Brides Are Sharing Tips On How They Planned Their Wedding For Under $10K, And A Lot Of These Are Really Clever

In 2021, the average cost of a wedding was $28,000 ($34,000 including the engagement ring), according to a study conducted by The Knot. The study showed that in some states, like New Jersey and Rhode Island, the average was closer to $50,000 for a wedding. 

—u/IF0rgotMyLogin

"My makeup was heavier than I was used to, but in the photos, it still looked really natural. I love the eyeshadow; it’s beautiful, but if I could do it again, I would add more pigmentation and deepen the eyeshadow colors slightly and add false lashes so it shows up more in photos."

—u/Responsible_Dare_206

"I’m by no means super versed in makeup, but I would add more bronzer/contour to your cheekbones and under your chin. This can help give more shape to your face that will be lost in photos."

—u/witchygirl97

—u/groomgurl21

"I ordered these silk flowers from the shop BeeBlooms on Etsy. I was really nervous about them, but the quality is great! I was able to order my bouquet, six bouquets for my bridesmaids, and boutonnières for my fiancé and his groomsmen for around $300. The shop has other colors and styles, and I would definitely recommend them if you are looking for an easy faux flower option."

—u/smoothies4life2

"I [uploaded] photos and wedding information to Staples' website and [used] Microsoft Edge as my browser to get a discount code on the invites. I paid $68 for 100 5x7 invitations, and that included envelopes."

—u/SwingingReportShow·

"Even something like dark colors, muted colors, or warm colors would be helpful to tell them. Most definitely tell them if it’s casual, cocktail, formal, or black tie."

—u/RaddishEater666

"I’ll be adding in live greenery from Trader Joe’s as we get closer to our wedding date. So they will be even more lush and green by then."

—u/Dannah_Hay

"The dress is out of stock most of the time. But they seem to add new stock every Friday, so one needs to be on the lookout for it!"

—u/amah-zing

"I bought this stencil kit from Etsy and made the signs myself! My welcome sign was made with a piece of plywood from the hardware store, a small can of wood stain, and some flowers from the dollar store hot-glued on. I also bought some cheap $1 bamboo cutting boards from the dollar store and used the same stencils to make signs for 'Cards,' 'Sign our guestbook,' and other miscellaneous signs. Turned out great!"

—u/Avena_sativa

"We chose this for our wedding welcome sign during a 50% off sale on all wedding merchandise from Hobby Lobby, so it was only $25. It is not incredibly large, but pretty big to place on a table."

—u/aisingRobinsons

"I designed my sign on Canva and printed it at Office Depot on foam board. Mine was no more than $30."

—u/Long_Disaster7898

"Drape this birdcage-shaped gazebo with some tulle, and you're set."

—u/OhioGirl22·

"A cheap fix at home for these flowers was with a $5 watercolor paint set."

—u/smolbanane

We had been looking at bands, but the cheapest was coming up at £1,200 ($1,282.86). We found a few slightly cheaper options, but we weren't keen on what they were offering. We ended up at a random pub one night watching a solo performer who sings, plays guitar, and puts together his own (really well-done) backing tracks. He plays the kind of music we like. We asked him for a quote —£200 ($213.81)! Just sharing here because I am so excited; we really wanted live music but had given up hope of getting it on our little budget!"

—u/Virginia-Woof