This post contains affiliate links.
Some good options are available for couples working with a low wedding budget. This article will help guide you in the right direction for a simple, affordable wedding and offers some free solutions.
Getting married 100% free is not possible. Each county in the United States requires a marriage license. The price for a marriage license ranges from $25-125. The price varies based on if you are a resident of the state.
Here are some tips and tricks when planning a wedding with little money to spend. How to have a beautiful celebration that will not cost a fortune.
How Can I Plan a Free Wedding?
Here is a path that is as close to free as possible. For example, the table below provides estimated costs to get married at the Los Angeles, California County Courthouse:
| Marriage License (Public) | $91 |
| Marriage License (Confidential) – No Witness Required & No Public Record | $85 |
| Civil Ceremony – The ceremony takes place at the courthouse | $35 |
| Witness Provided for a Civil Ceremony – If you do not have a witness | $20 |
| Deputy Commissioner for a Day – Ability to officiate a marriage in California only for one day | $80 |
Typically up to ten guests can attend a civil courthouse ceremony, and the actual ceremony is about ten minutes long.
~ Check out my article on How to do a low Budget Reception ~
How Can I Get Married if I Have No Money?
Research any new venues opening up or a new restaurant in your area. Then reach out to the manager or owner and negotiate to hold your wedding there for free or at a discounted rate. What’s the catch? If the venue wants to get into the wedding industry, they need exposure and be established in the community. This could be a big opportunity for receiving free services or major discounts on food and beverage. Plus, the venue needs images of a wedding at their location for marketing purposes, social media, and a website.
This is a win-win and can tremendously reduce wedding costs since 40% – 55% of a wedding budget goes toward the venue and catering.
We did this when I was part of a team that opened a new wedding venue on a private ranch in San Diego, California. We offered the first three couples no charge for booking the venue with us, not even a deposit. The only criteria were that the wedding had to occur in the next three months.
The way we connected with the couples was through two wedding photography companies. The photographer’s mentioned this promo to newly engaged couples and then shot their weddings for free at the ranch. However, the three couples did have to pay extra for images, prints, etc.).
We then built a relationship with the two photography companies, and they were on our preferred vendor’s list that we recommended to all future weddings we booked.
For the 3 couples, this is what was included with the venue for up to 125 Guests:
- Location for both the Ceremony & Reception
- Tables, Chairs, & linens
- China and Silverware
- Bar & Bartender (Drinks Extra)
- DJ
- Free Shuttle Service (ranch provided) back and forth between the parking lot at a hotel 3 miles away
- Self Serve Water, Coffee & Hot Tea Station
- Cake Cutting Service & Dessert Bar Setup
- Staff to Setup and Tear Down (3 Ranch Staff Helpers)
- Day of Coordinator
- Security Guard
- 5 Hours of event time
What the 3 couples provided:
- Catering / With Banquet Staff
- Cake/Desserts & Display Setup Items
- Videographer (optional)
- Photo-Booth (optional)
- Officiant
~ Check out my article – Wedding Ideas for Winter: How to Plan on a Budget ~
What’s the Cheapest you can get Married for?
If you have ever thought of getting married in Las Vegas, Nevada, some inexpensive wedding packages are available. However, you still need a marriage license which is estimated at $102.00. And show ID proving you are at least 18 years of age.
The Little Vegas Chapel has a Short & Sweet Wedding Package starting at $75.00 for 5-10 minutes, and two guests may join you for the nuptials. Afterward, meet up with friends and family and dine at one of the many fabulous all-you-can-eat buffets. Finally, end the evening enjoying the Vegas nightlife on the strip.
Free Ceremony Locations
- The Beach – Permits may be required for a larger wedding setup, but a couple, an officiant, and two witnesses is a quick and straightforward process. No setup of chairs etc. is needed for a small intimate ceremony.
- A Park – You can also rent out a shelter with picnic tables and have a BBQ reception.
Affordable Venues
- Church – A house of God is a fantastic option to hold both the ceremony & reception, especially for larger weddings. This is an inviting community that comes together to serve others and an excellent way to worship and bless your marriage from the beginning.
- Community/Recreational Center – Another good option for larger weddings, allows DIY catering/pot-luck, and then get creative and serve your guests a DIY wedding cake!
Story Time Wedding
I once worked a wedding for a darling couple who found their photographer from a flyer left on their car windshield while grocery shopping. Their wedding budget was tight, so they reached out to the rookie photographer for a quote. The couple liked his personality, quick responsiveness, and great pricing.
When the wedding day rolled around, the photographer arrived on schedule and began taking some “getting ready” photos of the bride and groom. He then had the couple hand over their wedding bands so he could get shots of their rings before the ceremony started.
When it came time for the bride and groom to place the rings on their fingers during the ceremony, the rings were missing. The photographer never returned the rings to the best man.
It was a train wreck in progress. The bride glared at the best man, the best man turned and glared over at the photographer, and I wished I was somewhere else, far, far away. The photographer was squatting on the center aisle taking photos, and then he lowered the camera from his face realizing what was happening. I heard him utter, “Oh, F**k” then pivot and run toward the bridal suite. Guests started to stir in their seats, and the officiant made a funny comment to break the tension. It was so awkward and awful.
I moved quickly toward the bridal suite too, but when I got to the photographer, he was panicking and pacing while mumbling a string of incoherent words. He could not remember where he last left the rings. Great!
There is a saying in my family we have been using for years. My grown children repeat this frequently when they can’t find something that has gone missing. It goes like this, “Baby Jesus lost and found, please make it come around.” So, that’s precisely what I did at that very moment. Yes, It was a miracle, and the photographer, who I began calling, Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, located the wedding bands, and the ceremony resumed three minutes later.
** Check out my article dancing at a wedding and things to know **
Conclusion
When planning a wedding on a small budget, be creative. There is usually a way to duplicate ideas you envision for the perfect wedding for less money.
~ Happy planning and enjoy your wedding day steps ~