Wedding for around $5,000?

[hpreece]

Hello ladies!

 

My fiance and I are paying for the wedding ourselves and it was becoming too expensive at home with our huge family, so we decided to do a destination wedding to cut down on the number of guests attending.  

 

I've been researching on these boards about different venues for a ceremony and reception, but it seems like most hotels require you to have a number of guests staying there or to have your guests do an all-inclusive option when staying at their resort.  I personally don't like the all-inclusive option because I would prefer to eat at different restaurants in town.  I was thinking about hiring a wedding coordinator but I thought that would take up a chunk of my budget.

 

Ideally I would like to have an ocean view for the ceremony, reception, or both and would like to spend around $5,000 for everything (not including hotel, flight, rings, dress) for 30-40 guests. I wouldn't mind a restaurant for the reception as long as I can have a DJ and dance floor.  Preferably I would like to be located in Cabo and not San Jose. Is this doable?  Your posts have been super helpful and I'm hoping that you girls can give me some ideas on how to stay around this budget. Thank you so much!!!

 

(This is my first post, so hopefully I did this right).  

[mustlovegreg]

Ok i wasn't sure about responding since I am just barely planning my wedding but i see no one else has, so I'll give you my take...which is limited in experience.  I think 5k would be really difficult to do what you're looking for, but if you're willing to go without some stuff, you might be able to pull it off.  If you can cut down your head count, then yes, you can def do it.  If not, then you need to get creative!  Do you want a photographer? If pics are important, a good photog will be no less than 3k, so if you know someone, that will be a great place to save money.  I had a 20k budget and for me a photog was the most important, so im spending almost 5k on mine.  From my planners budget (dont have solid pricing yet) a DJ will be around 1000-1500.  An officient is around $300.  Are you open to a friday or sunday wedding?  Most resorts offer discounts for that.  Also if you do a cash bar, that can obviously save a ton.  I've found most food quotes are around  40-75pp not including any booze and only some including hour devours. if you do the all inclusive, though, you will save lots and lots and it will make ur budget even more doable.  Flowers are also pretty expensive and since it's mexico, we cant just grab cheap flowers at our local market and bring em over.  My estimate for bouquets alone was over $1,000, not including centerpieces.  I have seen some cool paper flower decorations on pinterest, so if youre open to that, more savings!  Again, that was my planners guess, not an actual quote. I dont have crazy fancy taste and am hoping I can drop that down.  i think most resorts dont require a lot of guests, most destination weddings are quite small, so I'd keep hunting if you're running into that issue!  Restaurants yes, but not the resorts.  You can also save money by doing ur own planning instead of accepting the resorts package.  So all in all, if a photog isn't important and you go extremely minimal on decorations, you might be able to make it work.  I do think a planner will put you over the edge on your budget, so you will just have to dig your heels in and make lots of phone calls.  OH dont forget the 11% tax on everything plus 18% for food service. That stuff is killing me! Good luck, i hope you can make it work...and if not, take that money and have a killer honeymoon! 

[arianna29]

Hi hpreece- I see its been over a month since you wrote your question, but I wanted to tell you that I too am on a budget and am getting married at Villa Del Palmar in Cabo, June 2014. It is an all inclusive resort (which I Know you don't want, but it saves money) they have a deal where if your group has 10 rooms, each for 3 days AI, you get the ceremony for free. The buffet with an open bar, cocktail hour and desert is $45/pp (as long as they are AI guests of VDP) if you (or guests) stay longer than three nights, you do not have to continue to be all inclusive so you can head out to other restaurants. In my research I found an inexpensive DJ: DJ Fradal i Also plan on doing my own flowers, buying them from Costco. I am into DIY when I can, and not that I really want to make my own bouquet but if it means I can have a photographer, so be it. For photography I opted for a three hour package instead of all day. I hired Tomas Barron who was just a little more expensive than Gilda B. I do think its possible as long as your willing to forgo some things. Good luck!

[hpreece]

Hi!

 

Thanks both of you for responding!  It looks like we are going to end up spending about 10k instead of 5k. It is cheaper than what we would have spent back home though because having it in Cabo cuts down on the guests attending.  We're going to have our wedding at the restaurant Hacienda Cocina y Cantina which has an option of doing family style for $36/person. It includes appetizer, salad, tacos, and dessert.  My photographer is going to be Gilda Badillo which has nice pictures for a decent price.  I had not found a DJ yet, so I will definitely look into DJ Fradal. Thanks and good luck to you girls in your planning! 

[valleri92648]

We are getting married at HCC in November and hired DJ Sam Koen through our wedding planner Tammy Wolff

[J0hanna]

Originally Posted by hpreece 

 

Hi!

 

Thanks both of you for responding!  It looks like we are going to end up spending about 10k instead of 5k. It is cheaper than what we would have spent back home though because having it in Cabo cuts down on the guests attending.  We're going to have our wedding at the restaurant Hacienda Cocina y Cantina which has an option of doing family style for $36/person. It includes appetizer, salad, tacos, and dessert.  My photographer is going to be Gilda Badillo which has nice pictures for a decent price.  I had not found a DJ yet, so I will definitely look into DJ Fradal. Thanks and good luck to you girls in your planning! 

Hi, I am considering having my wedding at the HCC. Our budget is 10k, however we are looking into inviting between 50-60 ppl attending.  When you are referring to family style, that's buffet right?  Are there site fees for having the reception at Medano beach or anything?

 

Congrats on your upcoming wedding!

[hpreece]

Hi J0hanna!

 

HCC does have buffet menus for more money, but the $36/person family style is where they place all the stuff to make tacos on the table and the guests make their own tacos.  There are site fees for having the ceremony on Medano Beach.  The venue fee (which I'm not sure is just the ceremony or both the ceremony/reception) is $295, and then a set up fee of $150.  If you want to PM me your email address, I can send you the menus.  Hope this helps!

[cassie06]

Hi hpreece! How did your wedding turn out at HCC?! Do you mind me asking what you ended up spending?! I am really interested in a wedding there and am expecting around 45-60 people and want a small budget f possible too! Any help would be great! Thank you!

Sorry!! Just saw yor wedding is this July!! Congrats!! I hope it's amazing! Any information will still help! Thank you!

[hyoungquist]

I also am looking at keeping the budget around $5000. Please share any tips and information....and CONGRATULATIONS )

[susie q]

@@hpreece How was it?? We're seriously considering HCC, anything would be great! I hope your day was amazing!

 

@@cassie06 What about Casa Dorado?? 

 

Thanks for whatever!!