Looking for brilliant ways to save money on your wedding? Here's an idea—Leave the traditional wedding venues behind. Try these inexpensive wedding venue ideas!
But first, don't forget to thinkthe median price of a wedding locationto compare prices with the following low budget wedding venues.
Once you understand the average cost of wedding venues, read on to find out how much money these 10 cheap wedding venue ideas can save you. Ready? Let's dive in!
1. Home/Basement/Backyard
Get married at home! I know what you're thinking: who wants to get married at home? You may have imagined that your ideal wedding would be at a traditional venue that costs thousands of dollars and accommodates hundreds of guests, but getting married at home will save you tons of money!
Why spend thousands of dollars on a wedding venue that will kick you out once curfew is in effect when you can party at home all night? Where exactly is home?
These are your options: backyard and basement
Do you have a big garden? If so, you're in luck! You don't have to spend money on wedding venue costs and fees. You can have both the ceremony and reception in the backyard. If you don't have a garden, you can always borrow a friend's or family member's garden. I'm sure they don't mind.
If you're wondering what a backyard wedding looks like, check this outour ideas for garden weddings!
Do you have furry friends? A backyard wedding means you can invite your furry friends to your wedding. This way you avoid paying pet fees or deposits at traditional wedding venues.
If your house has a large basement, you can hold your wedding reception there. This idea might work better if you only have a few guests to invite.
2. Farm/Barn/Ranch
Have a ranch or barn? Hosting your wedding at these venues is a great place to get married as they have plenty of indoor and outdoor space.
wedding aheadestimates that the average cost of renting barn wedding venues can start at $6,000. That's still a lot cheaper than some traditional wedding venues.
Check out ours9 inspirational barn wedding ideasif you are interested in this option.
3. National Parks/Gardens
If you love being outdoors, you will love having an outdoor wedding. Parks and gardens are affordable places to celebrate a wedding.
There are many beautiful local and national parks where you can hold your outdoor wedding, including stunning locations like Yosemite Park, Zion National Park, and Grand Canyon National Park.
You need special permission to celebrate your wedding in a national park. But no worry! Permit prices vary, but are only a few hundred dollars, which is a fraction of the cost of a traditional wedding venue. Visit theNational Park ServiceWebsite for more information on special event permits.
4. Courthouses/Town Halls/Registry Offices
A court, also called “civil marriage”,is another inexpensive place for your wedding. Although it is more of a private and intimate ceremony, you are allowed to bring some guests (probably your closest friends and family) as you will need groomsmen to get married.
how much does it cost to getmarried in court? The cost depends on the city, state or county where you live. In other words, the cost of the courthouse wedding depends on your location.
What we do know is that some states charge a flat fee for a marriage license.. There are other court wedding costs to consider such as: B. Obtaining a county-appointed witness or a government-authorized witness.wedding officer.
Afternerd wallet, some city halls or county government offices in most cities, usually cost less than $100. You can hold your wedding ceremony there and then throw a small party to celebrate with guests you couldn't invite to the ceremony.
As mentioned above, you cannot invite many guests to your big day as some dishes limit the number of guests you can bring.
However, if you want to invite more guests, some courtyards offer rooms or gardens with chairs and tables and decorations for weddings. Some even allow you to invite up to 100 or 250 guests, dependingLuck. According to the same source, the Old Courthouse in Cleveland, Ohio hosts wedding ceremonies and receptions for up to 400 guests.
5. Library
You're aBibliophile? You may be surprised to learn that libraries are also great places to get married. Not only do they offer a lot of space, but they are also affordable wedding venues. Prices vary but they are much cheaper than the traditional ones.wedding venues.
The beautiful wedding locations in the library include:
- The George Peabody Public Librarya Baltimore, Maryland
Aftergirlfriends, this library at Johns Hopkins University is cheapest on weekdays or any day other than Saturday. Prices start at $5,000.
- Die Boston Public Library, in Boston, Massachusetts
girlfriendsIt also says you can get married in the courtyard of this beautiful public library with fees starting at $6,500. Or you can celebrate your wedding at the Guastavino Ballroom with prices starting at $3,000.
- Brooklyn Art Libraryin Brooklyn, NewYork
AfterThe knot, the Brooklyn Library of Art is a perfect wedding location to capture the perfect wedding photos. You can invite up to 100 guests to your wedding; However, the price for 50 guests is $3,500.
- Die Richard Nixon Library Foundation in Yorba Linda, California.
AfterThe knot, this library offers elegant indoor and outdoor spaces to celebrate your wedding. Its lawn offers space for 450 guests.
- Providencia Public Library a Rhode Island
This library can accommodate 200 to 300 guests, dependinggirlfriends. The cost depends on the time and date of your wedding. But prices range from $2,500 to $6,000, which is about half what most couples pay for a traditional wedding venue.
If you are interested in a library spot, you can call the locations listed above for more information. Or if you have a library near you, see if they offer wedding venues.
6. Wedding venue in the museum
Did you know you can get married in a museum? Museums are unique places to hold your wedding ceremony and reception. Afterhappily ever after etc, museum rental rates are often higher than parking rates but lower than ballroom rates.
Here is a list of amazing museums inbodaalambreWhat would you like to consider for your wedding?
- Junipero-Serra-Museumin San Diego, California
Capacity: 140 guests
Services included in the initial site fee: cleaning, installation and parking
Initial site fees: $3,000 for ceremonies and $3,000-3,200 for receptions
- Hermitage Museum and GardensI Norfolk, Virginia
Capacity: 250 people
Services included in the entry fee: bridal suite and parking space
Initial site fees: $700 for wedding ceremonies and $1,000 to $1,500 for wedding parties
- Eiteljörg-Museumin Indianapolis, Indiana
Capacity: 280 people
Services included in the initial site fee: bridal suite, chairs, tables, cleaning, event organization, parking and set-up
Initial site fees: $3,000-$3,500 for the ceremony and $3,000-$3,500 for the reception
- Museum of the fruit landsand Harvard, Massachusetts
Capacity: 192 people
Services included in the homesite fee:Chairs and tables, crockery, cleaning, cutlery, glasses, table linen, parking, assembly.
Initial site fees: $500 for the ceremony and $2,500 for the reception
- Long Beach Art Museumthe Long Beach, California
Capacity: 150 guests
Services included in the starting place price: Honeymoon suite
Initial site fee: $500 for ceremonies and $1,500 for reception
Note: The museums listed above charge additional fees for services not included in the initial location fee. Some sites may require you to bring something that is not included in the site fee. For this reason, it is a good idea to calculate how much it would cost to book accommodation that includes everything compared to accommodation that only includes the minimum services.
Another option: see if there are any museums in your area that host wedding ceremonies and receptions.
As you can see, these wedding venues do not cost as much as traditional wedding venues and many come with services included in the initial location fee.
7. Airbnb
If you didn't like the idea of a museum wedding venue, consider another cheap wedding venue by renting an Airbnb. What is an Airbnb? It is a temporary rental apartment.
If you don't have enough space in your garden to accommodate your guests on your big day, then you canBooking an Airbnb is a great option. Prices vary from venue to venue and depend on the day or time of your wedding.
8. Restaurant with a bar
Do you have a favorite restaurant? Consider hosting your wedding reception at a restaurant. A restaurant is already equipped with dishes, tables, chairs and crockery. They avoid spending money on caterers and wedding food suppliers.
Maybe you know someone who has a restaurant and bar and can afford to have their wedding there.
9. Zoo or Aquarium
Do you love animals? do you have KNow that you can get married in a zoo or an aquarium? Me neither! It may surprise you to learn that these wedding venues are often cheap.
Not only will you be surrounded by exotic animals, but you will also save a lot of money on your wedding. Afternerd wallet, you and your significant other can get married at Jaguar Cove at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo for just $600. Also, they offer catering for a minimum fee of $1,500.
10. School or University
Another inexpensive wedding venue idea that you've probably never heard of is to host your wedding at a college or university. Several campuses have beautiful gardens, chapels, and libraries that can accommodate your guests and budget.
Colleges with chapels or churches include the following:
- Stanford University Memorial Church
- Princeton University Chapel
- St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University
- Bowdoin College Chapel
- The Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Notre Dame
If you attended college, you might want to consider renting your old school's premises to host your wedding. Some universities also offer on-site staff, such as B.Security. And some might even charge you less if you're an alumni. Prices vary by university, but I'm sure there are some cheap ones out there.
How to save money on wedding locations
research
Talk to a friend or family member who just got married and ask how they saved money on your wedding. Ask them what a reasonable price for a wedding location is so you don't get ripped off or overcharged when booking a location.
They can guide you through the wedding planning if they have already gone through this process. Perhaps they can recommend some inexpensive wedding venue ideas that are not already on the list above. Also, ask your wedding planner. Wedding planners can recommend cheap wedding venues and give you a discount.
Research carefully for wedding venues that won't break the bank and fit within your tight budget. Most importantly, take your time. Don't rush the wedding planning process. If you want to find an inexpensive wedding venue that fits your wedding budget and that you love, you need to do some research.
Negotiate
Try to bargain with the vendors at the wedding venue. You can waive some fees if you ask. You won't lose anything by trying to negotiate with them.
Consider a short guest list
The fewer people you invite, the less space you will need at the wedding venue. This can save you a lot of money as you don't need to reserve a large space for the wedding.
Consider off-peak times
Wedding locations are often cheaper if you choose a non-peak time for your wedding. For example, do not decide to get married on a Saturday as this is the most popular day of the week to get married. This day is very popular and usually more expensive than getting married on a weekday.
Consider holding the ceremony and reception at the same location.
You'll save more money by hosting your wedding ceremony and reception at the same location. You avoid paying two separate rental fees.
To involve
There is no need to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding venue that will only rent you the location for a few hours. As you can see from the list and tips above, there are many inexpensive wedding venue ideas to choose from.
Ultimately, the amount of money you spend on your wedding venue depends on your wedding budget. Remember that you can always try to negotiate with the vendors at the venue before reserving your space. Good luck with the wedding planning!
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