Planning A Dream Wedding On A Budget: Under $10K

Planning a wedding on a budget of £10,000 or less is a challenge, but it's not impossible. The average couple spent nearly $30,000 on their wedding in 2022, so you'll need to be creative and cut your key expenses by a third. Your venue is likely to be your biggest expense, so it's worth looking at cheaper alternatives, such as a backyard wedding. Catering is another big cost, so you could save money by inviting fewer guests or choosing a more informal option, like a food truck.

Venue: the biggest expense, so consider a backyard wedding

The venue is by far the biggest expense of your wedding, so it's worth considering a backyard wedding if you want to keep costs down. If you're set on a traditional venue, you'll need to employ money-saving measures on catering and other expenses. For example, a food truck is a more informal and cheaper option than full-service catering.

If you're happy to be a little creative, you can plan an amazing wedding on a $10,000 budget. You could also consider a micro wedding with 50 guests or fewer, which will save you money and make your day feel more intimate and romantic.

You can also save money on the cake. $10k can get you a pretty sweet design for $1,000 or less. You could even get the cake for free if you're into backyard weddings.

Some expenses are hard to avoid, like the marriage license, but there are plenty of ways to cut costs and still have a magical wedding day.

Catering: food trucks are a cheaper alternative to full-service catering

Catering is one of the most expensive parts of a wedding. If you're inviting 50 people and go with traditional full-service catering, you could be looking at a bill of $3,750 just for dinner. If you're inviting more than 50 people, or don't want to spend almost $4,000 on a single meal, there are cheaper alternatives.

One option is to hire a food truck instead of full-service catering. Food trucks are a more informal option, but they can still provide a delicious meal for your guests. They're also a great way to add a unique and fun touch to your wedding.

Another way to save money on catering is to minimise the guest list. A smaller guest list means you'll spend less on food and drink, and it can also make your day feel more intimate and romantic. If you're set on having a larger wedding, there are still ways to cut costs. For example, you could opt for a more affordable menu or choose a venue that allows you to bring your own alcohol.

By choosing a food truck or implementing other cost-saving measures, you can significantly reduce your catering expenses and stay within your $10,000 budget.

Cake: $10k can get you a sweet design for $1,000 or less

A 10k budget gives you a lot of wiggle room, but you'll need to employ money-saving measures on catering and other expenses if you want to invite more than 50 guests. Your venue is the biggest expense, so consider a backyard wedding if you want to save money.

Cake is the obvious choice here — and $10k can get you a lot of cake from a baker. You may not want to spend your entire budget on the cake, but you can still get a sweet design for $1,000 or less.

If you're inviting 50 guests, you're looking at $3,750 for a traditional full-service catering dinner. If you don't want to spend almost $4,000 on a single dinner, there are other options. Instead of full-service catering, you can try a more informal option, like a food truck.

According to a 2021 survey, the average couple invited 105 total guests to their wedding. If you're determined to only spend 10k total, it might pay to minimise the guest list with a micro wedding. A true micro wedding consists of 50 guests or fewer, and it can make your day feel more intimate and romantic.

Guest list: a micro wedding of 50 guests or fewer will save money

The guest list is one of the most important factors when planning a wedding on a budget. A micro wedding of 50 guests or fewer will save you a lot of money. According to a 2021 survey, the average couple spent around $7,875 on feeding their guests alone. If you opt for traditional full-service catering for 50 people, you’re looking at around $3,750 just for the dinner bill.

If you want to invite more than 50 guests, you’ll need to employ money-saving measures on catering and other expenses. For example, instead of going with full-service catering, you could try a more informal option, like a food truck. This will save you money and also make your day feel more intimate and romantic, as you won’t have to make small talk with distant relatives.

Your venue is also a big expense, so consider a backyard wedding if you want to save money. You can also get creative with your catering options to cut costs. For instance, you could have a cake as your main dessert, which will be cheaper than a full dinner service.

Expenses: cut all key expenses by a third on average

The average couple spent nearly $30,000 on their wedding in 2022, so $10,000 is a tight budget. However, it is possible to plan a wedding with this amount of money. You will need to be creative and cut all your key expenses by a third on average. Some expenses are hard to reduce, like the marriage license, but there are other areas where you can save money.

The venue is the biggest expense, so consider a backyard wedding, which could be free. You could also save money by reducing the number of guests. A micro wedding consists of 50 guests or fewer, which will save you money on catering. Traditional full-service catering for 50 people costs around $3,750, but you could save money by choosing a more informal option, like a food truck.

You could also save money on the cake. While you can get a sweet design for $1,000 or less, you may want to spend less than this if you are inviting more than 50 guests or don't want to spend nearly $4,000 on a single dinner.

Frequently asked questions