post, I go into more detail about what I suggest to skip for your $5000 wedding budget. However, you should think about your wedding vision and priorities and use that to determine what you are okay with cutting from your wedding to save costs.
How to Break Down Your $5,000 Wedding Budget
The image below offers suggestions for how to spend your $5000 wedding budget. For more details on the budget breakdown and a free template, check out this post that goes over wedding budget percentages.
In the following paragraphs, I’ll break down each line item and give you tips for how to stick to your $5000 wedding budget.
Venue
First up: venue. This one is going to be tricky. I don’t know of many traditional wedding venues you can rent for under $1,000, but you still have a lot of options.
Park or recreational area: Consider getting married at a local park or recreational area to save a ton or even have a free venue! I’ve seen weddings on a mountain top, by a waterfall, in a campground, you name it!
Small event space: One option is to look at renting out a smaller event space for a few hours instead of renting out a wedding venue for an entire day. This could be a local church, club, or community center. It could also be an area that is part of a larger venue, like an event space inside of a hotel, or a space at a local bar or brewery.
Backyard Wedding: Probably the most popular option is to get married in someone’s backyard. If you own your home, you could put some of your budget toward elevating your backyard space. Add some landscaping, lighting, furniture, and not only do you have a gorgeous venue, but your backyard also gets a facelift! A coworker of mine did this and I thought it was genius.
Keep in mind that a backyard wedding comes with its own set of difficulties. It will require you to rent out more items, like tables, chairs, and tableware, so you will need to set aside some of your budget for that. Also, you will want to consider letting your neighbors know ahead of time so that the police don’t get called for noise complaints.
Host a ceremony OR Reception: My final suggestion, and it might be a weird one, is to consider only hosting a ceremony OR a reception. Hear me out. Let’s say you get married at the courthouse in the morning and then throw a party in your backyard that evening. Or, vice versa, you rent a venue for the ceremony and then invite everyone to join you for a bar crawl after.
Airbnb weddings: proceed with caution
I present this option with a HUGE warning label and alarm bells. There are some AMAZING rentals out there that you could rent at an affordable price, and some of them allow events. This could be an option, but you have to be really careful.
I’ve heard horror stories of police showing up due to noise complaints from neighbors, hosts lying about their space, amenities, and capacities, and even hosts cancelling on the couple weeks (or days) before the wedding. Airbnb weddings were very popular for a while, however, as Airbnb itself starts to die down, so do vacation rental weddings.
While it can’t hurt to check out some vacation rentals as an option, make sure you proceed with caution. Do your research. Check local laws. Visit the property in person. Be honest and discuss everything with the host. See if you can get something in writing that says they can’t cancel on you. And if you get any weird vibes, trust your gut and swerve.
Catering
It will be extremely difficult to find a caterer who specifically caters events and weddings for under $1000, but you can still get amazing food within this price range, especially if you have fewer guests. If you invite 50 guests, you will want your catering to cost less than $20 per person.
Get your favorite fast food: I know it’s not the fanciest, but who cares? I heard of a couple who had their wedding catered by Chick-Fil-A and guests loved it. Who doesn’t love a Chik-Fil-A nugget?
Ask local restaurants: Avoid the expensive catering companies and instead ask local restaurants if they would be willing to cater your wedding. One of my coworkers asked her favorite local Italian restaurant if they would be interesting in catering her wedding and they put together a pizza bar for under $1000.
Rent a food truck: This is probably my favorite option because its unique, hip, and a great way to save money. We served 70 guests DELICIOUS tacos, burritos, and nachos for $850 at our pool party the day after the wedding. Honestly, one of my biggest regrets is not hiring them for the actual wedding. The food was way better than our fancy (and way more expensive) wedding dinner. Shout out to Nacho Bizness in Miami, FL.
Serve small plates and apps: Instead of serving a full meal, consider offering hors d’oeuvres and finger foods. I don’t know about you, but I could fill up on charcuterie, hummus, and chips and dip any day. You could have these catered or serve them yourself!
Have a potluck: If you really want to cut costs, consider having a potluck where guests bring a dish. This would be great for a backyard reception or local park wedding.
Officiant
I suggest looking for a friend, family member, or even acquaintance who is willing to be your officiant to legally marry you. Depending on what state you are getting married in, this person may not even need to be ordained. Check local laws so you know the requirements, but this is a great way to save a few hundred bucks.
Bar
With a $5000 wedding budget, you will need to plan on doing the bar yourself. This means purchasing the alcohol to serve to guests rather than booking a package through a caterer. I would consider skipping wine and cocktails and just serve beer – heck, maybe you throw an old fashioned kegger or even let guests know it’s BYOB.
Pro Tip: Make a free account with Total Wine and keep an eye out for sales. They run a lot of promotions and give extra benefits to account holders. Plus, you can return any unopened containers after the wedding!
If you are having your wedding at your own home, you don’t have to worry about hiring a bartender. However, if you are getting married at a venue, you will need to hire a licensed professional to serve the alcohol for liability purposes. Keep this in mind for your budget.
Photography
Wedding photography can be ridiculously expensive, but you can also find some amazing photographers for a pretty low cost. Again, it will probably require some digging, but I am confident you can find one for under or around $750.
Start by researching typical wedding photography prices in your area. Pay attention to how many hours their packaging and prices include. Once you get an idea of how much most vendors are charging, you’ll know how hard you’ll have to work to find one in your budget.
Keep in mind that wedding photographers are usually with the couple for 6 – 10 hours, because they typically start shooting when the couple is getting ready and leave during the reception. That’s a LONG time, and not totally necessary. A great way to save on photography (while still having amazing photos) is to simply hiring them for fewer hours.
I hired my engagement photographer, Kendi Austinson Photography, for $350. Now, to be fair, that was only for a one-hour session. HOWEVER, the range of photos she was able to capture in that one hour was amazing. With two outfit changes, multiple locations, and TONS of different poses, you could think the session lasted hours. Point is, you could hire a great photographer for 2 hours, spend $700, and come away with amazing wedding photos.
Tips for hiring a photographer on a budget:
- Ask photographers if they would be willing to offer you a customized package
- Ask a photographer you like if they have any recommendations for someone within your budget
- Follow photographers on Instagram and look at who they follow (a lot of wedding vendors follow each other. This is how I found a few of my own vendors).
- If you are in a larger city compared to areas around you, look a bit outside of city limits
- Look for younger or newer photographers who are just starting out
Entertainment
It might be tough to find a wedding DJ for only $400, but I would still do some research to see if you can find a deal in your area. Again, ask them if they would be willing to create a customized package or only play for a couple hours.
If you can’t find a DJ, invest in some good speakers and do the music yourself. With a $400 budget, I would get some nice speakers, fun lights, maybe even a few party props, and put together a bangin’ playlist. (Most DJs are just given a specific playlist from the couple to play anyway.) If the music is good and the drinks are flowing, people WILL dance. You don’t need a DJ for that.
Or, (I’ll bring this idea up again because I like it so much) just skip the reception all together and do a bar crawl instead!
Flowers and Decor
Flowers: With only $300 for flowers, you won’t be able to hire a personal wedding florist, but you have a few options.
Check out these tips for saving on flowers.
- Have a local floral shop put together small bridal and bridesmaid bouquets
- Buy wholesale flowers in bulk and arrange them yourself
- Buy vases from the dollar store or thrift shops
- Consider doing simple stems in bud vases
- Order pre-arranged dried flowers
- Skip flowers and have greenery instead
- Buy fake flowers
Décor: Wedding decorations can be overwhelming. There is not a right or wrong way to do décor and there’s no set list of exactly what you should do. Typically though, decorations are for two things: the ceremony and table centerpieces.
Here are some tips for decor on a budget.
- Use a naturally beautiful area for your ceremony
- Reuse ceremony decor as much as possible
- Focus on minimal centerpieces with few flowers
- Check out thrift shops for low-cost items
- Use decor pieces you already have
- Buy decor items you can reuse in your home
- Avoid personalized pieces so that you can resell them
Stationary
You will definitely be cutting back in this category. Although stationary is pretty to look at, the truth is, most of it ends up in the trash. The suggested budget for this category is $100, but I think you could spend less than that. If you stick to the 50 guest rule, I think you could aim to spend $1 per guest on stationary.
The cheapest option is to ditch physical invitations all together and just share details via text, email, or even through a Facebook event. If you want to send physical cards, check out the tips below.
Here are some tips for how to save money on stationary:
- Skip save the dates
- Send out one invitation card
- Collect RSVPs and provide more details online with your free website
- Use a free invitation template on Canva
- Purchase a low-cost template from Etsy
- Print using a local print shop like staples
- Buy and address the envelopes yourself
- Buy bulk stamps from amazon
- Hand deliver invitations to guest who live nearby
Attire
Your $500 for attire should go toward wedding day outfits for both you and your fiancé. Don’t forget shoes and accessories!
The groom: A nice suit typically costs around $200, but you could check out places like H&M for more affordable ones. Also keep an eye out for sales, or consider borrowing from a friend or using a hand-me down. Depending on the formality of your wedding, you could even skip the jacket and just wear nice pants with a button down!
The bride: Unfortunately, with a budget of $500, you probably will not be able to purchase a gown from a traditional bridal shop. However, I would hate for you to completely miss out on the experience of trying on dresses with your girls.
Check if any bridal shops offer “off-the-rack sales”. This is when you purchase a sample dress for a FRACTION of the cost – sometimes only a few hundred bucks. Also, David’s Bridal sometimes offers huge discounts on dresses that are discontinued. At the time of this post, there are 50 dresses under $200 on the David’s Bridal website.
If you find a dress you like at a bridal shop, look on places like Poshmark to see if any brides are selling the same style secondhand.
Finally, I would check out places like Lulus, JJ’s house, or Azazie. These websites offer gorgeous dresses from $100 to $400. When on sale, you can find them for less than $100. Here are two beaitufl off-the-shoulder styles from Lulu’s.
Hair & Makeup
I suggest you budget around $100 for beauty. This means that you could pay a professional to do either your hair or makeup, but probably not both. I would look into places like Sephora or Ulta as they are quick and reasonably priced.
If you have a friend who is good at doing hair or makeup, ask them if they would be wiling to do it for you. You could have a couple trial runs where you discuss what you want and they can practice.
The third option is to do it yourself! A lot of women feel more comfortable when they do their own makeup anyway because they know exactly how they like it done. Sometimes having it done by someone else can be scary or even disappointing. You can either put that $100 toward beauty products like nice waterproof foundation, fake eyelashes, hair spray, and maybe a new curling iron, or throw it at another budget item!
Rings
With only $200 to spend on rings, you probably won’t be purchasing the most bedazzled wedding band out there. Luckily, you can find men’s bands for under $75 and affordable bands for women. I highly recommend checking out Etsy for your wedding bands. I order most of my jewelry from Etsy and have always had a great experience. Here are two that caught my eye:
Miscellaneous
No matter your budget, it is always recommended to set aside some funds in a “miscellaneous” category. This gives you a bit of margin in your budget and should be used as a small emergency fund for random or unexpected expenses. Your marriage certificate, ring insurance, taxes, fees, or vendor tips are just a few things that you might use this money for.
Things to Skip on a $5,000 Wedding Budget
Transportation
You definitely are not going to worry about your guest transportation. Although a nice gesture, its not in the budget for a $5,000 wedding.
Favors & Gifts
Your guests won’t be offended if you don’t have wedding favors (at least they shouldn’t be). Most favors get left behind by guests anyway. Instead, put that money toward creating a better experience for your guests.
Videographer
While I would definitely suggest hiring a professional photographer, you’ll probably have to skip the videographer. Good news is nowadays everyone has a device on them capable of recording. Ask your guests to record pieces of the night, collect them, and edit them into a video montage later. This is what I did for my wedding and I absolutely love the way it turned out. It gave me a retro feel.
Coordinator
This one won’t be in the budget, but with a smaller wedding, you probably wouldn’t need one anyway. Find a close friend or family member to take on the coordinator role and be your point person the day of the wedding. Go over all of your plans with them ahead of time so they know exactly what to do. Don’t choose your mom or bridesmaids as they will be busy most of the day.
Unecessary Signs & Stationary
We already talked about how to save on invitations, but there is a lot of stationary you can skip all together. I suggest creating your welcome sign and seating chart yourself and skipping the menus, escort cards, programs, and other unnecessary signs.
Summary
Hopefully this post helped you get some ideas for how to make the most of your $5000 wedding budget. 5 grand might not be a lot in the wedding world, but it’s still a big chunk of change and when you get creative, you can do a lot with it! While your wedding might not look like a traditional wedding or the extravagant images you see on social media, the most important thing is that you celebrate your marriage with the people you love and have fun doing it!
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Happy Planning!
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