5K Budget? How to Plan a Wedding Under 5000

If you’ve started to look at venues, you’ve probably already realized that $5K is a small wedding budget. Weddings often come with a hefty price tag.

According to Zola’s 2023 First Look Report, “The average wedding budget sits between $20,000 - $40,000 (the same as 2022), and guest lists fall between 100-150 (31%), and 150-200 (23%).” Couples with a budget under $10,000 accounted for only 16% of the 2023 wedding budgets.

Although the average wedding budget is tens of thousands of dollars, that doesn’t mean it has to be. By prioritizing specific wedding elements and DIYing some decorations, you can create a magical experience on your wedding day for under $5,000.

Let’s look at some ways you can optimize your $5,000 wedding budget to fit your needs and how to plan a wedding under $5,000.

Please note: this article contains affiliate links. That means that I may earn a commission if you decide to buy something.

How to Set Your $5,000 Wedding Budget

The first step to setting your budget is determining what you absolutely need at your wedding. Everyone is different, so each couple will have different opinions. If you don’t care much for wedding favors, cut them out. If you’re wearing a family member’s wedding dress, you won’t need to factor that cost into the budget.

Sit down with your partner and create a realistic list of all the rentals or items that your wedding wouldn’t be complete without. If you have any money left over in your budget, you can begin to add “wants” to the list afterward.

Most wedding budgets set aside forty to fifty percent for the venue rental, food, and drinks. That means on a $5,000 budget, you can spend $2,500 on the venue, food, and drinks. That leaves $2,500 for everything else. Following this methodology, a sample budget would look something like this:

Venue $500
Food and drinks $2,000
Subtotal $2,500
Officiant $200
Marriage license $50
Rings $300
Subtotal: $550

Invitations $150
Wedding outfits $600
Bouquets and boutonnières $125
Decorations $275
Flowers $300
Wedding cake $225
Table and chair rentals $275
Subtotal: $1,950
Grand Total: $5,000

Since this is a sample budget, you can adjust the numbers to your needs. If you only offer appetizers and cake, you can reduce the food cost significantly and allocate it to a wedding photographer or a DJ. If your venue already has tables and chairs available, you can spend more on decorations or your wedding cake.

Where Can You Find a Wedding Venue For $500?

A venue under $500 can be difficult to find, but not impossible. If you’re trying to plan a wedding under $5,000, look for smaller room rentals like community centers or local clubs. If you’re getting married at your place of worship, you can usually rent the attached hall for a reception afterward.

If your family or friends have a backyard or a cottage that you can borrow, you could avoid paying venue fees. If you have any local parks, contact them to see if they offer wedding services. Parks and public locations are usually extremely affordable options.

An outdoor garden location is also a good bet. Since there isn’t much overhead with an outdoor space, it’s likely you can find some for under $500.

If you can borrow tables and chairs or select a venue that already has some floral decorations, you can save even more.

Where Can You Get Wedding Food For $2,000?

$2,000 for wedding reception food is a pretty reasonable price point, so you shouldn’t have much trouble there. Deciding first how big you’d like your wedding to be will help you budget and select food options you can afford. The size of your guest list does have the most significant impact on your budget.

You could decide to have fewer guests and more food. Or you could have more guests and less food. If we do the math, we’ll see that we could plan a wedding of 100 people and spend $20 per person. Or we could plan a wedding of 20 people and spend $100 per person.

If you’re planning a larger wedding of 75 guests or more, choosing buffet-style catering or self-catering for your wedding will save you the most money. If you’re planning a smaller wedding of 25 guests or less, you should have enough budget to get plated, high-end food options or classic buffet-style and allocate your saved funds to another element of your wedding.

Remember to include yourselves in the headcount for food. You’ll need to pay for your own food and drinks, too. If you’re budgeting for 100 people, invite 98 guests plus the two of you. If you’re budgeting for 20 people, invite 18 guests plus the two of you.

Can’t You Just Cut Your Guest List?

Yes and no. It depends on your wedding venue and caterer. Most will have a minimum number of guests written into the contract. If you’ve signed a contract with guaranteed minimums, that means that you’re paying for that number of guests, even if you invite less. Most minimums are between 75 and 100 guests.

Some venue or catering contracts also include a requirement to purchase a bar package for each of those guests. Read your contracts carefully before you sign and set your budget. They can end up getting expensive quickly.

If you haven’t signed any contracts yet, you can always cut your guest list down to a level you feel comfortable with. When you’re on a budget, only planning for guests you absolutely need can help you save hundreds of dollars. You may feel pressured to invite everyone you know, but if inviting all those guests forces you to give up things that make your wedding special to you, it’s not worth it.

Invite More Guests and Serve Less Food

For a wedding of 100 people, you’ll be able to spend $20 per person for food and drinks. Depending on your wedding style, you have a few different options.

The simplest way to stick to a small budget is by planning a cake and punch reception. You can serve a beautiful wedding cake, plus coffee, tea, and punch. Most afternoon receptions only last a few hours. But you’ll have time to cut the cake, mingle with your guests, and have a dance or two.

Another great way to stay on budget is by planning a breakfast or brunch reception. Breakfast food is less expensive than a traditional wedding dinner. You should be able to book a caterer for breakfast or brunch with a $2,000 budget. If not, see if your friends or family can prepare some breakfast food for your reception.

If you’d rather have an evening meal, check your local caterers for other inexpensive options. Some caterers can serve barbecue or tacos for as little as $15 per person.

If you can’t find a caterer, you might be able to self cater your wedding. Or DIY a fun buffet of pasta, tacos, or burgers.

Invite Less Guests and Serve More Food

For a wedding of 20 people, you’ll be able to spend $100 per person for food and drinks.

You probably won’t be able to get a traditional caterer for only 20 people. Most of them will ask for a minimum number of guests. But before you decide, look around your city or town. You may be able to find a small business owner who’s willing to work on smaller parties.

If you can’t find a caterer, another option is to plan a restaurant wedding. With only 20 guests, you can spring for a nice meal and still stay on budget.

Plus, the restaurant is already furnished and decorated. You won’t need to pay for rentals or decor. Some restaurants even have private rooms, so you could have a nice event without paying for a venue rental.

Restaurants also have dinnerware and music to cut the costs even further. Plus, a restaurant will allow you to relax and mingle with your guests without feeling pressured to entertain your guests.

Planning a Smaller Guest List

If you’ve booked a venue or caterer that doesn’t have minimums, you can definitely save money by cutting your guest list. With fewer people, you’ll pay for less food and drinks, fewer rentals, and a smaller cake. Additionally, you’ll require fewer tables and chairs, reducing table decoration costs.

Invite only the people you wouldn’t want to get married without. Oftentimes, family or friends can influence you to invite people you may not be close with. Avoid this when you can, as it will drive up your wedding costs.

Remember: it’s your wedding. You are allowed to say “no”.

How to Stick to a $5K Wedding Budget

The first thing you’ll notice is that there’s no room in the budget for a DJ or a photographer. If either one is a deal breaker, redo the numbers and put some money aside for whatever is most important to you.

If you’d rather stay on budget, you can create a playlist of your own for your dance party. Depending on your venue, there might even be speakers for you to plug your phone into.

It’s not easy to replace a professional photographer. But you can ask a friend to take pictures of the most important moments. You could also set up a DIY photo booth for your reception. The photo booth will entertain your guests and give you lots of fun pictures from your wedding.

Don’t get carried away trying to impress your guests, either. Oftentimes, couples feel pressured to throw an extravagant that “wows” their attendees, which usually results in overspending. Plan and create a wedding that feels right to you and your partner. As long as you’re happy with it, that’s all that matters.

Remember: your guests are there to celebrate your love, not attend a high-end party.

How to Save Money On Your Wedding Ceremony

Save on your wedding ceremony venue by getting married at the same place as your reception. Or look for an inexpensive spot, like a local park or beach.

In some states, you can save money on the officiant by asking a friend or family member to perform your ceremony if they are certified.

Check the marriage rules in your city and find out what’s required. You’ll need to pay around $20 to have a friend ordained. If they’re willing, they can perform your service for free.

Cutting your guest list will always save you the most money since you won’t have to pay for their seating, food, cake, or if your venue requires it, their headcount.

More Ideas For Saving Money On Your Wedding

Buy cheap wedding invitations. You can find lots of inexpensive options, from DIY invites to electronic invitations. Most invitations cost between $1.50-$4 per invitation. If you download a digital template and print it yourself, it will be a lot cheaper.
Postage for wedding invitations is a big hidden cost. Save some cash by hand-delivering the invites to the people you see the most often.
Better yet, cut the invitations altogether and save a ton. Buy a template from Etsy and text or email the invitations. Accept RSVPs on your wedding website instead of mail-in cards.
Save on your bouquet and boutonniere by ordering them from a local grocery store or big box store instead of a florist.
Watch some YouTube tutorials and decide if you’d like to DIY your bouquet and boutonniere.
DIY some decorations. There are thousands of tutorials on Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok that give you step-by-step instructions. Some projects may be more expensive to purchase materials for, but most are significantly less and don’t require much time to craft.
Use buffet-style food for your wedding reception. Food in bulk is often cheaper and easier to set up. Plus, guests can select only what they want to eat.
Use artificial flowers instead of real flowers. There are many that look real and cost far less.

Remember To Do The Math Before You DIY

Doing DIY for your wedding can help you save money. Make sure to do the math first so you can decide if you’re actually saving. For example, you might want to bake a wedding cake instead of spending $200 on it.

If you’ve already got all the pans and decorating equipment, this is a great idea. But if you need to buy a bunch of stuff before you can even start, it might not save money in the end. Once you add in the ingredients, it could be cheaper to just pick up a nice white cake from your local bakery.

The same goes for DIYing wedding decor. Some projects only require everyday tools you may already have. Others may need power tools or other expensive elements that may end up costing more than purchasing the decorations pre-made.

Love Your Wedding

Once you’ve decided to stick to a $5,000 wedding budget, don’t look back. And don’t look at Pinterest anymore, either! Instead of looking at inspo photos, keep your eyes on what’s most important:

You get to marry the love of your life. You’re going to have a super fun party with your nearest and dearest. You get to start your happily ever after without extra debt.

Don’t worry if your wedding isn’t picture-perfect. As long as you and your guests have fun, you’ll have an amazing wedding day.