Given that I'm a frugal person in general, and love finding deals, wedding planning has been an adventurous (though stressful) time. I wanted to share some of my budget, for those who want some help in finding ways to keep costs & waste low.

We're planning about 200-250 people in the Bay Area in May 2010, with a buffet dinner. Budget... $10,000. A challenge that I'm excited for!

Church: $650, which includes the wedding coordinator, and very pretty gardens/grounds

Reception venue: $1000 for 5 hours, plus a $100 liability insurance. a community hall in one of the rich cities of the Bay. As I looked around for venues, I struggled to find ones that were decently priced. I think the community hall/center route was a good choice since the grounds are so beautiful, as it is a rich city. We can also bring in our own food, which cuts down costs significantly.

Dress: $70! plus $50 shipping, from ebay. I had considered going with chinese "custom-made" dresses that are about $200-$300, but did not know how I felt about buying a new dress that I won't be wearing again. This dress is new, and very pretty. It also inspired me to lose 10 pounds since I didn't quite fit it when I got it..

Food: korean food from a local restaurant, estimated to be $3000 for 200 people.

Renting vs buying: I found that many things are cheaper to buy than to even rent. Who knew?

The only thing I'm getting stuck on are the plates. I may end up renting plates, which is about $.50 per plate. I haven't been able to find many plates for under $1..if you have any ideas, please let me know :)

So far, I am on track to make this $10k budget. Yay!