A wedding is a very expensive holiday. But even if you don't have a lot of money (or the desire to spend it), this is not a reason to refuse a wedding. After all, this day cannot be repeated.
But we know how to organize a wedding inexpensively on your own, we have collected interesting and simple ideas for a cheap wedding.
Banquet
It’s no secret that it is the banquet that “most often” eats up most of the budget. This means that cutting costs will provide the most significant savings - which is what is required to organize an inexpensive wedding.
How to save money on a wedding banquet?
A great idea for a modest wedding is to have a buffet instead of a banquet. This holiday option will be especially appropriate if the newlyweds are leaving for their honeymoon on the wedding day.
Even simpler is to shift the start time of the holiday. The later the start, the shorter the banquet and the less food and drinks needed. Plus, a shorter restaurant rental period is a great idea for an economy wedding.
Choose your restaurant carefully. Everyone has different conditions, but it’s quite possible to find a decent place with reasonable prices. Try to find a restaurant that allows you to bring your own drinks, food, fruit, and cake. The cost of the banquet can be reduced by 30-50% in this way.
Transport
The easiest way to significantly reduce the cost of wedding transportation is to avoid using a limousine. The money you spend on it will be used for more important purposes if you are looking for how to plan an inexpensive wedding.
Think over your travel plan and delivery of guests to the holiday in advance. It is advisable to choose the shortest and most convenient route.
Perhaps your guests will agree to come on their own. You can rent a minibus/bus and get everyone to your destination together. Either a car for the newlyweds and a minibus for guests.
Leading
How to organize a budget but fun wedding?
You should not refuse a wedding officiant if you are inviting more than 10 guests. Someone must lead them, cheer them up and entertain them.
How to save money on a wedding officiant?
The same trick as with the banquet: shift the celebration to the evening and invite the host for fewer hours.
Photo and video
Under no circumstances should you skimp on the services of a wedding photographer, even if you are planning the most budget wedding.
Wedding photos will remain forever, and low-quality, boring photos will only spoil pleasant memories.
We wish you pleasant preparations and finding suitable ideas for an inexpensive wedding!
You can use our advice or contact professionals -
A wedding is an expensive business. However, if you want to have a wedding, and have only modest savings at your disposal, you should not refuse the holiday. Later, other concerns will appear, and “that very moment” will be missed. Using our tips you can greatly reduce your wedding expenses. How can you save money? At least on 10 expense items. To you about All you have to do is determine where you can save money by prioritizing and correctly planning your budget based on your available finances.
1. Holiday format
A holiday for two will reduce expenses several times, because it is the banquet that “eats up” most of the budget. In addition, you won’t have to spend money on transport and a presenter. Another economical option is a wedding with your closest relatives or friends.
2. Wedding dresses
Designer wedding dresses from Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta are the dream of any bride! But are you ready to shell out hundreds of thousands of rubles for them? If not, then there are at least 5 options for how to get your “dream dress”:
- Wait for a sale or take a closer look at outfits from previous collections, which are sold at pleasant discounts and are no worse than new designs;
- Select model wedding dress, similar to the designer dress you liked, but from a more budget-friendly manufacturer;
- Rent a dress in a wedding salon. This way, you can afford a chic wedding dress for a low price and you won’t have to worry about where to put the outfit after the celebration. As a minus, you will have to handle the dress carefully, because... If it is damaged, a fine will be deducted from the deposit.
- Buy a used dress. By purchasing such a dress, you will be able to evaluate how it will look during the shooting itself thanks to photographs of the previous bride.
- Refuse special wedding dress in favor of a romantic dress white, purchased in a regular store.
You can save on a groom's suit using the same scheme, or you can choose a high-quality classic suit in a store, taking into account the fact that the newlywed will wear it after the wedding. But it’s important: you don’t have to chase the cheapest suit, because... price usually affects the quality of the fabric. You don’t want the groom to be in a wrinkled suit the entire wedding day, do you?
3. Makeup and hairstyle
Hair styling and makeup should last all day and highlight the bride's assets. Only professional make-up artists and hair stylists know what cosmetics to use, how to apply them and style your hair so that you look flawless and fresh throughout the holiday. Saving on the services of specialists can lead to the fact that by the time the banquet begins, your makeup will smudge and your hair will fall apart, and all this will be noticeable in the photographs. Therefore, it is better not to save on this item of the wedding budget.
4. The main wedding attributes are rings
If the holiday takes place without expensive outfits and a magnificent banquet, then you cannot do without rings. Instead of a platinum ring with a large diamond in a jewelry store, look for a classic gold band ring or a subtle but elegant piece of jewelry with small stones. It will be precious because it is bought and given with love. If desired, a modest ring can be exchanged for a luxurious one, timed to coincide with any wedding anniversary.
5. Wedding banquet
How to choose a banquet venue? It is quite possible to find a good restaurant or cafe with reasonable prices. It is advisable that there is no corkage fee - this will save several hundred rubles from each bottle of alcohol you bring with you. Also find out from the administrator whether you can bring your own fruits, expensive snacks, cake and loaf - these are the ones that have the biggest price increases in restaurants.
Pay attention to new yet unpromoted restaurants, because... They often offer good discounts on wedding banquets for advertising purposes.
It is also important to choose your dishes wisely. If you don't take into account people's taste preferences or order too many dishes, food can end up on the table.
As a budget option, it is worth considering a buffet. This option is especially convenient if young people go to honeymoon on the wedding day itself.
6. Floristry and decoration
The bride's bouquet, and with it the groom's boutonniere, are important details wedding look. In addition, the bride's bouquet participates in traditional wedding ceremonies such as ransom, throwing a bouquet into a crowd of unmarried bridesmaids. For this reason, the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s boutonniere are always considered mandatory expenses.
The decoration of the banquet hall creates a festive mood, and photographs against the backdrop of exquisite decor turn out spectacular and beautiful. However, you can find a restaurant that does not require a lot of decor, because... its design already suits the style of the planned wedding.
Decorating the table of the newlyweds and guests with fresh flowers is also desirable. To save money, you can order seasonal or not the most expensive flowers, for example, tulips instead of orchids. Tell the florist the amount you are willing to spend on flowers, and he will tell you how to distribute it better and more economically.
In addition, you will need invitations, table numbers or guest cards, a floor plan, a pillow for rings, a chest for money, design of napkins and invitations, and other attributes. But you can make them yourself, especially since handicraft stores have special kits that contain everything you need to create beautiful accessories. Remember that these little things take several weeks to make, so it’s important to start this work early.
7. Photo and video shooting
Photographer services are something you shouldn’t skimp on. Unprofessional work by an amateur photographer results in low-quality, boring photographs. The wedding lasts only one day, and it will not be possible to bring back the joyful events and feel the same emotions again. But the wedding album will remain with you forever. To make sure you don't miss out on a photographer, ask your friends who they can recommend. Often professional photographers do not actively advertise, but offer lower prices.
Video shooting is also not a cheap pleasure. But answer these questions: “Do you really need a video of your wedding? How often do you plan to view it? You may decide to abandon this expense item completely or limit yourself to filming the registration ceremony at the registry office.
8. Host and entertainment
A good host is able to lift the spirits of the guests, unite them and entertain them. In order to save money, you can invite him for fewer hours, and the guests will continue the fun as they have already done.
But as an alternative, you can ask your friends to create a script and come up with competitions. It is welcome if guests prepare their own congratulatory numbers.
Show soap bubbles, cartoonists, professional dancers, Fire Show magicians and other entertainment - the holiday may well take place without them. This means that spending on them is not at all necessary.
9. Transport
By refusing a limousine and ordering a car for yourself and a minibus for guests, you will save a round sum, which will be useful for other purposes. It’s good if guests agree to come to registration and to the restaurant in their own cars.
In addition, proper organization of transportation on time will allow you not to overpay for extra hours.
10. Wedding for two only abroad
A practical, but at the same time fabulous option for holding a wedding is offered by travel companies: getting married in another country. It combines a ceremony and a honeymoon.
When going abroad, take your wedding dresses and rings with you, or be prepared to buy them on the spot. And another mandatory expense item is a photographer, whose work will result in magnificent wedding photographs in an exotic location.
Can't imagine a wedding without friends and relatives? Plan a trip during the holiday season, and then they can go with you for company at their own expense.
- Look not for the most famous, eminent contractors, but for those who have positive reviews.
- After the new year, as a rule, everything becomes more expensive. This also applies to the wedding industry. In this regard, it is better to conclude contracts before January arrives. Although it is possible to hold a wedding in the “off season” (May, Lent, November, etc.), when due to a drop in demand markups are reduced.
- The principle of “everything is cheaper” is not suitable for a wedding: low cost almost always means a drop in the quality of the service provided.
- Sometimes, based on acquaintance, contractors are ready to provide a discount, but this should not be the only criterion for their choice. Be objective and attentive so that you don’t later make claims against your friends for recommending an unreliable contractor.
Let's say you both agree that 10 people is a pretty decent group. Do you have any money for today...
…50,000 rubles
CinemaWedding
On your first date, you kissed in the last row. Or is everything just like in the movies? Or you just decided to celebrate your wedding in a dark hall under the light of a screen.
PREPARATION
Choose a cinema where there is a small hall, a simple comedy and a suitable show. Buy all the tickets for it in a week or a week and a half. Carefully study the snack menu at the movie bar.
INVITATION
Cinema ticket. On its reverse side you can write the time of registration and the address of the registry office and give it to friends personally.
DRESS CODE
For you: jeans, T-shirt, veil. For him: jeans, T-shirt and bow tie. For guests: casual.
SCENARIO
Everyone arrives at the cinema at the time indicated on the ticket. You enter the hall, the lights turn off, the celebration begins! The hall will be yours alone, so you can safely comment on scenes from the film, laugh out loud and... steal the bride’s shoe. What about the shoe, the bride herself, it’s dark. It won't be easy for the groom to do the ransom! During the end credits, as the lights slowly begin to come on, the bride steps up to the screen and throws her bouquet into the audience.
The only downside to such a wedding: the film will most likely have to be watched on DVD. But you can easily turn this disadvantage into an advantage by arranging a second viewing of the house, with the same company, on your wedding anniversary!
MENU
Snacks from the movie theater bar, popcorn, cola (and whatever goes well with it).
COST OF A BUDGET WEDDING
Renting a cinema hall for 60 seats - 17,500 rubles or renting a VIP hall for 26 seats - 23,500 rubles.
Snacks and drinks from the bar - 1,500 rubles * 10 people = 15,000 rubles.
Popcorn - 3000 rubles.
Veil and butterfly - 5000 rubles.
Bridal bouquet - 3000 rubles.
Something that goes so well with cola costs about 3,500 rubles.
Total: 50,000 - 55,000 rubles (depending on the hall).
AquaWedding
Popular
How to celebrate a wedding inexpensively: ideas for 30,000 rubles
AquaWedding
You can invite your best friends to plunge into the sea of happiness and love with you. Well, not in the sea, okay, in the pool. Still fun!
PREPARATION
Find out which water parks sell certificates for visiting or tickets for a specific date, and buy as many as you need; Instead of a bachelorette or bachelor party, go to a water park together and rehearse a dance (choose simple movements - the density of the water will make itself felt).
INVITATION
Certificates for visiting the water park; hand it over personally, verbally explaining what the joke is.
DRESS CODE
For you: a white swimming cap decorated with flowers, a white swimsuit (necessarily one-piece!), a garter and waterproof mascara. For him: black swimming trunks. For guests: swimsuits, swimming trunks, rubber slippers.
SCENARIO
If you decide to splash around for 2 hours, the awkward feeling of not having a buffet will simply not have time to arise! Upon arrival at the water park, everyone changes clothes and meets at the largest slide. Friends solemnly ask whether your desire to become spouses was truly mutual. Repeat a confident “yes” and hit the road on a double cheesecake (looks like two connected rings). Let the descent from the slide on this day symbolize a leap into family life: the unknown is scary, but when your raft overcomes turns so joyfully and easily, you understand that you took a risk for good reason! Having seen your successful splashdown, let your friends go after you, thereby demonstrating that they approve of your choice and that you will not get away from them even after marriage!
Everyone is in the pool, something cheerful is playing from the speaker (in water parks there is always cheerful music) - the best moment is coming for the first dance of the newlyweds! Sail to a safe area, start moving rhythmically and encourage everyone to follow you. Guests will be surprised, but will quickly find their bearings. After such a mini-show, you can continue mastering the slides, and during breaks, sit in the bar at the water park, sipping non-alcoholic cocktails from a straw.
Signaling the finale of the celebration, the groom dives, pulls the garter off the bride’s leg and throws his friends into the crowd. Instead of a bouquet, you can aim at your girlfriends with a rubber hat with flowers.
MENU
Non-alcoholic cocktails or beer.
COST OF A BUDGET WEDDING
Certificates (aka wedding invitations) to the water park for 2 hours on a weekend - 1,200 rubles x 10 people = 12,000 rubles.
Swimsuit - 4500 rubles.
Hat - 1000 rubles.
Swimming trunks - 3000 rubles.
Photographer services at the water park - approximately 3,000 rubles for 30 photos.
Shooting with your own photographic equipment - 500 rubles.
Drinks - 6000 rubles.
Total: 30,000 rubles.
How to have a budget wedding for 20,000 rubles
FastWedding
Weddings are in full swing at McDonald's restaurants in Hong Kong - with an arch, a cake and even exclusive rings for the newlyweds.
You have a chance to become trendsetters with us!
PREPARATION
Find out the addresses of restaurants that host birthday celebrations. 2 weeks before the event, discuss with the administrator the reservation of a separate room (1.5 hours) or a large table in the common room (unlimited time), decorating the hall, ordering a birthday cake.
INVITATION
You can write text on album sheets, roll them up and place them inside balloons, inflate them, tie them with a string and personally hand them over to friends. This will serve as a hint to the format of the celebration.
DRESS CODE
For you: white cocktail dress and a veil. For him: jacket, white T-shirt, bow tie and jeans. For guests: cocktail style.
SCENARIO
Everyone comes into McDonald's in beautiful clothes - eclecticism is in fashion. You can start the celebration with the “Big Mac Salt” tradition adapted by you. Whoever takes a bigger bite from the hamburger will be the head of the family! If you agree with the animator, great! If not, it’s okay, feel free to put a clown wig on your most talkative friend and appoint him as toastmaster. He is not required to have any special skills: set topics for toasts, remember and tell touching and funny stories from the lives of the newlyweds, give commands to the guests when it’s time to give gifts. Flowers made from balloons will fit perfectly into the concept and replace the bride's bouquet.
MENU
Everyone's favorite food (that's a fact!), juices and soda. An alcohol-free wedding is a great option if the bride or some of the guests (this happens) are in an interesting situation.
COST OF A BUDGET WEDDING
Food and drinks - 600 rubles x 10 people = 6000 rubles.
White dress - 4000 rubles.
Groom's jacket - 4000 rubles.
Veil - 2000 rubles.
Bridal bouquet made of balloons - 1000 rubles.
Bow tie - 1000 rubles.
Decorating a room for 8 people - 450 rubles.
For each additional guest - 22 rubles * 2 people - 44 rubles.
Festive cake - 214 rubles.
Clown wig - 250 rubles.
Friend with a SLR camera - thank you.
Total: 18,958 rubles.
Wedding secret
Whichever option you choose, never, never, when booking a room, admit to the administrator that you are having a wedding, otherwise the rate will immediately skyrocket by 30-50%. How to hold a budget wedding - ideas for two.
How to have a budget wedding...without money
Online Wedding
IN modern world people meet each other on social networks every day, but having a wedding there... It can be a lot of fun and absolutely free!
PREPARATION
Sit down at the computer together and go to a social network site, for example, VKontakte. Open your page or log in through the groom’s account, click on “My groups”, then “Create a community”, select “Event”, enter the name (“Internet wedding of Dima and Dasha”, for example), click the cursor on “Create a community”. The fields will open, fill them out: description of the event, time frame, group organizers, their (that is, your) contacts, type of meeting (open or closed). A private meeting is safer: only you, as meeting leaders, have the right to invite guests. You don’t want your (now) husband’s ex to come to your wedding?
Only the hosts of the celebration can publish images, audio recordings, or write comments in a closed format. You can deny or allow access for each position. For example, allow everyone to post photos and comments, but prohibit adding videos. If you choose an open type of meeting, then everyone who bursts into the wedding can do whatever comes into their head. So, even if it’s absolutely free, don’t try to treat everyone.
INVITATION
Not just a simple video invitation! It should be short (no more than 2 minutes), understandable and contain: a link to the event with a sightseeing tour, a page (guests need to understand where the wish list is and whether a photo can be published on the wall), date and time, dress code, menu. It is better to visualize the list of desired gifts - create an album with images of items that you would not mind receiving as a gift. The larger and more multifaceted the list, the more likely it is that a couple of items will be selected from there. The principle works here: “Ask for more - you will get as much as you need!” Upload the finished invitation to the wall of the created online meeting and send messages to your friends with a link to the video.
DRESS CODE
Evening dresses and tuxedos are on the guests’ avatars, a wedding dress and suit are on yours. For this, there is Photoshop, which you know, or special VKontakte applications.
SCENARIO
At the appointed time, turn on your computer and make sure your guests are online. You can start the celebration by publishing your first family photo. Hugging each other, accept congratulations,
13.08.19 32 063 56
Solemn estimates of T-Zh readers
We have already talked about projects on which more than a million rubles were spent.
Katya Prokudina
read stories
This time we decided to turn to the experience of T-Zh readers who refused to spend large wedding expenses and know how to celebrate this day in the amount of 3 to 30 thousand rubles and not regret anything.
Sign up and fly away on vacation
I preferred Cyprus to a magnificent wedding
Budget: RUB 20,000
Where: village of Yarn, 2014
Guests: 5
Saved: because they invited only the closest ones
We got married in our native village of Pryazha in 2014. We were 23 years old, we had been together for 5 years before the wedding, and for the last year we had already lived together.
Most of the expenses - 15 thousand rubles - went towards two rings, a suit and a simple white dress, which my wife and I wore later. The rest was spent in a cafe with close friends. Yes, even without parents.
They gave us a total of 100 thousand rubles and a tour to Cyprus. The day was memorable: we signed, went to bed - and already in Cyprus. It was possible to do without suits and other nonsense: they came, signed, and went off to rest.
Mark at McDonald's
treated guests to double cheeseburgers
Budget:~ 4000 R
Where: Moscow, 2010
Guests: 3
Saved: for treats
We spent about three thousand on rings and another thousand on a photo at the registry office and food at McDonald's for five. Then I was 20 years old, and Lena was 30, we both freelanced, but not very productively, so this was a significant amount.
Our guests were two adults and a child. For the ninth year I remember that they ordered a double cheeseburger. Damn, it's a holiday - they could have taken a Big Mac or even a Royal de Luxe!
Celebrate together
escaped ransom
Budget: 5300 R
Where: Kazan, 2013
Guests: 0
Saved: nerves that would be wasted due to drunken fights
We paid a state fee of 300 rubles, spent 2 thousand on rings and 3 thousand on lunch for two in a restaurant. Glad we didn't fall for it traditional wedding. No soviet ransoms and drunken fights - this is priceless. We live happily now.
Get married secretly and surprise everyone
doesn't like weddings
Budget: 4500 R
Where: Moscow, 2014
Guests: 30
Saved: thanks to Instagram, nature and friends with their wine
Neither of us like weddings, so we secretly got married and celebrated at Starlight. And then they posted a photo on Instagram and went off to hug with wildly surprised friends and drink wine in nature.
The budget was 4500: a ring for the groom - 600 RUR, the bride had a ring, state duty 200 RUR, a dress and wreath for the bride from Asos - 2500 RUR, lunch after the registry office for two - 1200 RUR, gasoline for a moped, a bottle of wine. The result: cool iPhone photos, fun party, friends. They didn't give us any gifts, but everyone brought wine.
Go to your favorite cafe
did not strive for a successful wedding
Budget: RUR 24,000
Where: Moscow, 2015
Guests: 5
Saved: consciously refusing to spend large amounts of money
We spent 24 thousand on the wedding. The rings cost 12 thousand, the bride’s dress was sewn by the sister, we paid 4 thousand for video filming at the registry office. Selected favorite cafe in the center of Moscow, they paid 7 thousand rubles there. On the wedding day we also bought two jars of red caviar worth a thousand rubles.
There was no problem with money: I am an IT specialist, my wife is a lawyer, we just left this amount from our last salary. Small expenses are our conscious choice. Limousines, cool wedding photos and we didn’t need other attributes of a “successful wedding”. We thought it would be wiser to transfer the money to purchase a home.
Buy an apartment right on your wedding day
went on a honeymoon to a notary and a developer
Budget: RUR 22,595
Where: Moscow, 2019
Guests: 1
Saved: on a mortgage at the old rate
We didn’t have any useless wedding expenses: 12 thousand for bimetallic rings, 5 thousand for a modest white lace dress (I plan to wear it for my anniversary, and then change it up), 2800 for boots to match the dress (it was February), 250 rubles for elbow-length ball gloves (on New Year, maybe I’ll wear it again), 1300 for a manicure, a thousand rubles for a cafe and 245 rubles for the duty to your native state with a discount for filing an application electronically. A photographer friend came for free, and my mother did a wonderful hairstyle for me.
Immediately after registering the marriage and gatherings in a cafe, my husband and I withdrew 600 thousand rubles from an ATM for the down payment on the mortgage, another thirty thousand for insurance and a notary, and went by taxi to the bank to sign the agreement. This was the last day when we could conclude it at the old rate. Before that, we did not have a marriage certificate to register the apartment as joint ownership. We spent time at the bank until six in the evening.
Then we took a taxi to the notary to certify a copy of the marriage certificate and make a power of attorney to register the child's home. And for starters, go to the developer, sign the DDU and give certified documents. We arrived at a quarter to nine and completed everything in an hour.
We were pretty tired, the agency employee, who knew about our “marriage cruise,” took pity on us and gave us a ride to our area. And at home our parents fed us - for free.
So, on the same day, we paid: 900 rubles for a taxi, 600 thousand for the down payment, 26 thousand for insurance and bank services, 1900 for notary services, 40 thousand to the developer’s agency for registering a child-care center and another 175 rubles for the Rosreestr fee.
I’m glad that we didn’t spend the day on banquets with distant relatives, but spent it usefully, ending it with our closest people.
Suddenly get married on a mountainside
immediately said, “Yes.”
Budget: 3500 R
Where: Sighnaghi, 2016
Guests: 0
Saved: time and more
We went on vacation to Georgia, on the penultimate day he made me a very romantic proposal, and we decided to get married right away. We took a taxi to Sighnaghi - to sign there, you just need to call the registrar an hour before arrival.
We spent 3,500 on a veil, a shirt, state fees, a taxi “Tbilisi - Sighnaghi - Tbilisi”, a notarized translation of the marriage certificate and the bride’s bouquet.
This is the best thing we could do with our wedding: spring, wine, delicious food - perfect!
Drink wine at home and watch a movie
managed to get married and on business
Budget: 3000 R
Where: Irkutsk, 2017
Guests: 0
Saved: because of the One Ring
It was a great day: at 10 am we went to the registry office, then went about our business, and in the evening we celebrated by watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We celebrated with wine and sweets and spent 3 thousand rubles.
Taking parents to a restaurant and museum
celebrated both the wedding and the birthday of a friend
Budget:~17,000 R
Where: Moscow
Guests: 4
Saved: on emotions
We were 19 years old, we graduated from the second year of Moscow State University. On the wedding day, we went to the registry office with our parents and sat in a restaurant. Then we took the metro to the main building of Moscow State University and took our parents to the museum there. And in the evening I went to a friend’s birthday party.
As a result, we spent 1200 RUR on one dress and another 5000 RUR on the second, 4000 RUR on rings, 1000 RUR for the photographer and 5000 RUR for lunch. Another thousand was spent on all sorts of little things like a folder for the marriage certificate.
I regret that I spent little on the emotional part - you shouldn’t save too much, it should be a holiday, not an ordinary day.
Throw a soulful party on the shore of the pond
knows how to attract photographers
Budget: 12,000 R
Where: Yekaterinburg
Guests: 15
Saved: at a restaurant - because you can make the rolls yourself, at photographers - because an unusual couple, at a wedding procession - because there is a tram
We spent 12 thousand rubles on the wedding - this is a six-month scholarship for a state-funded student. The money was spent on a dress from a sale for 300 rubles, shoes, homemade rolls, alcohol and a group trip on the tram. It seems to me that it doesn’t get any more economical than ours.
There were two free photographers at once, because the wedding was lesbian - I was 18 years old, my girlfriend was 21 years old. I offered to take photos of us simply for posting them in the portfolio - in the end we have a lot of gorgeous photos. If you are an unusual couple, I highly recommend doing this.
Instead of renting an expensive restaurant, we took food with us and went to the shore of the pond by tram. It runs once an hour, so when they saw it at the bus stop, the entire festively dressed crowd of guests ran across the street to have time to jump into it - the traffic stopped. We rode in a completely empty tram and sang songs with a guitar.
We didn’t ask to give gifts, but they gave us more than 20 thousand - with this money we went on a low-cost honeymoon. A couple of years after that we separated, which doesn’t stop the story from being so wonderful. Weddings are for joy!
Buy more sparkling wine
gave in to the groom
Budget:~10,000 R
Where: Saint Petersburg
Guests: 4
Saved: on alcohol on promotion
I am 35, my husband is 33, this is the first marriage for both of them. He wanted to get married so much that he persuaded me to apply a month and a half after we met. I resisted, but he won. I would have simply signed, but my husband’s relatives demanded a holiday.
As a result, we spent plus or minus 10 thousand rubles: state duty, classic rings, a bouquet, products for three salads, a hot dish and a cake, fruit, a bottle of whiskey and ten bottles of sparkling wine on sale (including to sign up at work).
They gave us 100 thousand. Most bad gift- certificate for a photo shoot. Naturally, with the best intentions: how come, a wedding without a photo in a dress with a crinoline! I barely found anyone willing to pick it up for free.
What I remember most about this day was the proud appearance of my newly-made husband.
Go to the theater
I was inspired by the route “Moscow - Petushki”
Budget: RUB 30,000
Where: Moscow, 2015
Guests: 3, one of them was not named
Saved: less than they could have if they had not listened to their parents
We were 19, second-year medical students. My dorm roommate swore that we woke him up with our preparations for the registry office. They promised that this would be the first and last time.
The budget was 30 thousand rubles, my parents helped financially and insisted on most of the expenses. The money was spent on rings (we never started wearing them), a dress (non-wedding), shoes for the groom, lunch at a cafe on the RUDN campus and a trip to the theater to see the production of “Moscow - Petushki”. I liked the performance, and the next day we took the train of the same name to visit our relatives.
Sign in a beautiful registry office
met a wife who shares his financial views
Budget: RUB 21,600
Where: Moscow, 2016
Guests: 2
Saved: and remained in the black
A huge amount spent on a wedding does not guarantee happiness in the future. family life. It is worth using large budgets to improve living conditions and (or) invest. I am very happy that my companion shares these principles with me. But not everyone is so lucky.
We spent RUB 21,600 on the wedding, which is 31% of our monthly salary. Rings - 10,000 RUR, dress from Oggi - 1300 RUR, Kiabi suit - 2500 RUR, photo and music in the registry office - about 3500 RUR, a walk for two in Kolomenskoye Park - free. At home we set the table for two guests, it cost about 1500 RUR. For an evening trip together to a Japanese restaurant we paid another 2800 RUR.
We were left with a big advantage: the closest relatives donated a total of about 160 thousand rubles. We spent the money on buying furniture and vacationing in Montenegro.
Just eliminate unnecessary spending
was the most rational bride
Budget:~28,000 R
Where: Kazan, 2017
Guests: 7
Saved: on everything meaningless
We ordered wedding rings on Aliexpress for 800 rubles each. They're made from tungsten, which is a more durable and strong material than platinum, gold or silver, so we thought it was not only cheap, but also romantic.
We didn't buy clothes for the wedding. We believe that there is no need to buy clothes for one occasion; you can look festive without it. My husband was wearing jeans, a polo shirt and boots, and I was wearing a light dress and shoes.
There were no expenses at all for the bride's preparations. I completed a course with one of the top makeup artists in our city, so I could do my makeup. I also did the styling myself.
We did not specifically order a bridal bouquet, since we understood that the prefix “wedding” immediately increases the cost by 100-150%. Therefore, on the wedding day, we went to the nearest flower shop and I chose the flowers myself. The bouquet turned out to be small and beautiful and cost only 800 rubles.
Mendelssohn's Wedding March, an aunt from the nineties who says the same text for the thousandth time, and beautiful hands The ones you use to sign are inexpensive - we paid 3,000 RUR for the ceremonial part.
To get from the registry office to the restaurant, we needed two cars. Since my husband was driving and was not going to drink and neither was his father, the problem with the transfer was solved without any money.
For the banquet, we chose a restaurant serving Japanese and Chinese cuisine, which we like to go to when we want to eat deliciously and relax. Only the closest people were invited. A banquet for 9 people cost us 22,500 RUR.
I liked that there was no need to prepare the menu in advance, forcing guests to eat not what they wanted, but what was ordered: everyone chose what to eat and drink.
All the guests gave gifts of money and flowers, so we were not overgrown with unnecessary rubbish. They gave us 91 thousand rubles for the wedding and we ended up winning.
We also didn’t spend anything on photographers and videographers, because we didn’t want to tire ourselves and our guests traveling around the city for staged photos. Moreover, everyone has a phone with a very good camera and applications for processing photos, so in general we were not left without beautiful photos.
We wanted to legitimize our relationship and celebrate with loved ones, without discomfort, uncomfortable clothes and the need to constantly control every gesture and pose. But after that we went to Sri Lanka and lived there for 10 intense, wonderful days. Therefore, we recommend that you hear your desires first and not follow imposed stereotypes.
Choose classic wedding rings without stones, carvings or the name of a fashion designer. Such rings look very noble and are easy to use - they do not cling to clothes and are easier to clean. Name engraving and insert gemstone can be ordered and . A pair of simple wedding rings will cost you 10,000 rubles.
It’s not difficult to find a suit, shirt and tie in a wide range of price categories. You shouldn’t take just a wedding suit - an ordinary one will be useful, at a minimum, for going to other people’s weddings. Budget 5000 rubles.
3.The dress is white
You can borrow a wedding dress from friends, rent it, or buy it second-hand if you have one. good friends, and you do not suffer from prejudices and superstitions. This option didn’t suit me, but I didn’t want to shell out 100,000 rubles for a dress for one day. The most democratic options can be found via the Internet. Instead of going, say, to the center of Moscow, it is better to take a stroll through the wedding shops of the Moscow region. The prices there can pleasantly surprise you. I managed to buy a gorgeous dress for 10,000 rubles, and I’m still delighted with it. You can buy something beautiful evening dress V greek style or the 80s style “little white dress”. You can cut the veil yourself from a piece of tulle, which will cost no more than 500 rubles. You can easily find a diagram for cutting and assembling a veil in various options. I embroidered mine with beads. The work took a couple of evenings, but I liked the process and the result.
Shoes don't have to be white! You can match them to the color of the bouquet, ribbon on the dress, and so on. That is, you can use the shoes you have. If you are determined to buy new and white ones, don’t look for them in wedding salons. Buy at a regular shoe store. At the same time, grab some ballet shoes there. A wedding is a tough event, especially on your feet. Budget 1500 rubles.
5.Beauty salon
Every bride wants to look irresistible on her wedding day. This fact brings great profits to many, especially beauty salons. Are you sure you need everything they offer?
Don't get your nails done. A classic, neat manicure coated with white, gold or pale pink polish is quite enough. Surely, among your friends there will be someone who knows how to take care of their nails and will be happy to give you a manicure. If there are none, then a simple manicure will cost you about 500 rubles.
But it’s better to pay attention to the hairstyle special attention. First of all, decide what suits you. Which models will hide your flaws and highlight your strengths? If you can’t figure it out on your own, consult a specialist. Agree on the evening, not the wedding hairstyle. Avoid tiaras and flowers in your hair - they will only increase the cost and complexity of the work, and your hairstyle can look impressive without them. Budget 2000 rubles.
Let's move on to the celebration itself. You won’t surprise anyone with restaurants anymore, but their prices continue to surprise you to this day, especially at the end of the banquet. Surely among your friends and relatives there are owners of a village house or dacha with a beautiful garden or just a good lawn that you don’t mind trampling on. You can also go for a picnic on the picturesque bank of a river or lake.
The main thing is to organize the event correctly and agree that several people from your friends or relatives will be responsible for festive table. Your friends probably have teenage children. During the holidays, they will gladly take on these responsibilities for a small fee.
7.Design
If there is no space under a roof or canopy, you can set the table right in the open air. Place several tables in one row and cover them with beautiful tablecloths. It's better if they are white or golden color. If yours has a special color scheme, you can use it when choosing a tablecloth.
When celebrating in summer or early fall, you can use garden or even wildflowers in your decoration. Let's say you have lilies at your disposal. Place them in one and a half liter jars, having previously tied the jars with ribbons or decorated them with fabric. It won't take much time, it's convenient and beautiful.
Use disposable paper or plastic utensils, at least they don't need to be washed. Now on sale there are very beautiful plates and other cutlery that will decorate your table. If you couldn’t find something original, focus on napkins. The main thing is that everything is harmoniously combined in color and style.
You can make your own wedding glasses. Buy ordinary glasses or use ones you have at home. You will need about 30 centimeters of lace (depending on the diameter of the glass) and 2 white fabric flowers. Use a glue gun or any waterproof glue to secure the lace around the glass and the flower at its base. You can also decorate champagne bottles yourself.
You can hang paper garlands, electric Christmas tree garlands, colored ribbons, photographs of the bride and groom, cut out hearts, balloons or thread balls on the trees in the garden. Almost all of this can be done by yourself. The main thing is not to put everything on your shoulders, but to distribute the work among several people.
Buy an ordinary arched frame for climbing roses. Look for them at garden stores. It is not difficult to assemble, and if you decorate it with tulle or tulle, adding balloons or fabric flowers, it will be a great place to say your vows in a fashionable Hollywood style.
Let's take chicken kebab as a base. In the summer, there are profitable promotions for chicken barbecue. You can also add a vegetarian version of grilled vegetables. If your grandmother grows cucumbers and tomatoes and is just waiting for you to try her vegetables, please her. Why buy in a store something that is much more best quality languishes in your own garden beds? Make a vegetable salad, boil new potatoes, season them with oil and green onions, and don’t forget about delicious pickles and mushrooms. Add a couple of beautiful appetizers in the form of eggplant rolls, toast with grated cheese. This will be quite enough.
It is better to buy alcohol in specialized stores. Take a closer look at promotions and discounts in supermarkets, compare prices. And also grab a couple of bottles of your aunt’s delicious liqueur for the table.
Don't forget about soft drinks. Water, juices, soda. You can add homemade fruit juice or compote to this. A wedding table can cost as little as 10,000 rubles.
Prices for wedding cakes They’re not making you happy, but you want a beautiful cake? We are looking for volunteers again. Ready-made cakes with homemade cream make an extraordinary delicious cake. If there is a special home recipe, feel free to use it. And by decorating the dessert with marzipan flowers, bright sprinkles and figurine of the bride and groom, you will see how charming a homemade cake can be. Don't miss the size - there should be enough sweet delicacy for all guests.
Don't forget about tea and coffee. If you are celebrating a wedding where there is no way to boil tea, stock up on a couple of large thermoses.
10.Script
As is customary at registration, you can say your vows and exchange rings. Witnesses can replace the registry office employee, as well as the toastmaster.
It looks beautiful and symbolic when parents meet with bread and salt. Rushnik? Not necessarily! And any round-shaped bread will do as a loaf.
Lead your own wedding fluffy dress not real. Agree with the witnesses to take charge of the event. You just need to choose active, lively, talkative and responsible comrades who will not fall “face-first into the salad” after the first toast. You will also need a friend responsible for the music. Even a smartphone connected to powerful speakers will be enough for a small party. Teenagers will enjoy making music arrangements. Just provide them with a playlist that includes a song for your first dance, calm background music, and dance music.
So, after meeting the guests, you perform a slow dance and sit down at the table. Witnesses should periodically remind you to make toasts so that guests do not get bored or yawn. After everyone congratulates the newlyweds, you can dance. For those who like competitions, you can also hold them. Light up the “FAMILY HART”, pass a book on the table to write down wishes, arrange a slide show through your laptop. If your friends are creative, you can include their performances in the program.
After everyone is tired, we move on to tea. Don't forget that the bride and groom cut the cake together. After dessert, you can have a small fireworks display or launch Chinese lanterns.
11.Photographer
Photos from a wedding are a very valuable part of it. This is a memory, this is an opportunity to relive the birth of your family. Of course, it is better to hire a professional photographer. Compare prices, be sure to study photos from other weddings. You can hire a good photographer for 2 hours for a photo walk. Let them take pictures of you in front of beautiful landscapes, with fun romantic accessories, while you are still completely sober and not shabby. And during the feast, ask one of your friends to take a photo of you. Photo walk from 2000 rubles.
