Budget Breakdown: Private 2k elopement then 9k Reception for 60 people

My husband and I (30yo, Chicago) got married in August and this sub was so helpful! Just wanted to pay it forward and share my budget breakdown in case it helps others.

We decided to elope/self-solemnize at Garden of the Gods in Colorado and then have a reception back home a few weeks after. This saved some expenses on your typical “ceremony” but also increased other budget lines (for ex: we had to get all dolled up twice.) We didn’t have a full bridal party, but my sister was my MOH and my husband had a best man, who gave speeches at the event and helped with some details. The 3 main buckets were: Elopement/Min-Moon 2k, Rings 3k, Reception ~9k.

Elopement/Mini-Moon (5 days in CO) - $2k
In CO you can get a marriage license and marry yourself (a great option for those who want a private ceremony.) We wanted it just us, but we ended up asking my sister to come and take photos on her nicer camera. We just asked her to skedaddle and give us lots of privacy during our vows, then took photos afterward. She’s an amateur but honestly, with the gorgeous backdrops, they still came out nice. Overall, we spent up on the trip since it was a mini-moon for us too. The total for the five-day elopement trip was $2k, but could definitely be cheaper. Happy to share more details if anyone is interested in that.

Rings - $2,800
We used Brilliant Earth and got modest but durable rings we love.

Reception & Other - $9k
Venue, Food, Drinks: $5k
We looked at some classic nontraditional wedding venues (breweries, restaurants, etc.) We ended up booking a restaurant that had never done a wedding before, but it SOOO paid off. This was a long-standing local burger place, that had recently upgraded to a beautiful new building, including fund decor, a giant bar, a retractable sunroof (such a great option for outdoor feel, but wanting security if weather gets bad.) We had tons of space for dining, DJ, dance floor, etc. The food was humble, but we aren’t fancy people and our midwestern friends/family (really anyone drinking haha) loves quality burgers, fries, salads, cheese curds, hot wings, etc. The bar was INCREDIBLE and affordable, they had everything from margaritas to local beers to your classic well-drinks. Their staff were amazing, with super attentive bar coverage, circling around all night, topping off drinks before speeches and everything. We received so many compliments on the venue and staff.
MY RECO: don’t be afraid to think outside the box or ask places that don’t publicize weddings if they would be willing to take it on. Smaller places deliver personalized service and have more flexibility - at a better price. They did such an amazing job and we got a great deal!

Dessert - $115
We brought in cupcakes from the bakery at the local grocery for dessert ($100.) We asked the bakery to add some special gold sparkles to fancy them up a bit, and matched the decor which worked fine. Our best man is a baker and made us a personal cake for cake cutting, and we added a national park cake topper we found on Etsy.

Invites - $80
I created invites on Canva, stuffed in envelopes from Amazon. Instead of handwriting them all, I ordered clear labels and printed our & our guest addresses in a nice calligraphy font. It was DIY but not as elaborate as it could have been.

DJ - $1,000 (including tip)
We have a childhood friend/acquaintance who is an established DJ in Chicago. Even though we haven’t stayed close, we are connected on social media and he agreed to this price (which included his tip.)

Photography - $1,000 (including tip)
One of my closest friends runs a wedding photography business. I didn’t want him to shoot, I wanted him to be present and involved in the day, so we hired his second shooter (whom he trained, is well trusted) for the day, and just paid his hourly rate. Then, our friend edited the photos for our gift.

Caricature Artist - $600 (including tip)
As a splurge, we had a caricature artist (this doubled as an activity and our “gift” for guests.) She did great and everyone loved it! This was a splurge but so worth it.

Bouquet & Boutonniere - DIY & GIFTED $0
My sister bought a bag of artificial, sola flowers. Then, we dyed them with paint based on the colors we wanted. Then, she added wire stems. She is crafty, but in general, this was way easier than I thought and not that time intensive (maybe 1 hour dying, which was pretty fun, and 1 hour stemming.) Plus, it didn’t die and we kept it as a memento!

Decor - Catherine’s Community Closet ($200) + Other $50 = $250
Since the venue had some character already, we didn’t want to do anything too crazy. We used table runners, centerpieces, we “borrowed” from a local nonprofit that lets you borrow decor for parties, weddings, nonprofit fundraisers. You just need to donate $200 - no mater how much you borrow. She has everything from tables and chairs to tea lights and vases, in a giant warehouse. She walked us through the whole process and helped us pick decor that matched the vibe of our venue. If you’re in the Chicagoland area I recommend checking them out! We also bought some nice frames so we could blow up a few photos from our elopement for display so that guests still felt connected to the big day, plus for our memory table.

Dress/Alterations - $480
$120 dress (David’s Bridal closing sale), $260 alterations, $100 for cleaning after the elopement before the reception

Odds and Ends - Hair, Makeup, Jewelry, Shoes, Purse - $120
I did my own hair and my sister helped with makeup. I did buy some more glam makeup for the day so that was a pretty penny, but still cheaper overall. Plus, all the little accessories: hair piece, earrings, purse, etc.

Overall
We identified what really matters to us: fun vibe, good drinks, good music, and overall affordability. Then, we were unconventional on a few key details that saved a lot of money - casual food, nontraditional venue, etc. My parents and my husband’s father have all passed away, so we did not have parental contribution to the event. Nonetheless, we leaned into our network and had great friends and family who helped out (as noted above.) For example, some people won’t hesitate asking someone to spend $500 on a bachelorette party, but are afraid to ask a friend to make a cake. Once we thought about it this way things shifted for us, and our friends were more than happy to help.

Happy to answer any questions!