Hey, y'all! I'm Cris.
  • Say Hello
  • Check Me Out
  • Work With Me
  • Find Out More
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Sponsorships
  • Privacy Policy

Kiss My Tulle

Real Life in a Perfectionist World

  • Capsule Wardrobes
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
  • Travel
    • Disney + Marvel
    • Marvel Bounding
  • DIY + Tutorials
    • Home Improvement + Design
    • Food + Cooking
    • Health + Fitness
    • Holidays
  • Pregnancy + Parenting
    • Mommy
    • Daddy
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Kid
  • Weddings
    • Our $5,000 Wedding
    • Ceremony
    • Reception
    • Honeymoon

Ceremony, Reception, Weddings · September 21, 2024

Having a Wedding for Zero Dollars: Budget-Saving Tips and Ideas

If you're here, it's because you're probably planning a wedding on t i g h t budget… REALLY tight. I know, I've been there.

But what if even my teeny tiny $5,000 wedding budget is more than you can spare?

What if you're budget is only… ZERO dollars?

What if you truly cannot spend money on a wedding but want to have one?

Here's how to have a wedding for zero dollars:

Learn how to plan a wedding without spending a dime. Get creative and find out how to have a beautiful wedding on a zero-dollar budget.

Attire, Make-Up, Hair:

Shop Your Closet

At our wedding, The Boy wore a suit from his closet and looked great.

Surely, you have something nice in your closet that could work!

Shop Your Friend/Family's Closets

If you don't have something nice then ask a friend or family member if they do and would be willing to lend it to you.

Stick With Tradition

Can you wear mom's wedding gown or dad's suit?

If you like them and they fit – why not embrace this once standard tradition?

Get It For Free

I got my gorgeous, fully-beaded wedding gown for free!

There are lots of brides out there perfectly happy to give or share their wedding dress with you.

Just ask!

DIY

Do your make-up and hair yourself (or have a friend/family member do it for you).

Use the stuff you have in your stash – that's what I did.

Ceremony:

Get Married By A Friend

The only thing you really need is an officiant and many states allow you to be married by anyone for free (they may have to pay a fee to become an officiant).

Get Thee To A Church

Some church officials will marry you for free if you're a member in good standing.

Visit City Hall

Actually having a government official (i.e. the Justice of the Peace) marry you costs nothing – just make sure to make an appointment.

Get Married Anywhere

Seriously, have the ceremony at your house, at City Hall, at a park, in Wal-Mart – just get married and then have a party.

The getting married part usually only lasts 10-20 minutes so why bother to do anything more?

You will probably pay a license or application fee to get married. However, since actually *getting* married isn't the same as a wedding – I haven't included the cost of those fees in this post.

Learn how to plan a wedding without spending a dime. Get creative and find out how to have a beautiful wedding on a zero-dollar budget.

Photography/Videography:

Ask For A Wedding Gift

Know someone with decent photography/videography skills who loves you?

Ask them to photograph/video your wedding in lieu of a traditional gift.

Find A Student/Assistant

Know a student or assistant who's looking to build their portfolio?

See if they'll do your wedding gratis.

Create a Hashtag

Everyone and their brother has a cell phone with a pretty good camera and they're all going to take photos anyway.

So, why not create a special wedding day hashtag and ask everyone to upload and tag their photos/videos from the day.

Bouquets and Boutonnieres:

Go Wild

Have access to wildflowers or a garden?

Just pluck some blooms and go!

Skip The Flowers

Who says you need bouquets and boutonnieres anyway?

Find An Alternative

Why not carry a bible or a handkerchief in stead of a bouquet?

And pocket squares always look stylish for the men.

Go With Greenery

Instead of the more traditional flowers, why not use branches from a tree or air plants from your mom's house?

Food/Drink:

Potluck, Baby

I did it for our civil ceremony and people were delighted to help out!

Ask Friends/Family

Would someone swing this cost as a wedding present?

Skip It

Hey, if you only have a ceremony and no reception – you don't need to feed people.

Just sayin'.

Homebrew

If your hobby is making your own alcohol then just serve whatever you've got on tap.

Borrow

Snag all the tableware and silverware from your own house or from family/friends.

Mismatched always looks awesome anyway.

Learn how to plan a wedding without spending a dime. Get creative and find out how to have a beautiful wedding on a zero-dollar budget.

Reception:

Venue, Venue, Venue

Host the reception at a park, your home, your mom's place, on the beach – anywhere with bathrooms and no fee.

Check The Garden

Have access to a garden?

Bowls of fruits and vegetables are gorgeous as are arrangements of more “homey” flowers.

Alternative Centerpieces

These are really the only decor that's kinda sorta “needed”.

Music:

Playlist Dance Party

Have a phone and a speaker?

Create a long playlist, hook them up, and push start.

It's what we did at our wedding!

Musical Friends/Family

Is anyone a talented (or even just okay) musician who's happy to play music during the reception as a wedding gift?

Music Channels

If your venue has TVs with cable or satellite – check for the music channels.

Most don't have commercials and play songs back-to-back.

// I may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post. //

Stationery:

Skip everything

Seriously.

Email or invite people over the phone and move on.

You can skip flowers and scrounge around your house for things that will work – like piles of books, cool pottery, or fun Lego set-ups.

Social Media

Create a pretty invitation using a free Canva template and then message it to people via social media.

Word of Mouth

Nothing wrong with just telling people, y'all.

Learn how to plan a wedding without spending a dime. Get creative and find out how to have a beautiful wedding on a zero-dollar budget.

Cake:

Friends and Family

Again, is anyone willing to pay for or create the cake in lieu of a wedding gift?

Shop Your Pantry

Do you have doughnuts, candy, and/or pies stashed anywhere?

Pull them out and have a killer dessert bar!

Make It Yourself

I did it for my civil ceremony and I just used the stuff that I already had in the pantry.

Decor:

Nature

Mother Nature is the BEST decorator.

Get married someplace gorgeous and you won't need any decor.

Shop Your House

Do you have pretty curtains that can be used as backdrops?

Artwork that can become a focal point? Rugs, couches, chairs?

Anything from your house can be repurposed as wedding decor.

Learn how to plan a wedding without spending a dime. Get creative and find out how to have a beautiful wedding on a zero-dollar budget.

Ask Your Friends/Family

Does anyone have leftover decor from their wedding or a party that can be used at your wedding for free?

Any of you planning a wedding on a SUPER tight budget?

Sharing is caring!

  • Share
  • Email
  • Print

Posted In: Ceremony, Reception, Weddings · Tagged: budget, ceremony, reception, weddings

You’ll Also Love

10 First Dance Songs for a Second Wedding
50 Ways to Save on Wedding Essentials Without Sacrificing Style
Blended Family Wedding Songs: Creating a New Family Together

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Next Post >

Free Thanksgiving Coloring Pages for Kids: A Fun Craft Activity

I'm Cris. I live in Alaska with my husband, two kids, and two cats. I love sleeping, Disney, Marvel, and fries.

Kiss My Tulle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Web Stories

Work With Me

  • Sponsorships
  • Contact Me
  • Find Out More
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy

Shop My Favorites

  • Travel Essentials
  • Capsule Wardrobes
  • Home Decor Finds
  • Pregnancy Must Haves
  • DIY Tools

hey, y'all!

I'm Cris. Kiss My Tulle is filled with humor, down-to-earth advice, true parenting stories that are equal parts funny and horrifying, and some swearing while tackling real life in a perfectionist world. Stick around!

Disney + Travel

  • Travel
  • Disney + Marvel
  • Marvel Bounding
  • Honeymoon

Being A Mom

  • DIY + Tutorials
  • Pregnancy + Parenting
  • Capsule Wardrobes
  • Food + Cooking
  • Home + Life
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Sponsorships
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Kiss My Tulle · Theme by 17th Avenue