How to Plan a Wedding on a $1,000 Budget: a 10 Step Plan

Written By Hannah Harmelink

There is so much pressure to have the “wedding of our dreams”. I have no judgement for anyone who has the vision and the money to create such a thing, but I bet for most of us we are actually shooting for a “wedding within our budget”.

How to Plan a Wedding on a $1,000 Budget Photo by ArchandBoardCDA

$1,000 can go a long way, but it is important to make sure that it goes to things that actually matter to you. So your first step on how to plan a wedding on a $1,000 budget is to identify what your biggest values are.


Do you want to invite all your friends? Your biggest value might be people.

Do you want a memorable experience? Your biggest value might be uniqueness.

Do you want a little of everything? Your biggest value might be resourcefulness.


With this guide on how to plan a wedding on a $1,000 budget we are going to give you a budget breakdown for each of these values so you can get a few different ideas for how you can make your money work for you.


Wedding Budget Checklist

The Big Picture

Let’s look at the big picture first. What is usually included in a wedding budget? Typical wedding expenses in order of greatest to least include:

  1. Venue ($3,000- $millions if you are royalty and get married at Versailles)

  2. Food ($1,000-$15,000)

  3. Big Rentals (chairs, tables, arches, bars, dance floor, etc) ($450-$5,000)

  4. Photographer/Videographer ($500-$4,000 each)

  5. Decor ($1,000-$4,000)

  6. Dress ($1,200-$4,000)

  7. Flowers ($500-$3,500)

  8. DJ ($1,000-$2,000)

  9. Invitations ($200-$500)

  10. Other forgotten wedding expenses like the marriage license or officiant

Now, if you are able to cut costs on some of the bigger money suckers (venue, food, rentals) or even eliminate an entire category (like decor or a DJ) that doesn’t matter that much to you, that will free up more money for the things that do matter to you.

Identifying your Wedding Values

So go ahead, let’s start. What are the top 2-3 values for you for your wedding? Maybe it’s wanting to invite all your friends, or maybe it’s creating something beautiful. Whatever they are, write them down:




Good. Now, let’s start our 10 step plan…

Planning a Wedding on a $1,000 Budget: a 10 Step Plan

Step 1: Choose a Cheap or Free Venue

Traditionally this is the most expensive item on your budget. However, there are quite a few cheaper or free options.

  • If you value people: Consider a church. They can be much more affordable and often already have all the pews, tables, and chairs that you won’t have to rent when we get to the rental category. -$500

  • If you value uniqueness: Try a park or a beach. You can create an outdoor wedding experience without breaking the bank. - Free

  • If you value resourcefulness: A friend’s backyard or land can give you more options for decorating and time together. - Free

A few other cheaper options to consider: Your own house or backyard, a national park, or the courthouse.

Step 2: Don’t Serve Food (or serve less food)

It’s wild to think that just a few years ago people only served cake! But who says you have to serve a meal? I certainly don’t.

  • If you value people: Have a potluck. You can still invite all the people you want to, but have each person bring food to contribute. -Free

  • If you value uniqueness: Choose cheaper food. Plan a morning wedding and serve breakfast and coffee. -Pancakes, Bacon, Fruit, and Coffee for 150 people = $350

  • If you value resourcefulness: Invite less people. What makes food the most expensive is when you have to buy it for 300 people. -$25 dinner for 15 people = $375

A few other cheaper food options to consider: an afternoon wedding where you serve your favorite snack foods, be traditional and just serve cake, or have a make-your-own sandwich bar.

Step 3: Choose your Rentals Wisely

The best route with rentals is to beg, borrow, or- well maybe don’t steal. But begging and borrowing are definitely on the table. If you have your wedding at a church, they may already have all the tables and chairs you could ever need. You can also get a little creative.

  • If you value people: Use a church that already has bulk tables and chairs. -Free

  • If you value uniqueness: Invest in one cool, unique piece like a wedding arch and then invite all your guests to bring their own picnic blankets or use a picnic shelter at the beach or park -$230

  • If you value resourcefulness: Invite guests to bring their own picnic blankets or camping chairs to the land or backyard you are using -Free

Rental costs can also be cut down if you invite less people. If you rent basic chairs for 20 people, it will cost you around $50.

Step 4: Find your Photographer/Videographer

Again, this all goes back to what you value. If it’s really important to you to have amazing photos of your special day, it’s probably worth dropping the money to hire a professional. However, if you’re looking to save some money in this department, there are options.

  • If you value people: Make your guests your photographers! Make signs or an announcement asking people to take photos and videos of your special day on their phones. Then invite everyone to share in one location. You’ll get photo and video from many perspectives. -Free

  • If you value uniqueness: Ask a trusted friend or family member who is into photography. -Free

  • If you value resourcefulness: Find a student photographer or someone who is just getting started in the photography world. Oftentimes they are cheaper and might even be willing to do it for less in order to build their portfolio.- $200

Step 5: Keep the Decor Simple

Decor is one of the most time-consuming, least appreciated aspects of a wedding. Maybe just skip it, especially if you’re already outside in a beautiful place. However, there are lots of DIY options out there as well that can cut down on cost.

  • If you value people: Recruit friends and family to DIY crafting parties. Tell your aunt to hunt for hours in thrift shops looking for the little glass vases. Go crazy making the decor that you want with just a little cut into your budget -$150

  • If you value uniqueness: Borrow. Borrow tablecloths from everyone you know (each table will look unique!). Borrow leftover wedding items from other brides who are already married. Borrow jars, vases, candles, or anything else you can think of. - Free

  • If you value resourcefulness: Rent some cool things, add the tablecloths, and leave the rest. Get one big statement cross or wedding arch or a few wood centerpieces for the tables and call it good. -$100

Let me give you permission right now: you DO NOT need to have fancy decorations if you don’t want to. It’s ok. It will be an amazing AND affordable wedding even without the vases.

Step 6: Save Money on the Dress

Find clothes to wear that make you feel beautiful (or handsome). You don’t need the Cinderella dress to be a stunning bride.

  • If you value people: Go wedding dress shopping with your people, take all the pictures, and then don’t buy anything. Borrow a friend or family member’s wedding dress (a surprising amount of people keep them, never to be worn again). -Free

  • If you value uniqueness: Buy a dress that is affordable and beautiful. It doesn’t have to be white, and have the gentlemen wear a basic collared shirt and tie that they already have in their closet. Honestly, the mixed colors are in right now. - $150

  • If you value resourcefulness: If you want a more traditional gown, consider renting a dress or buying used on Poshmark. -$300

Step 7: Pick the Flowers

Like decor, you can pair down the flowers. I give you permission to not do any flowers if you don’t want to. Perhaps you could just do simple bouquets for your bridesmaids, or just one bouquet for yourself.

  • If you value people: Buy bulk flowers from Costco and ask a friend or family member to create the bouquets. You can get 50 roses and bulk babies breath which makes 3-4 bouquets for $150. -$150

  • If you value uniqueness: Skip the bouquets for bridesmaids or centerpieces and just have one unique, beautiful bouquet for the bride. You could grab flowers from Trader Joes to make it really affordable. -$30

  • If you value resourcefulness: If your wedding is in the right season and you have family or friends who grow flowers, you could ask if they’d be willing to cut some for your wedding. If you want to go crazy, you could go looking for wildflowers as well. -Free

Step 8: Ditch the DJ

Music really does add a lot to any celebration. However, you may not even need to hire a DJ to still have a moving ceremony and a rocking reception.

  • If you value people: Ask friends or family members who can play instruments to do the music for the ceremony (Do you know anyone who plays a Violin? Cello? Guitar?). Live music adds a lot of class and can be totally free if you ask a friend. -Free

  • If you value uniqueness: Create your own playlists on Spotify and ask someone who is already coming to the wedding to be your DJ. Give them a list with the order of songs and when to play them and call it a day. -Free

  • If you value resourcefulness: If you really want the DJ experience, you could look around for new DJ’s who are just starting up, younger folks, or DJ-wannabes who would be willing to give you a good deal for the experience. -$300 for a 3 hour reception.

Step 9: Nix the Paper Invitations

Honestly, just do the evites. Maybe print a few paper copies for your wedding scrapbook, your grandmas, and your mom, but nixing the paper invitations can automatically save you $300 plus stamps. - Free

Step 10: Forgotten Wedding Expenses

There are a few smaller, often forgotten wedding expenses to take into account. A few of these being:

  1. Marriage License -$50-$80

  2. Officiant- $100 (though if you ask a friend or family member this could be free)

  3. Guestbook -$30 (you could DIY this or have guests sign something else…like a pair of shoes or a frame)


A Final Wedding Budget after the 10 Step Plan

Ok, so you figured out what you valued most for your wedding so you can dump your money into that, and you followed our 10 step plan for the rest of the wedding things. Where does this leave us? Let’s recap our 3 different $1,000 wedding budgets:

High People Value Budget

So you want to invite all your friends? This is the wedding budget for you.

  1. Venue- Church -$500

  2. Food- Potluck- Free

  3. Rentals- Use the church supplies -Free

  4. Photographer- Invite your guests to be your photographers and videographers- Free

  5. Decor- Ask friends and family to help you DIY your decor- $150

  6. Dress- Borrow a dress from a friend- Free

  7. Flowers- Buy bulk flowers from Costco for the bouquets- $150

  8. DJ- Find a friend who plays an instrument- Free

  9. Invitations- Send evites- Free

  10. Extras -$200

    Total = $1,000

High Uniqueness Value Budget

So you want a wedding that is memorable and unforgettable? Budget your money to make it unique:

  1. Venue- Park or Beach -Free

  2. Food- Serve Breakfast -$350

  3. Rentals- Get a cool arch, some logs, and have your guests bring camping chairs -$230

  4. Photographer- Ask a trusted friend to be your photographer- Free

  5. Decor- Borrow everything or DIY just what you want - $40

  6. Dress- Buy a unique dress that’s not a wedding dress- $150

  7. Flowers- Buy one beautiful bouquet for you- $30

  8. DJ- Make a Spotify playlist and ask a friend to run it- Free

  9. Invitations- Send evites- Free

  10. Extras -$200

    Total = $1,000

High Resourcefulness Value Budget

So you want a wedding that still has all the aspects of a wedding, it’s just on a budget? Check this one out:

  1. Venue- A friend’s backyard -Free

  2. Food- Invite less people -$375

  3. Rentals- Have your guests bring camping chairs or picnic blankets -Free

  4. Photographer- Hire a student or start up photographer- $200

  5. Decor- Rent a few items, get tablecloths - $100

  6. Dress- rent or buy a used wedding dress- $300

  7. Flowers- Ask friends or family if you can cut from their garden or find wildflowers- Free

  8. DJ- Make a Spotify playlist and ask a friend to run it (or swap your student photographer for a student DJ and have a friend take photos instead)- Free

  9. Invitations- Send evites- Free

  10. Extras (skip the guestbook) -$150

    Total = $1,125

    (Slightly over budget—but this all can come down to what’s most important to you. For example, you can cut down costs on the dress if its not as big of a deal to you)


It is absolutely possible to plan a wedding on a budget of $1,000, and you can make sure that it aligns with what is most important to you. You got this! Go make your special day.


Want to help support a local business in Coeur d alene, Idaho who is helping couples create unique, affordable experiences for their weddings and events? Check out our Arch and Chalkboard Rentals to get started.

Hannah Harmelink