The average US wedding costs $25,000, but almost $11,000 of that is spent on the venue and food.You need to consider where you are having your wedding before anything else or you may end up with very little of your budget to spend on, entertainment, decorations, invites, etc.


Urban areas are almost always more expensive because they are much busier and serve a larger variety of couples. Even moving out to a venue in the suburbs can save money.Have the wedding during the fall or winter. Popular wedding venues are not as busy during these times and they often have lower prices as a result.
Saturday is the most expensive day to get married., The sooner you start booking places for the wedding the better your chances are you'll find the perfect spot. Many popular wedding destinations, like churches and parks, book up between 9-12 months in advance, so you need to be quick if you are heart-set on a spot. That said, small weddings thrive at unique, off-beat, and smaller locations, so don't limit yourself to the "classic" wedding spots. Call around town and ask about:


You town park.
The beach.
A friends' backyard.
A local farm, bed and breakfast, or ranch.
Museums, the historical society, or state parks., Some venues require you to use their in-house catering company for your food. Others may have a limit on the number of guests allowed or have a minimum number of guests. You need to be in touch with the venue in advance before you put any money down to avoid unpleasant surprises later.
 The American Marriage Ministries will ordain almost anyone, making them legally able to marry a couple in the United States. What's more, registering is free and can be done almost instantly online. Skip the big service or officiants and have someone close to you run your service for an intimate and cheaper wedding service.Be sure to ask someone 3-4 months in advance, giving them time to register and prepare for the service.
 A good photographer can cost you several hundred dollars, but a small wedding can benefit immeasurably from a friend's touch. Ask a friend with a nice camera if they are willing to spare 1-2 hours of the party to take pictures and offer to pay them for their service. Not only will you feel comfortable being photographed by someone you know, you limit the number of people at your reception and save money.


Make sure the photographer puts the pictures online using Snapfish or Flickr so that all the guests can see them later.
 Bands are great, but they cost extra money to pay for each member. DJs, however, are much cheaper and can play an almost infinite number of songs right from their laptops.


If you don't care much for music, make a wedding playlist with your spouse. You can pick the songs that you love and change them on the fly as guests arrive.
Consider asking a musical friend to "DJ," by making a playlist with them and asking them to put on important songs for you like the "First Dance."

, Most guests prefer assigned seating over choosing where they need to sit, and it is your job to plan things.This may seem stressful, but you need to remember that people are there to enjoy your special day, not complain about who they are sitting next to for dinner. Make a simple drawing of your reception with all of the tables roughly laid out. Start by planning your table with the bride, groom, parents, and bridesmaids/groomsmen. Then add people to tables so that everyone knows at least 1-2 other people. It is okay if they don't know everyone -- this is their time to make a new friend.


Once you've assigned the seats, make a small card at each seat telling people who sits where.
For small weddings with under 50 people assigned seating may be too rigid to be fun. Give your guests some freedom and try one big table or an informal "eat where/when you want" catering style.
Know that venue matters more than any other thing when budgeting a wedding.
Reserve your venue well in advance.
Talk to the venue in advance about any regulations, fees, or needs.
Ask a friend to officiate the wedding for you if you are not at a church.
Get friends to fill in for photographers, videographers.
Arrange for low-cost DJ instead of a band.
Plan the table placement.
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